Usage-based pricing: Should you build or buy?

Usage-based pricing (UBP) is increasingly popular among organizations due to its direct impact on revenue, prompting many to consider whether to build their own systems or purchase existing SaaS solutions. While buying a UBP SaaS tool promises faster implementation and pre-built integrations, it may lack flexibility and result in dependency on support services. Conversely, building a custom solution offers greater control and potential alignment with a company's tech stack but requires significant resources and cross-functional collaboration. The emergence of real-time analytics platforms, such as Tinybird, presents an alternative by offering infrastructure abstractions similar to SaaS tools while allowing more control over business logic, particularly for those proficient in languages like SQL. Ultimately, the decision between building or buying hinges on a company's specific needs and its capacity to balance infrastructure management with business logic customization.