Custom integration and iPaaS are two of the most common approaches that companies use while integrating the various components of the business environment. Like everything else, both these integration approaches have their own advantages and disadvantages, making it difficult for mid-sized businesses to pick the right integration approach.
The mid-sized companies face various challenges during integration. These companies do not always have the necessary resources to carry out the integration process on their own. The companies also face various challenges in choosing the right integration approach.
So, in order to make things easier, here we are going to talk about custom integration vs iPaaS.
The Risks and Realities of Custom Integration Projects:
Before we dig deeper into the various challenges associated with custom integration, let us have a look at what custom integration is all about:
What is custom integration? Custom integration refers to the process of creating bespoke connections between different systems and applications. Businesses mainly opt for custom integration to meet their specific needs. It requires a significant amount of time and resources for this integration to be carried out seamlessly. |
Here are some of the challenges of custom integration:
- High initial cost: With custom integration, you are required to spend significant money on initial deployment as well as maintenance.
- Continuous maintenance required: In the case of custom integration, you require significant time for continuous maintenance.
- Longer development time: Building custom integrations from scratch is a time-consuming affair. It is a lot more time-consuming as compared to iPaaS.
- Specialized expertise required: You require specific technical resources in order to deploy custom solutions based on your exact business needs.
A Salesforce study reveals that integration challenges threaten digital transformation. Companies spend an average of 3.5 million USD on custom integration labor costs.
Related Read: Custom vs Pre-built Integration!
What is iPaaS? A Smarter Alternative
Now let us have a look at what iPaaS integration is all about:
What is iPaaS? Integration platform as a service uses a cloud-based platform to connect the various systems in your environment. iPaaS offers a lot more scalability and flexibility as compared to standard connectors. It can also be used for complex integration between cloud and on-prem applications. |
According to Gartner, the iPaaS market demonstrated a strong growth rate of 30.7% in 2023, reaching 7.77 billion USD in revenue. This mainly contributed to the various iPaaS benefits.
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iPaaS vs Custom Integration: Key Comparison Points
Let us compare some of the key features of custom integration vs iPaaS so that you can make a well-researched decision for yourself:
Speed of deployment
iPaaS platforms offer rapid deployment. This allows businesses to integrate their applications swiftly and enjoy the benefits immediately.
Developing custom integrations, on the other hand, can be a time-consuming affair. It often takes weeks or even months in order to implement the integration process.
Maintenance burden:
In the case of iPaaS, you no longer have to dedicate significant time and resources for the integration process, as the iPaaS service provider takes care of everything on your behalf.
Custom integration solutions require constant ongoing maintenance and support to ensure that they continue to function properly. This can bring about a burden on the internal IT resources.
Cost over time:
iPaaS integration platforms have lower upfront costs. However, they require an ongoing subscription fee. The maintenance fee for this kind of integration is considerably less.
Custom integrations have high initial setup costs, but in the long run, they can also be cost-effective. However, they require constant maintenance.
Flexibility & Scalability:
iPaaS platforms offer flexibility and scalability. They come with multiple connectors that allow you to integrate diverse systems in your environment.
Custom integrations also offer a high level of flexibility, as they are tailored to your business’s specific needs. However, sometimes, they are difficult to scale.
| Comparison Factor | iPaaS Platform | Custom Integration |
| Speed of Deployment |  Rapid DeploymentQuick integration setup Immediate benefits Suitable for rapid scaling |  Time-consumingTakes weeks to months Can slow business operation |
| Maintenance Burden |  Low maintenanceService provider handles maintenance Minimal internal resources |  High maintenanceConstant ongoing support Burden on internal IT resources |
| Cost Over Time |  Lower upfront costOngoing subscription fee Low maintenance costs |  High Initial CostCost effective long-term Requires ongoing maintenance investment |
| Flexibility & Scalability |  High flexibilityMultiple connectors Easy to scale up Diverse system integration |  Custom flexibilityTailored to specific needs More difficult to scale than iPaaS |
A Forrester study commissioned by AWS estimates an ROI of 33% from data integration.
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When Does Custom Integration Make Sense?
Even with the various limitations of custom integration, there are certain advantages as well, which is why a lot of companies still opt for this method of integration in order to meet their business needs. Let us have a look at what those benefits are:
Customized solutions:
With custom integration, businesses can easily create customized solutions tailored to their unique needs. This is really important for businesses with complex workflows and particular regulatory requirements.
Greater control:
With custom integration, companies have greater control over their integration. This helps increase the flexibility. The business needs are also well addressed.
Read more about Amazon Seller Central integration!
Why iPaaS Works Best for Mid-Market Growth?
As integration needs have started to become more complex, the iPaaS market has matured to offer more features and services targeted at mid-sized companies. These companies require customization and integration with advanced applications. However, they lack the labor force, budget, and required infrastructure to manage various integration functionalities. So, these companies mostly shift to iPaaS in order to meet their various business needs.
| According to a study by McKinsey, organizations that effectively leverage integration see a 12% increase in profit margins. |
Related Read: 10 Powerful iPaaS Use Cases
Book your personalized demo to learn more about the iPaaS benefits!
APPSeCONNECT: Purpose-Built for Scalable, No-Code Integrations
So, if you are looking for the no. 1 iPaaS solution provider for your mid-sized business, then the best option that you have in hand is APPSeCONNECT. APPSeCONNECT is known for its enhanced iPaaS integration capabilities. It allows you to integrate the various systems in your environment without having to go through any kind of difficulty. It also ensures that all your customized integration needs are well addressed.
What Makes APPSeCONNECT Better Than Its Competitors?
APPSeCONNECT is superior to its competitors for the following reasons:
| Feature/Aspect | APPSeCONNECT | Workato | Celigo |
| Implementation Time | 2–4 weeks | 6-8 weeks | 6-12 weeks |
| Pricing Model | Cost-effective. No hidden costs or transaction fees | Premium pricing options. Higher costs for enterprise features | Mid-range pricing with per-connection fees. |
| Scalability and Flexibility | High scalability and flexibility for enterprises of all sizes. | Strong enterprise scalability but rigid cloud-only deployment | Good for small-scale enterprises but limited scalability for complex enterprises. |
| Customer Support | Exceptional 24/7 Support | Standard enterprise support with a self-service focus. | Good support for standard plans, but premium support requires higher-tier subscriptions. |
| Security & Compliance | SOC 2, GDPR, and industry-specific compliance support. | Strong cloud security but limited on-premise options | Standard security and compliance features |
Although Workato and Celigo offer custom integration solutions, because of their high pricing models, they fall back in the competition with APPSeCONNECT.
APPSeCONNECT vs Competitors! Learn More!
Explore APPSeCONNECT’s pricing options!
APPSeCONNECT’s Adherence to Security and Compliance:
APPSeCONNECT’s compliance features:
- ISO 27001 certified
- SOC 2 (Type II) certified
- GDPR Compliance
- Encryption at Rest and in transit (256-bit AES)
Enhanced security features:
- SSO (SAML)
- RBAC (Role-Based Access Control)
- SCIM provisioning
- 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication)
- Domain capture
APPSeCONNECT also helps businesses in the US adhere to specific compliance requirements like HIPAA and the CLOUD ACT.
Learn more about APPSeCONNECT’s GDPR compliance!
Case Study: APPSeCONNECT has helped Tower Garden achieve high business profitability
Tower Garden USA is a household name among home gardeners, educators, and commercial growers because of its vertical aeroponic gardening methods. As its business demands continued to increase, the company started looking for an integration solution that would allow for smooth Shopify and Sage 300 integration.
By opting for APPSeCONNECT’s iPaaS solution, the company was able to increase its business profitability by 50%. It also achieved 100% data synchronization.
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Final Thoughts: The Future Is Low-Code – And Why That Matters
These days, low-code integration has become the word of mouth. This method has gained extraordinary popularity among companies as well as integration experts out there. Low-code integration platforms allow you to connect and transfer data between different applications and systems without having to write a single line of code. This kind of integration allows the integration process to be carried out more quickly.
Top 5 reasons iPaaS is better for mid-market companies:
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As per Statista, the global low-code platform market is forecast to amount to approximately 65 billion U.S. dollars by 2027.
Low-code platforms also ensure that the data integration takes place in an affordable and efficient manner. You can also opt for APPSeCONNECT’s enhanced low-code iPaaS platforms to reap the various benefits of low-code integration.
Compare for yourself – Try APPSeCONNECT Today!
Yes, iPaaS offers multiple options for customization. You can customize the features and functionalities based on your business requirements.
Some of the various benefits include:
- Enhanced features
- Improved customization
- Better scalability and flexibility
- Lower costs
Some of the key differences include:
- iPaaS offers better speed of deployment as compared to custom integration.
- iPaaS requires low maintenance and is more scalable as compared to custom integration.
- The initial cost of setup for iPaaS is lower than custom integration.
