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What Type of Web App Does an SME Really Need in 2025 (A Developer's Decision Guide)

Published on 22 Sep 2025 by New Media Aid — bespoke SME app development since the year 2000

SME Software Web Apps SaaS Bespoke Development .NET Business Strategy Workflow Automation

In 2025, SME owners are spoiled for choice when it comes to web apps. There are website builders, off-the-shelf SaaS tools, industry-specific platforms and fully bespoke systems. The problem is no longer “how do I get online?” but “which type of system actually fits my business?”

This guide looks at the main options and helps you decide when a simple template site is enough, when a SaaS platform makes sense and when you really do need a bespoke web application.

The Three Main Types of Web App SMEs Choose

Most SME setups fall into one of these categories:

  1. Template-driven website builders (e.g. brochure sites, simple forms)
  2. Off-the-shelf SaaS platforms (CRMs, job systems, booking systems)
  3. Bespoke web applications (built specifically for your workflow)

In reality, many businesses end up using a mix of all three.

1. Template-Driven Website Builders

These are great when you need a professional online presence quickly and cheaply. Typical examples include:

  • Marketing sites for trades, consultants and small shops
  • Basic “services and contact” websites
  • Simple content sites with a blog or news section

When a template site is enough

  • Your business model is straightforward
  • You just need to be found online and generate enquiries
  • You don’t need complex workflows, logins or integrations
  • You’re happy to work around the platform’s limitations

If that describes you, then you probably don’t need a bespoke app just yet.

Limitations of template sites

  • Hard to model complex internal processes
  • Limited control over performance and hosting
  • Integrations and automation can be clumsy or unavailable
  • “One size fits all” admin experience

Once your business relies on more complex workflows, you will quickly feel these constraints.

2. Off-the-Shelf SaaS Platforms

SaaS systems are subscription-based tools that you pay for monthly or yearly. Typical SME examples include:

  • CRM platforms
  • Job or ticket management tools
  • Booking and scheduling systems
  • Accounting or invoicing software

When SaaS is the right choice

  • Your process is similar to many other businesses in your sector
  • You need something working now, not in three months
  • You can live with the way the system works “out of the box”
  • You are happy paying a monthly fee per user or per feature

SaaS solutions make a lot of sense for common, well-understood processes.

Where SaaS starts to hurt

  • You pay increasing subscription fees as you grow
  • You end up duplicating data across multiple disconnected systems
  • Workarounds and manual steps appear because the software doesn’t match your workflow
  • You can’t easily get the exact reports or automations you want

At some point, the tool dictates your process instead of supporting it.

3. Bespoke Web Applications

A bespoke web app is built specifically around your business. It usually:

  • Implements your exact workflow from enquiry through to invoicing
  • Integrates with your existing tools or databases
  • Supports your staff roles, permissions and terminology
  • Can be extended over time in exactly the direction you choose

When a bespoke app is the best option

  • Your process is complex or unique
  • SaaS tools never quite match what you do
  • Staff are constantly working around system limitations
  • You want to own the system rather than rent it forever
  • You see the system as core to your competitive advantage

In these cases, trying to force-fit a SaaS system usually becomes more expensive in the long run than investing in a tailored solution.

Questions to Help You Decide What You Really Need

Here are some simple questions I ask SME clients before recommending any approach:

  • How unique is your process? If it’s standard, SaaS might be enough. If it’s unique, bespoke may be justified.
  • How many manual workarounds do staff perform daily? Every manual step is a hidden cost and a potential error.
  • How important is integration? If you need everything to talk to everything else (website, CRM, jobs, accounts), custom APIs can be crucial.
  • What is your time horizon? Are you solving a short-term problem or building a 5–10 year platform?
  • How many people will use the system? SaaS per-user pricing can become expensive above a certain team size.

The answers usually point clearly towards one of the three options — template, SaaS or bespoke.

Cost Considerations: Template vs SaaS vs Bespoke

Very roughly speaking:

  • Template site: low upfront cost, minimal ongoing fees
  • SaaS: low to medium upfront setup, ongoing subscription fees
  • Bespoke app: higher upfront design/build cost, low ongoing running costs

Bespoke apps are an investment: the cost is front-loaded, but you own the system and can avoid perpetual licence fees and workarounds. For companies with specific workflows and 5+ staff using the system every day, the return on investment can be significant.

Red Flags That You’ve Outgrown Template or SaaS Solutions

You may be ready for a bespoke system if you notice these signs:

  • Staff constantly say “the system won’t let me do X”
  • You export data to Excel regularly just to get the reports you need
  • You have multiple systems that never quite talk to each other properly
  • New requirements always mean complex workarounds
  • You feel locked into a vendor that no longer fits your needs

At this point, a carefully designed custom app can simplify operations and reduce frustration.

How I Typically Help SMEs Decide

When an SME approaches me to discuss a new system, the first step is rarely “let’s build a big bespoke app.” Instead, I usually:

  • Review what you’re using today (website, systems, spreadsheets)
  • Map out your ideal workflow from enquiry through to invoice
  • Identify where existing tools are being stretched beyond what they were meant for
  • Estimate the cost of customising or integrating what you already have
  • Offer options: keep, extend, integrate or replace

Sometimes the right answer is a small bespoke component that glues together two SaaS tools. Sometimes it is a fully custom .NET app that replaces three separate systems.

Where a Bespoke .NET App Shines

Bespoke .NET apps (using .NET 8/9, Razor Pages and SQL Server) work especially well when:

  • Your business has engineers, surveyors or mobile staff who need reliable access from site
  • You want an offline-capable Android app for field work that syncs with a central system
  • You have complex pricing, quoting or scheduling rules that don’t exist in off-the-shelf tools
  • You want integrated document generation, photos, PDFs and emails in one place

These are exactly the type of systems I build and maintain for SMEs.

Need Help Deciding What’s Right for You?

If you’re not sure whether you should stick with templates, move to SaaS, or invest in a bespoke system, I’m happy to talk it through.

Together we can:

  • Review your current setup and pain points
  • Estimate the hidden costs of your existing tools
  • Outline what a bespoke system might look like (and cost)
  • Decide whether now is the right time to build or not

There is no one-size-fits-all answer — the right solution is the one that fits your workflow, budget and growth plans.

Let’s Talk About Your Next Step

If you’d like an honest, technical view on what type of web app your SME really needs, just get in touch.

Email: ab@newma.co.uk
Phone: +44 7967 219288

Happy to help — no obligation.