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SaaS search platform or your own system?
An honest framework. SaaS platforms like Klevu, Searchspring, and Algolia are good products — for the stores they fit. Here's when each path wins.
SaaS platformCustom system
Cost modelMonthly fee that scales with your traffic — foreverBuilt once, operated at a fraction of SaaS cost
FitShared templates across thousands of storesShaped to your catalog, your customers, your rules
Search qualityGood generic relevance; limited controlTuned to your catalog's attributes — benchmarked before release
OwnershipRented — leave and it's goneOwned — the system is your asset
ChangesFeature request tickets and roadmap waitsDirect changes by the people who built it
DataYour catalog and behavior data live in their platformEverything stays in your stack
A SaaS platform wins when
- You're under ~2,000 SKUs and standard filters cover your catalog
- You need something live this week and can accept the template
- You don't have search-specific complaints from customers
A custom system wins when
- Your catalog is large or nuanced — shoppers describe things in words filters don't have
- Search-driven revenue justifies owning the system
- You want recommendations and room planning, not just a search box
- You want the system to be yours — an asset, not a subscription
What is better search worth to you?
Slide your own numbers in. We kept the uplift assumptions modest on purpose.
Run your own numbers
Illustrative — not a forecast
50,000
2%
$180
5%
Current monthly
$180,000
With 5% uplift
$189,000
Annual delta
$108,000
This is arithmetic on your inputs, not a promise. What a realistic uplift is for your store is exactly what a consultation is for.
Not sure which side you're on?
Bring your catalog size and your analytics. If a SaaS platform fits you better, we'll tell you that too.