Boxed CRM looks free — until it isn't
Bitrix24 and amoCRM fit typical sales pipelines. SaaS wins for small teams. Pain starts when your process needs rigging dates, kit lists, deep 1C sync or B2B portals — fields and automations become duct tape.
3-year TCO
- SaaS: seats × months + integrator + app marketplace fees
- Custom: fixed MVP budget + hosting + evolution without per-seat tax
For 8–12 managers in rental or distribution, custom often pays back in 18–24 months when Excel workarounds are counted.
Migration cost is often underestimated
Moving from Bitrix24 to custom CRM — or between SaaS tools — means mapping stages, deduplicating contacts and migrating attachments. Budget 1–2 weeks for a migration layer even if MVP CRM ships in three weeks. In rental, links deal → kit → serial number rarely exist in boxed CRM and must be rebuilt from spreadsheets.
Decision checklist
- Where do managers store data outside CRM today?
- How many hours per month go into Excel reports?
- Do you need project cards, kits or rigging dates?
- Is deep 1C sync required or contact export enough?
- How will per-seat SaaS cost grow in 24 months?
If most answers point to a unique process — custom or hybrid CRM makes sense. For a typical service funnel with two salespeople, Bitrix24 with a good integrator is rational for 12–18 months. I often draw TCO on a whiteboard and honestly recommend SaaS when it is cheaper.