Comparison table across the five main approaches
| Element | Out of the box | Custom | Limited custom | In a box product | Modular product |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| User experience | Good | Strong | Good / strong | Strong | Strong |
| Feature set | Incomplete | Complete | Incomplete / complete | Complete | Complete |
| Comms & engagement | Incomplete | Complete | Incomplete / complete | Complete | Complete |
| Branding options | Limited | Very flexible | Flexible | Flexible | Flexible |
| Implementation cost | Low | High | Medium | High | Low |
| Total cost of ownership | High | Very high | High | Medium | Low |
| Implementation speed (MVP) | Quick | Slow | Medium | Quick | Quick |
| Level of technical debt | None | High | Medium | None | None |
| Scalability | High | Medium | Medium | High | High |
| Maintenance effort | High | High | Medium | Low | Low |
| Technical knowledge required | High | High | High | Low | Low |