Zansa › Answers › Integration and BI tools
How do I decide between building integrations myself and buying a connector tool?
Buy a connector tool when sources are common, the vendor supports them well, and you value low maintenance. Build custom pipelines when connectors are missing, too costly at your volume, or you need control. Weigh licence cost against the engineering time to maintain APIs.
Factors:
- Number of sources and how standard they are.
- Data volume, since some connector tools price by rows or usage.
- Reliability and support when APIs change.
- Customisation needs.
- Internal skills to maintain code.
A hybrid is common: managed connectors for popular systems and small custom scripts for the rest. Whichever route, keep raw data in your own warehouse so you are not locked into a single tool.
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