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What does an integration really cost?

Building in-house is rarely just the build — it's the maintenance, the iPaaS license, and your engineers' time. Estimate the real year-1 cost, then compare it to a managed flat fee.

Your situation

Year-1 estimate

Build in-house

Build (300 hrs @ $120)$36,000
Maintenance (20% / yr)$7,200
iPaaS license (est.)$12,600
Year-1 total$55,800

Weldforge — Forge, flat fee

$1,499/mo, fully managed$17,988

Estimated year-1 difference

$37,812

lower with Weldforge — and your team builds none of it

Get a real fixed quote →

Estimates only. Build hours, rates, and iPaaS license vary; we give you a real scoped price on intake.

Build vs. buy — FAQ

How much does it cost to build an integration in-house?

Most integrations take 40–200 engineering hours depending on complexity, plus 15–30% of that per year in ongoing maintenance as APIs and schemas change. At a loaded rate of $120/hr, a single medium-complexity integration is often $12,000+ to build and several thousand more per year to keep running.

Is it cheaper to buy or build an integration?

Buying (a managed, flat-fee service) is usually cheaper once you count maintenance and the opportunity cost of engineering time. Building can look cheaper up front but the ongoing upkeep is the part teams underestimate.

What does Weldforge cost?

A flat monthly fee by tier — Spark ($499), Forge ($1,499), or Foundry ($4,999) — with proactive overage alerts and no per-task pricing. We build, host, and run every integration for you.