How Different Approaches Stack Up
Making the right choice for your mobile solution isn't just about features. It's about understanding what actually works for your business in Taiwan's market.
Over the past few years, we've noticed something interesting. Most companies trying to decide on mobile development focus on the wrong things. They compare price tags or development time without looking at what really matters—how the solution performs after launch.
We've worked with businesses who tried three different approaches before finding what worked. And honestly? The patterns that emerged surprised us. Here's what we learned from projects that succeeded and ones that didn't.
Custom Development
Building from scratch means every feature fits your exact needs. One client needed integration with Taiwan's payment systems that template solutions couldn't handle. Custom work made it possible.
- Timeline 3-6 months
- Flexibility Complete control
- Best for Unique requirements
Hybrid Solutions
Starting with proven frameworks and adapting them works well when time matters. We've seen retail businesses launch in 6 weeks this way, then enhance features based on real user feedback.
- Timeline 6-10 weeks
- Flexibility Balanced approach
- Best for Quick market entry
Template Platforms
Ready-made platforms get you running fast, but you're working within their boundaries. A restaurant chain chose this route initially but switched after hitting limitations with their booking system.
- Timeline 2-3 weeks
- Flexibility Limited options
- Best for Standard needs
What Actually Happened
Real experience from a project that started with one approach and evolved into something better.
Erwin Holtzer
Operations Director
Evergreen Logistics Taiwan
"We started looking at template solutions because everyone said custom development would take forever. Spent three months trying to make a platform work for our delivery tracking needs. It just couldn't handle the real-time updates we needed across Taitung County's rural routes."
"Switching to custom development seemed scary at first. But the team at Ultralogicconnect showed us how building exactly what we needed would actually save time compared to fighting with limitations. They were right—by month five we had something that worked perfectly for our drivers and our customers."
The result? Our delivery accuracy improved and customer complaints about tracking dropped significantly. Sometimes the longer path turns out to be the shortcut.
Breaking Down Real Project Numbers
Let's talk actual numbers from a project we completed in early 2025. A retail client in Taitung needed a customer loyalty app with inventory integration. Here's how different approaches would have played out.
Same Project, Three Paths
The template option looked appealing initially. But when we mapped out the inventory sync requirements and Taiwan-specific payment needs, the customization costs would have exceeded building from scratch. The client chose custom development and launched in September 2025 with exactly what they needed.