Why SaaS Is Ending and What Comes Next
By Alek & Antonio
The SaaS model served us well for 20 years. But AI is fundamentally changing the economics of software—and making bespoke systems viable for mid-market companies.
The SaaS Era Is Winding Down
For the last two decades, SaaS has been the dominant model for business software. Buy a subscription, get a one-size-fits-all tool, and adapt your processes to fit the software. It worked — until it didn't.
The problem? Every business is different. A $45M specialty distributor in New Jersey has completely different workflows than a $45M staffing firm in Texas. Yet they're both forced into the same rigid software templates.
AI Changes the Economics
AI fundamentally changes the cost equation of custom software. What used to take a team of 10 engineers six months can now be built in weeks. This means bespoke systems — built specifically for YOUR business — are now economically viable for mid-market companies.
What Comes Next
The future isn't another SaaS platform. It's AI systems built around your specific workflows, your team, your customers. Systems that evolve as your business changes. Not software you adapt to — software that adapts to you.
The companies that embrace this shift early will have an enormous competitive advantage. The ones that wait will find themselves falling further behind.