White-label app vs custom app
A white-label app is an existing product you put your name on. A custom app is built around your process from the start.
The word covers a lot of ground, so it helps to know what you are actually getting. Below: what to ask, how the two compare, and where our Managed Apps sit between them.
Side by side
| Factor | White-label app | Custom app |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A ready-made product with your logo, colors, and name on it. | Software designed and built around your specific process and customers. |
| Speed | Fast, since the product already exists. | Slower, since design and engineering come first. |
| Cost | Lower up front, usually a recurring fee. | Higher up front. Fixed price when scope is clear. |
| Differentiation | Limited. Others may run the same product. | As much as you want. It is yours. |
| Your data and customer relationships | Ask. Terms vary a lot between providers. | Yours. |
| Flexibility | What the vendor ships. | Whatever you can describe. |
| Best when | Your need is common and speed matters most. | The app is core to how you win, or your process is unusual. |
Questions to ask any white-label provider
- Is the app published under your own developer account and name in the app stores?
- Who owns your data and your customer relationships, and can you take them with you?
- What can you actually change beyond logo and colors?
- What happens to pricing as your user count grows?
- Who handles security, uptime, and updates, and who do you call?
Where Managed Apps sit
Managed Apps are branded under your name and customized for the things that matter to your product, on infrastructure we run. We own the software; you own your data, customer relationships, and brand. Pricing is a published monthly plan based on active users, and apps go live in weeks.
If you outgrow that, or you decide you want the code, the next step is a custom build you own outright. We export your data and help you migrate, and the new build is a project of its own, priced like any other. The full comparison is on Managed vs custom, and the ownership terms are on the pricing page.
Health or wellness? See health and fitness apps, which are HIPAA-ready. Not sure which route fits? Start with a fixed-price proof of concept.
Start with a free assessment
A free call with a senior lead. Tell us what you're working on, and we'll tell you how we'd approach it and what the first step should be.