The Marketing Automation solutions available on the market are very numerous. Aside from the available features, price, integration… that make up the offers, another element must be taken into account : open source or proprietary solution ? A factor that can confuse decision-makers when it comes time to choose a solution… 5 answers to understand the differences between these two possibilities.
Faced with the range of Marketing Automation solutions available on the market, many questions come to the minds of decision-makers. Among these, in addition to the classic questions related to features, implementation, costs… one question inevitably arises : should you opt for an “open source” or proprietary Marketing Automation solution ? 5 points to help you choose with full knowledge.
What is open source ?
First of all, let us recall that a so-called “open source” solution is made up of software components whose source code access is authorized by their authors. Indeed, there are communities of developers who openly pool their work around the same source code. This is essentially where the difference with a so-called “proprietary” solution lies. In this second case, the source code is made inaccessible (the system is closed, not to say locked), without the authorization of the software designer (developer or company).
Are there differences in terms of software performance ?
Beyond the aspects of source code accessibility, one may legitimately wonder about performance, asking whether a Marketing Automation software is more or less efficient depending on whether it is “open source” or “proprietary”.
To be specific, the debate is not framed in these terms. A software’s performance and its ability to meet the company’s needs are not tied to the availability of the source code, but to the features offered by the solution, the related services provided by the vendor (solution integration, support, training, etc.) as well as the acquisition costs (quality / price / performance ratio) of the solution for the company.
“Open source” or proprietary : which are the most scalable, the most innovative ?
Likewise, the scalability of a Marketing Automation software solution and its ability to deliver innovations depend on the provider offering it. This is true for both “open source” and proprietary solutions. The only difference that can be highlighted here relates to development times : the open source community must react following the emergence of a need, whereas the company offering a proprietary solution will have control over the development schedule.
What impact on price ?
The potentially lower responsiveness in terms of functional innovations (even if this is not measured in years !) is offset by economic factors. Indeed, development costs in open source are low, unlike those that can be generated by developments for a proprietary solution. This is a major factor for the decision-maker during the selection phase because it has an impact on the subscription price of the adopted solution.
What happens in the event of a bug ?
Whether it is an “open source” or proprietary solution, things are equivalent here. Bug management depends on the responsiveness of the provider offering the solution. In all cases, before being released onto the market, solutions are tested and thoroughly reviewed to identify possible problems that may arise, requiring a return to development. Once marketed, the solutions on offer are mature and reliable enough to avoid unpleasant surprises… Of course, minor bugs can still occur. But these will not be issues requiring a return to the developers. Only the responsiveness of the provider’s support matters here.
In conclusion, deciding on a Marketing Automation solution does not simply come down to preferring a proprietary or “open source” solution. Both options are now equivalent with regard to these parameters. On the other hand, the essential criteria to take into account when making your choice lie in the ability of the selected solution to offer the features the company needs, the related services provided by the vendor (implementation, support, etc.) and the monthly cost of the solution (subscription) depending on the volume of contacts to be managed.
