Skene vs custom instrumentation
This page is for engineering-led teams deciding between building a custom tracking and lifecycle stack or using Skene as a turnkey solution.
Who this comparison is for
You have engineering resources and are weighing whether to build internal tooling for product analytics, onboarding, and lifecycle automation, or to use an existing solution like Skene.
Core tradeoff
Custom instrumentation gives you full control but requires ongoing engineering investment. Skene provides a working system in minutes but makes architectural decisions for you. The question is where your engineering time is better spent.
When custom is the wrong choice
Building custom makes less sense when your core product needs engineering attention, when you do not have dedicated data engineering resources, or when the custom solution will be perpetually half-finished.
When Skene is the wrong choice
Skene may not fit if you have unique requirements that no off-the-shelf tool can meet, or if building internal tooling is itself a strategic differentiator for your company.
Comparison
| Dimension | Skene | Custom build |
|---|---|---|
| Time to value | 5 minutes to first insights and automation. | Weeks to months for a working v1. |
| Engineering cost | Zero. Works autonomously after setup. | Ongoing: initial build + maintenance + iteration. |
| Flexibility | Opinionated but covers common PLG patterns. | Unlimited flexibility, but you build everything. |
| Maintenance | Updates automatically with your codebase. | You own all maintenance, debugging, and scaling. |
| Risk | Low. Proven patterns, quick to validate. | Higher. Custom systems often underdeliver or get deprioritized. |
| Best for | Teams who want outcomes, not infrastructure projects. | Teams with dedicated platform engineering capacity. |
The honest question
Ask yourself: if you had spent the last 6 months building custom instrumentation, would your business be further ahead than if you had used that time on your core product? For most teams, the answer is no.
Custom builds make sense when you have already validated that off-the-shelf tools genuinely cannot meet your needs. Skene is designed to handle 90% of PLG lifecycle automation so you can focus on the 10% that is actually unique to your business.
Next steps: see how Skene works or try it in 5 minutes.
Ready to try Skene?
Skip the comparison spreadsheets. Connect your repo, see your first insights in 5 minutes, and decide from there.