# Know what is Developer's Bias and stay away from it!

We developers have a problem: we think we can build anything and use it ourselves instead of paying for it. But that's not correct! 🚫

Let me make it clear with an example: [Todoist](https://todoist.com/).

It's a simple to-do app with a monthly subscription of $5.

Now, we might think, "I can develop that app myself." But, hear me out!

The payment we provide them includes:  
👉 The research they've done to make a feature usable.  
👉 The efforts they've put in to integrate with other applications. (Slack, G-Cal, etc.)  
👉 Client app support across multiple platforms (browser extensions, desktop, web apps, etc.).  
👉 Constant improvement of existing features or the development of new ones.  
👉 And many more.

Now, can we do all of this consistently just to save $5? Absolutely not! 🙅‍♂️

The efforts involved in doing these are enormous, and there's an entire company dedicated to it. So, instead of building it ourselves, paying for the subscription seems like a smarter choice. 💡

Does that mean we should never build an app for ourselves? Not at all. 🙌

Here's when it makes sense to build the app ourselves:  
\- When there are no apps on the market suitable for our needs.  
\- When the amount we'd pay for an app is less than or equal to the value of the time we save by not developing it ourselves.  
\- When the existing apps in the market have major pain points, solving them could even lead to a new startup or business idea.

If any of these criteria are met, then building it ourselves might be the way to go! 🚀

In the end, it's all about balancing time and effort. ⚖️

So, the next time you think about building an app yourself, take a moment to reflect on whether it's really worth the time and effort you're about to invest. Then, decide wisely! ✅

And, don't forget to follow me. I'll be dropping some interesting stuffs soon 😉

Your fellow developer,  
[Navayuvan Subramanian](https://navayuvan.dev)