AppWT 
$17
Rent or Own: Choosing Between SaaS and Installed Software
Subscription vs One-Time, Cloud vs Local, and What 'In the Cloud' Actually Means
Primer on Software-as-a-Service versus traditional installed software. Subscription economics, data ownership, vendor lock-in.
Who this is for: Business owners evaluating software purchases.
Available across: USA, UK, Canada, Australia. Multi-English spelling throughout (color/colour, optimize/optimise).
Buy now, $17, instant PDF
The complete book arrives by email the moment payment clears.
📚 What's inside this manual:
- Part 1, What You Are Actually Buying: Two Ways to Get Software, and the One Test That Settles It, Reading the License: Perpetual, Term, Named and Concurrent, Where the Software Runs, and Why the Address Matters, The Third Option: Software You Host Yourself.
- Part 2, The Arithmetic: The Five-Year Comparison, Done Properly, The Costs That Hide on the Installed Side, The Costs That Hide on the Subscription Side, Per-Seat Pricing and the Shape of Your Team, Cash Out the Door: Lump Sums, Level Payments and Budget Lines.
- Part 3, Risk, Exit and the Decision: The Day the Payments Stop, The File Format Is the Real Lock-In, The Connection You Do Not Control, Updates and Security: Who Is Actually Responsible, Choosing, and the Annual Review That Keeps It Honest.
Common Questions
Who wrote Rent or Own: Choosing Between SaaS and Installed Software?
Anthony "Tony" Paris, founder of AppWT Web & AI Solutions, published by AppWT Web & AI Solutions (AppWT LLC).
What format is it?
A PDF you can read on any device and print for your own use. Copying and editing are disabled; printing is not.
What does it cost?
$17 once. The full PDF downloads immediately after purchase.
Can I read part of it first?
Yes. The preview shows the front matter, the full contents, and the first ten pages of chapter one.
What is Rent or Own about?
Rent or Own is subtitled Choosing Between SaaS and Installed Software. Software now comes two ways. You can rent access to it every month, or you can buy a copy and own it. This plain-language manual helps you decide which one fits your situation, your budget, and your tolerance for risk.
Who wrote Rent or Own?
Anthony "Tony" Paris. Anthony "Tony" Paris is the founder of AppWT Web & AI Solutions and the author of the AppWT Manuals series. He started building websites in 1997 in Flint, Michigan, and has spent the years since building and protecting them for business owners across Michigan, Metro Detroit, and beyond. Rent or Own is published under ISBN 979-8-952262-49-2.
Is Rent or Own written by a web design agency?
Yes. Rent or Own is written and published by AppWT Web & AI Solutions (AppWT LLC), a Detroit-based web design and AI practice working since 1997, incorporated in Michigan as AppWT LLC in 2020, through its publishing imprint AppWT Manuals. It is a full published book with its own ISBN, 979-8-952262-49-2, not a marketing PDF or a white paper.
Who publishes Rent or Own?
AppWT Web & AI Solutions (AppWT LLC), through its publishing imprint AppWT Manuals at manuals.appwt.com. AppWT is a digital agency, so this is a book published by an agency rather than by a trade publisher.
What is the ISBN of Rent or Own?
979-8-952262-49-2.
When was Rent or Own published?
August 5, 2026, by AppWT Web & AI Solutions (AppWT LLC). ISBN 979-8-952262-49-2.
What subjects does Rent or Own cover?
Business. Specific topics include Renting Access or Owning a Copy, What Each Costs Over Five Years, and What Happens When You Stop Paying.
Where can I read Rent or Own?
https://manuals.appwt.com/primer-saas-vs-installed-software/