# Vendor lock-in

Concept · [Cloud, hosting and security](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/cloud)

Also called: lock-in, lock in, locked in, vendor lock in, lockin, switching cost, switching costs

Depending on one vendor so heavily that switching to another would cost a lot of time or money.

**For example:** A [founder](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/founder) builds an app in a tool that cannot export its code. Moving to another tool later would mean building the app again.

## Connects to (10)

- [Pricing tiers](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/pricing-tiers): The set of plans a product sells, from a cheap or free starting plan up to plans for large customers.
- [No-code](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/no-code): Tools that let you build an app or site by arranging visual blocks or describing what you want, instead of writing code.
- [Open source](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/open-source): Software whose code is published for anyone to read, use and build on, under a license that sets the rules for doing so.
- [Tech stack](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/tech-stack): The set of programming languages and tools a product is built with.
- [Egress](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/egress): Data leaving a cloud provider's network, for example when a visitor downloads a file.
- [Lovable](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/lovable): An AI app builder.
- [Bubble](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/bubble): A no-code app builder made by Bubble Group.
- [Moat](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/moat): An advantage that makes it hard for competitors to copy your business or take your customers, such as unique data, network effects or high…
- [WPBakery](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/wpbakery): A drag-and-drop page builder plugin for WordPress, sold separately.
- [PostgreSQL](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/postgresql): A free, open-source relational database known for reliability.

Map view: https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/vendor-lock-in