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Glossary · Privacy & data

Vendor lock-in

Checked 2026-09-06
Also said as lock-inswitching costsexit
Vendor lock-in is what happens when leaving a tool costs more than staying — in money, migration time, or data you can't take with you.
Why it matters to your business

Every tool in this directory gets graded on the exit: what you can export, what stops working, and what you lose the day you stop paying.

The catch · what vendors don't say

Lock-in is rarely advertised — it shows up in the exit details: exports that don't exist, formats that don't transfer, features tied to staying.

I'm David. I build AI that keeps your data yours.

David Nowak

Twenty years building software for businesses like yours — cloud tools when they fit, your own machines when the data demands it. Four ways to work together: a session, a scoped project, a standing second opinion, or just an email.

Work with David

"Most companies are selling you fear and complexity. He cuts through the bullshit and just fixes things. That's what partnership looks like."
Jim · Owner, media production company · more testimonials