by Daniela Batarse, on Mar 12, 2025 6:45:32 AM
For many businesses, PowerBuilder applications have been the backbone of operations for decades. While these legacy systems may still function, maintaining them comes with hidden costs that can negatively impact your business in ways you might not have considered. In this blog, we’ll explore these hidden expenses and why modernizing your PowerBuilder application is not just an option—it’s a necessity.
1. Rising Maintenance and Support Costs
PowerBuilder is no longer widely used, and finding experienced developers who can maintain and update these applications is becoming increasingly difficult. As talent becomes scarce, salaries for PowerBuilder experts rise, making ongoing maintenance more expensive. Additionally, older systems require specialized support, which often comes with premium pricing.
2. Security Risks and Compliance Issues
Legacy applications are more vulnerable to cyber threats due to outdated security protocols and lack of regular updates. Many regulatory standards, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2, require up-to-date security measures that PowerBuilder applications may not support. Failing to comply can result in legal penalties and data breaches, which can be costly and damaging to your company’s reputation.
3. Integration Challenges with Modern Technologies
As businesses move toward cloud computing, AI-driven analytics, and mobile-friendly applications, integrating a legacy PowerBuilder system with modern technologies becomes increasingly difficult. These systems often rely on outdated architectures that cannot communicate efficiently with APIs and cloud-based services, limiting your ability to innovate and scale.
4. Reduced Productivity and Inefficiencies
Older applications often lack modern UI/UX standards, making them harder to use and reducing employee productivity. Workarounds and manual processes become the norm, increasing errors and slowing down workflows. A modernized system can automate and streamline operations, improving overall efficiency.
5. Performance Limitations and Downtime
PowerBuilder applications were not built for today’s high-performance demands. As businesses grow and require faster, more scalable solutions, legacy applications struggle to keep up. Slow processing times and frequent crashes can result in lost productivity and frustrated employees and customers.
6. Opportunity Costs of Not Modernizing
While sticking with PowerBuilder may seem cost-effective in the short term, the long-term opportunity costs are significant. Your competitors are likely modernizing their systems, benefiting from increased agility, better user experiences, and improved decision-making capabilities. Delaying migration means falling behind in a rapidly evolving market.
The Path Forward: Migrating to a Modern Platform
To mitigate these hidden costs, businesses should consider migrating their PowerBuilder applications to modern platforms such as .NET, Angular, or cloud-based solutions. Migration tools like WebMAP for Angular can help automate and accelerate the process, reducing manual effort and ensuring a seamless transition.
Conclusion
Staying on PowerBuilder may seem like the easier choice, but the hidden costs—ranging from high maintenance expenses to security vulnerabilities and lost opportunities—make modernization the smarter investment. By taking proactive steps toward migration, businesses can enhance security, improve efficiency, and position themselves for future growth.
Are you ready to explore migration options?
Contact us today to discuss how we can help modernize your PowerBuilder application for the future.
