The verdict in three sentences
SaaS practice-management software costs 25 to 60 EUR per staff member per month, giving a controlled budget but limited customization and vendor lock-in. Custom development (40,000 to 110,000 EUR) pays off beyond 15-20 staff or when production accounting and the client portal must talk to each other natively. The real question is not the sticker price but the 5-year TCO and the cost of time lost to double data entry.
SaaS vs custom: the real priced comparison
The decision hinges on three axes: entry cost, recurring cost and how tightly it couples with your production tool. A 12-person firm that stays standard should go SaaS; a 30-person firm with specific workflows quickly amortizes a custom build.
| Criterion | Market SaaS | Kolonell custom |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 0 to 3,000 EUR (setup) | 40,000 to 110,000 EUR |
| Recurring cost | 25 to 60 EUR/staff/month | Hosting 150 to 400 EUR/month |
| Time to launch | 2 to 6 weeks | 3 to 6 months |
| Workflow customization | Limited | Full |
| Code ownership | No | Yes |
| Production integration | Standard connectors | Native, tailored |
| Client portal | Depends on plan | Included, firm-branded |
The modules that make (or break) the budget
Price depends mostly on functional scope. Basic document management and engagement tracking cost little; a workflow engine, a transactional client portal and two-way integration with production drive the bill up.
| Module | Custom (2026 order of magnitude) | Time impact |
|---|---|---|
| Document management + indexing | 8,000 to 18,000 EUR | -30% doc search |
| Engagement workflow engine | 10,000 to 25,000 EUR | -20% coordination |
| Client portal (upload, exchange) | 9,000 to 22,000 EUR | -4 to 8 h/wk chasing |
| Time tracking and billing | 7,000 to 16,000 EUR | Billing +5 to 12% |
| Production accounting integration | 6,000 to 20,000 EUR | -50% re-keying |
| Management dashboard | 5,000 to 14,000 EUR | Faster decisions |
5-year TCO: the analysis that settles it
Over five years, SaaS at 45 EUR/staff/month for 20 staff is roughly 54,000 EUR in licences, before re-keying and functional limits. A custom build at 75,000 EUR plus 300 EUR/month hosting reaches about 93,000 EUR, but with no per-head rent and an owned asset.
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| Item (20 staff) | SaaS 5 yr | Custom 5 yr |
|---|---|---|
| Licences / build | 54,000 EUR | 75,000 EUR |
| Hosting / infra | Included | 18,000 EUR |
| Enhancements | Not controlled | 10,000 to 20,000 EUR |
| Re-keying cost (est.) | 25,000 EUR | 5,000 EUR |
| Estimated total | ~85,000 EUR | ~103,000 to 118,000 EUR |
Mini case study
Marc, director of a 22-staff firm in Nantes, is torn. On SaaS at 50 EUR/staff/month he pays 13,200 EUR a year, or 66,000 EUR over 5 years, but his assistants re-key documents twice for lack of native integration, costing him roughly 6,000 EUR/year in unproductive time. Switching to a custom build at 82,000 EUR integrated with his production tool removes 80% of that re-keying (~4,800 EUR/year saved) and eliminates the per-head rent. Estimated payback: 4.5 years, with an owned asset and a firm-branded client portal.
FAQ
Is SaaS always cheaper? Not beyond a certain size: at 20 staff the SaaS rent tops 10,000 EUR/year and a custom build amortizes in 4 to 6 years. Below 10 people, SaaS is often the better choice.
How long does a custom tool take to build? Expect 3 to 6 months depending on scope. A document management + workflow + client portal core typically ships in 4 months with intermediate releases every 2 to 3 weeks.
Can I keep my current production software? Yes. Integration via API or connector is exactly one of the value items: it removes up to 50% of re-keying between practice management and production accounting.
What is the minimum budget to start? A useful first core (document management + engagement tracking + basic client portal) sits around 40,000 to 55,000 EUR, extensible module by module afterwards.
Who owns the code? In a Kolonell custom build, the firm owns the delivered source code, with no vendor dependency and no per-user rent.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your headcount, priority modules (document management, workflow, portal) and indicative budget, and we will price build vs buy for your firm. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
