The verdict in three sentences
For an accounting firm of 40 staff, whether in Toronto or Nantes, custom practice management software costs 45,000 to 110,000 EUR (about 49,000 to 120,000 USD) and ships in 4 to 7 months. Against off-the-shelf tools billed at 60 to 120 EUR per user per month, custom becomes cheaper from year four if you target at least 2 hours saved per week per staff member. The real goal is not to replace your accounting production software but to connect engagement letters, time, billing and file tracking in a single cockpit.
Six tools, one firm: where the money goes
A typical 40-person firm (3 partners, 6 managers, 25 accountants, 6 support staff) often runs: an accounting production tool, an engagement letter tool, a time tracker, a CRM, a document portal and a spreadsheet for tax deadlines. Each tool works, but data is re-keyed between them.
| Item | Typical tool | Estimated annual cost 2026 | Observed issue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting production | Off-the-shelf practice software | 24,000 EUR | Kept, no reason to replace it |
| Engagement letters | Module or dedicated tool | 6,000 EUR | Engagements not linked to actual time |
| Time tracking | Time tracking SaaS | 5,800 EUR | Engagement codes re-keyed by hand |
| CRM and business development | Generic CRM | 7,200 EUR | Client record duplicated with production |
| Document management and client exchange | Document portal | 6,500 EUR | Manual chasing for documents |
| Deadline tracking | Shared spreadsheet | 0 EUR | Version errors, no alerts |
| Total | 6 tools | 49,500 EUR per year | about 3 h lost per week per staff member |
2026 order of magnitude: amounts vary by vendor, but the gap between what the firm pays for and what it actually uses is almost always the same. The data exists, it just does not flow.
Custom vs off-the-shelf: 5-year comparison
Custom software does not replace accounting production. It connects to it through an API or a scheduled export and handles everything else: engagement letters with e-signature, time linked to engagements, profitability per file, billing, client portal and deadline board.
| Criterion | Market suite (40 users) | Custom by Kolonell |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 8,000 to 15,000 EUR setup | 45,000 to 110,000 EUR |
| Recurring cost | 60 to 120 EUR per user per month, i.e. 28,800 to 57,600 EUR per year | Hosting and maintenance: 9,000 to 16,000 EUR per year |
| Time to go live | 1 to 3 months | 4 to 7 months |
| Fit with your processes | Limited to built-in options | Full (your engagement codes, your fee scales) |
| Connection to production | Depends on vendor partnerships | API or scheduled import built for you |
| Ownership of data and code | Vendor contract | Code delivered, data hosted in your region |
| 5-year total cost (mid-range) | about 227,500 EUR | about 140,000 EUR |
The custom estimate assumes 77,500 EUR of development and 12,500 EUR per year of maintenance. The suite estimate assumes 11,500 EUR of setup and 90 EUR per user per month. The gap widens with headcount: at 60 staff, the suite exceeds 335,000 EUR over 5 years.
What a realistic scope contains
| Module | Function | Share of budget |
|---|---|---|
| Engagement letters | Templates, fees, e-signature, annual renewal | 15 % |
| Time and profitability | Mobile entry, engagement link, budget vs actual | 20 % |
| Billing | Retainers, progress invoices, reminders | 15 % |
| Client portal | Document upload, requests, file status | 20 % |
| Tax and payroll calendar | Sales tax, corporate tax, filings and payroll alerts per client | 10 % |
| Connectors | Accounting production, bank, e-signature | 15 % |
| Partner dashboards | Dashboards, portfolio per manager | 5 % |
A 4-month first phase (engagement letters, time, billing) costs about 45,000 to 55,000 EUR. The client portal and deadline calendar come next, spreading the investment.
Mini case study
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Claire, partner at a 40-person firm, measures 2 hours lost per week per staff member on re-keying and chasing. Across 34 billable staff, 45 weeks a year and a loaded hourly cost of 42 EUR, that is 2 × 34 × 45 × 42 = 128,520 EUR per year of non-billable time. The custom project chosen costs 82,000 EUR plus 12,000 EUR of annual maintenance. By recovering only half of that time, 64,260 EUR per year, the firm pays back its investment in about 16 months, then cancels 3 subscriptions worth 19,000 EUR per year.
FAQ
Do we need to replace our accounting production software?
No. In 9 projects out of 10 it is kept and connected through an API or a scheduled import. Rewriting production would cost over 300,000 EUR and bring nothing.
Is the client portal privacy compliant?
Yes, with regional hosting, named access and download logs, meeting GDPR or PIPEDA requirements. This part represents about 5,000 to 8,000 EUR of the budget.
How long until we are operational?
Count 4 months for a first phase usable by the whole firm, then 2 to 3 months for additional modules. Migrating existing engagement letters takes 2 to 3 weeks.
What happens if we grow?
Custom software has no per-user fee: going from 40 to 60 staff mostly adds hosting, about 1,500 EUR per year.
Can we fund the project in stages?
Yes, in 3 to 4 month phases with milestone payments, typically 30 %, 40 % and 30 %.
Let's scope your project. Send us your current tool list and headcount: we will price a first phase between 45,000 and 110,000 EUR with a 4 to 7 month plan. 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.
