The verdict in three sentences
For a Toronto accounting practice with 900 clients, an off-the-shelf client portal priced at 5.50 to 12 CAD per client per month adds up to 178,200 to 388,800 CAD over 3 years, against about 94,200 CAD for a custom portal (45,000 to 80,000 CAD to build, 750 CAD a month of support, Canadian hosting). Below 300 clients, the portal bundled with your practice software remains the best choice; above 600, custom becomes clearly cheaper and fits your workflows. Either way, document collection with automatic reminders saves about 6 hours per staff member per week, especially before the CRA filing deadlines, with a 3-month rollout for a custom build.
Off-the-shelf or custom: the comparison
Portals bundled with practice management or tax software have one real advantage: a native link to the client file. Custom wins on cost at scale, fit and ownership.
| Criterion | Off-the-shelf portal | Custom portal |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 5.50 to 12 CAD per client/month | 45,000 to 80,000 CAD, then 750 CAD/month support |
| Time to go live | 2 to 6 weeks | 3 months |
| Link to practice and tax software | Native | Via API, 8,000 to 15,000 CAD included in the budget |
| Reminders and client journey | Configurable within a fixed frame | Mirrors your workflows (T1, T2, HST, payroll) |
| Practice branding | Vendor brand visible | 100% your brand, your domain |
| Ownership and exit | Licence, export more or less complete | Code and data belong to the practice |
| Roadmap | Vendor priorities | Your priorities, through support hours |
One caveat: some vendors include the portal in the practice software licence. In that case compare the real marginal cost, not the list price.
Three-year cost by practice size
| Number of clients | Market at 5.50 CAD/month | Market at 12 CAD/month | Custom over 3 years | Rational choice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150 | 29,700 CAD | 64,800 CAD | 79,200 CAD | Off-the-shelf |
| 300 | 59,400 CAD | 129,600 CAD | 84,200 CAD | Off-the-shelf at entry tier, otherwise custom |
| 600 | 118,800 CAD | 259,200 CAD | 89,200 CAD | Custom |
| 900 | 178,200 CAD | 388,800 CAD | 94,200 CAD | Custom |
| 1,500 | 297,000 CAD | 648,000 CAD | 109,200 CAD | Custom |
The custom figure includes the build (45,000 to 75,000 CAD depending on scope), 36 months of support at 750 CAD and Canadian hosting at 200 CAD a month. Amounts before tax, 2026 order of magnitude.
Features that save time
| Feature | Estimated saving per staff member | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Expected document checklist per client and deadline | 1.5 h/week | No more emails asking for the March statement |
| Automatic email and SMS reminders | 2 h/week | 15, 7 and 2 days before the April 30 T1 deadline or HST filing |
| Mobile upload with photo and OCR | 1 h/week | The client takes a photo, the portal files it |
| Completeness dashboard per file | 1 h/week | The manager sees late files on one screen |
| E-signature of engagement letters | 0.5 h/week | Sending and tracking built in |
| Secure messaging per client | Variable | Replaces scattered email threads |
Expected security: hosting in Canada, encryption, two-factor authentication, access logs, PIPEDA compliance, and Quebec Law 25 obligations if you serve Quebec clients.
Mini case study
Priya, partner at a 900-client accounting practice in Toronto, still collects documents by email. She compares an off-the-shelf portal at 8 CAD per client per month with a custom portal at 60,000 CAD.
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- Off-the-shelf over 3 years: 900 × 8 × 36 = 259,200 CAD
- Custom over 3 years: 60,000 + 27,000 support + 7,200 hosting = 94,200 CAD
- Difference in favour of custom: 165,000 CAD
- Time saved: 12 staff × 6 h × 44 weeks = 3,168 hours a year, valued at 55 CAD internal cost, i.e. 174,240 CAD of freed capacity.
The build pays back in a little over 4 months of time savings, and the freed capacity absorbs around a hundred extra clients during tax season without hiring.
FAQ
How long does a custom portal take to deploy?
Plan for 3 months: 2 weeks of scoping, 8 weeks of development, 2 weeks of acceptance and a pilot with 30 to 50 clients before full rollout. Avoid launching between March and April 30.
Can the portal connect to our tax and practice software?
Yes if the vendor exposes an API, which the main players do. The connector costs 8,000 to 15,000 CAD, included in the 45,000 to 80,000 CAD budget.
What does 750 CAD a month of support cover?
Bug fixes, security updates, monitoring and about 4 hours of minor changes a month. Major new features are quoted separately.
Will our clients actually use the portal?
With automatic reminders and photo upload, practices typically see 70 to 85% adoption after 6 months. The rest is handled with targeted phone follow-ups.
Where is the data hosted?
In Canada, with a certified provider, encrypted daily backups kept for 30 days and a written exit plan in the contract.
Let's scope your project. Document collection portal, automatic reminders and integration with your practice software: we price your scope between 45,000 and 80,000 CAD, with rollout in 3 months. 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.
