The verdict in three sentences
A practice management tool (client matters, time tracking, billing, tax deadlines) rents for 30 to 90 EUR excl. VAT per user per month as SaaS, or is built custom for 25,000 to 70,000 EUR excl. VAT over 3 to 6 months. SaaS wins when your processes match the profession's norms; custom wins when your internal flows, your document management and your connections (tax EDI, banks) fall outside the standard box. Budget an average gain of 6 hours per staff member per week once adopted, which drives the return-on-investment case.
The two cost models in 2026
The choice is between a vendor's recurring subscription and a software asset you own. Here are 2026 orders of magnitude for a French firm.
| Model | Entry cost | Recurring cost | Lead time | Ownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level SaaS | 0-1,500 EUR setup | 30-45 EUR/user/mo | 2-4 weeks | Vendor |
| Premium vertical SaaS | 2,000-6,000 EUR setup | 55-90 EUR/user/mo | 4-8 weeks | Vendor |
| Standard custom | 25,000-45,000 EUR | 15-20 %/yr maintenance | 3-4 months | Firm |
| Advanced custom | 45,000-70,000 EUR | 15-20 %/yr maintenance | 4-6 months | Firm |
For an 8-user firm, premium SaaS at 70 EUR is 6,720 EUR/year, about 20,160 EUR over 3 years. Custom at 40,000 EUR plus 18 % maintenance is 61,600 EUR over 3 years but with no per-seat cost: beyond 12-15 users the gap narrows sharply.
What really raises the custom quote
A build's price depends on functional scope, not page count. These are the heaviest line items.
| Module | Complexity | 2026 range (EUR excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Matter + client management | Standard | 6,000-11,000 |
| Time tracking + profitability | Medium | 5,000-9,000 |
| Billing + auto reminders | Medium | 6,000-10,000 |
| Document mgmt + approval flow | High | 7,000-14,000 |
| Tax EDI / banking connector | High | 6,000-12,000 |
| Client portal + secure vault | High | 5,000-11,000 |
A firm needing only the first three modules stays under 30,000 EUR; one requiring document management, connectors and a portal easily passes 55,000 EUR excl. VAT.
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Mini case study
Marc, partner in an 8-person accounting firm in Nantes, is weighing premium SaaS at 70 EUR/user/month against a custom tool at 42,000 EUR excl. VAT. SaaS costs 6,720 EUR/year; the custom build, amortised over 3 years with maintenance, works out to about 21,500 EUR in year one then 7,560 EUR/year. The 6 h/week saved per person, across 8 people at a 45 EUR loaded hourly cost, is 2,160 EUR of value recovered per week or over 90,000 EUR/year. At that volume the subscription gap is secondary: Marc picks custom to own his client portal, a selling point against rivals.
FAQ
How much for a firm of 5 users? Premium SaaS runs 55 to 90 EUR/user/month, i.e. 3,300 to 5,400 EUR/year. Custom starts near 25,000 EUR excl. VAT but becomes independent of seat count.
SaaS or custom: where is the tipping point? The 2026 order of magnitude is around 12-15 users, or as soon as you need integrations (banking, EDI, portal). Below that, SaaS is almost always cheaper.
How long does a custom build take? Budget 3-4 months for a standard scope and 4-6 months with document management, connectors and a client portal, including testing and data migration.
Is maintenance really 15-20 % per year? Yes, that is the market band for a maintained business tool (fixes, tax updates, security). Skip it and you build costly technical debt within 24 months.
Can we migrate from a vertical vendor? Yes; migrating matters and history is quoted separately (often 3,000 to 8,000 EUR depending on export quality) and must be scoped upfront.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your headcount, priority modules (time, billing, document management, portal) and an indicative budget. 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.
