The verdict in three sentences
A custom accounting practice management platform costs between 30,000 and 70,000 EUR in London in 2026, versus 150 to 400 EUR/user/month for an off-the-shelf vertical tool. Custom becomes cheaper from year 3 for an 8-person practice and frees up 6 to 10 hours a week on data entry and job tracking. The real trade-off is not the sticker price but the 5-year total cost and how well it plugs into your production accounting.
Build vs Buy: the 5-year math
The central question for a London practice owner is not "what does the software cost" but "what does it truly cost over time, subscriptions and lost hours included". Here are the two trajectories for an 8-user practice.
| Line item | Vertical SaaS (buy) | Custom (build) |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 0 EUR (3,000 EUR setup) | 30,000 - 70,000 EUR |
| Licence per user/month | 150 - 400 EUR | 0 EUR |
| Annual cost 8 users | 21,600 - 38,400 EUR | 0 EUR |
| Maintenance / hosting yr | included | 4,500 - 9,000 EUR |
| Customisation | limited, paid add-ons | full, included |
| 5-year cumulative | 111,000 - 195,000 EUR | 52,500 - 115,000 EUR |
Over five years the balance tips clearly toward custom once the practice passes 6 to 7 users. Below that, a vertical SaaS is often the smarter call.
What a practice management tool covers
A standard 2026 scope covers job management, time tracking, document management and billing. Here are the modules and their weight in the build budget.
| Module | Key function | Share of build budget |
|---|---|---|
| Job management | Filing and deadline tracking | 20 % |
| Time tracking | Entry by staff and job | 18 % |
| Document mgmt | Automatic filing of documents | 15 % |
| Billing | Fees, fixed packages, retainers | 17 % |
| Client portal | Document upload, approval | 15 % |
| Dashboard | Profitability by job and client | 15 % |
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Mini case study
Sophie, partner at an 8-person accounting practice in central London. Her current tool costs 260 EUR/user/month, i.e. 24,960 EUR/year. She invests 48,000 EUR in a custom tool, plus 6,000 EUR/year maintenance. Over 5 years: her current SaaS would cost 124,800 EUR, custom 78,000 EUR, a 46,800 EUR saving. In parallel, automated time entry saves the team 8 hours/week, roughly 15,000 EUR/year of billable capacity unlocked.
FAQ
What is the minimum budget for custom practice software in 2026? Expect at least 30,000 EUR for an MVP covering jobs, time tracking and billing. Below that, a vertical SaaS at 150 EUR/user/month is the better fit.
How fast does custom pay back? For an 8-person practice the break-even usually lands between year 2 and year 3, once the 21,600 to 38,400 EUR/year of subscriptions are avoided.
How much time is actually saved? Practices report 6 to 10 hours a week saved on data entry, document chasing and deadline tracking, the equivalent of 0.2 to 0.3 FTE.
Can it integrate existing production accounting? Yes, via API or file bridges (standard export formats). Budget 3,000 to 8,000 EUR to connect your production engine to the management layer.
What delivery timeline should I plan? A first usable release ships in 3 to 4 months, the full version in 5 to 7 months depending on the module count.
Let's scope your project. Share your headcount, priority modules (jobs, time, document management, billing) and an indicative budget, and we'll cost the build vs buy over 5 years. 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.
