The verdict in three sentences
A vertical SaaS licence (production, review, tax filing, DMS) costs between 45 and 90 EUR/user/month in 2026, a budget that scales mechanically with headcount. A custom tool requires 45,000 to 120,000 EUR upfront plus 12-18% annual maintenance, but removes recurring per-seat fees and makes you the owner of your workflows. The tipping point sits around 25-30 staff, and above all when your processes no longer fit the vendor's boxes.
What you actually pay in 2026
The per-user headline price hides optional modules (tax filing, DMS, client portal) that are often billed separately. Here are the 2026 orders of magnitude for a firm of 10 to 30 staff.
| Item | Vertical SaaS | Custom build |
|---|---|---|
| Base licence /user/month | 45-90 EUR | 0 (included) |
| Tax filing module | 8-18 EUR/month | included |
| Client DMS portal | 6-12 EUR/month | included |
| Upfront cost (build) | 0-3,000 EUR setup | 45,000-120,000 EUR |
| Annual maintenance | included | 12-18% of build |
| Fee per new file | 0-2 EUR | 0 |
| Data ownership | vendor | firm |
Five-year budget for 20 staff
Total cost of ownership (TCO) is the only number that matters. At 65 EUR/user/month, 20 seats mean 15,600 EUR/year, or 78,000 EUR over 5 years, before modules and annual price hikes (typically 3-6%/year).
| Scenario, 20 seats | Year 1 | 5-year total |
|---|---|---|
| SaaS 65 EUR/month | 15,600 EUR | 78,000-88,000 EUR |
| SaaS 90 EUR + modules | 24,000 EUR | 120,000 EUR+ |
| Custom 75,000 EUR + 15% maint. | 86,250 EUR | 131,250 EUR |
| Custom 55,000 EUR + 12% maint. | 61,600 EUR | 88,000 EUR |
Beyond 5 years, custom typically becomes cheaper and, crucially, scales without extra per-seat cost.
Operational ROI: the time saved
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Software designed around bank aggregation (PSD2) and automatic reconciliation saves 4 to 7 hours/user/month on data entry. For 20 staff at 45 EUR/hour loaded cost, 5 hours/month recovered is worth 54,000 EUR/year of productive capacity redeployed toward billable advisory work.
Mini case study
Marc, partner at a 22-staff firm in Nantes, pays 68 EUR/user/month, or 17,952 EUR/year, plus 4,200 EUR in modules. Over 5 years: roughly 110,000 EUR. A custom client portal with bank aggregation and OCR is quoted at 72,000 EUR + 15% maintenance. Five-year cost: 126,000 EUR. But by recovering 5 hours/user/month (66,000 EUR/year of capacity), the custom build pays for itself from year 2 via the billable advisory time freed up.
FAQ
What is the minimum budget to start a custom tool? Expect a floor of 45,000 EUR for a production + DMS + client portal core. Below that, you get a prototype, not a reliable production tool.
Is SaaS cheaper for a small firm? Yes, below 10-12 staff, SaaS is unbeatable: no upfront cost, updates included, filing compliance handled by the vendor.
How much does PSD2 bank integration cost? Aggregation via a licensed provider runs about 3,000-8,000 EUR of development plus 0.10-0.30 EUR/account/month. It is often bundled in premium SaaS suites.
Is maintenance really mandatory? Yes for a custom tool: budget 12-18% of build cost/year for regulatory changes (filing, VAT) and security. Without it, the tool degrades within 18 months.
Can you migrate files from Cegid or ACD? Yes, via standard export and API. Historical migration costs 4,000-12,000 EUR depending on volume and should be budgeted from the specification stage.
Let's scope your project. Firm of 10 to 40 staff, indicative budget 45,000-120,000 EUR for a custom production + DMS + client portal core. 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.
