The verdict in three sentences
An electrical wholesaler receiving 400 calls a day for invoices, delivery notes and stock availability pays the equivalent of 3 to 4 full-time staff to answer questions its ERP already knows. A custom customer portal costs CAD 45,000 to 130,000 in Toronto in 2026, plus CAD 12,000 to 35,000 for the ERP connection, and rolls out in 4 to 6 months. The decision hinges on three points: ERP data quality, the scope of the first release and maintenance costs of 10 to 15 % per year.
What the portal must absorb
Before pricing, classify incoming requests. On a 25,000 SKU catalogue, the split below is typical of a regional wholesaler (2026 estimate).
| Request type | Share of calls | Average duration | Can the portal handle it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Item availability and lead time | 35 % | 3 min | Yes, real-time stock |
| Invoice copy | 20 % | 4 min | Yes, PDF download |
| Delivery note, proof of delivery | 15 % | 4 min | Yes |
| Customer net price, discounts | 12 % | 5 min | Yes, customer price list |
| Order tracking | 10 % | 3 min | Yes, status and carrier |
| Technical advice, complex cases | 8 % | 10 min | No, stays with sales |
In practice, 50 to 65 % of calls can move to the portal within 12 months if field sales reps drive adoption.
The cost of a custom B2B customer portal in Toronto in 2026
| Item (2026 market estimate) | Range excl. tax | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery, UX, mock-ups | CAD 7,000-17,000 | 3-5 weeks |
| Portal core (accounts, permissions, multi-site customers) | CAD 18,000-50,000 | 6-10 weeks |
| 25,000 SKU catalogue, search, net prices | CAD 12,000-35,000 | 4-8 weeks |
| Invoices, delivery notes, order tracking | CAD 8,000-26,000 | 3-6 weeks |
| ERP connection (Epicor, Sage, SAP B1, Dynamics) | CAD 12,000-35,000 | 4-8 weeks |
| Total project | CAD 57,000-165,000 | 4-6 months |
| Maintenance and hosting | 10-15 % of project per year | Recurring |
Toronto agencies typically bill CAD 130 to 190 per hour. Kolonell works remotely under its 11/10/2026 grid for custom applications: 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (EUR 6,100-10,670) for a medium-complexity application, 7,000,000 to 15,000,000 FCFA and up (EUR 10,670-22,870 and up) for a complex portal with ERP connection. Application maintenance is separate: 35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA per month.
The three risks to lock down in the contract
| Risk | Symptom | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Dirty ERP data | Wrong stock, inconsistent net prices | Data audit before release 1, 2-3 weeks |
| Scope too broad | Launch slips to 9 months | Release 1: stock, invoices, delivery notes only |
| Vendor lock-in | Maintenance billed at 20 % per year | Source code delivered, documentation, documented API |
| Performance | Slow search on 25,000 SKUs | Dedicated search engine, under 300 ms |
| Low adoption | Customers keep calling | Sales rep training, email nudges |
The first release should ship within 3 months. Online ordering, quotes and returns can come in release 2.
Mini case study
Illustrative scenario: Julien, sales director of a Toronto wholesaler with 25,000 SKUs, logs 400 calls a day averaging 4 minutes, i.e. 26.7 hours per day.
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- 12-month goal: 50 % of calls moved to the portal, saving 13.3 hours per day.
- Over 250 working days: 3,330 hours per year, at CAD 45 loaded per hour, about CAD 150,000.
- Cost: portal CAD 90,000 + ERP connection CAD 22,000 = CAD 112,000, then 12 % maintenance, CAD 13,400 per year.
- Payback: about 9 months, not counting avoided data-entry errors.
FAQ
How much does a custom B2B customer portal cost in Toronto in 2026?
Between CAD 45,000 and 130,000 for the portal, plus CAD 12,000 to 35,000 for the ERP connection. A first release limited to invoices, delivery notes and stock can start around CAD 50,000.
Should we pick an off-the-shelf SaaS portal instead?
A SaaS portal often costs CAD 700 to 3,000 per month but struggles with complex net pricing. Beyond 1,000 active customers and a specific ERP, custom becomes cheaper over 3 years.
How long does the project take?
Plan 4 to 6 months, including 2 to 3 weeks of ERP data audit. An operational release 1 is realistic in 12 weeks.
Who owns the code?
Require an IP assignment and source code delivery in the contract. Without that clause, switching vendors can cost 30 to 50 % of the original project.
What annual budget after delivery?
Plan 10 to 15 % of the project cost per year for maintenance and hosting. At Kolonell, maintenance ranges from 35,000 to 120,000 FCFA per month depending on service level.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your ERP, SKU count and the requests you want to automate first, and we will price a realistic release 1. Detailed quote within 48 h via our quote page. 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.
