The verdict in three sentences
A custom B2B e-commerce portal for a wholesaler costs 40,000-120,000 EUR excl. VAT (25,000,000-70,000,000 FCFA) in 2026, with per-account pricing and ERP integration being the structuring items. Expect 5 to 9 months depending on catalog and pricing-rule complexity. The return is measured mostly in email/phone orders removed (40 to 60 %), entry errors avoided and higher average basket.
B2B SaaS vs custom: the comparison
A B2B SaaS platform starts faster but bends poorly to complex pricing rules and deep integrations; custom absorbs your specifics but costs more upfront.
| Criterion | B2B SaaS | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | 8,000-25,000 EUR excl. VAT | 40,000-120,000 EUR excl. VAT |
| Annual subscription | 6,000-30,000 EUR excl. VAT | maintenance only |
| Per-client pricing | Standardized | Unlimited, custom |
| ERP integration | Limited connectors | Deep custom |
| Timeline | 2-4 months | 5-9 months |
| Code ownership | No | Yes |
| 3-year cost | 26,000-115,000 EUR excl. VAT | 46-140,000 EUR excl. VAT |
The features that drive the price
B2B is not B2C with a login. Per-client pricing rules, credit accounts and order reordering are what actually cut manual orders.
| Feature | 2026 range (EUR excl. VAT) | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Per-account prices and discounts | 8,000-22,000 | B2B key |
| Recurring orders / reorder | 5,000-14,000 | +basket |
| Credit and account management | 6,000-16,000 | Cash flow |
| ERP / stock / invoicing integration | 10,000-30,000 | -entry |
| Multi-user area per client | 4,000-12,000 | Adoption |
| Quote portal + approval | 5,000-15,000 | Sales cycle |
Mini case study
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Durand runs a 35-employee food wholesaler near Lyon. Two people process 120 orders/day by email and phone, with about 3 % costly entry errors. Estimating 4 hrs/day x 2 people saved at 32 EUR/hr, that's 4 x 2 x 32 x 21 days = 5,376 EUR excl. VAT/month, roughly 64,500 EUR excl. VAT/year. A platform at 85,000 EUR excl. VAT amortized over 3 years costs about 2,360 EUR excl. VAT/month: the admin gain alone repays it twice, before even counting the higher average basket seen in B2B self-service.
FAQ
Isn't a B2B SaaS enough? For a simple catalog and uniform prices, yes. As soon as you have negotiated per-client prices and a deep ERP to integrate, custom (40-120,000 EUR excl. VAT) becomes more profitable over 3 years.
How long to build? From 5 to 9 months. A first portal with catalog, per-client pricing and ordering can ship in 3-4 months, then you add credit accounts and ERP.
How do you cut email orders? By making reordering trivial: history, favorite lists, order duplication, prices already applied. Wholesalers see 40-60 % of orders migrate to self-service.
Is ERP integration essential? It's the item that avoids double entry and keeps stock reliable. Count 10,000-30,000 EUR excl. VAT depending on the ERP and sync depth.
Can we also collect online? Yes: card, transfer and mobile money by market. See our article on B2B payment integration for commission details.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your client count, pricing complexity and ERP: we'll price SaaS vs custom and propose a phased MVP. 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.
