The verdict in three sentences
A disaster recovery plan (DRP) for a SaaS is defined by two metrics: RPO (maximum acceptable data loss, target < 1 h) and RTO (recovery time, target < 4 h). It rests on daily encrypted backups, 30 to 90 days retention and quarterly restore tests. The DR budget of 100 to 500 EUR/month is marginal against the cost of one hour of downtime for a vendor billing on subscription.
RPO, RTO and DR cost
The more demanding the RPO/RTO targets, the more expensive the architecture (replication, hot standby). Here are the 2026 tiers for an SME SaaS.
| DR level | RPO | RTO | 2026 cost (EUR/month) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple backup | 24 h | 24-48 h | 30 - 80 |
| Frequent backup | 4-6 h | 8-12 h | 80 - 200 |
| Standard DR | 1 h | 4 h | 200 - 350 |
| High-availability DR | < 15 min | < 1 h | 350 - 500 |
| Multi-region DR | ~0 (replication) | < 30 min | 500 - 1,200 |
For a B2B SaaS in production, standard DR (RPO 1 h / RTO 4 h) at 200-350 EUR/month is the best balance between cost and a contractual commitment you can hold to customers.
The real cost of downtime
An outage doesn't only cost lost revenue: it drives churn, SLA credits and reputational damage. Estimate for a SaaS with 600,000 EUR ARR.
| Impact item | 1 h outage | 4 h outage | 24 h outage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly revenue lost | ~70 EUR | ~280 EUR | ~1,700 EUR |
| Customer SLA credits | 200 - 500 | 800 - 2,000 | 5,000 - 12,000 |
| Induced churn (estimate) | low | 1 - 2 customers | 3 - 8 customers |
| Emergency support cost | 300 - 600 | 1,000 - 2,500 | 4,000 - 8,000 |
| Reputational impact | low | medium | high |
A full day of downtime can thus cost over 20,000 EUR to a growing SaaS: the annual DR budget (2,400-6,000 EUR) pays for itself by avoiding a single major outage.
Mini case study
Lea is CTO of an 8-person project-management SaaS in Bordeaux (500,000 EUR ARR). She sets up standard DR at 300 EUR/month (3,600 EUR/year): hourly encrypted backups, 60-day retention, standby in a second OVH region, quarterly restore tests. Six months later, a database corruption hits on a Friday night. Thanks to the 4 h RTO, service is restored before Monday with under 1 h of data lost. Without DR, an improvised restore would have taken 24-48 h, exposing the company to over 20,000 EUR in credits and churn. The DR plan will have paid for itself 5 times on this single incident.
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FAQ
What's the difference between a backup and a DR plan?
A backup copies data; a DR plan organises full restoration (infrastructure included) within a guaranteed timeframe. A backup without a tested restore procedure does not truly protect your continuity.
How often should restores be tested?
Quarterly at minimum. An untested backup fails one time in three the day you need it. The restore test is the only proof the DR plan works.
Where should backups be stored?
Off the main site, encrypted, ideally in a second region or with a second host. A backup on the same server as production does not protect against an infrastructure failure.
What retention should I choose?
30 days covers most operational needs; 90 days meets some customers' requirements and legal obligations. Beyond that, storage cost rises for marginal benefit.
Do large accounts require a DR plan?
Yes, increasingly in 2026: security questionnaires ask for RPO, RTO and test frequency. A documented DR plan is often a prerequisite to signing.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your ARR, RPO/RTO targets and customer SLA commitments, and we'll design a costed DR plan with restore tests included. 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.
