The verdict in three sentences
A bespoke client portal for a service SME costs, in 2026, between 35,000 and 90,000 EUR, delivered in 4 to 7 months. The payback shows quickly: 30 to 50% fewer support emails and request handling time roughly halved. The real trade-off is not the upfront price but the feature scope: each module adds a marginal cost you must weigh against a concrete gain.
How much does a client extranet cost in 2026?
The budget depends on the number of modules, the authentication level and integrations with your existing tools (CRM, ERP, billing). Here are the ranges observed for a French service SME.
| Scope | Included modules | 2026 cost (EUR) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple core | Auth + document space + notifications | 35,000 - 45,000 | 4 months |
| Standard | Core + support tickets + billing | 50,000 - 65,000 | 5 months |
| Advanced | Standard + e-signature + SSO + dashboard | 70,000 - 90,000 | 6-7 months |
| Heavy bespoke | Advanced + ERP integration + multi-entity | 90,000 - 140,000 | 8-10 months |
These figures cover UX design, development, QA and go-live. They exclude maintenance (TMA), to budget at 15% of build cost per year, i.e. 5,000 to 13,500 EUR/year.
Marginal cost per feature
The smart move: cost each brick separately so you only buy what creates value in V1.
| Feature | Marginal cost (EUR) | Main gain |
|---|---|---|
| Secure document space | 6,000 - 9,000 | End of email attachments |
| Tickets & support tracking | 8,000 - 12,000 | -30 to -50% emails |
| Online billing & payment | 9,000 - 14,000 | Shorter cash collection |
| E-signature (eIDAS) | 5,000 - 8,000 | Contracts signed in 24h |
| SSO / enterprise login | 4,000 - 7,000 | Easier adoption |
| Client dashboard | 6,000 - 10,000 | Fewer "where's my case" calls |
| France hosting + GDPR | 3,000 - 5,000 + 250/mo | Compliance and trust |
A reasonable 2026 project combines core + tickets + billing + France hosting, around 55,000 EUR.
Mini case study
Claire, director of an HR consulting SME in Nantes (18 employees), received 220 client emails a week (documents, invoices, follow-up questions). She invests 58,000 EUR in an extranet: document space, tickets, online billing, France hosting.
Result at 6 months: support emails drop from 220 to 120 a week (-45%). At 6 minutes saved per handled email, that frees 10 hours/week for the team, roughly 440 hours/year. Valued at 45 EUR/h, the annual saving reaches 19,800 EUR: the extranet pays for itself in under 3 years, maintenance included.
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FAQ
Why not use an off-the-shelf SaaS extranet?
A SaaS tool costs 30 to 150 EUR/month but imposes its workflow and branding. Once you pass 50 active clients or want to integrate your ERP, bespoke becomes more cost-effective and you keep data ownership.
Is SSO essential?
Not in V1 for an SME. SSO (4,000-7,000 EUR) becomes relevant when your clients are themselves companies with an IT department. Otherwise, email login plus two-factor is enough.
How do I ensure GDPR compliance?
Hosting in France or the EU, data encryption, a records-of-processing register and a retention policy. Budget 3,000 to 5,000 EUR for compliance, essential for a portal handling client documents.
How much is annual maintenance?
Maintenance runs around 15% of build cost per year: fixes, security updates, small evolutions. For a 55,000 EUR extranet, budget about 8,000 EUR/year.
Can we deliver in phases to spread the budget?
Yes. A V1 (core + documents) then V2 (tickets + billing) lets you validate adoption before investing the full amount, while keeping a single architecture.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your priority modules (documents, tickets, billing, e-signature), your client volume and target budget, and we'll frame the V1 scope. Detailed quote within 48h. 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.
