The verdict in three sentences
A bespoke client portal in MVP form costs between EUR 15,000 and 40,000 in 2026, over a 8 to 14 week timeline. The price depends mostly on the number of modules (documents, invoices, tickets, SSO) and how deeply it integrates with your existing systems. Scoped well, it cuts support volume by 20 to 30% within the first quarter of use.
What an MVP covers and what to defer to V2
The number-one trap is trying to ship everything at once. A useful MVP is limited to 4 or 5 high-value functions; the rest goes into V2 once real usage is observed.
| Feature | MVP | V2 | Indicative module cost (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Authentication + SSO | Yes | — | 2,500 - 4,500 |
| Documents / invoices area | Yes | — | 3,000 - 6,000 |
| Order tracking / statuses | Yes | — | 3,500 - 7,000 |
| Email notifications | Yes | — | 1,500 - 2,500 |
| Messaging / tickets | — | Yes | 4,000 - 8,000 |
| Analytics dashboard | — | Yes | 3,000 - 6,000 |
| Integrated online payment | — | Yes | 4,000 - 9,000 |
| Mobile app (PWA) | — | Yes | 6,000 - 12,000 |
By focusing the initial budget on the first four rows, you can deliver an MVP at EUR 18,000 - 26,000 that already addresses most client requests.
Cost structure and recurring fees
The price of a bespoke portal splits between design, development and operation. The developer day rate in Western Europe sits between EUR 450 and 600 in 2026 for a senior profile.
| Item | 2026 order of magnitude | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping + UX/UI | EUR 3,000 - 7,000 | Workshops, mockups, journeys |
| MVP development | EUR 12,000 - 28,000 | 25 to 50 days at 450-600 |
| QA + go-live | EUR 2,000 - 5,000 | Testing, deployment, training |
| Hosting | EUR 100 - 300/month | Managed cloud, backups |
| Maintenance | 12 to 18%/year of build | Fixes, version upgrades |
Expect an initial investment of EUR 15,000 to 40,000, plus EUR 1,500 to 4,500/year in maintenance and roughly EUR 1,200 to 3,600/year in hosting.
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Mini case study
Claire, CFO of a 60-person industrial SME in London, fields around 400 calls and emails a month from clients chasing invoices, delivery notes and order statuses. This ties up 1.5 FTE in support. An MVP portal at EUR 24,000 centralises documents and tracking. By cutting queries by 30%, she frees the equivalent of 0.45 FTE, roughly EUR 16,200/year in cost (EUR 35,000 loaded x 0.45). The portal pays for itself in under 18 months, before counting the image and satisfaction gains.
FAQ
What is a realistic timeline for a first portal? Expect 8 to 14 weeks from scoping to go-live for an MVP, depending on integration complexity. An existing SSO and clean data noticeably speed up the schedule.
Is SSO essential? For a B2B portal yes, because clients hate creating yet another password. An SSO/OAuth module costs EUR 2,500 to 4,500 but lifts adoption by 20 to 40%.
Custom or off-the-shelf SaaS? Below 20-30 internal users, a SaaS may suffice. Above that, or if you want to own your data and journeys, custom becomes profitable over three years.
Can we launch without integrating the ERP straight away? Yes. An MVP can run on manual imports or a simple CSV export, then connect the ERP in V2 once the ROI is proven.
Who owns the code? On a serious bespoke project, the source code belongs to you and is delivered. Lock this down contractually from the quote stage.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your priority modules (documents, invoices, tracking) and a target budget between EUR 15,000 and 40,000. 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.
