The verdict in three sentences
The build vs buy choice for a customer portal depends mostly on your user volume and your need for customisation. A SaaS starts at 300-2,000 EUR/month with no upfront investment, but imposes its limits, fields and roadmap. Custom costs 30,000 to 90,000 EUR upfront plus 200 to 600 EUR/month to run, and becomes cost-effective beyond a certain threshold while remaining your property.
3-year TCO: build vs buy
The only honest figure is the total cost over 3 years, including subscriptions, scaling and operations. Here is a comparison, 2026 order of magnitude, for a portal serving 50 active users.
| Item | SaaS (buy) | Custom (build) |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 0 | 60,000 |
| Subscription / ops year 1 | 12,000 | 4,800 |
| Subscription / ops year 2 | 15,600 | 5,400 |
| Subscription / ops year 3 | 20,400 | 6,000 |
| Customisation / setup | 5,000 | included |
| 3-year TCO | 53,000 | 76,200 |
At 50 users, the SaaS stays cheaper over 3 years. But its subscription climbs with users and modules, whereas custom operations stay flat. The maths flips faster than you would think.
Break-even and decision criteria
The question is not only financial. Some criteria decide it regardless of price.
| Criterion | Favours SaaS | Favours custom |
|---|---|---|
| User volume | < 40 active | > 60 active |
| Customisation | Standard is enough | Specific workflows |
| Integrations | Existing connectors | Proprietary ERP/CRM |
| Data | Non-sensitive | Sensitive / sovereignty |
| Horizon | < 2 years | > 3 years |
| Differentiation | Non-strategic | Competitive advantage |
As soon as the SaaS exceeds 1,500 EUR/month (often beyond 60 users or with premium modules), custom becomes competitive again over 3 years, with no vendor lock-in.
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Mini case study
Marc, COO of an industrial maintenance SME in Lille, is torn over his customer portal. A SaaS bills him 1,100 EUR/month for 45 users, but each new client raises the bill and he cannot integrate his field-service software.
Over 3 years, the SaaS costs him about 45,000 EUR excluding setup, with blocking limits. A custom portal at 55,000 EUR plus 400 EUR/month comes to 69,400 EUR over 3 years, but integrates his business software, removes user caps and becomes an asset. Beyond year 4, custom is clearly cheaper and he controls his roadmap.
FAQ
Above how many users does custom become cost-effective? As a rule beyond 60 active users or when the SaaS subscription exceeds 1,500 EUR/month. Below that, SaaS is often the pragmatic choice.
Isn't SaaS faster to deploy? Yes, a few weeks versus 3 to 4 months for a custom MVP. If time-to-market dominates and the standard is enough, SaaS wins that round.
What if the SaaS vendor raises prices? That is the main risk: you absorb the increases and policy changes. Custom shields you from that dependence, at the cost of an upfront investment.
Can we start on SaaS then move to custom? Yes, a valid strategy: validate the need on SaaS, then internalise when volume or customisation justify it. Plan for data migration.
Does custom mean more maintenance? You own it, but it is predictable: 200 to 600 EUR/month covers hosting and fixes for a standard customer portal.
Let's scope your project. Give us your target user count, your integrations and your horizon: we cost the build vs buy TCO and recommend the most cost-effective scenario. 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.
