The verdict in three sentences
A legal SaaS (30-80 EUR/user/month) is the right call for a firm under 12 lawyers that wants to be live in 6 weeks without tying up capital. Custom development (35 000-95 000 EUR) makes sense once you run specific procedural workflows, a heavy document store, or accounting integrations the market does not cover. The real trade-off is not the sticker price but the 3-year total cost of ownership (TCO) and control over your data.
SaaS vs custom: the real 3-year TCO
The monthly SaaS fee hides a cumulative cost that climbs with headcount. Custom needs a heavy upfront investment but a near-zero marginal cost per extra user. Here is the 2026 order of magnitude for an 8-user firm.
| Item (8 users) | Legal SaaS | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront investment | 0-3 000 EUR (setup) | 35 000-95 000 EUR |
| Monthly subscription | 240-640 EUR | 0 EUR |
| Hosting + maintenance/yr | included | 4 000-9 000 EUR |
| Migration + training | 2 000-5 000 EUR | included in fee |
| Cumulative cost over 3 yrs | 12 600-30 000 EUR | 47 000-122 000 EUR |
| Code ownership | no | yes |
For 8 users, SaaS stays 2 to 4 times cheaper over 3 years. The maths flips around 15-20 users or when your needs fall outside standard templates.
The core modules to price
Useful case management is more than a contact database. Each module carries weight in a custom quote and varying availability in SaaS.
| Module | Purpose | Custom budget weight |
|---|---|---|
| Matter + parties management | System core, per-matter timeline | 8 000-15 000 EUR |
| Document management (DMS) | Filing, versioning, full-text search | 6 000-14 000 EUR |
| Deadline / procedure calendar | Computing and alerting legal deadlines | 5 000-12 000 EUR |
| Billing + time tracking | Time capture, fees, reminders | 6 000-13 000 EUR |
| Secure client portal | Audited document exchange | 5 000-11 000 EUR |
| Reporting + dashboards | Profitability per partner, WIP | 3 000-8 000 EUR |
Delivery of a full custom project runs 3 to 5 months, MVP in 8-10 weeks if you prioritise matters + DMS + billing.
Mini case study
Mr Lawson, managing partner of a 10-lawyer corporate firm in London, is torn. A SaaS at 55 EUR/user would cost 550 EUR/month, i.e. 19 800 EUR over 3 years including training. A prioritised custom build (matters, DMS, deadline calendar, billing) is quoted at 58 000 EUR + 6 000 EUR/yr maintenance, i.e. 76 000 EUR over 3 years. SaaS wins clearly short term. But Mr Lawson plans to reach 22 lawyers within 4 years: at that volume SaaS would exceed 43 000 EUR/yr while custom stays at 6 000 EUR/yr. His call: SaaS now, custom spec launched at 18 lawyers.
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FAQ
Is a legal SaaS secure enough for confidential matters?
Serious vendors offer encryption at rest, EU hosting and access logging, which covers professional secrecy. Check where data is hosted and reversibility: being able to export 100 % of your matters if the contract ends is non-negotiable.
How long to migrate my existing matters?
Allow 2 to 5 weeks for an 8-12 lawyer firm, depending on volume and source format. A clean migration costs 2 000-5 000 EUR but avoids years of duplicates and inconsistencies.
Is custom worth it for a small firm?
Rarely below 12-15 users. Below that, SaaS offers a better TCO and offloads maintenance; custom becomes relevant when your processes are a competitive edge.
Can the software integrate with my accounting?
Yes, via API or accounting export. A bidirectional custom integration adds 3 000-7 000 EUR but removes double entry and makes reminders reliable.
What if the SaaS vendor shuts down or raises prices?
That is the main SaaS risk. Demand a reversibility clause, a standardised export and a multi-year price grid; failing that, custom makes you owner of code and data.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your lawyer count, priority modules (DMS, deadline calendar, billing) and indicative budget: we will show where SaaS is enough and where custom pays off. 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.
