The verdict in three sentences
A client portal with automated billing costs between 180,000 and 450,000 MAD in 2026 for a Moroccan subscription company. Custom becomes profitable versus SaaS once you exceed a few hundred subscribers or have specific billing needs. The key is automating three things: invoice issuance, card payment, and reminders.
What a billing portal costs in 2026
In Morocco, a card gateway (CMI, PayZone, or international like Stripe) and a recurring-billing engine are the heart of the project. Here is the 2026 order of magnitude for the Rabat and Casablanca market.
| Level | Typical scope | 2026 range (MAD) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple billing | Login, PDF invoices, one-off card payment | 180,000 - 250,000 | 3 months |
| Recurring subscription | + recurring billing, auto reminders | 250,000 - 340,000 | 4 months |
| Complete | + accounting export, credit notes, multi-currency | 340,000 - 450,000 | 5 months |
| Options | CMI 3D Secure integration, SMS reminders | 20,000 - 60,000 | one-off |
| Maintenance/yr | Hosting, fixes, support | 30,000 - 70,000 /yr | recurring |
Card-gateway fees add to the build cost: in 2026, budget roughly 1.5 to 2.5% per transaction depending on volume and the CMI contract.
Make vs buy: the 3-year calculation
The central question: build your own portal or subscribe to a billing SaaS? The table below compares both options over 3 years for a base of 600 subscribers.
| Item | Custom portal | Billing SaaS | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial investment | 320,000 MAD | 0 | SaaS starts fast |
| Monthly cost | ~5,000 MAD (maintenance) | ~9,000 - 18,000 MAD | SaaS bills by volume |
| 3-year cost | ~500,000 MAD | ~430,000 - 750,000 MAD | Depends on subscriber count |
| Customization | Total | Limited to options | Custom advantage |
| Data ownership | Complete | With the vendor | Custom advantage |
| Exit costs | None | Costly migration | SaaS lock-in |
Below 300 subscribers, SaaS is often cheaper. Beyond that, and especially if billing is atypical, custom takes the lead and avoids vendor lock-in.
Mini case study
Mr. Alaoui runs a subscription-box company in Rabat with 640 active customers at 220 MAD/month. Before the portal, his team spent 35 hours/month issuing and chasing invoices, and the payment-failure rate hit 9%, i.e. about 12,700 MAD/month of revenue not collected on time. He invests 300,000 MAD in a client portal with recurring billing, card payment and automatic reminders. The failure rate drops to 3%, recovering ~8,500 MAD/month, and admin time falls to 6 hours. Between recovered revenue and time saved, the monthly gain is around 11,000 MAD, i.e. payback in ~27 months, not counting the churn reduction from a better customer experience.
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FAQ
Which card payment gateways in Morocco?
CMI remains the domestic reference, with mandatory 3D Secure. For international customers, a gateway like Stripe can be added; budget 20,000 to 60,000 MAD for integration depending on the number of providers.
Is recurring billing truly automatic?
Yes: the engine generates the invoice, triggers the card charge, and launches graduated reminders on failure (e-mail then SMS). It is the module that most reduces involuntary churn.
Can we export to my accounting system?
Yes, an accounting export (CSV/Excel formats or a dedicated connector) is part of the complete level. It avoids re-keying and eases the accountant's work.
How much is annual maintenance?
Between 30,000 and 70,000 MAD/year depending on hosting and support level. It covers security, fixes and small evolutions.
From how many subscribers is custom profitable?
Generally beyond 300 subscribers, or sooner if your billing rules are specific. Below that, a SaaS is often cheaper in the short term.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your subscriber count, target card gateway and budget (180 to 450k MAD): we will price recurring billing and reminders first. 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.
