The verdict in three sentences
Maintenance of a client portal or extranet costs, in 2026 in Dublin, 300 to 700 EUR/month for corrective, 700 to 1,500 EUR/month for evolutive, plus 150 to 450 EUR/month hosting and monitoring. Add version upgrades (2-4 days/year at 500-700 EUR/day) and an annual security audit of 3,000 to 6,000 EUR. Over 3 years, this cost of ownership can represent 40 to 70% of the build budget: to be modelled from the start.
The maintenance line items in 2026
Maintenance is not a single line: it covers corrective, evolutive, hosting, security and version upgrades. Here are the Dublin reference ranges.
| Item | Scope | 2026 cost |
|---|---|---|
| Corrective maintenance | Bugs, tickets, hotfix | 300 - 700 EUR/month |
| Evolutive maintenance | New minor features | 700 - 1,500 EUR/month |
| Hosting & monitoring | Servers, backups, alerts | 150 - 450 EUR/month |
| Version upgrades | Frameworks, dependencies | 2-4 d/yr at 500-700 EUR/d |
| Security audit | Annual pen test | 3,000 - 6,000 EUR/year |
| User support | Level 1-2 assistance | included or 200-500 EUR/month |
Modelling 3-year TCO
Take the build budget, add 36 months of run. Here are three typical profiles for an extranet delivered at 35,000 EUR.
| Profile | Maintenance + hosting/month | Audit + upgrades/year | 3-year run TCO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light (corrective only) | ~600 EUR | ~3,500 EUR | ~32,100 EUR |
| Standard (corrective + evolutive) | ~1,200 EUR | ~5,000 EUR | ~58,200 EUR |
| Intensive (sustained evolutive) | ~1,800 EUR | ~7,000 EUR | ~85,800 EUR |
| Initial build | 35,000 EUR | ||
| Total 3-year TCO (standard) | ~93,200 EUR |
Mini case study
Karim, IT director of a mid-cap in Dublin, had an extranet delivered at 35,000 EUR and wants to budget 3 years. He picks a standard profile: 1,200 EUR/month maintenance + hosting (43,200 EUR), a security audit at 5,000 EUR/year (15,000 EUR) and 3 days/year of version upgrades at 600 EUR (5,400 EUR). Total run: 43,200 + 15,000 + 5,400 = 63,600 EUR over 3 years, i.e. with the build 98,600 EUR. By anticipating this budget from the quote, he avoids the classic mistake: provisioning only the build and discovering an unfunded run by month 4.
FAQ
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
How much does extranet maintenance cost in 2026?
From 300 to 700 EUR/month for corrective and 700 to 1,500 EUR/month for evolutive in Dublin, excluding hosting (150-450 EUR/month) and the annual security audit (3,000-6,000 EUR).
Is maintenance really mandatory?
For an internet-exposed business tool, yes: security fixes, version upgrades and support are essential. Without maintenance, technical debt and breach risk rise quickly.
Why an annual security audit?
A pen test (3,000 to 6,000 EUR/year) detects vulnerabilities before they are exploited. It is essential as soon as the extranet handles client or partner data.
What share of TCO does the run represent?
Over 3 years, the cost of ownership often represents 40 to 70% of the build budget. For a 35,000 EUR extranet, standard run exceeds 58,000 EUR over the period.
Can maintenance cost be smoothed out?
Yes, via a monthly plan that includes corrective, monitoring and a pool of evolutive hours. This stabilises the budget and avoids unexpected one-off invoices.
Let's scope your project. Share your extranet's scope and your expected service level, and we will model your 3-year run TCO, maintenance plan included. 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.
