The verdict in three sentences
A consulting firm lives on two numbers: consultant utilization and margin per engagement. A PSA (Professional Services Automation) product costs EUR 20-60/user/month and covers the basics, whereas a custom build (EUR 45,000-100,000) models your staffing, day-rate grids and real time-based billing. The 2026 decision depends on your consultant count and how specific your profitability tracking is.
What a firm-management tool must cover
In London, a partner wants to know in real time which engagement is making or losing money. The key blocks:
- Staffing: consultant allocation, planning, availability, conflicts.
- Time entry: charged per engagement, manager approval.
- Day-rate tracking: billed vs cost, margin per consultant and engagement.
- Billing: time-and-materials, fixed fee, milestones, progress.
- Utilization: billable vs non-billable, under-utilization alerts.
- Profitability reporting: margin by engagement, client, practice.
| Criterion | PSA product | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | EUR 20-60/user/month | EUR 45,000-100,000 |
| Day-rate grids | Standard | Your rules, per profile |
| Advanced staffing | Edition-dependent | Custom |
| Mixed billing | Often limited | Time/fixed/milestones |
| Margin reporting | Templates | Your metrics |
| Timeline | 1-3 months | 4-8 months |
| Ownership | License | You |
5-year TCO for a 30-consultant firm
| Item | PSA product | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Build / setup | EUR 5,000 | EUR 75,000 |
| Subscription (30 x EUR 40) | EUR 14,400/yr | 0 |
| Maintenance | included | EUR 10,000/yr |
| Accounting/CRM integration | EUR 3,000/yr | 0 (included) |
| 5-year cost | ~EUR 92,000 | ~EUR 125,000 |
Custom becomes attractive beyond 25-30 consultants or when your margin tracking falls outside the standard model: the real ROI comes from utilization gained, not subscription savings.
Mini case study
Julien, partner of a 30-consultant firm in London, runs staffing on a spreadsheet and loses visibility on under-utilization. A custom tool at EUR 80,000 (6-month delivery) lifts utilization from 72 % to 78 %, i.e. +6 points. At an average day rate of EUR 900 over 220 working days, those 6 points are worth ~EUR 356,000 of extra annual production. ROI under 4 months.
FAQ
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How much does custom firm software cost in 2026?
Expect EUR 45,000-100,000 depending on consultant count, staffing granularity and billing complexity. A firm under 20 consultants stays around EUR 45,000-65,000.
PSA product or custom?
Below 20 consultants with standard tracking, an off-the-shelf PSA is enough and faster. Above that, or if your billing mixes time, fixed fee and milestones, custom avoids workarounds.
What utilization gain to expect?
Realistic in 2026: 3 to 8 points depending on your starting point. Each point is valuable when the average day rate exceeds EUR 800.
Can we integrate our CRM and accounting?
Yes: opportunities, engagements and billing sync with your CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce) and accounting via API. It is a standard item.
What is the delivery timeline?
4 to 8 months: scoping, staffing and billing development, then migration of ongoing engagements.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your consultant count, your billing modes and your margin metrics, and we will price your management tool with budget and timeline. 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.
