The verdict in three sentences
For a 40-consultant firm in New York, a PSA suite at EUR 25-70/month/user costs EUR 12,000-33,600/year, without necessarily matching your project-billing model. A custom build at EUR 55,000-90,000, connected to accounting, pays off in 2-3 years. The real ROI is not the license: it is +8 points of utilisation and -30 % time on monthly billing.
Licensed PSA suite or connected build: the true cost
A licensed PSA bills per user. The custom build adds time-tracking, project billing and accounting integration tailored to your day rates.
| Line item (2026 order of magnitude) | PSA suite (40 users) | Custom build |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per user | EUR 25-70/month | included |
| Annual software cost | EUR 12,000-33,600/yr | 15 %/yr of build |
| Initial development | — | EUR 55,000-90,000 |
| Time-tracking + project billing module | plan-dependent | EUR 12,000 |
| Average billed day rate | EUR 650-1,100 | EUR 650-1,100 |
| Accounting connection | limited | native |
3-year cost: the break-even point
At EUR 45/month/user for 40 consultants: EUR 21,600/year. The build (base EUR 70,000) smooths out and includes everything.
| Year | PSA suite (cumulative) | Custom build (cumulative) |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | EUR 21,600 | EUR 82,000 (build + module) |
| Year 2 | EUR 43,200 | EUR 92,500 |
| Year 3 | EUR 64,800 | EUR 103,000 |
| Utilisation | baseline | +8 points |
| Time on monthly billing | baseline | -30 % |
| Project billing | generic | custom |
Mini case study
Sophie, partner at a consulting firm in New York (40 consultants, average day rate EUR 850, utilisation 68 %), lost margin on unbilled time and spent 3 days/month consolidating billing. After a custom build at EUR 70,000 with time-tracking and project billing, utilisation rose from 68 % to 76 %. Across 40 consultants at EUR 850/day, 8 points of utilisation represent about 218 extra billable days per year, nearly EUR 185,000/year of additional revenue. The investment pays back in under 5 months.
FAQ
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How long to deliver the custom PSA suite?
Expect 14 to 20 weeks, starting with staffing and time-tracking, then project billing and the accounting connection. A pilot on one practice precedes full rollout.
How are +8 points of utilisation achievable?
By making available consultants and unallocated time visible in real time, staffing fills gaps faster. Each point reclaimed is worth several billable days across 40 consultants.
Why connect billing to accounting?
Because monthly project billing is time-consuming and error-prone. A single flow from logged time to invoice cuts 30 % of the time spent and makes recognised revenue reliable.
Is a PSA license enough for 40 consultants?
It can work if your billing model is standard. Once you handle variable day rates, fixed-price packages and mixed engagements, the custom build fits your reality better.
What does the 15 %/yr maintenance cover?
Accounting changes, new billing formats, fixes and support. On a EUR 70,000 build, that is EUR 10,500/year.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your consultant headcount, billing model (day rate, fixed price, T&M) and budget: we cost build vs PSA license. 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.
