The verdict in three sentences
A coworking management SaaS charging 2% of revenue becomes expensive once the network passes 400,000 EUR in annual revenue. A custom booking platform (rooms, desks, recurring Stripe subscriptions, access badges, automated invoicing) costs 20,000 to 40,000 EUR excl. VAT (about 22,000 to 44,000 USD) in 2026, plus 300 to 600 EUR a month for hosting and maintenance. At 450,000 EUR of revenue, you save 9,000 EUR a year in commissions and finally own your member data.
Where the money goes with a percentage-based SaaS
Coworking management tools on the market charge either per member or as a commission on revenue collected. For an operator of three spaces totalling 450 desks, whether in Marseille or in Miami (Brickell, Wynwood, Coral Gables), the percentage model weighs heavily: every price increase or new room mechanically raises the software bill. Add spreadsheets for one-off bookings, manual bank reconciliation and a badge system that does not talk to the booking tool.
| Annual cost item (2026 order of magnitude) | Percentage SaaS | Per-member SaaS | Custom platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence or commission | 9,000 EUR (2% of 450,000 EUR) | 5,400 to 8,100 EUR (1 to 1.50 EUR per member per month) | 0 EUR |
| Stripe fees (1.5% + 0.25 EUR in Europe, 2.9% + 0.30 USD in the US) | Included or extra | Extra | About 6,750 EUR |
| Hosting and maintenance | Included | Included | 3,600 to 7,200 EUR |
| Badge connector (Salto, Kisi, Nuki) | 1,200 to 2,400 EUR | 1,200 to 2,400 EUR | Built into development |
| Manual entry and reconciliation | 4,000 to 6,000 EUR of staff time | 3,000 to 5,000 EUR | Under 1,000 EUR |
| Initial build amortised over 4 years | 0 EUR | 0 EUR | 5,000 to 10,000 EUR per year |
What a 20,000 or 40,000 EUR platform includes
The range mainly depends on the number of integrations and how granular the pricing rules are (off-peak hours, room credits included in memberships, corporate rates). The common core: online booking of desks and rooms with real-time availability, member area, monthly memberships charged through Stripe Billing (card and SEPA or ACH), compliant invoices generated automatically and accounting export.
| Module | 20,000 EUR version | 40,000 EUR version |
|---|---|---|
| Room and desk booking | Calendar, one-hour slots | Rules per space, off-peak hours, waiting list |
| Stripe Billing subscriptions | 3 plans, card and SEPA/ACH | Unlimited plans, room credits, proration |
| Automated invoicing | PDF, numbering, CSV export | Export to Pennylane, Sage or QuickBooks, grouped corporate billing |
| Access control | Badge activated at sign-up | Rights per space and time, deactivation on failed payment |
| Member app | Responsive website | PWA with QR access code and notifications |
| Operator dashboard | Occupancy rate, revenue | Forecasts, churn, revenue per square metre and per space |
| Delivery time | 8 to 10 weeks | 12 to 16 weeks |
In France, e-invoicing becomes progressively mandatory from September 2026, so plan an export to an approved platform from day one: adding it later costs 1,500 to 3,000 EUR more. In the US, plan sales tax handling through Stripe Tax instead.
When custom is not worth it
Below 200,000 EUR of revenue or with a single space, a SaaS remains more sensible: the commission saving (under 4,000 EUR a year) does not cover amortisation. Custom becomes relevant from two sites, revenue above 350,000 EUR and pricing rules that standard tools handle poorly, such as multi-site corporate plans or credits shared between members of the same company.
Mini case study
Julien runs a network of 3 coworking spaces with 450,000 EUR of revenue. He currently pays 9,000 EUR of SaaS commission, 1,800 EUR for the badge connector and about 5,000 EUR of admin time per year, i.e. 15,800 EUR. With a 32,000 EUR platform amortised over 4 years (8,000 EUR), 5,400 EUR of maintenance and 800 EUR of residual data entry, his annual cost drops to 14,200 EUR from year one, then to 6,200 EUR from year five. Over 5 years, cumulative savings exceed 15,000 EUR, and each new space adds no commission.
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FAQ
How long does migration from an existing SaaS take?
Allow 2 to 3 weeks of migration within the project: export of members, active Stripe subscriptions and invoice history. Stripe subscriptions can often be carried over without asking members for a new card.
Which badge systems are compatible?
Locks and readers with an API (Salto KS, Kisi, Nuki, Brivo) integrate in 5 to 10 days of development. A closed system without an API often requires replacement, around 300 to 600 EUR per door.
Can we sell day passes to visitors?
Yes, a guest booking flow with Stripe payment and a temporary access code is included from the 20,000 EUR version. The pass is automatically deactivated at the end of the slot.
Is the platform privacy-compliant?
Yes: hosting in Europe or the US as required, badge access logs kept for a defined period (often 3 months), consent and right to erasure built in, compatible with GDPR and CCPA principles.
Who owns the code?
You do. Source code and data are transferred to you at delivery, which avoids dependence on a vendor and its pricing grid.
Let's scope your project. Tell us the number of spaces, desks, membership plans and your badge system: we will price a platform between 20,000 and 40,000 EUR excl. VAT, delivered in 8 to 16 weeks. 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.
