The verdict in three sentences
A custom booking platform for a coworking network costs between EUR 40,000 and 75,000 excl. VAT (roughly USD 43,000 to 81,000) in 2026, depending on how deeply it integrates with access control and accounting. Compared with an off-the-shelf SaaS billed at EUR 600 to 1,800 per month plus a 2% commission per booking, break-even usually lands between 24 and 36 months for a network above 1,000 members. Below 3 sites or 500 members, SaaS remains the rational choice.
What a 6-site network really pays with a SaaS
Market tools show a clear subscription, but the commission on meeting room and hot desk bookings quickly outweighs the licence. 2026 order of magnitude for a network of 1,400 members with about EUR 1,300,000 in annual revenue flowing through the tool:
| Annual cost item | Market SaaS | Custom platform |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription or licence | EUR 14,400 to 21,600 (EUR 1,200 to 1,800/month) | EUR 0 |
| 2% commission on bookings (approx. EUR 450,000/year) | EUR 9,000 | EUR 0 |
| Card payment fees (1.4% + EUR 0.25) | Included or re-billed | EUR 6,300 to 7,500 |
| Hosting and monitoring | Included | EUR 2,400 to 4,800 |
| Ongoing maintenance (10 to 15% of build) | Included | EUR 5,000 to 9,000 |
| Badge and accounting connector | EUR 1,500 to 4,000 (paid add-ons) | Included in build |
| Annual total excluding investment | EUR 24,900 to 34,600 | EUR 13,700 to 21,300 |
The operating gap is therefore around EUR 11,000 to 13,000 per year, plus a less visible gain: control over member data and pricing rules (off-peak rates, credit packs, corporate rates) that SaaS tools standardise.
Functional scope and its price
A serious project is split into work packages. Each one can be delivered and invoiced separately, so you can start with booking and billing before tackling physical access.
| Package | Content | 2026 range (EUR excl. VAT) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery and UX | Workshops, member and manager journeys, mockups | 4,000 to 7,000 | 3 weeks |
| Room and desk booking | Real-time calendar, credits, cancellation rules, multi-site | 12,000 to 20,000 | 6 weeks |
| Member area and mobile app (PWA) | Profile, invoices, visitor invites, notifications | 8,000 to 14,000 | 4 weeks |
| Automated monthly billing | Subscriptions, proration, credit notes, accounting export, direct debit and card | 7,000 to 12,000 | 4 weeks |
| Connected access badges | Lock APIs (Salto, Kisi, Nuki Pro), time-based rights per plan | 5,000 to 12,000 | 3 weeks |
| Back office and analytics | Occupancy per room, revenue per site, churn | 4,000 to 10,000 | 3 weeks |
The low end (EUR 40,000) fits a network that keeps its current badges with a simple rights sync. The high end (EUR 75,000) includes a polished mobile app, smartphone door opening and a corporate module letting a client company manage its own employees' access.
Technical points that make budgets drift
Three topics explain most overruns. First, real-time booking conflicts: two members clicking on the same room in the same second must be resolved server side, not in the browser. Second, access control: each lock manufacturer has its own API, quotas and rights propagation delays, often 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Third, prorated billing: mid-month plan changes, suspensions and unused credits must produce compliant invoices with continuous numbering, as tax authorities require.
Mandatory e-invoicing rules, which in France require all companies to receive electronic invoices from September 2026 and are spreading across Europe, should also be anticipated: the platform must be able to send B2B invoices through an approved channel.
Mini case study
Camille runs a network of 6 coworking spaces. She currently pays EUR 1,500 per month in licence fees and 2% on EUR 450,000 of bookings, i.e. EUR 27,000 per year. She selects a platform at EUR 58,000 excl. VAT with connected badges. Operating costs of the custom solution are estimated at EUR 16,000 per year.
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- Annual saving: 27,000 - 16,000 = EUR 11,000
- Expected occupancy gain from off-peak pricing: +4% on rooms, i.e. about EUR 9,000 in extra revenue
- Total annual gain: EUR 20,000
- Payback: 58,000 / 20,000 = 2.9 years
Over 3 years the operation is neutral to slightly positive. It becomes clearly profitable once a seventh site opens, since the platform absorbs growth without any licence increase.
FAQ
How long does it take to launch the platform?
Allow 4 to 6 months from discovery to full production. A first booking and billing version can go live in 12 to 14 weeks.
Can we keep our current badges and locks?
Yes in most cases, if the manufacturer exposes an API (Salto KS, Kisi, Openpath). The connector then costs EUR 5,000 to 8,000 instead of replacing hardware at around EUR 800 per door.
How do we migrate 1,400 members without downtime?
We import members, plans and credits from the SaaS export, then run both tools in parallel for 2 to 4 weeks. The switch happens at the start of a month to keep billing simple.
Who owns the code?
The contract transfers the intellectual property rights to the client on delivery. You can then hand maintenance to any provider, for 10 to 15% of the initial cost per year.
Is the platform GDPR compliant?
It must be by design: hosting in the UK or EU, badge access logs kept for 3 months maximum unless justified, and an up-to-date record of processing activities.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of sites, members and current tool: we will price a phased scope between EUR 40,000 and 75,000 excl. VAT, with a 4 to 6 month 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.
