The verdict in three sentences
For a single coworking space under 300 members, Nexudus or OfficeRnD remain unbeatable on cost and speed. For a 4-site, 900-member network stacking licences, access control and paid add-ons, a custom app between EUR 50,000 and 90,000 pays back in roughly 3 years. The decisive gain is control of the member experience: two-tap booking, phone-based access and Stripe billing with no re-keying.
The real annual cost of the current software stack
The operator does not only pay for the management software. Here is a typical breakdown for a Dublin network of 4 spaces (Docklands, Grand Canal, city centre, Sandyford).
| Item | Monthly cost | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Nexudus licences (negotiated, EUR 2 to 4 per member list price) | EUR 1,300 | EUR 15,600 |
| Cloud access control (32 doors, per-reader subscription) | EUR 1,000 | EUR 12,000 |
| Add-on modules (integrations, white label, API) | EUR 200 | EUR 2,400 |
| Payment fees | 1.5% + EUR 0.25 (Stripe Europe) | Same in both cases |
| Total excluding payment fees | EUR 2,500 | EUR 30,000 |
With a custom app, hosting, maintenance and reader upkeep remain, about EUR 900 per month (EUR 10,800 per year). Annual savings reach EUR 19,200. For a EUR 65,000 project, payback arrives in 3.4 years (2026 order of magnitude, excluding member growth, which speeds things up since licences scale with members).
Custom or Nexudus: feature comparison
| Criterion | Nexudus / OfficeRnD | Custom app |
|---|---|---|
| Time to go live | 2 to 4 weeks | 4 months |
| Upfront cost | Setup EUR 0 to 5,000 | EUR 50,000 to 90,000 |
| Room and desk booking | Complete, generic interface | Tailored flow, two taps |
| Phone-based access | Depends on hardware integration | Native in the PWA |
| Billing | Built in, standard rules | Stripe Billing, your own rules (credits, corporate packs) |
| Data and brand | Hosted by the vendor | Full ownership, network brand |
| Specific features | Vendor roadmap | Your own roadmap |
Budget per module (EUR excl. VAT, 2026)
| Module | Content | Indicative budget |
|---|---|---|
| Member PWA | Room and desk booking, calendar, notifications | 12,000 to 22,000 |
| Multi-site back office | Spaces, rates, capacity, members, companies | 10,000 to 18,000 |
| Stripe billing | Subscriptions, hour credits, compliant invoices, SEPA | 9,000 to 16,000 |
| Connected access control | Reader APIs (Salto, Kisi, Openpath), time-based rights | 8,000 to 14,000 |
| Community | Member directory, events, messaging | 5,000 to 11,000 |
| Nexudus migration and reporting | Members and contracts import, occupancy by site | 6,000 to 9,000 |
Delivery takes 4 months, with a site-by-site switchover to avoid any access outage.
Mini case study
Ciara, founder of a 4-site coworking network in Dublin, has 900 members and targets 1,300 in 2028. At an average EUR 1.44 per member on Nexudus, her licences would grow from EUR 15,600 to about EUR 22,500 a year, and access control would follow a fifth site opening. Her custom app, invoiced EUR 65,000, does not scale with members: at 1,300 members, annual savings exceed EUR 26,000 and payback drops to about 2.5 years. She also gains a commercial lever: corporate packs with shared hour credits that her current tool handles poorly.
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FAQ
Why a PWA rather than a native app?
A PWA installs from the browser, runs on iOS and Android and costs 30 to 40% less than two native apps. It handles notifications and phone-based access depending on the chosen hardware.
Is our existing access control compatible?
Salto, Kisi and Openpath readers have documented APIs. If your readers are closed systems, replacement costs about EUR 400 to 700 per door, to be included in the calculation.
How does the Nexudus exit work?
Members, contracts and billing history export via CSV or API. We plan 2 weeks of parallel running per site, and the full network switchover takes about a month.
Is Stripe billing compliant in Ireland?
Yes, invoices carry the mandatory details and 23% VAT. The project also anticipates the EU ViDA e-invoicing rules that will phase in over the coming years.
What if we open a fifth site?
Adding a site takes a few hours from the back office, with no licence surcharge. Only the new site's access readers need budgeting.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of sites, members and current licence costs: we will price an app between EUR 50,000 and 90,000, delivered in 4 months, with your payback calculation. 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.
