The verdict in three sentences
For a network of 5 spaces and 900 members in Dublin, a custom booking platform costs 30,000 to 55,000 EUR excl. VAT and ships in 3 to 5 months. It replaces a SaaS billed 3 to 6 EUR per member per month, which means 32,400 to 64,800 EUR a year once access and billing modules are added. Break-even lands between 24 and 30 months, sooner if the network opens a sixth site.
What the platform must handle, and what each block costs
A multi-site coworking business runs on four flows: room and desk booking, memberships, door access and the monthly invoice. Off-the-shelf SaaS covers all four, but it charges per member and blocks the network's own business rules (credits shared across sites, corporate rates, 24/7 access for some plans).
| Module | Scope | Indicative budget excl. VAT (2026 order of magnitude) |
|---|---|---|
| Room and desk booking | Per-site calendar, hourly credits, cancellation rules | 7,000 to 12,000 EUR |
| Memberships and plans | Hot desk, dedicated desk, private office, corporate accounts | 5,000 to 9,000 EUR |
| Access control | RFID badge or dynamic QR code, lock connectors (Salto, Nuki, Kisi) | 6,000 to 11,000 EUR |
| Recurring payment and invoicing | SEPA Direct Debit, cards via Stripe, compliant invoices | 5,000 to 9,000 EUR |
| Member area and mobile web app | Profile, bookings, invoices, guest invites | 4,000 to 8,000 EUR |
| Multi-site back office | Occupancy rate, revenue per site, dunning | 3,000 to 6,000 EUR |
Access control weighs heavily because it depends on hardware already installed. If the 5 sites use different locks, budget 1,500 to 3,000 EUR per extra connector. A dynamic QR code, regenerated every 30 seconds, avoids badge costs (4 to 8 EUR each) and works for 80% of hot-desk members.
Per-member SaaS or custom platform: the numbers side by side
| Criterion | Off-the-shelf coworking SaaS | Custom platform |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | 0 to 2,000 EUR setup | 30,000 to 55,000 EUR excl. VAT |
| Recurring cost for 900 members | 2,700 to 5,400 EUR/month | 600 to 1,200 EUR/month (hosting + maintenance) |
| 3-year cost | 97,200 to 194,400 EUR | 51,600 to 98,200 EUR |
| Specific business rules | Limited to built-in options | Unlimited (cross-site credits, corporate rates) |
| Ownership of member data | Partial export | Full, database hosted in the EU |
| Time to launch | 2 to 6 weeks | 3 to 5 months |
| Cost of a 6th site | About +20% subscription | Configuration, 1 to 3 days |
Custom does not always win. Below 300 members, SaaS stays cheaper over 3 years. Above 700 members, or as soon as a network plans new sites, the gap widens in favour of an owned platform.
Typical 3 to 5 month schedule
| Phase | Duration | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping and workshops with community managers | 2 to 3 weeks | Member journeys, pricing rules, lock audit |
| Mock-ups and prototype | 2 to 3 weeks | Booking flow tested on mobile |
| Core build (booking, memberships) | 5 to 7 weeks | Usable version on a pilot site |
| Access, payment, invoicing | 3 to 4 weeks | Live SEPA debits and badges |
| Migration of 900 members and site-by-site cutover | 2 to 3 weeks | Data imported, old SaaS cancelled |
Site-by-site cutover limits risk: the first space runs as a pilot for 2 weeks, then the other 4 follow. Member contracts, invoice history and remaining credits are imported.
Mini case study
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Aoife, founder of a network of 5 coworking spaces in Dublin (Docklands, Smithfield, Ranelagh, Portobello, Dún Laoghaire), has 900 members. Her SaaS costs 3.20 EUR per member per month with the access module, so 2,880 EUR a month or 34,560 EUR a year. The custom platform is quoted at 48,000 EUR excl. VAT, plus 900 EUR a month for hosting and maintenance. Monthly savings reach 1,980 EUR: 48,000 / 1,980 puts break-even at 24 months after launch. Over 3 years, the SaaS would have cost 103,680 EUR versus 80,400 EUR for the platform, about 23,000 EUR saved, not counting the 15,000 EUR of yearly revenue expected from multi-site corporate rates her SaaS could not handle.
FAQ
How much does a custom coworking booking platform cost in 2026?
Budget 30,000 to 55,000 EUR excl. VAT for a network of 3 to 6 sites, depending on the number of lock connectors and plan complexity. A single-site MVP without access control starts around 18,000 EUR excl. VAT.
Can we keep our current locks and badges?
In most cases yes: Salto, Kisi, Nuki or Wiegand controllers expose APIs. Each connector costs 1,500 to 3,000 EUR excl. VAT, and the initial audit confirms compatibility in 2 to 3 days.
How does member migration from our SaaS work?
We export members, contracts, credits and invoices, then import them into the new database. For 900 members, the migration takes 1 to 2 weeks and cutover happens site by site.
Is recurring payment compliant in Ireland and the EU?
The platform handles SEPA Direct Debit with an electronic mandate and cards via Stripe (about 1.5% + 0.25 EUR per European transaction). Invoices carry the mandatory VAT details and data is hosted in the EU under GDPR.
What does maintenance cost after launch?
Plan 600 to 1,200 EUR a month for EU hosting, security updates and 4 to 8 hours of improvements. That is 3 to 5 times less than the SaaS subscription of a 900-member network.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of sites, members and lock types: we price the platform, the indicative budget and the cutover plan. 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.
