The verdict in three sentences
For a handful of users and standard needs, off-the-shelf Power BI or Metabase (GBP 10/user/month) cover 80% of cases with no heavy investment. Once your data is scattered across ERP, CRM and spreadsheets, or your metrics are bespoke, a custom dashboard (GBP 15k-40k) becomes cheaper over three years. In London in 2026 it removes 15 hours of manual reporting per month, with delivery in about 6 weeks.
SaaS licence or custom: the real trade-off
A Power BI Pro licence looks trivial at GBP 10/user/month, but the true cost hides elsewhere: data-prep time, premium connectors, training, and above all the analyst hours spent re-keying and consolidating by hand.
| Criterion | Power BI / Metabase | Custom dashboard |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost (GBP) | 0 - 3,000 | 15,000 - 40,000 |
| Monthly cost (GBP) | 10 /user + connectors | 40 - 120 (hosting) |
| Delivery time | 1 - 4 weeks | 6 weeks |
| Custom metrics | Limited | Unlimited |
| Complex data sources | Paid connectors | Native integration |
| Manual reporting left | 8 - 15 hrs/mo | 0 - 3 hrs/mo |
| Exit / migration cost | High (lock-in) | Low (you own it) |
3-year TCO: the calculation that flips the decision
For a 15-user team, here is the total cost of ownership over three years, analyst time included (blended hourly cost GBP 45).
| Line item | Power BI (15 users) | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Licences 36 months | 5,400 | 0 |
| Initial build | 2,000 | 25,000 |
| Hosting 36 months | 1,500 | 2,880 |
| Premium connectors 36 months | 3,600 | 0 |
| Manual reporting left (36 months) | 19,440 | 3,240 |
| 3-year total (GBP) | 31,940 | 31,120 |
Mini case study
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James, CFO of a 90-person distribution firm in London, consolidated sales, margins and stock by hand each month: 15 hours monthly. A custom decision dashboard priced at GBP 25,000, wired to his ERP and CRM, cuts that to 2 hours. Saving: 13 x 45 = GBP 585/month, a payback of roughly 43 months on analyst time alone — but decisions now made in real time instead of three weeks late.
FAQ
Isn't Power BI enough in most cases? For standard reporting on simple sources, yes. Custom is justified when data is scattered, KPIs are atypical, or licence counts push the bill up.
How long for a first custom dashboard? Expect around 6 weeks depending on the number of sources to connect and metric complexity.
What's the hosting cost? Between GBP 40 and 120/month on UK/EU infrastructure, with data hosted for compliance.
Can we start with Metabase then migrate? Yes, a sensible hybrid: Metabase validates needs, then critical views are built custom.
Do we own the solution? Yes, with a custom dashboard you own the code and data, with no vendor lock-in or per-user surcharge.
Let's scope your project. Share your data sources (ERP, CRM, spreadsheets), user count and key KPIs: we'll price the build and compare TCO against your current tool. 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.
