The verdict in three sentences
The price of a business app doesn't come from a "package" but from five factors: number of screens, user roles, mobile money payment, offline mode and native mobile presence. In 2026 in Senegal, budget 1.5 to 4M FCFA for an MVP, 4 to 10M for a mid-size app with payment, 10M+ for a complex platform. Before building, always compare to the cost of an existing SaaS over 3 years: sometimes buying beats building, sometimes the reverse.
Price grid by complexity
Here are the 2026 orders of magnitude for custom development, hosting and first-year maintenance included.
| Level | Scope | Person-days | Price FCFA | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple MVP | 4-6 screens, 1 role, no payment | 20 – 35 | 1,500,000 – 4,000,000 | 4 – 7 wks |
| Mid-size app | 8-15 screens, 2-3 roles, Wave/OM | 40 – 70 | 4,000,000 – 10,000,000 | 8 – 14 wks |
| Complex platform | Multi-role, offline, mobile, integrations | 80 – 160 | 10,000,000 – 25,000,000+ | 14 – 24 wks |
What drives the bill up
Each factor adds person-days. A 2026 average day rate sits between 60,000 and 120,000 FCFA/day depending on seniority.
| Factor | Budget impact | Person-days added |
|---|---|---|
| Wave + Orange Money payment | High (webhooks, reconciliation) | +8 to 15 |
| Offline mode (PWA/sync) | High (sync, conflicts) | +6 to 12 |
| Native mobile app (iOS+Android) | Very high (2 platforms) | +25 to 40 |
| Fine-grained roles and permissions | Medium | +4 to 8 |
| Analytics dashboard | Medium | +5 to 10 |
| Third-party integrations (accounting, ERP) | Variable | +5 to 20 |
Build vs Buy over 3 years
Before building, lay out the total cost of ownership of an equivalent SaaS. Example for an invoicing/stock function.
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| Option | Initial cost | Monthly cost | 36-month total | Ownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SaaS subscription | 0 | 35,000 FCFA | 1,260,000 FCFA | No |
| No-code | 250,000 | 65,000 FCFA | 2,590,000 FCFA | No |
| Custom | 4,000,000 | 20,000 FCFA | 4,720,000 FCFA | Yes |
Reading: for a standard, stable need, a SaaS beats custom over 3 years. Custom is justified when the need is specific, differentiating or strategic — where no SaaS fits and where ownership creates value.
Mini case study
Ibrahim, a restaurateur in Abidjan with 3 outlets, wants an order and stock management app connected to Orange Money. Custom quote: 12 screens, 3 roles (cashier, kitchen, manager), OM payment, light offline = 55 person-days at 90,000 FCFA = 4,950,000 FCFA, hosting 25,000 FCFA/month. A generic SaaS alternative at 40,000 FCFA/month = 1,440,000 FCFA over 36 months, but with no multi-site management or native OM. Since multi-site and local payment are his competitive edge, Ibrahim chooses custom: 3.5M extra over 3 years, but he avoids 2 daily re-entries per site (estimated 90 minutes/day saved × 3 sites).
FAQ
Why does an MVP cost at least 1.5M FCFA ? Even a minimal product needs 20 to 35 person-days (scoping, design, dev, testing, deployment). Below that, it's usually disguised no-code or a trimmed scope.
Does mobile money double the price ? Not double, but it adds 8 to 15 person-days for webhooks, reconciliation and testing, often +700,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA.
How much for annual maintenance ? Budget 15 to 20 % of the build cost per year for fixes, security updates and small evolutions, i.e. 600,000 to 1,000,000 FCFA for a 4M app.
How much more does a native app cost than a web app ? Often 25 to 40 extra person-days because you build iOS and Android, i.e. +2 to 4M FCFA. A PWA avoids that surcharge in 80 % of SME cases.
Let's talk about your project. Send us your need and we'll return a person-day estimate 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.
