The verdict in three sentences
A custom business platform that unifies your processes costs, in 2026, between 40,000 and 120,000 EUR depending on the number of modules and integrations. The project ships in 4 to 9 months, ideally split into phases to fund it as value is delivered. Budget 15 to 20% of the build cost per year for maintenance (ongoing support) to keep the tool secure, up to date and evolving.
How much a business platform costs by scope
Price depends mostly on the number of screens, user roles and external integrations (accounting, CRM, banking API). Here are the ranges seen on the market in 2026.
| Scope | Modules | Integrations | Timeline | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple core | 1 to 2 (e.g. clients + quotes) | 0 to 1 | 4 to 5 months | 40,000 - 60,000 EUR |
| Standard platform | 3 to 4 (CRM, billing, scheduling) | 2 to 3 | 5 to 7 months | 60,000 - 90,000 EUR |
| Advanced platform | 5+ (multi-site, stock, reporting) | 4+ | 7 to 9 months | 90,000 - 120,000 EUR |
| AI / automation layer | cross-cutting module | variable | +6 to 10 wks | +15,000 - 30,000 EUR |
| Dedicated mobile app | PWA or native | per core | +8 to 12 wks | +20,000 - 40,000 EUR |
These figures cover scoping, UX design, development, testing and go-live. Cloud hosting (Supabase, Vercel or equivalent) typically runs 150 to 600 EUR/month depending on load.
Phasing and total cost of ownership
Phasing lets you ship a first useful module in 8 to 10 weeks, then spread the investment. Here is an example sequence and the recurring costs involved.
| Item | Phase 1 (core) | Phase 2 (extension) | Annual recurring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share of budget | 45 to 55% | 30 to 40% | - |
| Timeline | 8 to 10 wks | 6 to 8 wks | - |
| Maintenance | - | - | 15 to 20% of build |
| Hosting | - | - | 1,800 - 7,200 EUR |
| Evolutions (T&M) | - | - | 600 - 750 EUR/day |
Over 5 years, a platform with an 80,000 EUR build represents a TCO of roughly 80,000 + (5 x 14,000 EUR maintenance) + hosting, around 155,000 to 170,000 EUR. Compare that against the cumulative SaaS licences and lost hours it replaces.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
Mark, operations director of a technical-services SME in London (38 staff), juggles 6 spreadsheets and 2 poorly connected SaaS tools. His teams lose on average 5 hours per person per week on re-keying. Across the 12 people affected that is 60 h/week, or at a 35 EUR loaded hourly cost about 105,000 EUR/year of wasted time. An 85,000 EUR platform that eliminates 70% of that re-keying saves ~73,000 EUR/year: payback is reached in about 14 months, maintenance included.
FAQ
Why custom rather than an off-the-shelf SaaS? When your process is specific (niche trade, proprietary calculation rules), no SaaS fits 100%. Custom avoids workarounds and per-user subscriptions that balloon past 20 to 30 seats.
Can we start small? Yes, and it is recommended. A first phase at 40,000 - 50,000 EUR validates real usage before you invest in further modules.
How long until a usable first result? Expect 8 to 10 weeks for a core in production, then iterations every 4 to 6 weeks.
Who owns the code? With a serious agency, you fully own the source code and the data, with no vendor lock-in.
Is maintenance mandatory? Not imposed but strongly advised: security, dependency upgrades and fixes account for 15 to 20% of the build per year.
Let's scope your project. Give us your scope (modules, number of users, integrations), an indicative budget and your target deadline, and we will price the phased 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.
