The verdict in three sentences
A custom business platform digitizes your internal processes (case management, production, scheduling, field tracking) : in Dublin it costs 45,000 to 220,000 EUR depending on scope. Before building, compare three paths : custom, no-code and vertical SaaS ; each wins in a specific context. The rule : the more specific and durable your business rules, the more custom becomes profitable against no-code/SaaS subscriptions that pile up.
Custom vs no-code vs vertical SaaS
The first trade-off is not technical but economic : how much does each path cost over three years, including subscriptions and limits ? Here is the 2026 order of magnitude for a 30-user business platform.
| Criterion | Custom | No-code | Vertical SaaS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial cost EUR | 45,000 - 120,000 | 8,000 - 25,000 | 0 - 15,000 |
| Cost / month EUR | 400 - 1,500 | 2,000 - 6,000 | 3,000 - 9,000 |
| 3-year cost EUR (approx.) | 60,000 - 175,000 | 80,000 - 240,000 | 108,000 - 340,000 |
| Specific business rules | Unlimited | Medium | Low |
| Code ownership | Full | None | None |
| Scalability ceiling | None | High | Vendor |
No-code excels at prototyping fast and validating a need ; it becomes costly and constraining once volume or specificity climb. Vertical SaaS fits when your business is standard. Custom wins over time as soon as your processes are a competitive advantage.
What a custom platform costs per module
| Module | Range EUR | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Core (auth, roles, dashboard) | 12,000 - 22,000 | 3 weeks |
| Case / deal management | 15,000 - 35,000 | 4 - 5 weeks |
| Scheduling + resource allocation | 12,000 - 28,000 | 3 - 4 weeks |
| Field tracking (mobile / PWA) | 15,000 - 32,000 | 4 weeks |
| Reporting + exports | 8,000 - 18,000 | 2 - 3 weeks |
| Integrations (accounting, ERP) | 12,000 - 30,000 | 3 - 4 weeks |
A business platform ships in 12 to 22 weeks depending on the number of modules. Maintenance then represents 15 to 20 % of the initial cost per year, that is 7,000 to 40,000 EUR, covering fixes, security and small evolutions.
Mini case study
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Karim runs a 38-technician industrial maintenance firm in Dublin. His jobs are planned on spreadsheets and reports come back on paper : he estimates the loss at 25 hours/week of coordination (loaded cost 22 EUR/h) plus average billing delays of 18 days.
He invests 95,000 EUR in a custom platform : scheduling, PWA field tracking and reporting. After 4 months, coordination drops to 8 hours/week, saving 374 EUR/week or around 19,000 EUR/year. Accelerated billing (18 days gained on ~1.8 M EUR revenue) frees significant cash. Against a vertical SaaS at 6,000 EUR/month (216,000 EUR over 3 years), custom is cheaper from year 2 while fitting his processes exactly.
FAQ
What is the minimum budget to start a business platform ? Expect 45,000 EUR for a usable core (auth, roles, one business module, reporting). You can then add modules in phases to smooth the investment.
Isn't no-code cheaper ? Upfront yes, but its subscriptions (2,000 to 6,000 EUR/month) often make it more expensive than custom over 3 years, with no code ownership or freedom to evolve.
How long for delivery ? From 12 to 22 weeks depending on module count, with a first usable business version from 8 to 10 weeks.
What annual maintenance cost ? Maintenance represents 15 to 20 % of the initial cost per year, that is 7,000 to 40,000 EUR, including security, fixes and minor evolutions.
Can we migrate from an existing spreadsheet or no-code tool ? Yes : data migration from Excel or a no-code tool is a standard phase, priced between 4,000 and 12,000 EUR depending on volume and data cleanliness.
Let's scope your project. List the processes to digitize (scheduling, field tracking, billing) and your user count : we frame a platform budgeted between 45,000 and 220,000 EUR, deliverable in phases. 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.
