The verdict in three sentences
A custom business platform replaces a pile of spreadsheets and macros with a centralized application featuring roles, permissions and an API. In Toronto in 2026, budget CAD 70,000 to 180,000 and 4 to 7 months, depending on the complexity of the domain model and the number of integrations. The item that blows a quote is never the front-end: it is poorly scoped domain modeling, which multiplies back-and-forth and person-days.
How a platform quote is structured
A good 2026 quote reads by deliverable lots, not as an opaque lump sum. Each lot has a deliverable, an effort and a payment milestone.
| Lot | Content | 2026 cost (CAD) |
|---|---|---|
| Framing + domain model | workshops, data schema | 8,000 - 19,000 |
| Technical base + auth | infra, roles/permissions | 14,000 - 30,000 |
| Business modules | 2 to 4 core modules | 28,000 - 75,000 |
| API + integrations | ERP, accounting, exports | 11,000 - 34,000 |
| Acceptance + data migration | tests, spreadsheet migration | 8,000 - 19,000 |
| Platform total | - | 70,000 - 180,000 |
Data migration (moving existing spreadsheets) is systematically underestimated: budget 4 to 10 % of the total just to clean and import history.
Roles, permissions and support: the recurring costs
A business platform lives several years. Fine-grained roles/permissions and application maintenance (support) are two structural items to price from the quote onward.
| Item | 2026 detail | Indicative cost |
|---|---|---|
| Roles / permissions | per role and per module | CAD 7,000 - 20,000 |
| Business API | documented REST/GraphQL | CAD 11,000 - 34,000 |
| Hosting + monitoring | 99.9 % | CAD 350 - 1,100/mo |
| Annual support | 18 % of build | CAD 12,600 - 32,400/yr |
| Evolutions (per lot) | new modules | CAD 11,000 - 41,000 |
A serious quote always separates the build (one-shot) from the run (recurring). Ignoring support at 18 %/year sets you up for a bad surprise from year 2.
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Mini case study
Julien runs the logistics division of an 80-person SMB in Toronto. His teams manage routes across 6 spreadsheets linked by fragile macros. He orders a platform: framing 16,000, base 25,000, 3 business modules 58,000, accounting API 22,000, data migration 14,000, i.e. CAD 135,000 delivered in 6 months. Support at 18 %: CAD 24,300/year. By making planning reliable, he cuts empty-run mileage by 12 % (fuel + hours saved) estimated at CAD 56,000/year, and removes 1 FTE of re-keying. The platform pays for itself in about 24 months.
FAQ
Why does a platform cost more than a standard app? Because it models your specific domain: roles, workflows, business rules. Framing and modeling alone represent CAD 8,000 to 19,000 before the first line of business code.
Do I need an API from the start? If you have an ERP, accounting system or regulatory exports, yes. A well-designed API (CAD 11,000 to 34,000) avoids double entry and prepares future integrations without rebuilding everything.
How much does migrating my spreadsheets cost? Budget 4 to 10 % of the total to clean, structure and import history. It's an item to write explicitly into the quote, or face a bad surprise during acceptance.
What is the real 3-year cost? Add the build (e.g. CAD 135,000) and 3 years of support at 18 % (about CAD 73,000). Total cost of ownership lands around CAD 208,000 over 3 years, excluding new modules.
How long to deliver? 4 to 7 months depending on the number of modules and integrations. Breaking it into lots lets you push the first modules to production from month 3.
Let's scope your project. Describe the processes to replace, the number of roles and your integrations (ERP, accounting), and we will deliver a quote broken down by lot with build and support separated. 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.
