The verdict in three sentences
A custom client portal (order tracking, invoices, tickets) costs between 18,000 and 35,000 EUR in 2026 for a solid MVP, delivered in 10 to 16 weeks. Then budget 400 to 900 EUR/month for hosting and maintenance depending on traffic and integrations. The return on investment comes mainly from fewer support calls (-40 %) and customer satisfaction, not from the portal itself.
What an MVP client portal covers
A successful portal rests on four building blocks: secure authentication with roles, a synthetic dashboard, document access (orders, invoices, contracts) and a ticket module linked to your support desk. Custom development is justified when your data already lives in an ERP, CRM or billing tool that needs a clean connection.
| Item | MVP scope | 2026 order of magnitude (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping & UX design | Journeys, mockups, specs | 2,500 - 5,000 |
| Authentication + roles | Login, light SSO, rights | 3,000 - 6,000 |
| Client dashboard | Orders/invoices summary | 3,000 - 5,500 |
| Documents & downloads | Secure invoices, contracts | 3,000 - 6,000 |
| Ticket/support module | Create, track, notify | 3,500 - 7,000 |
| Integration (1 system) | ERP or billing API | 3,000 - 6,000 |
| MVP total | Usable portal | 18,000 - 35,000 |
Recurring costs and evolutions
A portal is never frozen. After launch, plan for hosting, monitoring, fixes and a small monthly evolution budget. The ranges below cover an SME portal serving a few hundred to a few thousand active customers.
| Recurring item | Frequency | 2026 order of magnitude (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Managed hosting | monthly | 150 - 350 |
| Corrective maintenance & security | monthly | 250 - 550 |
| Minor evolutions | monthly (optional) | 300 - 800 |
| Backups & monitoring | monthly | included - 150 |
| Publisher support | annual | 1,500 - 4,000 |
Custom vs SaaS block
A SaaS block (a packaged client area) starts faster and cheaper, but it bills per user and adapts poorly to your processes. Custom costs more upfront, then costs stabilize and you own the code and the data.
| Criterion | SaaS block | Custom portal |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | 0 - 3,000 EUR | 18,000 - 35,000 EUR |
| Monthly cost | 8 - 25 EUR/user | 400 - 900 EUR fixed |
| Process fit | Limited | Total |
| Data ownership | Vendor | You |
| Timeline | 2 - 4 weeks | 10 - 16 weeks |
Mini case study
Claire is CFO of a technical-services SME in Nantes, 22 staff and 480 active clients. Her support desk gets around 300 calls/month about "where's my order" and "resend my invoice". At 6 minutes each and a loaded cost of 0.55 EUR/minute, that's 990 EUR/month. A portal at 27,000 EUR (MVP) plus 600 EUR/month cuts these calls by 40 %, saving 396 EUR/month on support plus extra sales time. In practice the portal pays back in 18 to 24 months through fewer calls and better client retention.
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FAQ
How long to get a first usable portal?
Budget 10 to 16 weeks for an MVP in production, scoping included. A reduced scope (documents + tickets, no heavy integration) can ship in 8 weeks.
Can we start small and expand?
Yes, it's even recommended. We first ship the dashboard and documents, then add tickets, e-signature or payment in increments of 3,000 to 8,000 EUR.
What annual maintenance budget should we plan?
As a 2026 order of magnitude, between 5,000 and 11,000 EUR per year all-in (hosting, security, small evolutions) for an SME portal.
Is custom worth it under 200 clients?
Often yes from a few hundred active clients, because savings come from avoided support calls and retention, not just user count.
Must we connect the ERP from day one?
Not necessarily. A daily import can suffice at launch, with the real-time API arriving in phase 2 for 3,000 to 6,000 EUR.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your client volumes, your billing tool and the target scope (documents, tickets, payment): we'll scope an MVP between 18,000 and 35,000 EUR. 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.
