The verdict in three sentences
A SaaS subscription (8 to 25 EUR/user/month) is ideal to start fast and cheap, but it makes you dependent on the vendor and bills in proportion to your growth. A custom portal (≈ 25,000 EUR + 500 EUR/month) costs more upfront, then stabilizes and makes you owner of the code and the data. The tipping point is generally around 150 active users or when your processes fall outside the standard mold.
The 3-year calculation
The right question isn't the entry price but the total cost of ownership (TCO) over 3 years at a realistic user volume. Here are three scenarios comparing SaaS (at 15 EUR/user/month) and custom (25,000 EUR + 500 EUR/month).
| Users | SaaS 3 years (15 EUR/u/mo) | Custom 3 years | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 16,200 EUR | 43,000 EUR | SaaS |
| 80 | 43,200 EUR | 43,000 EUR | Break-even |
| 150 | 81,000 EUR | 43,000 EUR | Custom |
| 300 | 162,000 EUR | 49,000 EUR | Custom |
| 600 | 324,000 EUR | 55,000 EUR | Custom |
Beyond price: the deciding criteria
TCO isn't everything. The make-or-buy decision also depends on process fit, vendor dependency and the strategic value of the portal to your client relationship.
| Criterion | SaaS subscription | Custom portal |
|---|---|---|
| Time-to-market | 2 - 4 weeks | 10 - 16 weeks |
| Cost tracks growth | Yes (per user) | No (fixed) |
| Process fit | Low to medium | Total |
| Data/code ownership | Vendor | You |
| Vendor lock-in risk | High | Low |
| Functional evolvability | Per vendor roadmap | Per your priorities |
| Reversibility | Complex (export) | Native |
Mini case study
Sophie is COO of a maintenance SME in Lyon, considering a client area for her 210 B2B clients (≈ 260 user accounts). On SaaS at 15 EUR/user/month she'd pay ≈ 46,800 EUR over 3 years, with a tool that fits her specific maintenance contracts poorly. On custom at 25,000 EUR + 500 EUR/month, the 3-year TCO drops to ≈ 43,000 EUR, with a portal aligned to her processes. Beyond 260 accounts and given her growth, custom becomes clearly cheaper from year 2 while removing vendor dependency.
FAQ
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From how many users does custom win?
As a 2026 order of magnitude, around 150 active users at 15 EUR/month. Below that, SaaS is often more cost-effective purely on cost.
Isn't SaaS safer and better maintained?
It's maintained by the vendor, but you're subject to its roadmap, its price hikes and its possible shutdown. Custom keeps you in control of priorities and longevity.
Can we start on SaaS then migrate?
Yes, it's a valid strategy: validate the need on SaaS, then rebuild custom when volumes or functional limits justify it.
How do we cost vendor lock-in?
Estimate the exit cost: data re-export, history recovery, retraining. It often exceeds 10,000 EUR and skews purely monthly comparisons.
Does custom include security updates?
Yes, via the maintenance contract (250 to 550 EUR/month), covering fixes, dependencies and monitoring.
Let's scope your project. Give us your target user count and how specific your processes are: we'll model the SaaS vs custom TCO over 3 years to decide. 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.
