Custom HR portal cost in Berlin for 2026

The verdict in three sentences

A custom HR portal covering leave, expenses, documents and onboarding costs 45,000 to 100,000 EUR in 2026, with +20% the moment you connect payroll or the HRIS. SSO, GDPR compliance of employee data and mapping to the payroll software are the line items that move the quote. The ROI is measured in avoided HR tickets (-35%) and onboarding twice as fast, over a project timeline of 3 to 6 months.

What an HR portal costs in 2026

The budget depends on functional scope and the level of payroll integration. A leave-only self-service does not cost the same as a full portal connected to the HRIS.

Against an off-the-shelf HRIS module, a custom portal is justified when processes are specific or several tools must coexist.

The features that really matter

Leave self-service with manager approval removes email back-and-forth. Expenses with receipt capture and cap rules speed up reimbursements. Digital onboarding (checklist, documents to sign, access to provision) transforms a new hire's arrival. Finally, GDPR compliance requires strict access control and a retention period for employee data — a non-negotiable point subject to fines.

Mini case study

Karl, HR director of a mid-cap in Berlin (420 staff), handles around 640 HR tickets a month (leave, certificates, expenses), i.e. 160 hours of manual processing monthly. A portal quoted at 72,000 EUR excl. VAT absorbs 35% of these requests in self-service. Gain: 56 hours recovered per month (~672 h/year) valued at 35 EUR/h, i.e. 23,500 EUR/year, plus onboarding cut from 6 to 3 days. Payback in about 37 months, with an HR team refocused on high-value topics.

FAQ

Custom portal or off-the-shelf HRIS module? Below 150 staff, a rented HRIS module (8-25 EUR/employee/month) is often more cost-effective. Above 200 staff with specific workflows, the custom portal pays off and keeps you owning the data.

Should I connect payroll? The payroll/HRIS connection adds about 20% to the budget but removes re-keying of leave and variables. It is the best-ROI item once you pass 200 payslips a month.

How long to deploy? Count 3 to 4 months for a basic portal, 4 to 6 months for a full scope with onboarding and expenses. Change management often represents 15% of the effort.

How is GDPR compliance of employee data guaranteed? Role-based access control, encryption, access logging and defined retention periods. These measures are built in and documented for audit.

Is -35% HR tickets achievable? Yes, on repetitive requests (leave, certificates, documents). Complex cases stay human, but the automatable volume usually exceeds a third of the total.

Let's scope your project. Tell us your headcount, your payroll software and the processes to digitize: we frame an HR portal with scope and indicative budget. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.