The verdict in three sentences
A custom connector between two systems (CRM-ERP, e-commerce-accounting) costs 6,000-25,000 EUR excl. VAT in 2026 depending on the number of synced objects and rule complexity. What drives the price: available APIs, error handling, monitoring and incident recovery, not just field mapping. ROI comes from re-entry hours avoided and data reliability, often a return in 8-14 months.
What actually makes up the price
A connector is not a simple bridge: it is a flow that must run in production 24/7, handle API outages and alert on failure.
| Item | Share of budget | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Analysis & data mapping | 15-20 % | Fields, cardinalities, business rules |
| API/webhook development | 30-40 % | Auth, pagination, rate limits |
| Error handling & recovery | 15-20 % | Retry, queues, idempotency |
| Monitoring & alerting | 10-15 % | Logs, dashboard, alerts |
| Testing & documentation | 10-15 % | Tests, edge cases, handover |
A bidirectional connector with business rules costs about 2 to 3 times a simple one-way flow.
iPaaS vs custom-built connector: 3-year TCO
The entry cost of an iPaaS is low, but subscription and volume limits weigh over time.
| Criterion | iPaaS (Make/Zapier) | Custom connector |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | 2,000-6,000 EUR excl. VAT | 6,000-25,000 EUR excl. VAT |
| Recurring cost | 50-500 EUR/month | 40-150 EUR/month (hosting) |
| Volume limit | Yes (quotas) | None |
| Complex business rules | Workaround-only | Native |
| Vendor lock-in | Strong | Weak |
| 3-year TCO (estimate) | 10,000-24,000 EUR | 14,000-32,000 EUR |
| Tipping point | < 50,000 execs/month | > 50,000 execs/month |
As a 2026 order of magnitude, beyond 60,000 syncs/month or strong business rules, custom becomes cheaper over 3 years.
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Mini case study
Sophie, IT director of a 60-employee industrial SME in Toronto, commissions a bidirectional CRM-ERP connector at 18,000 EUR excl. VAT + 90 EUR/month hosting. Before: two people re-entered orders 22 h/week combined, i.e. about 95 h/month at 30 EUR/h loaded = 2,850 EUR/month, with 8 % entry errors. After: 6 h/month of supervision = 180 EUR/month, near-zero errors. Saving: 2,670 EUR/month. ROI reached in 7 months, excluding quality gains and improved customer delays.
FAQ
How much for a simple connector? A one-way flow between two tools with modern APIs starts at 6,000-10,000 EUR excl. VAT. Bidirectionality and business rules push the bill up.
What happens if an API goes down? A good connector uses retry, queues and idempotency: data is replayed without duplicates as soon as the service returns, with an immediate team alert.
iPaaS or custom to start? For a simple need and low volume, iPaaS validates the concept fast. Move to custom when quotas, subscription costs or business rules become blockers.
Do I need a maintenance contract? Yes: budget 15-20 %/year of the initial cost to absorb vendor API changes, which are frequent each year.
How long to deliver? Plan 4 to 10 weeks depending on complexity, including analysis, development, testing and monitored go-live.
Let's scope your project. Specify the two systems to connect, the flow direction and monthly volume: we frame the architecture and monitoring. 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.
