The verdict in three sentences
For 50 users, a SaaS at EUR 30/user/month costs EUR 18,000/year, i.e. EUR 108,000 over 6 years; a custom platform costs EUR 60,000 to 120,000 once plus 15 % maintenance/year. Custom becomes profitable once the SaaS no longer covers 70 % of needs or beyond 80-100 seats. It also removes the risk of price hikes up to +25 %/year and vendor lock-in.
The 6-year TCO calculation
The right call is made on total cost of ownership (TCO), not sticker price. Here is the comparison for 50 users (2026 order of magnitude).
| Item | Off-the-shelf SaaS | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | EUR 0 – 5,000 (setup) | EUR 60,000 – 120,000 |
| Annual cost | EUR 18,000 (50 × 30) | EUR 9,000 – 18,000 (15 % maint.) |
| Price hikes | +8 to +25 %/year | controlled |
| Customization | limited | total |
| 6-yr TCO (50 users) | ~EUR 120,000 | ~EUR 110,000 – 190,000 |
| Code ownership | no | yes |
At 50 users the two models are close. The tipping point turns on user count and functional coverage.
The tipping point by user count
SaaS scales linearly (per seat); custom is a fixed cost. The more users, the more custom wins.
| Users | SaaS 6 yrs (EUR 30/mo) | Custom 6 yrs | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 users | EUR 43,200 | ~EUR 110,000 | SaaS |
| 50 users | EUR 108,000 | ~EUR 120,000 | Tie |
| 100 users | EUR 216,000 | ~EUR 130,000 | Custom |
| 200 users | EUR 432,000 | ~EUR 150,000 | Custom |
| 400 users | EUR 864,000 | ~EUR 180,000 | Custom |
Simple rule: below 40-50 seats, stay on SaaS. Beyond 80-100, or if your processes are your competitive edge, custom prevails.
Mini case study
Thomas, COO of a 140-person logistics firm in Rennes, uses a warehouse-management SaaS at EUR 34/user/month for 95 users: EUR 38,760/year, with +18 % announced next year. The SaaS doesn't handle his specific routing: 3 Excel tools fill the gaps.
Over 6 years the SaaS will cost ~EUR 270,000 (hikes included). A custom platform covering 100 % of his processes is quoted at EUR 95,000 + EUR 14,000/year maintenance, i.e. ~EUR 179,000 over 6 years. Savings ~EUR 91,000, plus the end of spreadsheets and code he owns. Switch decided: profitable from year 3.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
FAQ
When is custom clearly the wrong choice?
When you have few users (<30), a standard need well covered by a SaaS, and no differentiating process. Reinventing a generic CRM or accounting makes no sense.
Isn't custom an endless maintenance cost?
No: budget 15 % of the build per year for maintenance (hosting, fixes, small evolutions), i.e. EUR 9,000 to 18,000/year on a EUR 60-120,000 build. That's often below the cumulative hikes of a SaaS.
Can we mix both approaches?
Yes, commonly: keep a SaaS for the generic (accounting, payroll) and build custom for the differentiating core. You connect both via API.
How long to build a custom platform?
From 12 to 28 weeks by scope. Teams often ship a first module in 10-12 weeks then extend, spreading the investment and validating early.
Who owns the code with custom?
You do. Source code, database and hosting are yours: no vendor lock-in or risk of the service shutting down. It's an asset on your balance sheet.
Let's scope your project. Give us your user count, current SaaS and its coverage rate, and we'll compute your 6-year TCO and tipping point. 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.
