The verdict in three sentences
Custom costs 40,000 to 120,000 EUR one-off; off-the-shelf SaaS 15,000 to 60,000 EUR/year in licences and customization. Custom break-even generally falls between 3 and 5 years depending on team size. Beyond price, the decision turns on code ownership, vendor lock-in and the hidden cost of customizing an overly rigid SaaS.
The 5-year financial comparison
A CIO must reason in total cost of ownership, not entry price. Here is a 2026 model for a 40-user team.
| Item | Custom | Off-the-shelf SaaS |
|---|---|---|
| Initial / setup cost | 70,000 EUR | 8,000 EUR |
| Licences (40 users, 45 EUR/mo) | 0 | 21,600 EUR/yr |
| Customization / integrations | included | 6,000 EUR/yr |
| Maintenance (15 %/yr) | 10,500 EUR/yr | 0 |
| 5-year total | 122,500 EUR | 146,000 EUR |
At 40 users, custom becomes cheaper over 5 years. Under 20 users, SaaS almost always wins.
The criteria beyond price
Cost is only one dimension. Here are the factors that tip the balance in 2026.
| Criterion | Custom | Off-the-shelf SaaS |
|---|---|---|
| Code ownership | You | Vendor |
| Process fit | 100 % | 60-80 % |
| Time to deploy | 12-22 wks | 2-8 wks |
| Vendor lock-in | None | High (costly migration) |
| Extensibility | Unlimited | Limited to vendor roadmap |
| Exit cost | Low | Complex data migration |
Mini case study
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Marc, CIO of a services SMB in Bordeaux (45 staff), uses a business SaaS costing 26,000 EUR/year (licences + customization) that covers only 70 % of his process, forcing manual exports.
He quotes a custom platform at 85,000 EUR + 12,750 EUR/year maintenance. Over 5 years: custom = 148,750 EUR; SaaS = 130,000 EUR. SaaS looks cheaper, but Marc values the manual exports at 15,000 EUR/year of lost time, i.e. 75,000 EUR over 5 years. Real SaaS cost: 205,000 EUR. Custom saves him about 56,000 EUR over the period while making him the tool owner.
FAQ
At how many users does custom pay off? Generally between 30 and 50 users over 5 years. Below that, SaaS licences stay cheaper than development plus maintenance.
What is vendor lock-in? It is dependence on a SaaS provider that is costly to leave: hard-to-export data, proprietary formats, imposed price hikes. Custom eliminates it.
Can a SaaS be customized to my process? Partially. Beyond native options, customization gets expensive (vendor-billed bespoke development) and fragile at each update.
What does maintaining a custom platform cost? About 15 % of development cost per year, covering security, fixes and enhancements. Budget this from the start.
Can I start on SaaS then move to custom? Yes, it is a prudent strategy: validate the need on SaaS, then internalize via a custom platform when volume and specificity justify it.
Let's scope your project. Give us your user count, current SaaS and the 20 % of process not covered: we compare total cost and ownership over 5 years. 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.
