The verdict in three sentences
An accounting firm chooses in 2026 between a vertical SaaS solution at 15,000-50,000 FCFA (about EUR 23-76) per user per month and custom software at 8-25 million FCFA (about EUR 12,000-38,000) one-off. Custom pays off beyond 10 to 15 staff, or when adapting to local accounting standards (SYSCOHADA in West Africa) and your processes becomes critical. The timeline is 3 to 6 months for custom development, versus a few weeks to configure a market solution.
Build vs Buy: the 4-year calculation
The choice is not just about the sticker price. Here is the 2026 order of magnitude for a 12-person firm.
| Item | Vertical solution | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 500,000 FCFA (setup) | 15,000,000 FCFA |
| Subscription / year | 12 × 30,000 × 12 = 4,320,000 FCFA | 0 |
| Hosting / year | included | 900,000 FCFA |
| Maintenance / year | included | 2,250,000 FCFA (15%) |
| 4-year cost | ≈ 17,780,000 FCFA | ≈ 27,600,000 FCFA |
| Local standards compliance | standard | full and evolving |
| Ownership | no | yes |
Over four years the vertical solution stays cheaper for a mid-sized firm. Custom wins when your processes fall outside standards or you aim to resell a value-added service.
Adapting to local standards: the deciding factor
An international vertical solution does not always finely cover a local accounting framework or specific tax obligations. Here are the points to check.
| Criterion | Vertical solution | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Local chart of accounts | often partial | full |
| Tax filings | export to rework | integrated |
| Multi-currency | vendor-dependent | native |
| Mobile payment | rare | integrable |
| Local language and support | variable | guaranteed |
For a firm serving local SMEs, native compliance and mobile-payment integration can justify custom on their own.
Mini case study
Mr. Sarr runs a 14-person firm. He hesitates, then chooses custom at 18 million FCFA (about EUR 27,000), delivered in 5 months. Native standards compliance and automated tax filings save 7 hours per employee per month, i.e. 14 × 7 = 98 hours. At a loaded hourly cost of 4,500 FCFA (about EUR 7), that is 441,000 FCFA of recovered value per month, or 5,292,000 FCFA a year. The project pays back in about 3.4 years, but above all lets him bill a premium service to his SME clients.
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FAQ
How much does a vertical accounting solution cost in 2026?
Between 15,000 and 50,000 FCFA (about EUR 23-76) per user per month depending on features. For a 12-person firm, that is about 4.3 million FCFA a year, excluding initial setup.
When does custom become worthwhile?
Usually beyond 10 to 15 staff, or when your processes demand fine local-standards compliance and local integrations. Below that, the vertical solution stays more economical.
Does custom really handle the local accounting framework?
Yes, that is precisely its advantage: the chart of accounts and financial statements are built to the framework in force, with updates included in maintenance.
What is the timeline for custom accounting software?
Between 3 and 6 months depending on modules and integrations. The scoping phase lasts about 3 to 4 weeks, essential to cover local tax specifics.
Can mobile payments be integrated?
Yes, mobile-payment integration is possible in custom software. Budget an extra 1.5 to 3 million FCFA (about EUR 2,300-4,600) depending on the flows (fee collection, automatic reconciliation).
Let's scope your project. Tell us your headcount, your compliance constraints and an indicative budget: we compare build vs buy with figures. 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.
