The verdict in three sentences
With 25,000 accounts spread across banks, lenders and retailers, a collection agency working with spreadsheets and phones lets recovery points slip every month. A custom platform costs EUR 27,400 to 53,400 and automates SMS and WhatsApp reminders, payment plans and the creditor portal. A target of +8 points of recovery rate pays back the project within months on a portfolio of this size.
What the platform costs in 2026, module by module
| Module | Scope | 2026 budget (EUR) | Lead time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio import | Bank Excel or CSV files, de-duplication, phone number checks | 3,800 to 6,900 | 3 weeks |
| Automated reminders | SMS, WhatsApp, email and scheduled call scenarios, multilingual | 4,600 to 9,100 | 4 weeks |
| Payment plans and payments | Promises to pay, card or open banking payment link, automatic reconciliation | 4,600 to 8,400 | 4 weeks |
| Creditor portal | Real-time tracking per portfolio, exports, documents | 4,600 to 9,100 | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Agent workspace and prioritisation | Debtor record, history, priority score, targets | 5,300 to 10,700 | 4 to 5 weeks |
| Reporting and commissions | Rates per creditor, agency and agent commissions | 3,000 to 6,100 | 2 weeks |
| Testing, training, go-live | Tests, training for 20 to 40 agents | 1,500 to 3,100 | 2 weeks |
Total: EUR 27,400 to 53,400, delivered in 4 to 6 months in releases. Ongoing maintenance is about EUR 460 a month, excluding messaging costs.
Running costs and expected gains
| Item | 2026 order of magnitude | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Transactional SMS | EUR 0.03 to 0.05 per SMS | Depending on volume and provider |
| WhatsApp Business message (utility template) | EUR 0.02 to 0.06 per message | Meta pricing, varies by category |
| Cloud hosting | EUR 115 to 230 a month | Daily backups included |
| Ongoing maintenance | About EUR 460 a month | Fixes, small changes, support |
| Payment processing fees | 0.5 to 1.5% depending on method | Per provider contract |
| Targeted recovery rate gain | +5 to +8 points | Faster reminders, one-click payment |
| Agent time per account | -30 to -45% | No more manual entry and spreadsheet searches |
The strongest lever is immediate payment: a debtor who receives a payment link with a 3-instalment plan pays far more often than one who has to call back or log into a portal.
Compliance and creditor requirements in London
Banks and lenders increasingly demand guarantees before handing over a portfolio. The platform must include:
- compliance with UK GDPR and, for regulated consumer credit debts, the FCA rules on fair treatment of customers in financial difficulty, with defined retention periods;
- access rights per creditor, so one bank never sees another's portfolio;
- a log of every action (call, SMS, promise) to prove fair and proportionate contact;
- controlled contact windows and frequency limits, configurable per creditor.
These features are often the deciding factor in winning new bank mandates.
Mini case study
Daniel runs a collection agency in London (32 agents, 25,000 accounts). The average balance is EUR 700, and his annual recovery rate is stuck at 22%. He invests EUR 42,700 plus EUR 460 of monthly maintenance.
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To stay prudent, he only counts the 8,000 most active accounts, i.e. EUR 5.6M of balances. +5 points of recovery on that scope means EUR 280,000 more recovered for his clients. With an average 15% commission, the agency earns an extra EUR 42,000 a year: the project pays back in about 13 months, before counting new mandates won thanks to the creditor portal.
FAQ
How much does a custom debt collection platform cost?
Between EUR 27,400 and 53,400 in 2026 depending on modules. A first release with import, reminders and agent workspace starts around EUR 13,700.
Can debtors pay directly from the reminder?
Yes. Each reminder includes a payment link, and the platform reconciles the payment with the instalment automatically, within a minute of confirmation.
Are WhatsApp reminders allowed?
Yes, through the WhatsApp Business API with Meta-approved templates, at EUR 0.02 to 0.06 per message. You need a business number and must respect consent rules and contact windows.
How long until we are operational?
The first release goes live in 8 to 10 weeks. The full platform is delivered in 4 to 6 months, including migration of the existing 25,000 accounts.
What does the monthly maintenance cover?
Fixes, security updates, backups and roughly 1 to 2 days of small changes per month, with support over WhatsApp.
Let's scope your project. Send us your account volume, number of agents and typical creditors: we will price a platform between EUR 27,400 and 53,400 delivered in 4 to 6 months. 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.
