The verdict in three sentences
A desk booking app does not pay for itself through employee comfort but through square metres released: targeting 15 to 25% less space is enough to fund the project within months. As SaaS, the 3-year bill reaches EUR 32,000 to 86,000, versus EUR 30,000 to 55,000 for custom software you own. Custom wins when badge and Microsoft 365 integration or team allocation rules go beyond standard cases.
SaaS or custom: the costed comparison
The facilities manager of a Dublin headquarters runs 900 hybrid employees on 500 desks and 60 rooms. Most vendors bill per active user or per desk: on a base of about 300 active bookers per month, that gives the figures below.
| Criterion | Desk booking SaaS | Custom application |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | EUR 3 to 8 per user per month | EUR 30,000 to 55,000 fixed |
| 3-year cost | EUR 32,000 to 86,000 | EUR 42,000 to 73,000 incl. maintenance |
| 5-year cost | EUR 54,000 to 144,000 | EUR 50,000 to 85,000 |
| Time to go live | 4 to 8 weeks | 3 to 4 months |
| Microsoft 365 integration | Standard (Outlook, Teams) | Custom via Microsoft Graph |
| Badge and sensor integration | Often a paid add-on | Tailored to your access control |
| Occupancy data | Exports limited by plan | Full database, open dashboards |
Vendors' annual price increases of 5 to 10% are not included in the SaaS figures. These are 2026 orders of magnitude.
The real gain: actual occupancy and floor space
Without measurement, reported occupancy is overestimated. With booking linked to badges, you can finally distinguish booked, occupied and ghost desks (booked but never used).
| Indicator | Before the project | After 6 months of measurement |
|---|---|---|
| Average desk occupancy | Estimated at 70% | Measured at 42% |
| Weekly peak (Tuesday, Thursday) | Unknown | 68% |
| No-show bookings | Unknown | 18%, auto-released at 10 am |
| Rooms booked with nobody in them | Unknown | 25% |
| Desks needed with 15% buffer | 500 | 390 |
| Releasable space | 0 | 15 to 25% |
In Dublin, grade A office space rents for around EUR 550 to 700 per m² per year. At about 12 m² per desk including shared areas, 110 fewer desks represent roughly 1,300 m².
Features and schedule of a custom project
| Phase | Duration | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping and floor plans | 2 to 3 weeks | Interactive floor plans, team rules |
| Booking | 4 to 5 weeks | Desks, rooms, parking, mobile web app |
| Integrations | 3 to 4 weeks | Microsoft 365, Teams, badges, room displays |
| Analytics | 2 to 3 weeks | Occupancy rates, heatmaps, real estate export |
| Rollout | 2 weeks | Pilot on one floor, then company-wide |
Check-in by badge or QR code, with automatic release of an unused desk at 10 am, is the feature that makes all the data reliable.
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Niamh, facilities manager of a Dublin headquarters, measures a 68% occupancy peak across 500 desks over 6 months. She cuts the estate to 390 desks, freeing about 1,300 m², of which 1,000 m² are handed back to the landlord at lease renegotiation. At EUR 600 per m², the saving reaches EUR 600,000 per year, excluding service charges and energy. The custom app at EUR 45,000 plus EUR 8,000 annual maintenance pays for itself in about one month of savings.
FAQ
How much does a desk booking app cost in 2026?
As SaaS, expect EUR 3 to 8 per user per month, or EUR 32,000 to 86,000 over 3 years for about 300 active bookers. A custom app costs EUR 30,000 to 55,000.
Can the app integrate with Outlook and Teams?
Yes, via Microsoft Graph: rooms appear in Outlook and bookings can be made from Teams. Allow 1 to 2 weeks of development for this integration.
How can we measure real occupancy without sensors?
QR code or badge check-in is enough for data that is about 90% reliable. Presence sensors, at EUR 60 to 150 per desk, are mainly useful for rooms.
What space reduction is realistic?
Most hybrid headquarters release 15 to 25% of their space. Beyond that, the risk of desk shortages on peak days becomes too high.
How long does a custom project take?
3 to 4 months from scoping to rollout, with a one-floor pilot from week 10.
Let's scope your project. Your floor plans, Microsoft 365 and badge integrations, and a budget between EUR 30,000 and 55,000 for go-live in 3 to 4 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.
