The verdict in three sentences
For a 40-staff B2B distributor across 3 warehouses, a vertical SaaS ERP starts fast but quickly limits multi-warehouse management and local payment collection. A custom ERP (one-off build + 15% annual maintenance) pays off when it saves 12 hours/week and cuts stockouts by 22%. With this profile, break-even lands near 30 months: beyond 3 warehouses, custom is the right bet.
Vertical SaaS vs custom: the 2026 comparison
Figures below keep the Benin build reference (FCFA) with an approximate EUR equivalent for international readers.
| Criterion | Vertical SaaS ERP | Custom ERP |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | 30,000-55,000 FCFA/user/month | 18M-30M FCFA one-off (~27,000-46,000 EUR) |
| Cost 25 users/year | ~13.5M FCFA | 15%/year maintenance |
| Multi-warehouse | Limited | Native, unlimited |
| Mobile-money collection | Rare | Native |
| Rollout | 6-10 weeks | 16-24 weeks |
| Workflow customization | Low | Total |
| Data ownership | Vendor | You |
| Offline / 3G | Often no | Achievable |
3-year TCO: the deciding math
| Item | SaaS 25 users | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| License / build | 40.5M FCFA (3 yrs) | 24M FCFA |
| Payment + accounting integration | 4M FCFA | included |
| Maintenance | included | 10.8M FCFA (3 x 3.6M) |
| Hosting + backups | included | 2.7M FCFA (3 yrs) |
| Training across 3 sites | 1.5M FCFA | 2.2M FCFA |
| 3-year total | ~46M FCFA | ~39.7M FCFA |
At 25 users and 3 warehouses, custom drops below SaaS by year three while leaving you owning the code and data.
Priority stock / purchasing / sales modules
| Module | Estimated gain | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time multi-warehouse | 12 hours/week | High |
| Auto-replenishment (thresholds) | -22% stockouts | High |
| Mobile-money collection | +cash flow | High |
| Purchasing & POs | -15% overstock | Medium |
| Invoicing & collections | -30% late payments | Medium |
| Margin reporting by family | Steering | Medium |
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Mini case study
Mr. Adjovi, CFO of a Dubai-based B2B distributor (40 staff, 3 warehouses, ~1.8B FCFA revenue), sees 22% stockouts on fast movers and 12 hours/week lost reconciling stock between sites. A custom build at 24M FCFA + 3.6M FCFA/year maintenance frees 10 hours/week (at 4,500 FCFA/hour loaded: ~2.34M FCFA/year) and recovers 1.5% of margin on lost sales, i.e. ~27M FCFA/year of extra revenue at 12% margin = ~3.24M FCFA. Combined gain ~5.58M FCFA/year against an annualized cost of ~11.7M FCFA in year one: break-even ~30 months.
FAQ
What budget for a custom distribution ERP in 2026? Expect 18M-30M FCFA (~27,000-46,000 EUR) for a multi-warehouse stock/purchasing/sales core, plus 15%/year maintenance (2026 order of magnitude).
Is a SaaS ERP enough for 3 warehouses? At 25 users, SaaS already costs ~13.5M FCFA/year and handles real-time multi-warehouse poorly. Beyond 2 sites, custom turns competitive by year three.
Can you integrate mobile money? Yes, natively: mobile-money collection is a key differentiator in West Africa and directly improves cash flow.
How long to deploy? Between 16 and 24 weeks for a custom ERP covering 3 warehouses, payment and accounting integrations included.
What gain on stockouts? Threshold-based auto-replenishment targets -22% stockouts, protecting revenue and the B2B client relationship.
Let's scope your project. Share your warehouse count, user count and integrations (mobile money, accounting), and we frame SaaS vs custom. 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.
