The verdict in three sentences
An online store that doesn't talk to the ERP means double entry, phantom stockouts and late accounting. A connector syncs catalog, stock and price one way, pushes orders and generates invoices the other way. In 2026, budget 12,000-28,000 EUR (13,200-30,800 USD) depending on the number of flows and the target API (Sage, Odoo, SAP Business One).
Cost flow by flow
A connector is priced per flow, not as a flat package. Each sync has its mapping, rules and error cases.
| Flow | Direction | Complexity | 2026 ballpark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product catalog | ERP → store | Medium | 2,500-5,000 EUR |
| Real-time stock | ERP → store | High | 3,000-6,000 EUR |
| Prices / customer tariffs | ERP → store | Medium | 2,000-4,500 EUR |
| Orders | store → ERP | High | 3,000-6,000 EUR |
| Invoices | ERP → store/customer | Medium | 2,000-4,500 EUR |
| Customers / B2B accounts | bidirectional | High | 2,500-5,000 EUR |
The total depends on your priorities: stock + orders alone stay at the low end; the full catalog/stock/price/orders/invoices pack climbs toward 25,000-28,000 EUR.
iPaaS vs custom middleware
Two architectures. iPaaS (Make, n8n, Zapier) is fast and cheap monthly but limited on high volumes and business logic. Custom middleware is an investment, but robust and with no call limits.
| Criterion | iPaaS (Make/n8n) | Custom middleware |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 1,000-4,000 EUR | 12,000-28,000 EUR |
| Recurring | 20-500 EUR/month | Hosting + maintenance 15-20%/yr |
| Volume supported | Low to medium | High |
| Complex business logic | Limited | Full |
| Timeline | 2-4 weeks | 6-12 weeks |
| Best for | < 500 orders/month | B2B volumes, price rules |
Simple rule: start on iPaaS if volumes are low, move to middleware when orders spike or B2B pricing rules get complex.
Maintenance and real yearly cost
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| Annual item | iPaaS | Custom middleware |
|---|---|---|
| Platform subscription | 240-6,000 EUR/yr | 0 |
| Hosting | included | 600-2,400 EUR/yr |
| Maintenance / changes | per task | 15-20% of build |
| Error monitoring | manual | automated alerts |
Mini case study
Mr. Bennett, CFO of a B2B distribution SMB in New York, suffers double entry between his store and Odoo ERP: two people spend about 15 person-days/month re-keying orders and fixing stock, with ~9% stock discrepancies. He invests in custom middleware at 22,000 EUR (24,200 USD) covering catalog, stock, orders and invoices. Result: double entry eliminated (-15 person-days/month, ~180 person-days/year), stock errors -50% (from 9% to 4.5%). Valuing agent time, payback is estimated under 12 months, not counting recovered cash from sales no longer lost to stale stock.
FAQ
How long to deliver a connector? On iPaaS, 2-4 weeks for 2-3 simple flows. On custom middleware, 6-12 weeks depending on flow count and ERP API availability (Sage, Odoo, SAP B1).
What's the real gain? Eliminating 8-20 days/month of double entry and -50% stock errors. For a B2B SMB, that's often tens of person-days per year.
iPaaS or custom for my volume? Below ~500 orders/month with simple rules, iPaaS is enough (20-500 EUR/month). Above that, or with complex customer pricing, custom middleware (12,000-28,000 EUR) is more reliable.
What if the ERP goes down or changes its API? Well-built middleware queues flows and replays failures. Budget 15-20%/yr maintenance to absorb API changes.
Can we add accounting later? Yes. We often start with stock + orders, then wire invoices and accounting reconciliation in a second phase (+2,000-4,500 EUR per flow).
Let's scope your project. Tell us your priority flows (stock, orders, invoices), target ERP and monthly volume, and we'll price iPaaS or middleware. 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.
