The verdict in three sentences
An electricity and gas brokerage tracking 1,500 business client sites loses money at every missed renewal: a contract that rolls over tacitly or onto a default tariff means a lost commission and an unhappy client. Custom software at 40,000 to 85,000 EUR excl. VAT, delivered in 4 to 5 months, centralizes load curves, automates supplier tenders and calculates commissions per MWh. In the post-ARENH French market of 2026, where prices swing more, comparison speed becomes your commercial edge.
Why generic CRMs are no longer enough
A CRM such as HubSpot or Salesforce handles contacts and opportunities, not meter points, gas supply points, C2 to C5 segments or load curves. The few specialized products on the market cover part of the need but adapt poorly to each supplier's commission grid.
| Option | 2026 cost | Load curves | Tenders | Per-supplier commissions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excel + generic CRM | 1,500 to 6,000 EUR / year | no | manual email | spreadsheet |
| Customized generic CRM | 15,000 to 35,000 EUR excl. VAT + licenses | partial | partial | partial |
| Specialized SaaS | 8,000 to 30,000 EUR / year | yes | yes | limited grids |
| Custom software | 40,000 to 85,000 EUR excl. VAT + 6,000 to 12,000 EUR / year | yes | yes, full workflow | any rule |
2026 order of magnitude: over 4 years, a SaaS at 20,000 EUR a year costs 80,000 EUR, the equivalent of high-end custom software that you own.
Modules and budget
| Module | Function | Budget excl. VAT | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Client and site registry | Meter IDs, segment, contracted capacity, annual consumption, history | 6,000 to 12,000 EUR | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Consumption data import | Enedis and GRDF load curves under client mandate, supplier files | 8,000 to 16,000 EUR | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Supplier tenders | Automatic specs, bulk sending, offer intake and normalization | 8,000 to 18,000 EUR | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Offer comparison | Fixed, indexed, capacity component, energy savings certificates, total annual cost per site | 6,000 to 14,000 EUR | 3 to 5 weeks |
| Renewal alerts | Notice periods, buying windows, automatic reminders at D-180, D-90, D-30 | 3,000 to 7,000 EUR | 2 weeks |
| Commission calculation | EUR/MWh per supplier, tiers, reconciliation with statements received | 5,000 to 12,000 EUR | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Client portal | Contracts, invoices, consumption, e-signature | 4,000 to 10,000 EUR | 3 weeks |
A scope without client portal lands around 40,000 to 55,000 EUR excl. VAT. The top of the range includes the client portal, several suppliers connected by API and a tranche-based hedging module.
Commissions: what the software must secure
Brokerage commissions are usually paid per MWh delivered, sometimes partly at signing. Without automatic reconciliation, gaps between contracted and billed volumes go unnoticed.
| Parameter | Observed 2026 range | Effect on calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity commission | 1 to 4 EUR excl. VAT / MWh | multiplied by actual consumption |
| Gas commission | 0.5 to 2.5 EUR excl. VAT / MWh | same, strong seasonality |
| Share paid at signing | 0 to 50 % of estimated commission | clawback possible on termination |
| Contract length | 1 to 4 years | payments spread over time |
| Contracted vs actual volume gap | 5 to 20 % | yearly true-up to check |
| Supplier payment schedule | quarterly or yearly | cash flow forecasting |
Mini case study
Julien, founder of a brokerage firm in Lyon, tracks 1,500 sites for 180 GWh of electricity and gas a year, with an average commission of 2 EUR excl. VAT per MWh, or 360,000 EUR of yearly commissions. His team misses about 6 % of renewals, and he estimates that 3 % of commission gaps are never claimed from suppliers. That is roughly 360,000 × (6 % + 3 %) = 32,400 EUR excl. VAT per year lost.
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He invests 62,000 EUR excl. VAT in custom software. Tenders drop from 3 days to 4 hours, letting his 4 account managers handle 30 % more files. Recovering renewals and commissions alone pays back the project in under 2 years; with the productivity gain, payback falls to about 12 to 14 months.
FAQ
Can client load curves be retrieved automatically?
Yes, with a mandate signed by the client, consumption data can be retrieved through grid operator services. The connector accounts for 8,000 to 16,000 EUR excl. VAT of the budget.
Does the software handle dozens of suppliers?
Yes, each supplier has its own record, offer format and commission grid. Adding a supplier takes less than an hour of configuration.
How much is yearly maintenance?
Plan 6,000 to 12,000 EUR excl. VAT a year for hosting, security and regulatory updates (changes to taxes, network tariffs or the post-ARENH mechanism).
Is client data GDPR compliant?
Yes, hosting in France or the EU, access log, mandate management and configurable retention periods. A compliance audit adds 2,000 to 4,000 EUR excl. VAT.
Can we start with a first phase?
Yes, a first phase covering registry, renewals and commissions ships in 8 to 10 weeks for 18,000 to 28,000 EUR excl. VAT, before the tender modules.
Let's scope your project. We scope your brokerage software (load curves, tenders, renewals, commissions) with an indicative budget of 40,000 to 85,000 EUR excl. VAT and delivery in 4 to 5 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.
