The verdict in three sentences
For a company of 200 to 800 employees in London or Amsterdam processing 1,500 expense claims a month, manual handling costs EUR 15 to 25 per claim, i.e. EUR 270,000 to 450,000 a year in employee, manager and finance time. A market SaaS such as Expensify or Spendesk at EUR 8 to 15 per user per month covers most needs for standard sales travel. A custom app at EUR 40,000 to 70,000 (about GBP 34,000 to 60,000) plus EUR 6,000 a year of support becomes more cost-effective beyond 250 claimants, especially when expenses must be allocated per project or site and checked against rules specific to construction or manufacturing.
The real cost of an expense claim in 2026
The cost of a claim is not limited to finance time. It adds up the employee sticking receipts, the manager approving and the controller re-allocating.
| Step (2026 order of magnitude) | Manual process | Market SaaS | Custom with OCR and project rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry by the employee | 12 to 20 min | 3 to 5 min | 2 to 4 min |
| Manager approval | 4 to 6 min | 1 to 2 min | 1 min |
| Finance check and posting | 8 to 12 min | 2 to 3 min | 1 to 2 min |
| Cost allocation per project | 3 to 5 min | 2 to 4 min (free text field) | Automatic |
| Full cost per claim | EUR 15 to 25 | EUR 5 to 8 | EUR 3 to 6 |
| Annual cost for 18,000 claims | EUR 270,000 to 450,000 | EUR 90,000 to 144,000 | EUR 54,000 to 108,000 |
The gap between manual and tooled is massive, whichever option you choose. The choice between SaaS and custom then comes down to licence cost and cost allocation.
SaaS, ERP module or custom: the comparison
| Criterion | Market SaaS | ERP module | Custom app |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | EUR 2,000 to 8,000 rollout | EUR 10,000 to 30,000 configuration | EUR 40,000 to 70,000 |
| Annual cost for 380 users | EUR 36,500 to 68,400 | EUR 8,000 to 20,000 in licences | EUR 6,000 support + EUR 2,000 to 4,000 OCR and hosting |
| Receipt OCR | Included | Variable, often an add-on | Included (OCR API at EUR 0.01 to 0.05 per receipt) |
| Mileage rates (HMRC AMAP, Dutch EUR 0.23/km) | Included | Often to configure | Included, with site route calculation |
| Per-project or job rules | Free field or cost centre | Depends on ERP | Caps, site allowances, allocation per job |
| Accounting export | Standard formats | Native | Exact format of your software (Xero, Exact, SAP) |
| Corporate card and reconciliation | Often included | Rare | Possible via banking API, EUR 8,000 to 15,000 extra |
The ERP module is the best option if your ERP already offers it with good mobile UX, which remains rare. SaaS wins below 250 claimants or for homogeneous expenses. Custom is justified when project allocation, site and subsistence allowances and collective agreement caps currently generate most of the rework.
What a EUR 40,000, 55,000 or 70,000 app includes
| Scope | EUR 40,000 | EUR 55,000 | EUR 70,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile PWA and web app | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Receipt OCR and VAT reading | Yes | Yes | Yes, with duplicate detection |
| Approval workflow | One level | Two levels and delegation | Rules by amount, entity and project |
| Mileage and allowances | Statutory rates | Rates + construction site allowances | All agreement-based rules |
| Accounting and analytics export | Standard file | Your software's format | Direct connector and card reconciliation |
| CFO dashboard | Basic | By department and project | Anomaly alerts and budget per job |
Mini case study
Isabel, CFO of a 520-employee civil engineering company in Amsterdam, has 380 claimants and 1,500 claims a month. A SaaS at EUR 12 per user would cost her EUR 54,720 a year, with project allocation still manual. She chooses a custom app at EUR 58,000, plus EUR 9,000 a year of support, OCR and hosting. The licence saving reaches EUR 45,720 a year: the project pays back in 15 months against the SaaS. By removing 3 minutes of re-allocation per claim, the controlling team also recovers 900 hours a year, about 0.6 FTE.
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FAQ
How long does it take to roll out a custom app?
Allow 3 to 4 months, including a 4-week pilot with 30 to 50 employees from one or two sites. Encoding agreement-based rules often takes 2 weeks.
Are scanned receipts legally valid?
Yes, in the UK and the Netherlands, provided the digital copy is complete and legible and retained for the statutory period (6 years in the UK, 7 in the Netherlands). The app archives the image and its hash, so paper originals can be discarded.
Is OCR reliable on crumpled receipts?
2026 OCR APIs correctly read amount, date and VAT on 90 to 95% of receipts. The rest is corrected by the employee in under a minute.
What if we change accounting software?
Only the export connector changes, for EUR 3,000 to 8,000 depending on the target software. Data and rules stay in your app.
Can a SaaS be enough?
Yes below 250 claimants, or if your expenses are mostly sales travel without per-job allocation. Beyond that, licence costs quickly exceed EUR 40,000 (GBP 34,000) a year.
Let's scope your project. Send us your claim volume, number of claimants and per-project rules: we will cost an app between EUR 40,000 and 70,000 with a 3-year comparison against your current SaaS. 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.
