The verdict in three sentences
A custom field-scheduling web app costs between EUR 30,000 and 75,000 and pays back in 12 to 24 months thanks to a 15 to 30% productivity gain. Custom is only justified if your intervention process is specific; otherwise a SaaS at EUR 20-45/user/month is enough. The real ROI is measured in hours saved on scheduling, travel and reporting, not on licence savings.
Modules and budget: what each euro covers
A field-scheduling app combines a web back office (dispatcher) and a mobile PWA (field agents). Here are the modules and their 2026 orders of magnitude.
| Module | Function | 2026 budget (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduling & dispatch | Team assignment, calendar, drag & drop | 8,000 - 18,000 |
| Geolocation & routing | Route optimisation, live map | 6,000 - 14,000 |
| Agent mobile PWA | Route sheet, clock-in, photos | 7,000 - 16,000 |
| Intervention reports | Forms, client signature, PDF | 5,000 - 12,000 |
| Dashboard & KPIs | Utilisation rate, delays, costs | 4,000 - 9,000 |
| Integrations (billing, HR) | API to existing tools | 3,000 - 10,000 |
A tight scope (scheduling + PWA + reports) fits within EUR 30,000 to 45,000. The high end (EUR 75,000) includes advanced geolocation and multiple integrations.
ROI in hours saved: the calculation
The gain comes from three areas: less manual scheduling time, fewer kilometres, and instant reports instead of re-keying. Assumption: SME with 15 agents.
| Gain area | Before (manual) | After (app) | Gain/month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly scheduling | 8 h/week | 2 h/week | 24 h |
| Report re-keying | 15 h/week | 3 h/week | 48 h |
| Wasted km (fuel) | ~EUR 600/month | ~EUR 420/month | EUR 180 |
| Jobs/day/agent | 4.5 | 5.4 (+20%) | added capacity |
| Avg loaded hourly cost | EUR 28/h | EUR 28/h | — |
That is ~72 h saved/month × EUR 28 = EUR 2,016 + EUR 180 fuel = ~EUR 2,200/month. On a EUR 45,000 investment, payback in ~20 months, excluding billable added capacity.
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Mini case study
Karim, head of an HVAC maintenance firm in Nantes (15 technicians), moves from an Excel schedule + phone calls to a custom web app. Investment: EUR 45,000, delivered in 5 months. 12-month result: +20% jobs per agent, 72 h/month saved on admin, EUR 2,160/month costs avoided. He also bills 8 extra jobs per week thanks to added capacity, ~EUR 9,600/month additional revenue. The app pays for itself in under 6 months when counting added revenue.
FAQ
Custom or scheduling SaaS? A SaaS (EUR 20-45/user/month, i.e. ~EUR 450-680/month for 15 agents) is enough if your process is standard. Custom is justified once you have specific business rules or need deep integrations.
Does a PWA replace a native app? Yes in 90% of field cases: installable on mobile, works offline, instant updates, no app-store detour. You save EUR 8,000 to 20,000 in native dev.
What is the implementation timeline? 4 to 6 months for full scope. A first module (scheduling + PWA) can ship in 2-3 months to start faster.
How do you measure ROI? Track three before/after KPIs: scheduling hours, jobs per agent, and admin re-keying hours. The gain shows from the second month of use.
Does it work offline? Yes, a well-built PWA stores data locally and syncs on network return: essential for poorly covered areas.
Let's scope your project. Share your agent count, priority modules and a target budget: we cost the app and project the ROI in hours saved. 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.
