The verdict in three sentences
For a group under five properties, a market PMS/POS suite is the rational choice: fast rollout, low entry cost, shared maintenance. Beyond six to eight sites, or when your processes (yield, central purchasing, consolidated accounting) fall outside the standard, a custom platform at 60,000-140,000 EUR amortizes in 24-36 months. The real question is not the purchase price but the five-year total cost of ownership, integrations and maintenance included.
Custom vs market suites: the 2026 comparison
The figures below fit a group of 8 to 12 properties (hotels + restaurants), with POS, payroll and accounting integrations included.
| Criterion | SaaS PMS/POS suite | Custom platform |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 5,000-15,000 EUR (setup) | 60,000-140,000 EUR |
| Recurring cost | 1,800-4,500 EUR/month multisite | Maintenance 10-14%/year of build |
| Time to go live | 4-8 weeks | 16-24 weeks |
| Process customization | Limited to vendor options | Full |
| Code ownership | No (license) | Yes |
| Accounting/payroll integration | Standard connectors | Custom, bidirectional |
| Data reversibility | Variable, sometimes paid | Owned database, free export |
What the custom budget actually covers
A 90,000 EUR build is more than development. The typical 2026 breakdown helps frame a serious quote.
| Line item | Budget share | Indicative amount (90,000 EUR build) |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery & UX (specs, flows) | 12% | 10,800 EUR |
| Core development (PMS/POS/stock) | 45% | 40,500 EUR |
| Integrations (POS, payroll, accounting, payment) | 22% | 19,800 EUR |
| GDPR compliance & security | 8% | 7,200 EUR |
| QA, migration, training | 13% | 11,700 EUR |
| Year-1 maintenance (12%) | recurring | 10,800 EUR/year |
Integrations weigh almost as much as compliance and QA combined: exactly the line SaaS vendors bill on top and that custom absorbs natively.
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Mini case study
Mathilde, GM of a 10-site hotel-restaurant group in Toulouse, pays 3,900 EUR/month for three disconnected tools (PMS, POS, HR) plus 2,200 EUR/month in re-keying. She invests 96,000 EUR in a unified platform, maintenance 11%/year (10,560 EUR). She saves the multi-subscription (46,800 EUR/year) and relieves 3.2 administrative FTEs (about 108,000 EUR/year loaded). Payback in roughly 11 months, monthly close time cut by 25%.
FAQ
What does custom hospitality software really cost in 2026? For a multisite group, expect 60,000-140,000 EUR depending on scope (yield, central purchasing, multi-currency). A single-module pilot can start at 25,000-35,000 EUR.
From how many properties does custom pay off? Generally beyond 6-8 sites, or once SaaS subscriptions exceed 40,000-50,000 EUR/year combined. Below that, SaaS stays cheaper.
How much is maintenance? 2026 order of magnitude: 10-14%/year of build cost, i.e. 6,000-19,000 EUR/year, covering fixes, enhancements, security updates and support.
How long to deliver? 16-24 weeks for a full platform, 8-12 weeks for a first production module. Historical data migration adds 2-4 weeks.
How do you handle GDPR compliance? EU hosting, processing register, encryption, guest-data minimization and configured retention. This line is about 8% of budget but avoids far heavier penalties.
Let's scope your project. Share your number of properties, current tools and target budget (60,000-140,000 EUR range) and we frame the priority scope. 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.
