The verdict in three sentences
A multi-property hotel group needs consolidated bookings, rates and real-time reporting, which a standard SaaS PMS struggles to deliver beyond 3 or 4 hotels. In 2026, a custom platform costs 70,000 to 180,000 EUR (excl. VAT) and ships in 22 to 32 weeks, versus 8 to 25 EUR per room per month for a subscription PMS. Above ~200 combined rooms, custom becomes profitable thanks to RevPAR gains and the end of duplicate data entry.
Custom vs SaaS PMS: the real trade-off
A SaaS PMS (property management system) is quick to deploy but billed per room per month, and its channel manager and revenue management are often paid add-on modules. Custom software has a high entry cost but a near-zero marginal cost when you add a property to the network.
| Criterion | SaaS PMS | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 3,000-12,000 EUR (setup) | 70,000-180,000 EUR |
| Recurring cost | 8-25 EUR/room/month | 15%/yr maintenance |
| Go-live time | 4-8 weeks | 22-32 weeks |
| Consolidated group reporting | Limited / module | Native, tailored |
| Channel manager | Often optional | Built in |
| Revenue management | Premium module | Built in, own rules |
| Multi-property | Billed per site | Unlimited |
What a custom platform covers
A hotel group's typical scope combines several building blocks whose cost adds up. Here is a 2026 order of magnitude per module.
| Module | Range EUR (excl. VAT) | Indicative time |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-site booking core | 22,000-45,000 | 8-10 weeks |
| Channel manager (OTA, GDS) | 12,000-28,000 | 4-6 weeks |
| Revenue management (dynamic rates) | 15,000-35,000 | 5-7 weeks |
| Consolidated reporting + RevPAR/TRevPAR | 9,000-22,000 | 3-5 weeks |
| Guest portal / loyalty | 8,000-20,000 | 3-5 weeks |
| Integrations (accounting, existing PMS, POS) | 6,000-18,000 | 3-4 weeks |
Maintenance (application upkeep) runs at roughly 15% of development cost per year: enhancements, security, upgrades and support.
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Mini case study
Marc, managing director of a 4-hotel group in Bordeaux and Biarritz (280 combined rooms), currently pays 18 EUR per room per month for a SaaS PMS, i.e. 280 x 18 x 12 = 60,480 EUR (excl. VAT) per year, with no reliable consolidated reporting. He invests 120,000 EUR in a custom platform, plus 18,000 EUR of annual maintenance. In year one, the group's own revenue management lifts RevPAR by 8%, about 210,000 EUR of additional revenue. The net extra cost in year one (138,000 EUR vs 60,480 EUR, a ~77,500 EUR gap) is absorbed in under 5 months by the revenue gain, and from year two the group drops the per-room subscription while keeping its RevPAR uplift.
FAQ
What is the minimum budget to start? Below 3 hotels or 120 rooms, a SaaS PMS is often more cost-effective. Custom makes sense from ~200 combined rooms or when strong consolidation is needed, with a 70,000 EUR entry ticket.
How long until go-live? Budget 22 to 32 weeks depending on the number of modules and integrations. A first batch (bookings + reporting) can ship in 12-14 weeks, then channel manager and revenue management incrementally.
Can we keep our current PMS? Yes, via connectors. You then build the consolidation and revenue management layer on top, for about 30,000 to 60,000 EUR, without replacing everything at once.
What concrete RevPAR gain can we expect? Well-tuned revenue management typically delivers +6 to +10% RevPAR in the first year, depending on seasonality and starting occupancy.
Who handles updates and security? Maintenance (about 15%/yr of project cost) covers fixes, enhancements, backups and GDPR compliance for guest data.
Let's scope your project. Share your number of properties, rooms and integrations (PMS, POS, accounting) for a target quote between 70,000 and 180,000 EUR (excl. VAT). 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.
