HR Extranet & Employee Portal Build Cost (Dublin, 2026)

The verdict in three sentences

A custom employee portal in Dublin costs between EUR 42,000 and 70,000 for a full self-service core (leave, expenses, documents, onboarding). A generic HR SaaS looks cheaper upfront (EUR 6 to 9 per employee per month) but constrains your workflows and charges for every extra module. Above 150 to 200 employees with native payroll integration, custom becomes more cost-effective over 3 years while remaining your own asset.

What a custom HR portal covers

An HR extranet is more than a directory. It centralises employee self-service and automates the HR team's admin load. Here is the budget breakdown of a typical project at a EUR 520 day rate:

The low end covers self-service + leave; the high end adds expenses, vault and onboarding with payroll integration.

Custom vs HR SaaS: the real 3-year cost

A SaaS at EUR 7 per employee per month seems trivial, but the cost climbs with headcount and premium modules. Custom is a one-off CAPEX amortised over time.

The tipping point sits around 300 to 450 employees, or sooner if the SaaS bills expenses and payroll integration separately (often +EUR 2 to 4 per employee).

Mini case study

Sophie, HR director of a 260-employee services firm in Dublin. Her HR SaaS costs EUR 8 per employee per month, or EUR 24,960 a year, but imposes its workflows and charges EUR 3 more per employee for payroll export. Over 3 years she would pay roughly EUR 84,000 without ever owning the tool. A custom portal at EUR 62,000 with native integration to her payroll software, plus 15% annual maintenance, totals EUR 89,900 over 3 years — nearly identical, but with a proprietary asset, zero per-employee cost as she grows, and exact workflows. Beyond year 4, the gap widens in her favour.

FAQ

How long to deliver a custom HR portal?

Expect 12 to 16 weeks for a full core. A first usable version (leave + directory) ships in 6 to 8 weeks, the rest delivered incrementally.

Can it integrate with our payroll software?

Yes, that is the main advantage. Exporting expenses and payroll variables to your payroll system costs EUR 6,000 to 12,000 depending on the available API.

Is it GDPR-compliant for sensitive HR data?

The document vault encrypts payslips and contracts with access logging. GDPR compliance and legal retention periods are built in from design, with no major extra cost.

What annual maintenance budget should we plan?

Budget 12 to 18% of the build cost per year, i.e. EUR 7,000 to 12,000 for a EUR 60,000 portal: regulatory updates, support and hosting included.

Can we start small then extend?

Yes. Many HR directors launch the core + leave (around EUR 32,000) then add expenses and onboarding the following year, spreading the investment.

Let's scope your project. Share your headcount, current payroll software and top 3 priority workflows: we will price the core and modules. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.