The verdict in three sentences
A custom management platform for a recruitment agency (ATS, assignment tracking, invoicing) costs between EUR 25,000 and 42,000 in 2026, versus a SaaS ATS at EUR 25-80 per user per month. The main return comes from cutting sourcing time (-30 %), which frees consultant hours to place more. On a 6-consultant agency, that means several extra placements per year, each billed EUR 15,000-30,000 on success.
Budget by module
The system's core is the ATS: centralizing candidates, CVs and pipeline. Then come client assignment tracking and success-based invoicing, specific to recruitment.
| Module | Range (EUR) | Timeline | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATS / candidate management + pipeline | 8,000 | 5-7 wks | High |
| Assignment / client tracking (CRM) | 5,000 | 3-4 wks | High |
| Candidate portal + interviews | 4,000 | 3-4 wks | Medium |
| Success-based invoicing / fees | 4,000 | 2-3 wks | High |
| Job posting multicasting (job boards) | 4,000 | 3-4 wks | Medium |
| Reporting / recruiter KPIs | 3,000 | 2-3 wks | Medium |
| Full project total | 25,000-42,000 | 12-18 wks | — |
Annual maintenance: EUR 4,000 to 8,000, hosting and evolutions included.
SaaS ATS vs custom
A SaaS ATS launches fast but bills per user, and its rigid data model adapts poorly to success-based invoicing or degressive fees.
| Criterion | SaaS ATS | Custom (Kolonell) |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | EUR 0-3,000 | EUR 25,000-42,000 |
| Cost per user/month | EUR 25-80 | 0 |
| Recurring cost (6 users) | EUR 1,800-5,760/yr | EUR 4,000-8,000/yr |
| Custom success-based billing | Rigid | Full |
| Candidate GDPR (auto purge) | Standard | Tailored |
| ROI break-even | — | 24-36 months |
Custom is justified mainly by process and billing customization; for a small agency (2-3 consultants), a SaaS ATS often stays cheaper.
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Mini case study
Julie, partner at a recruitment agency in Strasbourg (6 consultants, 42 placements/year at EUR 22,000 average), saw consultants spend 40 % of their time on manual sourcing and re-entry. After an ATS with multicasting and candidate scoring, sourcing time drops 30 %, freeing the equivalent of 1.8 consultants. Result: +8 placements per year, i.e. EUR 176,000 in extra fees. The EUR 38,000 project pays back in under 4 months.
FAQ
How is success-based invoicing handled? Custom: triggered at signature or start date, fees as a percentage of salary or flat rate, installments and replacement guarantee. This is where generic SaaS quickly hits its limits.
How much is the ATS alone? Between EUR 8,000 and 14,000 with visual pipeline, scoring, interview notes and candidate/assignment matching. It is the agency's founding brick.
Is candidate GDPR compliance ensured? Yes: tracked consent, configurable retention (often 24 months), automatic purge and right to erasure. Essential since an agency stores thousands of CVs.
Can we post to job boards automatically? Yes, multicasting pushes a job to several boards and pulls applications straight into the ATS, avoiding re-entry and centralizing tracking.
Timeline for a 6-consultant agency? Between 12 and 18 weeks. We start with the ATS and invoicing, the highest-impact bricks, before reporting and multicasting modules.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of consultants, placement volume and success-based billing specifics; indicative budget EUR 25,000-42,000. 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.
