The verdict in three sentences
An AI document search assistant (RAG) on your internal data costs, in 2026, between 15,000 and 45,000 EUR, plus 150 to 1,200 EUR/month to run, over an 8 to 14 week timeline. It saves 30 to 60 % of search time and cuts errors from stale or unfindable information. The structuring choice is sovereignty: convenient but dependent imported SaaS, or custom on private data you control.
What the budget covers
Cost depends on document volume, heterogeneity (PDF, Word, intranet, email) and access-security level (per-department rights, confidentiality). Clean indexing is the most decisive line.
| Line item | 2026 range (EUR) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping + source audit | 2,500 - 6,000 | Document mapping |
| Ingestion + indexing (RAG) | 5,000 - 16,000 | OCR, chunking, vectors |
| Access-rights management | 3,000 - 9,000 | Role/department permissions |
| Interface + intranet integration | 3,000 - 10,000 | Conversational search |
| Testing + guardrails + go-live | 1,500 - 4,000 | Cited sources, handoff |
| Total build | 15,000 - 45,000 | 8 - 14 weeks |
On the run side, the vector store and API dominate, with cost tracking active users and queries.
| Recurring cost | 2026 order of magnitude | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Model API (tokens) | 0.002 - 0.02 EUR / 1,000 tokens | Answer length |
| Vector store + hosting | 100 - 600 EUR/month | Document volume |
| Total monthly run | 150 - 1,200 EUR/month | 50 to 500 users |
| Maintenance + reindexing | 300 - 800 EUR/month | Document updates |
Imported SaaS or sovereign custom
An imported AI SaaS deploys fast but hosts your documents outside your control; custom keeps data within your perimeter and aligns with your access rights.
| Criterion | Imported AI SaaS | Sovereign custom |
|---|---|---|
| Implementation time | 2 - 6 weeks | 8 - 14 weeks |
| Data location | External, variable | Controlled |
| Fine-grained rights | Standard | Custom |
| Entry cost | Low | Medium to high |
| Recurring cost | 15 - 40 EUR/user/month | 150 - 1,200 EUR/month |
| Fit for sensitive data | Limited | Yes |
Mini case study
Marie, operations director at an engineering firm in Amsterdam (80 staff), finds her engineers spend 5 h/week searching for documents (standards, old files, specs). Across 80 people at 50 % relevance, that's 40 staff x 5 h = 200 h/week. An assistant at 30,000 EUR targets 45 % savings: 200 x 0.45 = 90 h/week, roughly 390 h/month. At a loaded cost of 42 EUR/h, recovered value reaches 16,380 EUR/month. Even on a conservative assumption (half the gain), payback lands under 5 months, run included.
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FAQ
How many documents can an AI assistant index?
Tens of thousands with no trouble in 2026; cost tracks volume via the vector store. Beyond 100,000 documents, you segment by domain to keep relevance sharp.
How do you ensure people only see what they're allowed to?
You embed your role- and department-based access rights into search, so the assistant never surfaces a forbidden document. This line represents 3,000 to 9,000 EUR of the budget.
Is custom really more sovereign?
Yes: data stays in hosting you choose, with logging and minimization. That's decisive for confidential or regulated documents.
What time savings should I expect?
Between 30 and 60 % on document-search tasks, depending on indexing quality and adoption. The gain is measured from a single-department pilot.
Do you need to reindex often?
Yes, freshness matters: automatic daily or weekly reindexing is common, included in the 300 to 800 EUR/month maintenance.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your document volume and types, your access rules and your sovereignty constraint: we'll scope a single-department pilot. 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.
