The verdict in three sentences
For a Dublin invoice finance company funding a few hundred SMEs, the platform costs EUR 70,000 to 480,000 across three clearly different tiers. The advanced tier, with debtor scoring and open banking connections, is the sweet spot between 300 and 900 clients because it cuts both analyst time and credit risk. Running costs are heavy: budget 18 to 22% of the build a year in maintenance, plus security testing that lenders and their funders increasingly expect.
The three tiers and exactly what they include
The CEO of an Irish invoice finance company wants clients to upload invoices online, analysts to see live exposure per debtor, and funds to go out the same day. Depending on its authorisation status, the firm has to meet Central Bank of Ireland expectations, anti money laundering duties under the Criminal Justice Acts and, where it is a regulated financial entity, the EU DORA regulation on digital operational resilience. UK clients and debtors bring UK GDPR alongside the EU GDPR.
| Tier | 2026 market ballpark (EUR) | What is included | Lead time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | 70,000 to 130,000 | Client portal, invoice and proof upload, funding calculation, exposure tracking, analyst back office | 4 to 6 months |
| Advanced | 130,000 to 270,000 | Essential plus debtor scoring from company data, open banking for reconciliation, concentration alerts, e-signature | 6 to 9 months |
| Full | 270,000 to 480,000 | Advanced plus debtor portal to verify and pay invoices, automated collections, risk dashboard, finance and regulatory reporting interface | 9 to 14 months |
Expected client numbers run from 150 to 1,200. Below 150 the essential tier is nearly always enough; above 900 the debtor portal pays back by cutting invoice verification work.
Running costs to add
| Recurring item | 2026 ballpark (EUR a year) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Corrective and evolutive maintenance | 18 to 22% of the build | EUR 23,400 to 59,400 for the advanced tier |
| Secure EU hosting | 9,000 to 27,000 | Redundancy, backups, logging |
| Initial security audit | 12,000 to 32,000 (once) | Penetration test and code review before launch |
| Annual penetration tests | 9,000 to 16,000 | Expected under DORA for in scope entities |
| Company data for scoring (CRO, Companies House, bureaus) | 6,000 to 22,000 | Depends on provider and debtor volume |
| Open banking and e-signature | 4,000 to 13,000 | Usually priced by volume |
An advanced tier at EUR 200,000 therefore costs about EUR 494,000 over five years: 200,000 to build, 160,000 of maintenance at 20% over four years, 70,000 of hosting, 22,000 for the initial audit and 42,000 of yearly penetration tests.
Cost per client
| Tier | 5 year cost (EUR) | Clients | Cost per client per year (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential at 100,000 | about 255,000 | 200 | about 255 |
| Advanced at 200,000 | about 494,000 | 500 | about 198 |
| Advanced at 240,000 | about 570,000 | 900 | about 127 |
| Full at 380,000 | about 860,000 | 1,000 | about 172 |
| Full at 480,000 | about 1,060,000 | 1,200 | about 177 |
Compare this with your average annual fee income per client: if the platform costs less than 10% of it, the case is easy to make to the board.
For targeted components such as a debtor portal or a risk dashboard added to an existing system, Kolonell's prices are 6,100 to 10,670 EUR (4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA) for a medium complexity application and 10,670 to 22,870 EUR and more (7,000,000 to 15,000,000 FCFA and more) for a complex one, with hosting kept in the EU.
Mini case study
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Illustrative example: Siobhán, CEO of a Dublin invoice finance company with 500 clients in Ireland and Northern Ireland, has 4 account managers rekeying invoice schedules received by email. She picks the advanced tier at EUR 200,000, about EUR 494,000 over five years. If online upload and scoring free 30% of account manager time, she recovers 1.2 full time equivalents, roughly EUR 84,000 a year at EUR 70,000 loaded. The average yearly platform cost, EUR 98,800, is almost covered by that alone, and every extra client funded without hiring lifts the margin.
FAQ
How much does a custom invoice finance platform cost in 2026?
The 2026 market ballpark runs from EUR 70,000 for an essential tier to EUR 480,000 for a full tier with a debtor portal. The advanced tier, EUR 130,000 to 270,000, suits most regional lenders.
What running costs should we plan?
Maintenance is 18 to 22% of the build a year, secure hosting EUR 9,000 to 27,000 and penetration tests EUR 9,000 to 16,000. Over five years these often match the build price.
Is a security audit mandatory?
For financial entities in scope of DORA, regular resilience testing is expected; a pre launch audit costs EUR 12,000 to 32,000. Confirm your exact scope with your compliance team and the regulation text.
When does a debtor portal make sense?
Usually above 900 clients, when invoice verification ties up several people. It adds EUR 110,000 to 210,000 to the advanced tier.
How long does the advanced tier take to launch?
Plan 6 to 9 months, including 4 to 6 weeks of discovery and a pilot with 20 to 30 clients before opening to everyone.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your client count, current tools and target tier, and we will price your platform with its running costs and a realistic timeline. 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.
