The verdict in three sentences
For a firm under 10 lawyers, a vertical SaaS at EUR 40-100/user/month covers 90 % of needs with e-filing built in. As soon as you want a custom client portal, billing automations or integration with your accounting, a custom build (EUR 30,000-70,000) becomes the structuring investment. In both cases, GDPR and professional secrecy demand legal-grade hosting and encryption.
Vertical SaaS vs custom: the comparison
The Berlin market offers mature but standardised SaaS. Figures below are 2026 order-of-magnitude estimates.
| Criterion | Vertical SaaS | Custom development |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | EUR 0-3,000 | EUR 30,000-70,000 |
| Recurring cost | EUR 40-100/user/month | Maintenance EUR 600-2,000/month |
| Court e-filing (beA) | Built in | To connect (+EUR 3,000-8,000) |
| Secure client portal | Basic or absent | Custom (+EUR 10,000-25,000) |
| Workflow customisation | Low | Total |
| Rollout | 2-5 weeks | 8-16 weeks |
SaaS wins on speed and e-filing compliance. Custom wins as soon as your differentiation runs through the client experience (portal, signature, real-time tracking) or through automations specific to your organisation.
3-year TCO for a 12-lawyer firm
Over 36 months and 12 users, the gap closes faster than expected.
| Line item | Vertical SaaS | Custom + portal |
|---|---|---|
| Setup / development | EUR 2,000 | EUR 55,000 |
| Subscription 3 yrs (12 users) | EUR 30,240 | EUR 0 |
| Maintenance 3 yrs | included | EUR 43,200 |
| Client portal | no | included |
| Training | EUR 3,000 | EUR 6,000 |
| 3-year total | EUR 35,240 | EUR 104,200 |
SaaS stays 3x cheaper on paper. But if the portal lets you bill a retainer service or cuts phone chasing by 25 %, the difference closes in usage value over the tool's life.
Compliance: what is not negotiable
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Law firm software handles data covered by professional secrecy. Require: EU data hosting, encryption at rest and in transit, access logging, and a GDPR processing agreement. A compliance audit adds EUR 3,000-8,000 but protects the firm in a supervisory check or dispute.
Mini case study
Dr. Weber, partner in a 12-lawyer firm in Berlin. His associates spend 3 h/week each preparing billing manually. At EUR 90/h loaded, that is 12 x 3 x 90 x 46 weeks = EUR 149,000/year. A custom tool at EUR 55,000 plus EUR 14,400/year maintenance that automates 60 % of it frees EUR 89,000/year and makes re-billed fees reliable. Payback in about 9 months.
FAQ
How much is law firm management software in 2026? In vertical SaaS, budget EUR 40-100/user/month. In custom, EUR 30,000-70,000 excluding the client portal, plus EUR 600-2,000/month maintenance.
Is court e-filing included in custom solutions? Not by default: the e-filing (beA) connection is a separate module, costed at EUR 3,000-8,000. Vertical SaaS integrates it natively.
Is a secure client portal really worth it? Yes: it cuts chasing, logs secrecy-covered exchanges and lets you bill a premium service. Budget EUR 10,000-25,000 of development for a robust portal.
How long to deploy a custom solution? Between 8 and 16 weeks, with interim releases. A vertical SaaS is live in 2-5 weeks.
How do we guarantee GDPR and professional secrecy? EU hosting, encryption, logging, a processing agreement and an audit (EUR 3,000-8,000). These must be in the spec from day one.
Let's scope your project. Give us your lawyer count, current tool and whether you want a client portal: we cost SaaS vs custom with a 3-year TCO. 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.
