The verdict in three sentences
Legal SaaS (case management, time tracking, billing) costs, in 2026, between 40 and 80 EUR/lawyer/month, a budget that rises with every partner and associate. Custom software requires 50,000 to 110,000 EUR upfront plus 12-18% annual maintenance, but natively integrates timesheets, court e-filing and your confidentiality rules. The ROI is direct: 8 to 12% of billable hours recovered and a billing cycle that drops from 30 days to 7.
What a legal tool covers in 2026
The core of a firm tool is the link between time spent and billing. Here are the functions and their 2026 ranges.
| Function | Legal SaaS | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Price /lawyer/month | 40-80 EUR | 0 |
| Upfront cost | 1,000-4,000 EUR | 50,000-110,000 EUR |
| Timesheet + hourly billing | included | native |
| Court e-filing vault | connector | custom-integrated |
| GDPR + confidentiality | standard | custom |
| Annual maintenance | included | 12-18% of build |
| Data ownership | vendor | firm |
Five-year budget for 15 lawyers
At 60 EUR/lawyer/month, 15 lawyers mean 10,800 EUR/year, or 54,000 EUR over 5 years before increases. That is the number to compare with custom.
| Scenario, 15 lawyers | Year 1 | 5-year total |
|---|---|---|
| SaaS 60 EUR/month | 10,800 EUR | 55,000-62,000 EUR |
| SaaS 80 EUR/month | 14,400 EUR | 76,000 EUR |
| Custom 65,000 EUR + 15% | 74,750 EUR | 113,750 EUR |
| Custom 50,000 EUR + 12% | 56,000 EUR | 80,000 EUR |
Over 5 years, SaaS stays cheaper for a 15-lawyer firm. Custom is justified by recovered billable hours, not by TCO alone.
The real ROI: billable hours
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A poorly integrated timesheet loses 8 to 12% of billable hours (unrecorded, forgotten or underestimated time). For 15 lawyers billing on average 1,400 hours/year at 180 EUR/hour, recovering 10% represents 378,000 EUR/year of additional revenue. That stake, not the licence price, should drive the decision.
Mini case study
Me Lefevre, director of a 15-lawyer Paris firm, uses SaaS at 72 EUR/lawyer/month (12,960 EUR/year). His problem is not cost but the 10% of unbilled hours, roughly 378,000 EUR/year lost. A custom tool with mobile time entry and automated billing is quoted at 68,000 EUR + 15% maintenance. Recovering just 4% of billable hours (151,000 EUR/year), the tool pays for itself in under 6 months.
FAQ
What budget for custom legal software? Expect a floor of 50,000 EUR for a case + timesheet + billing core. Below that, you lack the necessary e-filing and GDPR integrations.
Does SaaS handle court e-filing? The best SaaS offer connectors, but native integration is smoother in custom. Check this before any commitment.
How do you guarantee confidentiality? Through data encryption, fine-grained access rights and compliant hosting. In custom, these rules are modelled on your real processes.
How fast should time entry be? A good tool offers mobile entry in under 15 seconds per task, which explains the 8-12% of hours recovered.
Can you integrate accounting and client funds? Yes, in custom, accounting and client-account integration is native; in SaaS it goes through connectors to be verified.
Let's scope your project. Firm of 8 to 30 lawyers looking to recover billable hours, indicative budget 50,000-110,000 EUR + maintenance. 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.
