The verdict in three sentences
An Access database is often stuck on a single machine, with no reliable backup or remote access: the day the disk fails, the company loses its history. Migrating to a secure web app brings multi-user access, automatic backups, encryption and GDPR compliance. Budget 15,000 to 45,000 EUR and 6 to 12 weeks for a clean migration in 2026.
Why Access has become a risk
Access served well, but its single-machine model no longer holds up against distributed work and security requirements. The symptoms are familiar: corrupted .mdb file, a macro that breaks on a Windows update, two people unable to work at once.
| Legacy Access risk | Impact | Annual probability (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Database file corruption | 1 to 5 days downtime | 20 to 40 % |
| Single-machine failure | partial data loss | 10 to 25 % |
| No versioned backup | irreversible loss | high |
| GDPR non-compliance | penalty / dispute | rising |
| Dependence on one employee | blocked if they leave | high |
These 2026 orders of magnitude show why life support often costs more than migration.
Rebuild and migration budget
Pricing depends on the number of tables, query complexity and VBA macros to rebuild in web logic. Data migration (mapping, cleaning, integrity checks) is the sensitive line item.
| Item | 2026 range (EUR) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Access database audit | 2,000 to 4,000 | 1 week |
| Schema + app rebuild | 9,000 to 28,000 | 4 to 8 weeks |
| Data migration | 3,000 to 9,000 | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Security + GDPR (roles, logs) | 1,500 to 4,000 | included |
| Training + cutover | 1,500 to 4,000 | 1 week |
| Full project | 15,000 to 45,000 | 6 to 12 weeks |
Web rebuild or keep on life support?
Many firms delay the decision and pay a consultant to patch Access every year. Over three years that patchwork often costs as much as a migration, without fixing the loss risk.
| Criterion | Keeping Access | Secure web app |
|---|---|---|
| 3-year cost | 12,000 to 30,000 EUR (patches) | 15,000 to 45,000 EUR (one-off) |
| Multi-user | no | yes |
| Automatic backups | no | yes (daily) |
| Mobile / remote access | no | yes |
| GDPR compliance | hard | native (logs, encryption) |
| Loss risk | high | low |
Mini case study
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Thomas, IT lead at a trading SME in Berlin, maintains a 14-table Access database on one machine. He pays 6,000 EUR/year in external support and suffers 2 to 3 downtime days/year (corruption), a full cost near 9,000 EUR/year. A migration at 32,000 EUR over 9 weeks removes the support and downtime. By year 3 the operation is paid back, and the firm gains multi-user access for its 9 staff plus the GDPR compliance its large clients demand.
FAQ
Can we recover 100 % of the Access data?
Yes in nearly all cases: tables and relations migrate directly. VBA macros are rebuilt in web logic, which is the bulk of the migration work.
How long without the system during cutover?
Final cutover usually happens over a weekend. We build the web app in parallel through acceptance, then freeze Access and import the latest data.
How is GDPR compliance handled?
The web app includes roles, access logs, encryption and versioned backups, exactly what Access cannot do cleanly.
Must everything be migrated at once?
No. We can prioritize critical tables then migrate secondary modules in batches, spreading the budget over 2 to 3 phases.
What maintenance cost afterward?
Budget 250 to 700 EUR/month, far more predictable than the ad hoc fixes of an aging Access database.
Let's scope your project. Send us the table count, your macros and data volume: we price the audit, migration and secure web app, indicative budget 15,000 to 45,000 EUR over 6 to 12 weeks. 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.
