The verdict in three sentences
A FileMaker database built by one person is an operational risk, not just a licensing question. Migrating to a web app costs less than expected if you rebuild the data model instead of copying screens. The critical point is migrating 120,000 records: plan it in week one, not at the end.
Why migrate now
The owner of an audiovisual equipment distributor in Queens, 22 staff, runs customers, quotes, rentals, inventory and repairs in a 40-table FileMaker database. Its author left three years ago. Nobody can edit the scripts, and every macOS update raises fears of an outage. Freelance FileMaker developers in New York bill 120 to 175 USD an hour, when one can be found.
| Factor | With FileMaker | With a web app |
|---|---|---|
| Licences (2026 order of magnitude) | 21 to 39 USD per user per month | no per-user licence |
| Annual cost for 18 users | about 4,500 to 8,400 USD | maintenance of 636 to 2,196 EUR a year |
| Dependence on one person | total | documented, version-controlled code |
| Mobile access for technicians | limited | browser, no install |
| Backups and history | manual | automatic, daily |
| Accounting and e-commerce integration | CSV exports | API |
Kolonell maintenance is 53, 114 or 183 EUR a month (35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA). Hosting is quoted separately.
Cost and timeline for a 40-table migration
The golden rule: do not clone FileMaker. Map the 40 tables, drop duplicates and dead fields, often 20 to 30 % of the total, then redesign the 25 screens around actual usage.
| Phase | Duration | Content | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Database audit | 2 to 3 weeks | tables, relationships, scripts, calculations | business rules hidden in scripts |
| New data model | 2 weeks | 40 tables reduced to about 28 | losing a useful field |
| Building 25 screens | 6 to 10 weeks | quotes, rentals, inventory, repairs | scope creep |
| Migrating 120,000 records | 2 to 3 weeks, in parallel | cleaning, deduplication, checks | duplicate customers, bad date formats |
| Testing and parallel run | 2 to 4 weeks | both tools run side by side | data drift |
| Cutover | 1 weekend | FileMaker freeze, final import | downtime |
Allow 3 to 5 months in total. For 40 tables and 25 screens, the project usually sits in the medium band of our grid, 6,100 to 10,670 EUR (4 to 7M FCFA), and moves into the complex band, 10,670 to 22,870+ EUR (7 to 15M+ FCFA), if you add a customer portal or an e-commerce sync. The full grid runs from 3,810 to 22,870+ EUR (2.5 to 15M+ FCFA) depending on complexity.
Pitfalls to avoid
FileMaker scripts often hide critical business rules: rental deposit calculation, automatic discounts for loyal customers, invoice numbering, New York sales tax handling. Write them down before any code is written. Another trap is migrating everything at once: archive data older than 10 years can stay available read-only. Finally, plan short training for the 18 users, 2 hours per role, and an internal champion.
Think also about who will own the system afterwards. The new app should come with a written data dictionary, a short admin guide and access to the code repository in the company's name. That way, if the vendor changes, another developer can take over in days rather than months, which is exactly the risk the FileMaker setup created. Ask for these deliverables in the contract, along with a test suite covering quotes, rentals and invoicing.
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David, owner of the company, compares five years. FileMaker for 18 users at an average 30 USD: about 6,500 USD a year, plus around 6,000 USD a year of emergency fixes from a freelancer at 150 USD an hour, so 62,500 USD over five years, with the single-developer risk unchanged. The web app in the medium band, budgeted at 9,000 EUR, plus Standard maintenance at 114 EUR a month (6,840 EUR over five years): 15,840 EUR in total. The migration removes recurring licence fees, ends the reliance on a single developer and gives technicians mobile access to repair tickets.
FAQ
Can we keep FileMaker during the transition?
Yes, and we recommend it: a 2 to 4 week parallel run lets you compare numbers before the final cutover.
What happens to 15 years of history?
The 120,000 records are migrated and cleaned. Archives older than 10 years can sit in a read-only module to keep the tool fast.
Should we keep the same screens so staff are not disrupted?
No, but keep the task logic. The 25 screens are redesigned with users, which often cuts clicks by 30 to 50 %.
How long does cutover take?
A weekend in most cases: freeze FileMaker on Friday evening, final import, checks, back to work on Monday morning.
What if a field was missed?
The old database stays available read-only for 6 months. A missing field can be added and re-imported within a few hours.
Let's scope your project. We audit your FileMaker database, design the new data model and plan the migration for a cutover within a few months. 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.
