The verdict in three sentences
For a 7-club network with 9,000 members in London, an off-the-shelf gym management SaaS costs £220 to £520 per club per month, or £18,500 to £43,700 a year, and already covers access control, Direct Debit collections and class booking. A custom build, at £60,000 to £140,000, only makes sense if the network wants a single dashboard combining attendance, sales and churn, with member journeys the SaaS cannot support. The best compromise in 2026 is often hybrid: SaaS for operations, a custom layer for data and retention, with a target of annual churn under 30%.
Off-the-shelf SaaS or custom: the numbers
| Criterion | Specialist SaaS | Custom build |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | £2,000 to £7,000 for setup and migration | £60,000 to £140,000 |
| Recurring cost for 7 clubs | £18,500 to £43,700 a year | £8,000 to £26,000 a year for maintenance and hosting |
| Time to go live | 4 to 8 weeks | 5 to 9 months |
| Access control (turnstiles, fobs, QR) | built-in, supported hardware listed | to integrate, £7,000 to £18,000 |
| Direct Debit and failed payments | built-in, per-transaction fees | via a Bacs bureau or payment provider, £0.20 to £0.45 per collection |
| Multi-club dashboard | standard, limited customisation | fully tailored to the network |
| Data ownership | export possible, fixed format | full, dedicated database |
Over 5 years, the SaaS costs £95,000 to £225,000 and the custom build £100,000 to £270,000. The cost gap is small: the decision hinges on differentiation and data control.
What a single dashboard must show
A network founder wants to compare clubs every Monday without exporting 7 files. The useful metrics are well known and measurable.
| Metric | 2026 benchmark (estimate) | Data source |
|---|---|---|
| Annual churn | 30 to 45% in the sector, target under 30% | cancelled memberships |
| Average attendance | 6 to 8 visits per member per month | access control |
| Members inactive for 21 days | 15 to 25% of the base | access control |
| Failed Direct Debit rate | 3 to 6% of collections | payment provider |
| Average revenue per member | £30 to £45 a month | billing |
| Group class fill rate | 55 to 80% | bookings |
The most profitable metric is the inactivity alert: members who stop coming for 3 weeks cancel within 2 months at a high rate. An automatic nudge by SMS or from a coach turns that data into retention.
Mini case study
Tom, founder of a 7-club network in London, has 9,000 members at £40 a month and annual churn of 38%. He keeps his SaaS at £30,000 a year and adds a £65,000 custom layer: multi-club dashboard, inactivity alerts and automated nudges, plus £11,000 of annual maintenance. If churn drops from 38% to 33%, he keeps 450 more members a year, or 450 x £40 x 12 = £216,000 of annual revenue retained. Even with half that gain, the investment pays back in under 10 months.
FAQ
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Is an off-the-shelf SaaS enough for 7 clubs?
For day-to-day operations, yes: access, memberships, Direct Debit and class schedules are covered for £220 to £520 per club per month. Limits appear in cross-club analytics and bespoke member journeys.
Can we move to custom without losing Direct Debit mandates?
Yes, mandates can be transferred to a new service user number through a bulk change process with your bank and bureau. Allow 4 to 6 weeks and a pilot club test.
How much of the budget goes to the member app?
A booking and virtual pass app represents £22,000 to £45,000, often a third of the custom project. A PWA cuts that cost by 30 to 40%.
Is our existing access control compatible?
Most recent turnstiles and readers expose an API or a standard protocol. Budget £7,000 to £18,000 for integration and a technical survey per hardware type.
Does member data fall under UK GDPR?
Yes, and attendance or any health data requires a clear lawful basis and UK or adequate-jurisdiction hosting. Retaining data for 3 years after membership ends is common practice.
Let's scope your project. We scope your custom layer (multi-club dashboard, retention, member app) with an indicative budget and a first release in 10 to 14 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.
