The verdict in three sentences
For a multi-site healthcare or services network, a custom multi-location booking web app costs about USD 16,000 to 28,000 (9 to 16 million FCFA at our Dakar and Abidjan delivery rates), delivered in 12 weeks. The lever that pays for it is not online booking itself but the combination of reminders plus an online deposit, which takes no-shows from 18% to below 7%. Off-the-shelf scheduling tools rarely handle booking per machine (MRI, CT, ultrasound), which is the core of an imaging clinic.
The detailed budget, block by block
A network of 7 private imaging and ultrasound clinics across the Greater Toronto Area books exams on expensive equipment. Every missed MRI slot is a pure loss, because the machine, the technologist and the radiologist are paid anyway. A typical specification looks like this:
| Functional block | Content | 2026 budget (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-site scheduling | Per clinic, per machine, per practitioner, durations per exam | 4,400 to 7,000 |
| Online patient booking | Light mobile web, site and slot choice, prep instructions | 2,700 to 4,400 |
| SMS and WhatsApp reminders | Confirmation D-2, reminder D-1, fasting instructions, one-click cancel | 1,800 to 3,200 |
| Online deposit | Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Interac | 2,100 to 3,900 |
| Front-desk back office | Phone bookings, waitlist, gap filling | 2,300 to 4,400 |
| Dashboard | No-show rate per site, utilization per machine | 1,400 to 2,600 |
| Testing, training, rollout | 7 sites, 25 receptionists trained | 1,300 to 2,500 |
The low end suits a network that first wants reliable scheduling and reminders. The high end adds deposits on every payment method, an automatic waitlist and fine-grained rules (a contrast CT needs a longer slot and a recent kidney function test).
What actually reduces no-shows
| Measure | Observed no-show rate (2026 estimate) | Running cost |
|---|---|---|
| No reminder | 18% | 0 |
| SMS reminder at D-1 | 13 to 14% | USD 0.01 to 0.03 per SMS |
| WhatsApp confirmation at D-2 with cancel button | 10 to 11% | USD 0.01 to 0.03 per message |
| 10 to 20% deposit on MRI and CT | 7 to 8% | 2 to 3% card fees |
| Waitlist that refills released slots | under 7% of slots lost | Included in the app |
The cancel button matters as much as the reminder: a patient who cancels at D-1 frees a slot you can resell, a patient who does not show up destroys it. On compliance, personal health information in Ontario falls under PHIPA, so hosting in Canada, encryption and consent management are planned from the scoping phase.
| Recurring item | Monthly amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Secure hosting and backups | 130 to 270 |
| SMS and WhatsApp (4,500 appointments a month) | 270 to 450 |
| Maintenance and support | 450 to 700 |
| Card fees on deposits | 2 to 3% of amounts collected |
Mini case study
Dr. Patel runs a network of 7 imaging clinics that books 4,500 appointments a month. At 18% no-shows, 810 slots are lost. At 7%, only 315 are lost: 495 slots are saved. If only half are resold, at an average of USD 120 per exam, the gain reaches USD 29,700 a month. With a project billed around USD 22,000 and about USD 1,200 of monthly running costs, the app pays for itself within the first month of operation.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
FAQ
Can patients without a smartphone still book?
Yes, the front desk books by phone in the same calendar and the patient receives a standard SMS. In practice, 60 to 70% of appointments are still booked by phone in the first year.
Will a deposit scare patients away?
We limit it to heavy exams (MRI, contrast CT) and to 10 to 20% of the price. It is deducted on the exam day and refunded automatically for cancellations more than 24 h ahead.
Can the app connect to our radiology software?
Yes, if your RIS or PACS exposes an API or accepts HL7 messages. Budget an extra USD 2,700 to 5,300 depending on the vendor.
How long to roll out all 7 sites?
The full project takes 12 weeks: 2 for scoping, 7 for development, 2 for testing and 1 for rollout in waves of 2 to 3 clinics.
Who owns the app and the data?
You do. Source code and data belong to you, with a Git repository in your name and a full export available at any time.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of sites, machines and monthly appointments, and we will price an app between USD 16,000 and 28,000 delivered in 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.
