The verdict in three sentences
For a network of 7 clinics and 35 physiotherapists in Dublin, a generic booking platform costs 130 to 180 EUR per practitioner per month, or 55,000 to 75,000 EUR per year. A custom application, with shared calendars, SMS reminders and a waiting list, costs 20,000 to 45,000 EUR excl. VAT (2026 market estimates), plus compliant EU hosting for health data under the GDPR. The project pays for itself in 12 to 18 months if reminders cut no-shows by around 30% and the waiting list fills released slots.
Generic platform or own application: the comparison
The amounts below are Irish market estimates for 2026, for 35 practitioners across 7 sites.
| Item | Generic platform | Custom application |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 0 EUR, sometimes onboarding fees | 20,000 - 45,000 EUR excl. VAT |
| Subscription | 130 - 180 EUR per practitioner per month | None |
| Annual cost at 35 practitioners (150 EUR) | 63,000 EUR | 12,000 - 18,000 EUR (hosting, SMS, maintenance) |
| Health-grade hosting | Included | 300 - 600 EUR per month with an ISO 27001 EU host |
| SMS reminders | Included depending on plan | 0.05 - 0.08 EUR per SMS |
| Patient data ownership | Shared with the platform | Full |
| Directory visibility | Strong, but competitors listed alongside | To be built through the website and local SEO |
The honest caveat: a platform also brings new patients through its directory. Before leaving it, measure the share of bookings that truly come from that search, often 10 to 25% for an established network.
For reference, the 2026 Kolonell grid places a medium-complexity application between 4,000,000 and 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR) and a complex application between 7,000,000 and 15,000,000 FCFA and more (10,670 to 22,870 EUR and more), excluding health-grade hosting.
The features that matter for a network
A multi-site network has needs a single calendar does not cover: pooling slots, routing patients to the available clinic and tracking referrals.
| Feature | Value for the network | Estimated effect |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-clinic calendar | Book at the nearest or most available site | +5 to 10% utilisation |
| SMS reminders at D-2 and H-3 | Fewer forgotten appointments | About -30% no-shows |
| Automatic waiting list | Offer released slots by SMS | 40 to 60% of cancellations refilled |
| Treatment plan tracking | Alert at the last planned session | Continuity of care |
| Treatment types by practitioner | Sports, pelvic health, respiratory | Right patient, right physio |
| Network dashboard | Utilisation by site and practitioner | Weekly management |
Compliance: GDPR, health data and messaging
Physiotherapy appointments are special category health data as soon as they reveal a reason or treatment type. Hosting must be in the EU with a provider offering strong security guarantees, and the Data Protection Commission expects a data protection impact assessment (DPIA) for this kind of processing. Plan access rights by clinic and logging of record access. SMS messages must never mention the treatment: "Appointment Tuesday 2 pm, Ranelagh clinic" is enough.
| Requirement | Implementation | Indicative 2026 cost |
|---|---|---|
| Health-grade hosting | Certified EU host, encrypted backups | 300 - 600 EUR per month |
| DPIA | Written with the DPO or a consultant | 1,500 - 3,000 EUR |
| Strong authentication | Two-factor for staff | Included in development |
| Logging | Access logs kept at least 6 months | Included |
| Retention period | Defined rules and automatic purge | Included |
Mini case study
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Julien, founder of a network of 7 clinics and 35 physiotherapists in Dublin, pays 150 EUR per practitioner per month, or 63,000 EUR per year. He is considering a 38,000 EUR application with 15,400 EUR of annual running costs (hosting, SMS and maintenance). In year one, total cost is 53,400 EUR, 9,600 EUR less. The network delivers 150,000 sessions a year with a 6% no-show rate, i.e. 9,000 lost sessions. A 30% reduction recovers 2,700 sessions. At 20 EUR of margin each, that is 54,000 EUR of additional contribution. Even after removing the 15% of patients who came through the directory, the project is profitable in year one.
FAQ
How long does it take to build a multi-clinic booking app?
Allow 3 to 4 months, including 3 weeks of scoping with practitioners. A gradual migration, clinic by clinic, limits risk over 4 to 6 weeks.
Is specialised hosting really required?
Health data is special category data under the GDPR, so EU hosting with strong security and a DPIA is expected. Certified hosting usually costs 300 to 600 EUR per month for this volume.
Can we retrieve the history from our current platform?
Most platforms allow export of appointments and patient contacts under data portability. Plan 3 to 5 days of work to clean and import the data.
Do SMS reminders really reduce no-shows?
Studies and field feedback put the reduction between 25 and 40% with a double reminder. At 0.06 EUR per SMS, 120,000 reminders cost about 7,200 EUR per year.
Will patients still be able to book online 24/7?
Yes, through the network's website and a link on Google Business Profile. Plan a local SEO budget, for example Kolonell plans from 153 to 534 EUR per month.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of clinics, practitioners and session volume, and we will price the application, hosting and migration schedule. Request a free quote. 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.
