The verdict in three sentences
For an NGO running 5 to 20 projects funded by several donors, the problem is not data collection, which KoboToolbox solves for free, but consolidating indicators into each donor's logframe. A SaaS tool such as ActivityInfo or DevResults (USD 3,000 to 15,000 a year) is enough if your donors accept standard formats. Once you manage 5 donors with different templates, a custom platform at EUR 25,000 to 60,000 excl. VAT connected to Kobo often becomes more cost-effective over 3 years.
Market options in 2026
| Option | Setup cost | Annual cost | Timeline | Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excel and shared sheets | EUR 0 | 15 to 30 person-days per quarter | Immediate | No learning curve | Errors, multiple versions, no audit trail |
| KoboToolbox (collection) | EUR 0 (free humanitarian server) | USD 0 to 2,000 (paid plans, large volumes) | 1 to 2 weeks | Offline forms, sector standard | No logframe or donor reporting |
| ActivityInfo | EUR 2,000 to 5,000 configuration | USD 3,000 to 9,000 depending on users | 1 to 3 months | Multi-project indicators, offline | Donor reports adapted by hand |
| DevResults | USD 5,000 to 10,000 configuration | USD 8,000 to 15,000 | 2 to 4 months | Results frameworks, mapping | Expensive for a national NGO |
| Essential custom platform (logframe, indicators, Kobo import) | EUR 25,000 to 40,000 | EUR 3,000 to 6,000 | 3 to 4 months | Exact donor templates | Upfront investment |
| Full custom platform (finance, maps, donor portal) | EUR 45,000 to 60,000 | EUR 5,000 to 9,000 | 5 to 7 months | One steering system | Internal governance needed |
In FCFA, an essential platform represents about FCFA 16 to 26 million, a full option FCFA 30 to 39 million.
What an M&E platform must handle
| Function | Description | Indicative custom cost | Expected gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-level logframe | Impact, outcomes, outputs, activities, links between levels | EUR 5,000 to 9,000 | A single source of truth |
| Indicator library | Definition, formula, disaggregation by sex, age, area, disability | EUR 4,000 to 7,000 | Comparable indicators across projects |
| Automatic KoboToolbox import | API sync, quality control, duplicates | EUR 3,000 to 6,000 | No more copy-paste |
| Generated donor reports | Templates for the European Union, USAID and successors, AFD, foundations, UN agencies | EUR 2,000 to 4,000 per template | 70 to 80% less reporting time |
| Budget tracking by result | Link between spending and outputs, burn rate | EUR 5,000 to 10,000 | Cost per beneficiary visibility |
| Dashboards and maps | Progress by project, area and partner | EUR 4,000 to 8,000 | Steering committee insight |
| Access rights and data protection | Roles, implementing partners, anonymisation | EUR 2,000 to 4,000 | GDPR and national law compliance |
Beneficiary data protection is a sensitive point: European donors require GDPR compliance, and in Senegal law 2008-12 requires a filing with the CDP for personal data processing.
Mini case study
Aïssatou, M&E manager of an NGO based in Dakar, runs 12 projects funded by 5 donors across 4 regions. Each quarter, her team of 3 consolidates 40 Excel files over about 15 working days, or 45 person-days. At a loaded daily cost of EUR 180, that is EUR 8,100 per quarter, EUR 32,400 a year, not counting corrections requested by donors.
She chooses a custom platform at EUR 38,000 excl. VAT (logframe, indicator library, Kobo import, 5 donor templates) plus EUR 5,000 a year in maintenance. Consolidation time drops to 4 days per quarter for the team, or 12 person-days. Gain: 33 person-days per quarter, about EUR 23,760 a year. Payback: about 20 months, and part of the cost can often be charged to the M&E lines of project budgets, which commonly represent 3 to 7% of grants.
FAQ
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Isn't KoboToolbox enough?
Kobo covers offline collection perfectly, free up to large volumes on the humanitarian server. It handles neither the logframe nor multi-project aggregation, which make up 60 to 70% of reporting work.
Can donor budgets fund the platform?
Often yes, under M&E lines or indirect costs (7% with many European donors). Plan it from the project proposal stage, with a costed quote.
How long does it take to add a new donor template?
Allow 1 to 3 weeks and EUR 2,000 to 4,000 per template. After that, the report generates in minutes at each deadline.
Does the platform work in the field with a weak connection?
Collection stays on offline Kobo. Dashboards are optimised for 3G and usually weigh less than 1 MB per page.
ActivityInfo or custom: how to decide?
Below 3 donors with standard formats, ActivityInfo at USD 3,000 to 9,000 a year is the sensible choice. Beyond 5 donors or with budget tracking by result, custom becomes profitable within 18 to 30 months.
Let's scope your project. Send us your list of projects, donors and their reporting templates, and we will price an M&E platform between EUR 25,000 and 60,000, delivered in 3 to 7 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.
