The verdict in three sentences
For a private-school group, an education SaaS (EUR 3-8/student/month) is enough while your processes stay standard, but it plateaus as you add sites and billing rules. A custom platform (EUR 45,000-120,000) unifies enrollment, academics, payments and family communication and respects GDPR applied to minors. The gain shows first in 6-12 hours/week of freed admin and faster fee collection.
Education SaaS or custom: what changes
SaaS installs fast and covers the base (grades, attendance, messaging). Custom fits your multi-school organization, scholarship rules, payment schedules and family relationship, without per-student billing that explodes at scale.
| Criterion | Education SaaS | Custom platform |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | EUR 2,000-8,000 (setup) | EUR 45,000-120,000 |
| Recurring cost | EUR 3-8/student/month | Hosting EUR 300-800/mo |
| Timeline | 1-3 months | 5-8 months |
| Online enrollment | Standard | Custom, multi-site |
| Fee payment | Often via partner | Built in (schedules, reminders) |
| Family communication | Basic messaging | Dedicated app/portal |
| GDPR for minors | Vendor-dependent | Designed custom |
| Code ownership | No | Yes |
Modules and cost per site
2026 orders of magnitude for a custom build delivered by modules, base of 4 sites and 2,400 students.
| Module | Indicative build | Main effect |
|---|---|---|
| Online enrollment | EUR 12,000-22,000 | -50% manual entry |
| Academics (grades, attendance) | EUR 10,000-20,000 | Automated report cards |
| Fee payment + schedules | EUR 12,000-25,000 | Faster collection |
| Family portal / app | EUR 10,000-22,000 | -30% office calls |
| Group reporting | EUR 6,000-14,000 | Multi-school steering |
| Platform total | EUR 50,000-103,000 | ~EUR 12,500/site |
Per site, a complete base sits around EUR 12,000-15,000 per school, hosting and maintenance (15%) on top.
Mini case study
Mr. Sarr, director of a 4-school private group in Dakar, enrolls 2,400 students. Two secretaries each spend ~10 h/week on enrollment and fee reminders, i.e. 20 h. The platform removes 55%, i.e. 11 h/week (~500 h/year) reassigned to front-desk. On cash, online payment with schedules cuts the average payment delay from 22 to 10 days on EUR 1.9M of annual fees: those 12 saved days free about EUR 62,000 earlier each year. Against a EUR 70,000 build amortized over 4 years, it breaks even from year two.
FAQ
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
What does a custom school platform cost in 2026?
Between EUR 45,000 and 120,000 depending on the number of sites and modules (enrollment, academics, payments, communication). A per-school base is around EUR 12,000-15,000.
Is online fee payment hard to integrate?
No, but it must handle schedules, automatic reminders and accounting reconciliation. That's exactly where custom outclasses a generic SaaS.
How do we handle GDPR for minors?
Parental consent, data minimization, retention periods and access rights must be built in from design. A custom platform handles them natively.
What real admin gain?
6-12 hours per week per site, concentrated in enrollment and billing periods. That's time returned to family relationships and teaching.
Can we start small?
Yes, begin with enrollment + fee payment (the two highest-ROI modules), then add academics and the family portal.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of sites, students and priorities (enrollment, payments, communication): we'll frame a platform delivered by modules, indicative budget EUR 45,000-110,000. 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.
