The verdict in three sentences
For a private school group in New York, a school SaaS (3 to 9 EUR/student/year) covers the basics but imposes its screens and limits. A custom build (35,000 to 80,000 EUR, 12 to 18 weeks) integrates enrolment, grades, billing and parent communication into one branded system. It eliminates the Excel/portal patchwork, automates tuition billing (50 h/month saved) and cuts front-office calls by 40%.
School SaaS vs custom platform
SaaS is economical at low headcount; custom wins as student numbers and complexity (multi-site, staged billing) rise.
| Criterion | School SaaS | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 3 to 9 EUR/student/year | 35,000 to 80,000 EUR |
| Online enrolment | Standard | Tailored, multi-cycle |
| Tuition billing | Basic | Automated schedules |
| Parent portal | Generic | Your brand |
| Multi-campus | Often an add-on | Native |
| Data ownership | With vendor | With you |
| Timeline | 4 to 8 weeks | 12 to 18 weeks |
Modules and time savings
Let's price gains per module over a school year.
| Module | 2026 gain (ballpark) |
|---|---|
| Automated tuition billing | 50 h/month |
| Parent portal (grades, absences) | -40% front-office calls |
| Online enrolment | -60% back-to-school data entry |
| Report card generation | 30 h/term |
| Automated overdue reminders | -25% late payments |
| Overall custom ROI | 20 to 26 months |
Mini case study
Ms. Weber runs a private school group of 1,400 students in New York across 2 campuses. Today her office juggles Excel, a portal and manual reminders; tuition billing takes 50 h/month (~12,000 EUR/year).
A custom platform at 62,000 EUR automates tuition schedules, opens a parent portal and generates report cards. Savings: 12,000 EUR/year in billing, plus 40% fewer calls freeing a half-time office role (~14,000 EUR/year), plus 25% fewer late payments across 1,400 students. With ~30,000 EUR of annual gains, ROI lands in ~24 months.
FAQ
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What should the minimal spec contain?
Online enrolment, student records, grades and report cards, billing with schedules, parent portal and accounting exports: that's the base of a usable scope.
What does accounting integration cost?
Expect 4,000 to 10,000 EUR to connect tuition billing to your accounting software and automate entries.
Does the parent portal really cut calls?
Yes: giving access to grades, absences, invoices and online payment commonly yields -40% office calls and emails.
How long to the first online enrolment?
An enrolment + student record + billing scope can ship in 12 to 14 weeks, aligned to your term calendar.
Can we start on one campus then expand?
Yes, the multi-campus custom build lets you pilot one site then add others without a rebuild.
Let's scope your project. Share your headcount, campuses and priority modules, and we'll write the spec and price your custom school platform. 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.
