The verdict in three sentences
A custom school management system for a private group costs 40,000 to 100,000 EUR excl. VAT depending on the number of sites and modules, delivered in 16 to 26 weeks. Off-the-shelf tools (EcoleDirecte, Charlemagne) deploy fast but turn rigid the moment your multi-site processes leave the standard box. The real ROI comes from the family portal with payment, which digitizes enrollment and cuts tuition arrears.
Off-the-shelf vs custom: what you actually buy
A packaged school platform is billed per student per year; custom is paid once, then maintained. Here are 2026 orders of magnitude for a 1,200-student group across 3 sites.
| Criterion | Off-the-shelf (EcoleDirecte / Charlemagne) | Custom by Kolonell |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 2,000 - 6,000 EUR (setup) | 40,000 - 100,000 EUR |
| Annual cost | 8 - 14 EUR / student / year | Maintenance 12-18% of build |
| Annual cost at 1,200 students | 9,600 - 16,800 EUR | 6,000 - 15,000 EUR |
| Multi-site | Often a paid add-on | Native |
| Process customization | Limited | Total |
| Data ownership | Vendor-hosted | Yours |
| Rollout time | 4 - 8 weeks | 16 - 26 weeks |
At scale, custom becomes competitive by year 2 or 3 while matching your own rules (internal grants, siblings, payment schedules).
The family portal with payment: the module that pays for itself
The profitability core is the parent portal: online enrollment, digital file, tuition schedule and card or SEPA direct-debit payment. 2026 cost and gain estimates below.
| Portal function | Build cost (EUR excl. VAT) | Annual admin gain |
|---|---|---|
| Online enrollment / re-enrollment | 8,000 - 16,000 | -3 to -5 weeks of entry / year |
| Tuition billing & schedules | 7,000 - 14,000 | Faster accounting close |
| Card + SEPA + auto reminders | 6,000 - 12,000 | Arrears -20% |
| Family communication (alerts, absences) | 5,000 - 10,000 | -30% calls to the office |
| Document vault (reports, certificates) | 4,000 - 8,000 | Zero paper mailing |
Mini case study
Sophie, administrative director of a private school group in Nantes (1,200 students, 3 sites), manages 2.4M EUR of tuition per year. Her arrears rate hits 6%, i.e. 144,000 EUR chased manually. After a 72,000 EUR build, the portal with SEPA debit and automatic reminders brings arrears down to 4.2%. First-year gain: 43,000 EUR of recovered receivables, plus 4 weeks of office time freed at the start of term. The project pays back in under 2 years, maintenance included.
FAQ
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How much does custom school management software cost in 2026?
Budget 40,000 to 100,000 EUR excl. VAT depending on sites and modules. A single-site group with a family portal typically lands around 40,000-55,000 EUR.
Is it more expensive than EcoleDirecte?
Upfront yes, but packaged tools cost 8 to 14 EUR per student per year. Above 1,000 students, custom becomes competitive by year 2-3, with no vendor lock-in.
Can we integrate tuition payment?
Yes: card, SEPA direct debit and automatic reminders. It's the most profitable module because it cuts arrears by about 20% and stabilizes cash flow.
How long is the rollout?
16 to 26 weeks, with a first version (enrollment + billing) deliverable in 10-12 weeks to cover the start of term.
Can we migrate our current data?
Yes, migrating students, families and billing history is part of scoping. It usually represents 8 to 15% of the budget.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of sites, students and priority modules (enrollment, billing, portal) and we'll price a build between 40,000 and 100,000 EUR excl. VAT. 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.
