The verdict in three sentences
For a single office, real-estate SaaS is hard to beat: portal syndication, e-signature, low price. For a network of 8-15 offices, custom becomes worthwhile because per-office cost compounds and network-level control needs exceed the standard. Break-even lands between year 3 and year 4 depending on office count and options.
Vertical SaaS vs custom CRM
Real-estate SaaS bills per office, often with add-ons (syndication, e-signature, lead sourcing). Custom is an upfront investment shared across the whole network. 2026 ballpark figures.
| Criterion | Real-estate SaaS | Custom CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per office | $70-170/month + add-ons | $0 (shared) |
| Upfront investment | $0 | $60,000-130,000 |
| Maintenance | included | $800-1,700/month |
| Portal syndication | standard | to integrate (connectors) |
| E-signature | paid add-on | integrable |
| Buyer/listing matching | basic | custom (scoring) |
| Rental management | paid module | included if specified |
| Consolidated network view | limited | total |
SaaS wins on speed and ready-made integrations; custom wins on network control and no per-office cost.
Break-even by number of offices
The decisive calc: at how many offices the 5-year custom TCO drops below SaaS. Base: SaaS at $140/month/office + add-ons, custom at $110,000 + $1,400/month maintenance.
| Offices | SaaS 5 yrs | Custom 5 yrs | Break-even |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 offices | $30,240 | $194,000 | never (in 5 yrs) |
| 6 offices | $60,480 | $194,000 | ~year 8 |
| 10 offices | $100,800 | $194,000 | year 5-6 |
| 15 offices | $151,200 | $194,000 | year 4 |
| 20 offices | $201,600 | $194,000 | year 3 |
At 15-20 offices, custom becomes clearly competitive and removes per-office pricing dependency. Below 8 offices, stay on SaaS unless you have very specific network-control needs.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
David runs a 14-office real-estate network in New York. His SaaS at $150/month/office + $30/month add-ons per office costs $30,240/year, or $151,200 over 5 years, with a 5%/year increase. A custom CRM (buyer/listing matching, rental management, network dashboard, portal and e-signature connectors) is quoted at $112,000 + $1,400/month maintenance, or $196,000 over 5 years. Break-even hits in year 4, and after that each new office no longer adds ~$2,160/year in license. Bonus: the consolidated network view no standard SaaS gave him.
FAQ
At how many offices does custom pay off? Generally beyond 10-12 offices, when compounded licenses and network-control needs exceed the standard. Below that, SaaS stays cheaper.
Do we lose portal syndication with custom? No: portal connectors and e-signature can be integrated, but they must be in scope and in the maintenance contract. Include these builds in the quote.
How long does the project take? 14-22 weeks for a network CRM with matching and rental management, scoping and data migration included.
Does custom handle rentals? Yes if specified: receipts, rent revisions, condition reports, charge reconciliations. Often a paid module in SaaS, shareable in custom.
What is the main network advantage? The consolidated view: per-office performance, shared inventory, cross-office matching. No standard SaaS offers this level of control over a proprietary network.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of offices, your needs (matching, rental management, portal connectors) and your indicative budget, and we will model the 5-year SaaS vs custom TCO. 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.
