The verdict in three sentences
Imported real estate SaaS costs 30,000 to 90,000 FCFA a month, but it doesn't collect rent by mobile money nor chase your tenants automatically. A custom platform covering listing CRM, rental management and receipting costs 10,000,000 to 26,000,000 FCFA plus 250,000 to 600,000 FCFA in monthly maintenance. The real lever is operational: +30% arrears tracking through automatic reminders and 6 hours a week saved on receipting.
Pricing by property volume in 2026
The relevant cost depends on the number of listings and units managed. 2026 orders of magnitude for the Douala market.
| Volume managed | Imported SaaS (per month) | Custom (indicative build) | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|
| < 50 units | 30,000-45,000 FCFA | 10,000,000-13,000,000 FCFA | 250,000 FCFA/month |
| 50-150 units | 45,000-65,000 FCFA | 13,000,000-18,000,000 FCFA | 350,000 FCFA/month |
| 150-400 units | 65,000-90,000 FCFA | 18,000,000-22,000,000 FCFA | 450,000 FCFA/month |
| 400+ units | 90,000+ FCFA | 22,000,000-26,000,000 FCFA | 600,000 FCFA/month |
SaaS stays attractive under 50 units. Beyond 150 units, the custom platform's automated rental management and receipting change the agency's economics, especially with native mobile-money collection.
Modules and measured impact
A useful real estate tool drives both the transaction and rental management. Here are the key modules and their effect.
| Module | Function | 2026 impact |
|---|---|---|
| Listing CRM | leads, viewings, mandates, offers | tracked pipeline, fewer leaks |
| Rental management | leases, due dates, inventories | centralized administration |
| Receipting | auto rent-receipt generation | 6 h/week saved |
| Mobile-money collection | rent via Wave / Orange Money / MTN MoMo | easier, traceable payment |
| Automatic reminders | late-rent chasing | +30% arrears tracking |
| Owner reporting | management statements | landlord retention |
Mobile-money collection paired with automatic reminders is the differentiator: it concretely improves rent recovery, the core of a management agency's profitability.
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Mini case study
Mr. Ekani runs a real estate agency in Douala managing 220 rental units. The 30-day-plus arrears rate was 18%, about 40 units. At an average rent of 120,000 FCFA, that's 4,800,000 FCFA in outstanding rent each month. Automatic reminders and mobile-money collection improve arrears tracking by 30%, bringing the rate to about 12.6%: nearly 12 more units regularized, i.e. 1,440,000 FCFA recovered per month. Add 6 hours a week saved on receipting (at 3,000 FCFA/h, roughly 936,000 FCFA a year) and an 18,000,000 FCFA build pays back in a little over a year on recovery alone.
FAQ
Does the software collect rent by mobile money? Yes, this is central: Wave, Orange Money and MTN MoMo integration lets tenants pay rent from their phone, with automatic, traceable reconciliation on the agency side.
How do you improve arrears tracking by 30%? Through multichannel automatic reminders (SMS, email) triggered as soon as a due date is missed, an arrears dashboard and a per-tenant history. The +30% is a 2026 order of magnitude on a previously manual process.
How long to deploy custom? Plan on 12 to 20 weeks depending on scope (transaction only, or transaction + full rental management), with a gradual migration of your lease portfolio.
Is custom worth it under 50 units? Below 50 units, well-configured SaaS is often more sensible. Custom becomes decisive from 150 units or when recovery and receipting weigh heavily on your workload.
Can we produce management statements for owners? Yes. Automatic reporting to landlords (rent collected, charges, arrears) is an important retention factor and a differentiating argument against competing agencies.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of managed units, your listing volume and your mobile-money collection needs, and we'll frame a scope with an indicative budget in FCFA. 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.
