The verdict in three sentences
A custom ATS for a recruitment agency costs, in 2026, between 30,000 and 60,000 EUR, versus 60 to 120 EUR/user/month for a SaaS ATS like Teamtailor or similar. Custom becomes profitable when the team passes 8 to 10 users or the recruitment process departs from standards. It gives full control of the pipeline, matching and candidate GDPR compliance.
Custom vs SaaS ATS over 3 years
SaaS bills per user: perfect to start, costly as the team grows. Custom flips the logic: fixed upfront cost, then maintenance independent of user count.
| Criterion | Custom ATS (Kolonell) | SaaS ATS (Teamtailor et al.) |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 30,000 - 60,000 EUR | 0 - 3,000 EUR (setup) |
| Monthly cost | ~500 - 900 EUR (maintenance) | 60 - 120 EUR/user/month |
| 3-year cost (12 users) | 48,000 - 92,000 EUR | 25,900 - 51,800 EUR |
| 3-year cost (25 users) | 48,000 - 92,000 EUR | 54,000 - 108,000 EUR |
| Custom process | Full | Limited configuration |
| Tailored matching | Your business rules | Generic algorithm |
| Candidate data ownership | You | Third-party host |
| Timeline | 5 - 7 months | 1 - 3 months |
The crossover sits around 12 to 15 users over 3 years. Beyond that, every added recruiter weighs on the SaaS while custom stays flat.
What the scope covers
2026 order of magnitude for a Dakar-based studio serving a Berlin agency.
| Module | Effort (person-days) | Indicative budget |
|---|---|---|
| Pipeline & talent pool | 12 - 18 | 7,000 - 11,000 EUR |
| Job / candidate matching | 10 - 16 | 6,000 - 10,000 EUR |
| Client & vacancy CRM | 8 - 14 | 5,000 - 9,000 EUR |
| GDPR & consent management | 8 - 12 | 5,000 - 8,000 EUR |
| Multi-posting & CV parsing | 8 - 14 | 5,000 - 9,000 EUR |
| Reporting & recruitment KPIs | 6 - 10 | 4,000 - 7,000 EUR |
Candidate GDPR compliance (consent, retention period, automatic purge, right to erasure) is not optional: a mismanaged pool of thousands of CVs is a direct sanction risk.
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Mini case study
Mr. Weber, director of a Berlin recruitment agency (18 recruiters), pays a SaaS ATS at 95 EUR/user/month, i.e. 20,520 EUR/year. He invests 48,000 EUR in a custom ATS with matching tailored to his sectors and automatic GDPR purge. Maintenance runs ~7,000 EUR/year. From year 2, he saves ~13,500 EUR/year versus the SaaS, and custom matching saves the team ~15 hours/week of manual screening. Payback in ~30 months, after which the gap widens with every recruiter hired.
FAQ
From how many users is custom profitable? Around 12 to 15 users over 3 years. Below that, a SaaS ATS stays cheaper; beyond, the per-user bill becomes the line item that explodes.
Is the matching truly custom? Yes. We code your business rules (key skills, mobility, seniority, target pay) rather than a generic score, sharply cutting manual screening.
How do you handle candidate GDPR? Traced consent, configurable retention, automatic purge and one-click erasure. It's built in, not bolted on afterwards.
Can we multi-post vacancies? Yes, to job boards and networks via connectors, with automatic parsing of incoming CVs to feed the pool without re-keying.
Do we recover data from the old ATS? Yes, migrating the pool, vacancies and client history is part of the project. Budget 5 to 8 days depending on export quality.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your recruiter headcount, current ATS and matching rules: we compare the 3-year cost and price the scope. 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.
