The verdict in three sentences
For a London recruitment agency, an ATS license at EUR 60-150/month/recruiter starts fast but caps out once you want to link assignments, contracts and billing in one flow. A custom build at EUR 45,000-78,000, connected to payroll and billing, pays off in 2-3 years for a team of 8 recruiters or more. The real gain is not the license: it is -35 % sourcing time and +20 % placements/recruiter/month.
Per-recruiter license or connected build: the true cost
A licensed ATS bills per user. The custom build adds assignment management, contracts and billing, often scattered across several tools.
| Line item (2026 order of magnitude) | ATS license (8 recruiters) | Custom build |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per recruiter | EUR 60-150/month | included |
| Annual software cost | EUR 5,760-14,400/yr | 15 %/yr of build |
| Initial development | — | EUR 45,000-78,000 |
| Assignments + contracts module | add-on/absent | EUR 10,000 |
| CV parsing | EUR 0.10/CV | EUR 0.10/CV (included at volume) |
| Payroll/billing connection | limited | native |
3-year cost: the break-even point
At EUR 100/month/recruiter for 8 recruiters: EUR 9,600/yr, plus side tools. The build (base EUR 60,000) smooths out and covers everything.
| Year | ATS license + tools (cumulative) | Custom build (cumulative) |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | EUR 16,000 | EUR 70,000 (build + module) |
| Year 2 | EUR 32,000 | EUR 79,000 |
| Year 3 | EUR 48,000 | EUR 88,000 |
| Sourcing time/role | baseline | -35 % |
| Placements/recruiter/month | baseline | +20 % |
| Contract/billing re-keying | manual | automated |
Mini case study
Thomas, director of a London recruitment and staffing agency (8 recruiters, 22 placements/month, average fee EUR 6,500/placement), lost about 9 hours/week/recruiter re-keying between the ATS, contracts and billing. After a custom build at EUR 60,000 with an assignments + contracts module, placements rose from 22 to 26/month thanks to faster sourcing. Gain: 4 extra placements, about EUR 26,000/month of additional revenue. The investment pays back in under 3 months of extra activity.
FAQ
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How long to deliver the custom ATS?
Expect 12 to 18 weeks, starting with the candidate pipeline and CV parsing, then assignment management, contracts and the billing connection.
Is CV parsing at EUR 0.10/CV significant?
At 3,000 CVs/month, that is EUR 300/month. It is marginal against time saved: automatic screening and profile enrichment are the main levers behind the -35 % sourcing.
Why connect billing to the ATS?
Because each placement triggers a contract then an invoice. A single flow removes double entry, cuts errors and speeds up fee collection.
Is a license enough for a small agency?
Below 4-5 recruiters, a license is often the best choice. The build becomes relevant when assignment volume and billing justify automation.
What does the 15 %/yr maintenance cover?
Updates to connected job boards, legal updates to temp contracts, fixes and support. On a EUR 60,000 build, that is EUR 9,000/year.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your team (number of recruiters, assignment volume, billing tools) and budget: we cost build vs license. 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.
