The verdict in three sentences
Leaving a SaaS vendor takes preparation: roughly 1 SaaS contract in 2 lacks a usable exit clause, and the export provided is often partial. Migrating data to a custom application costs EUR 8,000 to 30,000 excl. VAT, on top of a 1 to 3 month parallel run. The EU Data Act, applicable since 12 September 2025, now requires cloud service providers to facilitate switching and regulates exit fees.
What the Data Act says and what your contract does not
The CIO of a mid-size company often discovers the scale of the problem at notice time: the export only contains core data, with no history, attachments or audit logs. The Data Act requires data processing service providers (including SaaS) to offer a transition period, export in a structured machine-readable format, and a gradual phase-out of switching charges, fully banned from January 2027.
| Point of attention | Common situation before the Data Act | What the Data Act provides |
|---|---|---|
| Exit clause | Missing in 1 contract in 2 | Right to switch written into the contract |
| Exit notice | 3 to 12 months | 2 months maximum to notify |
| Transition period | Not provided | 30 days, extendable up to 7 months if justified |
| Export format | Partial CSV or PDF | Structured, commonly used, machine-readable format |
| Export fees | EUR 2,000 to 15,000 charged | Capped at actual cost until 12 January 2027, then banned |
| Metadata and history | Often excluded | Exportable data and digital assets included |
In practice, contracts signed before September 2025 are negotiated case by case. A registered letter citing the Data Act is often enough to obtain a full export without excessive fees.
Cost of migrating to a custom application
Migration covers analysis of the exported data, mapping to the new model, migration scripts, consistency checks and cutover. Cost depends on volume, number of business objects and export quality.
| Migration item | Scope | Estimated budget (EUR excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Data analysis and mapping | Inventory of objects, fields, relations | 1,500 to 4,000 |
| Export negotiation and retrieval | Vendor exchanges, additional API exports | 500 to 3,000 |
| Transformation and migration scripts | Mapping, cleansing, deduplication | 3,000 to 12,000 |
| Attachments and history migration | Files, logs, versions | 1,500 to 6,000 |
| Checks and business acceptance | Total reconciliation, sampling | 1,000 to 3,500 |
| Cutover and post-migration support | Cutover weekend, fixes | 500 to 1,500 |
| Total data migration | 8,000 to 30,000 |
This budget comes on top of building the custom application itself. The 1 to 3 month parallel run, during which you still pay the vendor, must be included: for a EUR 6,000 monthly subscription, that is EUR 6,000 to 18,000.
Choosing between staying, switching SaaS or going custom
| Option | 3-year cost (mid-size firm, 150 users) | Advantage | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stay with the 25% increase | EUR 270,000 | No project | Further increases, lock-in |
| Switch SaaS | EUR 180,000 to 230,000 | Speed | Same portability issue |
| Custom application | EUR 150,000 to 210,000 | Ownership of data and code | 4 to 8 month project |
Custom becomes relevant when the tool is core to the business, users exceed a hundred and the features actually used represent less than half of the vendor's catalogue.
Mini case study
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Stéphane, CIO of a distribution company in Lille, pays EUR 72,000 a year for a sales management SaaS that rises to EUR 90,000. He opts for a custom application at EUR 110,000 excl. VAT, data migration at EUR 18,000 excl. VAT and 2 months of parallel run (EUR 15,000). Total investment: EUR 143,000. Annual cost afterwards: hosting and maintenance at EUR 22,000. Over 3 years he spends EUR 187,000 versus EUR 270,000 by staying, saving EUR 83,000, and he owns his data.
FAQ
Does the Data Act apply to my contract signed in 2023?
Yes for switching obligations, applicable since 12 September 2025 to all data processing services, with adjustments for ongoing contracts. A legal review costs EUR 800 to 2,000 excl. VAT.
Can the vendor still charge for the export?
Until 12 January 2027, it may charge reduced fees limited to actual costs. After that, switching charges are banned.
How long does a data migration take?
Count 4 to 10 weeks depending on volume and export quality, including 1 to 2 weeks of business acceptance.
What if the export is incomplete?
Supplement it through the vendor's API where available, which often covers 80 to 95% of the missing data. For the rest, targeted re-entry or read-only archiving is enough.
How do we avoid this trap with the next tool?
Write into the contract a tested annual full export in a documented format, and code ownership for any custom application.
Let's scope your project. We price your SaaS exit (export, migration at EUR 8,000 to 30,000 excl. VAT, custom application) with a cutover plan aligned with your notice period. 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.
