The verdict in three sentences
A custom Salesforce integration costs between 15,000 and 40,000 EUR excl. VAT in 2026 for a standard scope (sync with billing, website, ERP) and 40,000 to 90,000 EUR once you add Apex development, APIs and automations. The main technical constraint is Salesforce's governor limits, which force a careful architecture. The ROI: a reliable pipeline, consolidated forecasts and -40 % sales data entry.
What the Salesforce budget covers
Salesforce is powerful but constrained: its platform enforces governor limits (API calls, SOQL queries, batch size) that make any "raw" integration naive. The budget covers the choice between native integration (standard API) and middleware, a design respecting those limits, any Apex development, and automations (Flow, triggers).
| Cost item 2026 | Standard | Advanced (Apex/API) |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping & architecture | 3,000 - 6,000 EUR | 6,000 - 12,000 EUR |
| Integration & mapping | 8,000 - 20,000 EUR | 20,000 - 45,000 EUR |
| Apex / Flow development | light, included | 8,000 - 20,000 EUR |
| Testing & governor limits | 2,000 - 5,000 EUR | 5,000 - 12,000 EUR |
| Annual maintenance | 15 - 20 % of build | 15 - 20 % of build |
Native, middleware or real time
The right choice depends on data freshness and volume. A nightly batch sync easily respects the limits; event-driven real time requires a middleware architecture with queues so as not to saturate API quotas.
| Approach | Freshness | Governor-limit risk | Budget 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native nightly batch | 24 h | Low | 15,000 - 25,000 EUR |
| Hourly sync | 1 h | Medium | 25,000 - 40,000 EUR |
| Event-driven middleware | Near real time | Managed via queues | 45,000 - 70,000 EUR |
| Multi-flow + Apex | Real time | High without design | 70,000 - 90,000 EUR |
| Middleware hosting / month | - | - | 100 - 300 EUR |
Mini case study
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Thomas, sales director of a 40-person SaaS SME in Paris, wants to link Salesforce to his billing tool and website. His 8 reps each spend 45 min/day re-keying quotes and statuses, i.e. 6 h/day × 220 days = 1,320 h/year. At 45 EUR/h loaded, that is 59,400 EUR/year. He invests 38,000 EUR excl. VAT in a standard integration with hourly sync and a few Flows. Data entry drops 40 %, recovering 23,760 EUR/year, and forecasts become reliable for the exec committee. The project pays back in about 19 months, including 6,000 EUR/year maintenance.
FAQ
What are governor limits? They are Salesforce's enforced quotas (API calls/day, SOQL queries, batch size) that protect its shared platform. A poorly designed integration exceeds them and fails: respecting them is a real share of the design and testing budget.
Do I need Apex development? Not always. Many needs are handled by configuration (Flow, standard API). Apex becomes necessary for complex business logic or bulk processing, adding 8,000 to 20,000 EUR excl. VAT.
How much is Salesforce maintenance? Budget 15 to 20 % of the build per year, i.e. 3,000 to 18,000 EUR. Salesforce ships three major releases a year; without maintenance, your automations can break.
Can I do real time without exceeding quotas? Yes, via middleware with queues that smooth API calls and replay on error. That is the 45,000-70,000 EUR approach, essential beyond a certain volume.
How long to deliver? A standard integration takes 6 to 10 weeks, an Apex-and-middleware project 3 to 5 months, including QA and limit compliance.
Let's scope your project. Describe your Salesforce org, the systems to connect and the freshness you need: we price a native or middleware integration compliant with governor limits. 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.
