The verdict in three sentences
Custom time and billing software for a Toronto consulting firm costs between CAD 50,000 and 115,000 in 2026, versus CAD 15 to 28 per user per month for a tool like Harvest or Toggl. The real lever isn't the tool price, it's recovering 5 to 10 % of unbilled time: for a 15-consultant firm that's tens of thousands of dollars a year. Custom is justified the moment you want to steer profitability per engagement, not just print invoices.
What a time and billing tool covers
The core of consulting: time capture per consultant and engagement, day-rate management, margin calculation and linked billing. Here are the 2026 line items for Toronto.
| Module | Scope | Range (CAD) |
|---|---|---|
| Time capture | Timesheets, mobile, approval | 10,000 - 20,000 |
| Day-rate management | Rates by role, by client | 7,000 - 14,000 |
| Engagement profitability | Margin, budget vs actual | 11,000 - 22,000 |
| Billing | Time, fixed fee, milestones, credits | 11,000 - 25,000 |
| Dashboards | Utilisation rate, backlog | 7,000 - 20,000 |
| Integration & UAT | Accounting API, migration, tests | 6,000 - 17,000 |
| Total project | Full suite | 50,000 - 115,000 |
Ongoing maintenance is about CAD 850 per month. Delivery takes 4 to 7 months.
The unbilled-time effect (15-consultant firm)
Assume 15 consultants, average day rate CAD 950, 200 billable days per consultant per year.
| Scenario | Unbilled time | Annual loss | Tool gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| No reliable tool | 10 % | 285,000 | - |
| Subscription tool | 6 % | 171,000 | 114,000 |
| Integrated custom | 3 % | 85,500 | 199,500 |
Even conservatively, recovering 3 to 5 points of billable time repays an CAD 85,000 project in under a year. Custom wins when it links capture, profitability and billing in one flow, with no re-keying.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
Michael, partner at an 18-consultant firm in Toronto, estimates unbilled time at 8 %. On 3,600 billable days at CAD 950, that's CAD 273,600 lost per year. A custom tool at CAD 82,000, plus CAD 850 monthly maintenance, cuts the rate to 4 %. Net gain is CAD 136,800 in year one, a payback of roughly 7 months. Bonus: margin per engagement becomes visible in real time.
FAQ
Why not stay on Harvest or Toggl? They capture time but don't finely steer profitability or multi-milestone billing. Above 15 consultants, the lack of integration costs more than the subscription.
What realistic gain to expect? Recovering 5 to 10 % of unbilled time is common in the first 12 months, depending on initial capture discipline.
How long to go live? Between 4 and 7 months, with a usable capture module in 2 to 3 months.
Does it connect to my accounting? Yes, via API; budget CAD 6,000 to 17,000 for integration and migration.
What does maintenance cost? About CAD 10,200 a year (CAD 850 per month) for fixes and minor enhancements.
Let's scope your project. Give us your headcount, average day rate and estimated unbilled-time rate, and we'll model the ROI before the quote. 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.
