The verdict in three sentences
For a training provider with 1,800 learners a year in Dublin, custom management software costs EUR 35,000 to 80,000 in 2026, versus EUR 150 to 400 per month for a training management SaaS. Custom makes sense when your programmes, your funding streams (SOLAS, Skillnet Ireland, Springboard+, employers) and your QQI quality assurance evidence do not fit the boxes of a standard tool. The concrete stake: one day a week of admin saved and a QQI monitoring review prepared in hours instead of two weeks.
What QQI and funders will ask you for
Providers delivering QQI-accredited programmes must keep their quality assurance procedures alive and evidenced. In practice, during monitoring or a programme review, the reviewer samples a few cohorts and asks for evidence: joining instructions, programme descriptor, entry assessment, attendance records, assessment results with internal verification and external authentication, learner feedback and complaints handling. With files spread across SharePoint, hand-signed PDFs and spreadsheets, rebuilding ten cohorts takes days.
| Requirement | Manual process | With adapted software | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public information (programme, entry requirements, access) | Web pages updated by hand | Course catalogue published automatically | Information to learners |
| Entry assessment and recognition of prior learning | Paper form | Online test linked to learner record | Access and progression |
| Joining instructions and attendance | Email and signed sheet | Automatic invitations, time-stamped digital attendance | Learner engagement |
| Assessment and verification | Scanned scripts | Results, internal verification and external authentication archived | Assessment |
| Learner feedback | 30 to 40% response rate | Automated reminders, 70 to 85% response | Monitoring and review |
| Complaints and improvement | Spreadsheet | Register with corrective actions | Continuous improvement |
Time-stamped digital attendance, signed by learner and tutor, is accepted by most funders and is what releases funding claims fastest.
SaaS or custom: 2026 figures
Training management SaaS products are plentiful and well suited to a standard provider. Custom becomes relevant with apprenticeships, modular programmes, several sites or tight integration with your website and e-learning platform. Dublin developer rates explain why budgets are higher than in France.
| Criterion | Training management SaaS | Custom software |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | EUR 0 to 3,000 setup | EUR 35,000 to 80,000 |
| Recurring cost | EUR 150 to 400 per month, often per learner | EUR 400 to 900 per month (hosting, maintenance) |
| 5-year cost | EUR 9,000 to 27,000 | EUR 59,000 to 134,000 |
| QQI evidence and certification uploads | Generic exports | Structured to your QA procedures, ready for QBS uploads |
| Funding claims and invoicing | Fixed templates | Multi-funder invoices, claim tracking, reminders |
| Website, LMS, CRM integration | Limited to built-in connectors | Full (catalogue, enrolment, Moodle) |
| Go-live time | 2 to 4 weeks | 4 to 5 months |
Over five years, SaaS is cheaper to buy. The maths changes once you count the time lost on workarounds: a provider with 1,800 learners that re-keys funding data and rebuilds annual returns by hand easily spends 15 to 20 days a year on it.
Typical scope and timeline
A serious project covers the learner record, course catalogue, cohorts and tutor schedules, joining instructions, digital attendance on tablet or phone, assessments, multi-funder invoicing, annual returns and a quality dashboard. Scoping takes two weeks, development twelve to sixteen weeks, then a month of parallel running on pilot cohorts. Start at least five months before your next QQI engagement, and plan GDPR compliance from day one since learner data is personal data under Irish Data Protection Commission oversight.
Mini case study
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Aoife, director of a training provider with 1,800 learners a year in Dublin, employs two administrators. Each spends about one day a week on joining instructions, attendance chasing and funding claims. At a loaded cost of EUR 280 per day, those 2 days a week amount to EUR 25,800 a year over 46 weeks. Add 15 days of annual return and review preparation, EUR 4,200, and around EUR 9,000 of claims paid late or rejected for missing evidence. Estimated annual gain: EUR 39,000. For software at EUR 55,000 plus EUR 7,800 a year of maintenance, payback comes in about 21 months, as an order of magnitude, faster if learner numbers grow.
FAQ
Is digital attendance accepted by Irish funders?
Yes, provided it is time-stamped, named and signed by learner and tutor for each session. It typically cuts claim processing time by 2 to 4 weeks.
Does the software help with QQI reviews?
Yes, evidence is stored by cohort against your quality assurance procedures, so sampling ten cohorts takes under an hour instead of several days.
How long before a review should we start?
Allow at least five months: four for development and one to accumulate cohorts documented in the tool. Reviewers need to see real evidence, not a demo.
Can it connect to our e-learning platform?
Yes, a Moodle or other LMS integration brings back login time and quiz results, useful as engagement evidence for blended programmes. Budget EUR 5,000 to 10,000 for this module.
Why not just take a SaaS at EUR 200 a month?
It is often the right choice below 500 learners a year. Beyond that, with several funders and modular programmes, re-keying costs more than the price difference.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your learner volume, funders and next review date and we will price software between EUR 35,000 and 80,000, delivered in 4 to 5 months. 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.
