The verdict in three sentences
For an 18-truck regional carrier, a vertical TMS (Shippeo, Dashdoc, DDS) is hard to beat below 10,000 EUR/year as long as your routes fit the standard. Custom software (45,000-75,000 EUR one-off + 15% annual maintenance) only pays off when route optimization, multi-client invoicing and telematics + accounting integration save you 9 hours/week and 6% of empty miles. Under 15 trucks, buy; beyond that, with strong business rules, building breaks even in 28 months.
Build vs Buy: the real 2026 comparison
The classic trap is comparing purchase price to development price. Think total cost of ownership (TCO) over 5 years, integration and maintenance included.
| Criterion | Vertical TMS (SaaS) | Custom TMS |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | 35-65 EUR/user/month | 45,000-75,000 EUR one-off |
| Cost 12 seats | ~8,000 EUR/year | 15%/year maintenance |
| Rollout | 4-8 weeks | 12-18 weeks |
| Custom business rules | Limited | Unlimited |
| Data ownership | Vendor | You |
| Telematics integration | Standard (add-on) | Native |
| Scalability | Vendor roadmap | On demand |
| Reversibility | Limited export | Source code delivered |
5-year TCO: where it's decided
| Item | Vertical 12 seats | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| License / initial build | 40,000 EUR (5 yrs) | 60,000 EUR |
| Accounting + telematics integration | 6,000 EUR | included |
| Maintenance | included | 45,000 EUR (5 x 9,000) |
| GDPR hosting (Scaleway) | n/a (SaaS) | 4,200 EUR (5 yrs) |
| Team training | 2,500 EUR | 3,500 EUR |
| 5-year total | ~48,500 EUR | ~112,700 EUR |
On paper the vertical is half the price. Custom only pulls ahead when operational gains (planning hours, empty miles, invoice disputes) exceed 13,000 EUR/year, common beyond 20 trucks.
Optimization modules that move the needle
| Module | Estimated gain | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Route optimization | -6% empty miles | High |
| Automated planning | 9 hours/week | High |
| Multi-client invoicing | -80% errors | High |
| Telematics (GPS) integration | Real-time tracking | Medium |
| Accounting bridge (Sage) | -4 hours/week | Medium |
| Client portal / proof of delivery | +NPS | Medium |
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Mini case study
Renaud runs a regional carrier in Montreal (18 trucks, 24 staff) and spends 9 hours/week building routes in Excel. At a loaded cost of 32 EUR/hour, that is ~13,400 EUR/year in planning time. A custom build at 60,000 EUR + 9,000 EUR/year maintenance saves 7 hours/week of planning (10,400 EUR/year) and 6% of empty miles over 620,000 km, i.e. ~9,300 EUR/year in fuel. Annual gain: ~19,700 EUR. Against an annualized cost of ~22,500 EUR in year one then 13,200 EUR after, break-even lands near 28 months.
FAQ
What is the minimum budget for a custom TMS in 2026? Expect 45,000-75,000 EUR for an MVP covering routes, invoicing and accounting integration, plus 15%/year maintenance (2026 order of magnitude).
Is a vertical TMS enough for 18 trucks? Often yes: at ~8,000 EUR/year for 12 seats it covers 80% of needs. Custom pays off when routing or invoicing rules fall outside the standard.
How long to develop a custom TMS? Between 12 and 18 weeks for a first operational scope, telematics integration and accounting bridge included.
What real gain on empty miles? A well-tuned route optimizer targets -6% empty miles, i.e. several thousand euros of fuel per year on an 18-truck fleet.
Does the data stay local? Yes: Scaleway or OVH hosting guarantees GDPR compliance and sovereignty over your transport data.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your fleet size, target integrations (telematics, accounting) and indicative budget, and we frame build vs buy. 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.
