What does an API integration cost?

What does an API integration cost?

That depends on your systems, your data and your rules. An integration that only sends new orders from your webshop to your accounting software is something different from an integration that keeps customers, orders and stock up to date in both directions. A single amount therefore says little about your situation. What does help: knowing where the costs are. Then you can assess a quote properly.

The costs consist of two parts:

• One-off: finding out how the systems work, building the integration, testing with real examples and explaining it to your team.
• Every month: hosting, subscriptions and maintenance, so that the integration keeps running when something changes.

What was an API integration again? Read the explanation for business owners.

Why do you only get a fixed price after the analysis?

Because no two integrations are the same. Two businesses with the same webshop and the same accounting package can have very different rules. A price without knowing your systems and data is a guess. That guess turns out too high, or too low.

That is why, with me, you start with a business analysis. I look at which data needs to go back and forth, which systems you have and whether there is already a standard integration that is enough. After that, you get a proposal with a fixed price, so you know in advance where you stand. That price is fixed for everything we agree in it. If you go ahead, I offset the analysis against the follow-up work.

Does your data need cleaning up first, for example because the same customer appears three times in a system? Then that is extra work. I only do that once you agree in writing to its price.

What makes an API integration more or less expensive?

The price depends mainly on the APIs, the amount of data and the number of rules. In a table:

A few points in more detail:

How good is the API?

Some suppliers document their API clearly, with examples and a test environment. With others, the documentation is brief or outdated. Then it takes more time to work out how it works. Sometimes you first request access from the supplier. SnelStart, for example, has a request form for that.

One way or both ways?

One way is the simplest. Both ways requires clear agreements: which system applies if a customer has been changed in both? Building and testing those rules takes time.

How much data goes through?

Many APIs have a limit on the number of requests per minute or per day. If a lot of data goes through the integration, it has to handle that smartly. For example by sending data in batches, or at quiet times.

Which costs are added each month?

An integration has to run somewhere and it has to be maintained. That is why there are monthly costs. With me, the integration runs on my hosting. I charge hosting, subscriptions and maintenance together, in one amount per month. We agree that amount together, and it is in the proposal.

Maintenance is needed because the world around the integration changes. Suppliers change their API or switch off an old version. A key expires. A new VAT rate or a new product group is added. Then the integration has to keep up.

Also watch out for costs from the suppliers of your packages. Sometimes access to the API comes with a particular subscription. Check this before you start.

How do you pay for a standard integration or an integration platform?

A standard integration or an integration platform is often a good way to start. You then usually pay per month. The amounts differ per provider and change often. Check the provider for the current price.

Standard integration

Many accounting packages have an app store or an overview of integrations, such as Exact Online and SnelStart. Those integrations are often made by other companies. Check the integration itself to see what it costs, and whether you pay once or per month.

Integration platform

With an integration platform, you pay a subscription. With many platforms, the price depends on the number of steps the platform carries out for you. There is often an entry-level plan with a limit on the number of steps. If you need more, you pay more. A few examples of how that works, checked on 7 October 2026:

• Zapier charges by tasks. The more tasks per month, the higher the subscription.
• Make charges by credits. Most steps in an automation cost one credit.
• Power Automate from Microsoft can be used with many Microsoft 365 licences, but then only with standard connectors. For so-called premium connectors, you need an extra licence. Microsoft indicates for each connector whether it is premium.

With an integration platform, also count your own time. Someone in your business builds the steps, maintains them and fixes things when something goes wrong.

Standard integration, integration platform or custom: what suits you?

Each option has its place. An honest comparison:

Does a standard integration do what you need? Then I recommend it. I don't receive commission from suppliers. I only build a custom integration if the other options don't fit. Is a whole system missing, and not just an integration? Then read what custom software costs.

When is a custom integration worth the money?

When the work comes up often and goes the same way every time. Then the integration takes over something that would otherwise be done by hand every day or week. Errors from retyping also disappear.

It is often not worth it if it involves a few lines a week, if your way of working still changes often, or if you will soon replace one of the systems. Then retyping is fine.

Not sure? Then write down for a few weeks how often someone retypes data, how long it takes and which errors result from it. With those figures from your own business, you can weigh up the price of an integration properly. Do you recognise the retyping? Then read more about double data entry.

How do you compare quotes for an API integration?

Are two quotes far apart? Then they often don't describe the same thing. So don't just look at the amount at the bottom, but compare them side by side on these points:

• What exactly is being connected. Which data, which direction and which exceptions? If it only says ‘integration webshop and accounting’, ask for more detail.
• One-off and monthly together. A low build price with a high monthly amount can turn out more expensive over a few years. Add both up over the period you want to use the integration.
• What the monthly amount includes. Only hosting, or also maintenance and changes when a supplier changes its API?
• Fixed price or hours. Is the price fixed, or do you pay by the hour? And what happens if it turns out to be more work?
• What is excluded. Cleaning up data, transferring historical data, an extra system: does it say whether that is charged separately?
• Testing, alerts and explanation. Is it tested with real examples? Does a named person get notified when something goes wrong? And does someone explain to your team how it works?

An integration without error alerts sometimes looks more favourable on paper. But if it stops without anyone noticing, you only find out when orders or invoices are missing.

Which questions do you ask a builder?

Whether you work with me or with someone else: ask these questions before you sign.

1. What happens if the integration can't process something? Who gets notified, and who fixes it?
2. What do you do if a supplier changes its API? Is that covered by the maintenance?
3. Where does the integration run, and who can access my data? Will we sign a data processing agreement?
4. Who owns the code? And how do I get it if we stop?
5. Is there a standard integration that is enough? A good builder tells you honestly if you don't need custom work.

What do you arrange in advance?

With a few things in order, you know in advance where you stand:

• Your systems and subscriptions. Which packages do you use, and does each package have an API in your subscription?
• Access. Who in your business can grant access to the API, for example with an API key?
• Examples. A few ordinary cases and a few tricky ones, such as an order with a discount or a customer abroad.
• Your own figures. How often is data retyped now, how long does that take and what goes wrong?
• Agreements about data. Does personal data go through the integration? Then we sign a data processing agreement. I do that for every assignment.
• A named person for alerts. Who gets notified when the integration can't process something, and who fixes it?

What does the process look like?

This is how it works with me, step by step:

1. Introduction. A first conversation, free of charge. You tell me what you want to connect.
2. Business analysis. I look at your systems, your data and how the work is done now.
3. Proposal. You get in writing what I will build, what it costs and what is added each month. The proposal is yours, even if you do it yourself or have someone else do it.
4. Building. Building an integration between two systems usually takes 2–3 weeks. You pay half at the start and half on delivery.
5. Testing and explanation. We test with real examples. I explain to someone in your team how the integration works.
6. Maintenance. The integration runs with me. You pay for hosting and maintenance per month.

Read more about having an API integration built, about my way of working and about how your price is determined. Want to know what it costs for you? Schedule a call.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: Zapier: plans, Make: plans, Microsoft: Power Automate licensing FAQ, Exact Online app store (in Dutch), SnelStart: integrations (in Dutch) and SnelStart: requesting an API integration (in Dutch). Consulted on 7 October 2026. Prices of other software change often: check the provider's website for the current price.