Contents
Modernizing an Access or FileMaker application into a web app usually costs $6,800 to $22,400 (€6,000–€20,000)excl. VAT, data migration included, over 1 to 3 months. The benefits: access from any device, per-user permissions, reliable backups and connections to your other tools, without losing your existing business rules.
Many companies run part of their business on an Access or FileMaker database built years ago, often by an enthusiastic employee. These tools have served them extremely well. But as the company grows, they show their limits: awkward remote access, corrupted files, only one person able to make changes. Here is how to modernize them without losing what they contain.
The most common limitations
A database like this remains useful as long as it serves a small team in one office. The difficulties come with growth:
- access outside the office: remote work, traveling sales reps, technicians on site;
- reliability: a file shared on a server, simultaneous access, risk of corruption;
- access rights: hard to finely restrict what each user can see;
- dependence on one person who knows the structure and macros;
- isolation: little or no connection to the website, accounting, a CRM or a mobile tool;
- backups, sometimes manual or never tested.
What staying on FileMaker costs
FileMaker is published by Claris, which offers a cloud-hosted version. According to the Claris pricing page, checked in October 2026, the FileMaker Cloud “Starter” plan is listed at US$22 per user per month (5 to 10 users) and the “Max” plan at US$45 per user per month (5 to 99 users), both billed annually. Claris also offers self-hosting licenses on a separate page.
Weigh those amounts against your needs: if FileMaker suits you and you only want remote access, staying on the platform may be the simplest solution. For Access, the cost is mostly indirect: time spent maintaining the database, incidents, and workarounds because it cannot easily be used outside the company network.
What a web app changes
Moving to a web app keeps the substance (your data, your rules) and changes the form:
| Aspect | Access or FileMaker database | Custom web app |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Workstation or company network, depending on setup | Browser, on computer, tablet or phone |
| Simultaneous users | Limited, risk of conflicts | Designed for concurrent use |
| Permissions | Often all-or-nothing | Fine-grained roles and permissions per user |
| Backups | Often manual | Automatic, with tested restores |
| Connections | Limited | APIs to accounting, CRM, website, ERP |
| Maintenance | Depends on one person | Documented code, transferred to the company |
The database used is PostgreSQL, an open standard. Permission management is covered in managing role-based access in an application.
Budget and timelines
The ranges below exclude VAT and include data migration. They are based on my business app pricing and the estimator’s building blocks.
| Original database | Typical content | Indicative budget | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple database | A few tables, forms, printable reports | $6,800 to $11,200 (€6,000–€10,000)excl. VAT | 1 to 2 months |
| Business database | Dozens of tables, calculation rules, several user profiles | $11,200 to $18,000 (€10,000–€16,000)excl. VAT | 2 to 3 months |
| Database at the core of operations | The above + PDF documents, dashboard, integrations | $18,000 to $22,400 (€16,000–€20,000)excl. VAT | 2 to 3 months |
Beyond that, for example if the database spans several departments and needs to open up to customers, you are closer to a custom ERP ($16,800 to $56,000 (€15,000–€50,000)excl. VAT). The estimator gives you a first range based on the features you select. Data migration is covered in detail in migrating your data from old software.
When to keep Access or FileMaker
I do not recommend modernizing just for the sake of it. Keep your current tool if:
- it serves a small team in one place, with no need for remote access;
- it is stable, backed up, and someone knows how to maintain it;
- it does not need to communicate with other software;
- for FileMaker, if the Claris cloud version meets your remote access needs at an acceptable cost.
In those cases, simply secure the backups and document the structure. Modernization can wait until a real need arises.
How the modernization works
- Database analysis: tables, relationships, queries, macros or scripts, printed reports. Hidden business rules are identified.
- Scoping (1 to 2 weeks): scope of the first version, what to keep, what to simplify, fixed quote.
- Clickable mockups based on the current screens, tested by users.
- Development in batches and data migration on a copy, checked with you.
- Switchover, with the old database in read-only mode during the transition, followed by training.
- Three months of support after go-live.
The source code and rights are transferred to you once paid in full. If your “database” is actually a set of linked Excel files, the page on replacing shared Excel files with an app follows the same logic. My full approach is described on the business apps page.
Frequently asked questions
Will we lose our data when moving off Access or FileMaker?
No. Tables, records and relationships are exported and imported into a PostgreSQL database. The migration is tested on a copy before the switchover, and any discrepancies are checked with you. Data cleaned up along the way is often more reliable than before.
Will users have to relearn everything?
Less than you might think. I start from the existing screens and habits to design the mockups, which users test before development. What worked well is kept; what wasted time is fixed.
Will the app work on tablets and phones?
Yes. The web app adapts to every screen size and can be installed on mobile as a PWA, with notifications and offline access if the need justifies it.
Can we keep the current database during the transition?
Yes. The old database stays available in read-only mode during the switchover, so you can compare and roll back if a problem appears. It is archived once the new app is approved.