- In a spreadsheet with the Base Empreinte, the direct cost is zero (only the time spent); via a platform, expect €2,000 to €5,000 per year for an SME.
- A full footprint supported by a consulting firm starts around €10,000.
- The price varies with size, boundary, the extent of scope 3 and the level of support.
- Support exists, such as the Diag Décarbon'Action (fewer than 500 employees), with a remaining amount payable of around €6,000.
How much does a carbon footprint cost?
It depends on the method. Three main approaches, three price levels.
In-house in a spreadsheet, with the public factors of the Base Empreinte, the direct cost is zero: you only pay for the time spent. It is doable for a simple first footprint, with a small boundary, provided you have trained a minimum: even short, building up skills on the method avoids the boundary and factor errors that would make the result unusable.
Via a carbon accounting platform, that is, a tool with minimal support, expect roughly €2,000 to €5,000 per year for an SME, according to ADEME's business ecological transition service. You save time, you make the calculation more reliable and you track your emissions from one year to the next. A solution that adds real expert support, like Ditto, sits between this self-service platform and the consulting firm.
With a consulting firm or a consultant, a full supported footprint starts around €10,000, and climbs with size and boundary. You delegate the bulk of it, but you remain dependent at each exercise if the method is not taught to you.
| Approach | Cost order | For whom |
|---|---|---|
| Spreadsheet + Base Empreinte | Internal time only | Simple first footprint, small boundary |
| Platform / software | ≈ €2,000 to €5,000 per year | SME structuring and repeating its process |
| Consulting firm / consultant | From ≈ €10,000 | Full supported footprint, large boundary |
What makes the price vary?
Four factors, mainly.
Size and boundary: the more sites, entities and flows to cover, the longer collection and calculation take.
Scope 3: this is the biggest cost driver. Covering the value chain and chasing supplier data takes far more effort than scopes 1 and 2 alone. We explain it in our article dedicated to scope 3.
The level of support: self-service software costs less than human support, but leaves you to settle the method decisions alone or with limited support.
Recurrence: the first footprint is the most expensive, because everything has to be built. Later ones are faster, method and sources already in place.
How much does a carbon footprint cost for an SME?
For an SME, the right level depends on your goal more than on a single price. A first orientation measurement can go through a spreadsheet or an entry-level platform; a robust footprint, intended for your customers and your ratings, justifies a supported platform or a consulting firm. The orders of magnitude are those of the table above, and the support detailed below can cover part of it. The approach suited to this size is described in our article on the SME carbon footprint.
Is there support to finance your carbon footprint?
Yes, and it is often overlooked. The Diag Décarbon'Action, run by Bpifrance, ADEME and the Association pour la transition Bas Carbone, supports companies with fewer than 500 employees through a first footprint, carried out by an accredited provider. It includes a footprint on scopes 1, 2 and 3, a costed action plan and a presentation to management, over about six to eight months. Thanks to the public subsidy (on the order of 40% of the cost), the remaining amount payable is around €6,000 on a cost of about €10,000.
It is a good lever to finance a first measurement. Keep in mind that it is a one-off service: once this first footprint is in place, the challenge becomes maintaining it every year, deepening scope 3 and reusing the data for your ratings and your reporting, which is a continuous process and not a one-off diagnosis.
Software, consultant or supported solution?
Three models, three ways of balancing cost and independence. Software alone is the cheapest, but you move forward with limited support on the method decisions. The consulting firm does the work for you, more expensive, and often leaves you dependent for the next footprint. The supported solution, platform plus expert, sits between the two: you are equipped and guided, and you become more self-sufficient at each cycle.
This last point matters as much as the price. A first footprint gets stuck less on the calculation than on the decisions (boundary, where to draw the line, categories with no data, scope 3 priorities), and the real question is what you are left with afterwards: a figure delivered once, or a method you will be able to reproduce without paying again each exercise. The choice of tool is detailed in our article on carbon accounting software.
Control the cost of your footprint with Ditto
Ditto combines the platform and the expert: your emissions data centralized, the Base Empreinte factors built in, coverage of scopes 1, 2 and 3, and a dedicated coach who teaches you the method. The stated goal is for you to run it yourself, not to depend on a service to redo every year. And the same data feeds your EcoVadis ratings, your CDP responses and your CSRD reporting, which avoids paying several times for the same information. If you are starting out, a platform like Ditto saves time, but a well-kept spreadsheet and a clear boundary already lay good groundwork.
Estimate the cost of your carbon process
A Ditto expert reviews with you your boundary, your needs and the support you can tap.
Carbon footprint cost: key takeaways
| Element | Summary |
|---|---|
| Spreadsheet | Free (internal time), for a simple first footprint |
| Platform | ≈ €2,000 to €5,000 per year for an SME (ADEME) |
| Consulting firm | From ≈ €10,000 for a full supported footprint |
| Support | Diag Décarbon'Action: remaining amount payable ≈ €6,000 (fewer than 500 employees) |
| What makes it vary | Size, boundary, scope 3, support, first time or recurrence |
| To aim for | Self-sufficiency at the next cycle, not a service to redo every year |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a carbon footprint cost for an SME?
According to ADEME, expect roughly €2,000 to €5,000 per year via a platform, and around €10,000 for a full supported footprint by a consulting firm. A simple first footprint can be done in a spreadsheet, at the sole cost of internal time. Support such as the Diag Décarbon'Action sharply reduces the bill.
What makes the price of a carbon footprint vary?
The size and boundary of the company, the extent of scope 3 covered, the level of support chosen, and whether it is a first footprint or a recurring exercise. Scope 3 and support are the two heaviest factors.
Is there support to finance a carbon footprint?
Yes. The Diag Décarbon'Action (Bpifrance, ADEME, Association pour la transition Bas Carbone) supports companies with fewer than 500 employees, with a public subsidy that brings the remaining amount payable to around €6,000. The amounts change, to be checked during the year.
Is software or a consultant better?
Software alone is the cheapest but leaves you alone on the method; the consulting firm does the work but costs more and creates dependence. A supported solution, platform plus expert, combines tool and method and lets you run it yourself over the cycles.
