You have a library of .xls or .mdb files and you need to migrate them. Maybe Windows 10 is going end-of-life in October 2025 and your IT team is finally forcing the issue. Maybe Office 2016 support ended and your macros are breaking. Whatever the trigger, you need a real number — not a vague "it depends." This guide gives you the actual pricing ranges across every migration approach, with the factors that drive cost up or down.
| Approach | Excel (.xls → .xlsx) | Access (.mdb → .accdb) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY (free tools) | $0 + your time | $0 + your time | Simple files, no macros, 1–5 files |
| Software (self-service) | $29–$97/file | $99–$347/file | 5–500+ files, macros, VBA |
| Done-for-you service | $97–$347/file | $347–$997/file | Business-critical, guaranteed results |
| Freelance developer | $150–$400/file | $300–$1,500/file | Custom fixes beyond format conversion |
| IT consultant | $200–$500/file | $500–$3,000/file | Enterprise, compliance requirements |
The rest of this guide explains what pushes a file toward the high or low end of each range — and how to know which approach fits your situation.
Cost: $0 in money, variable in time and risk
Excel can open .xls files and save them as .xlsx. Access can convert .mdb to .accdb through the database tools menu. These free paths work fine for simple files with no macros, no ActiveX controls, and no VBA code.
The problems start fast:
Use DIY only if you have five or fewer files and none of them contain macros or linked data. Run the converted file through thorough testing before deleting the original.
Cost: $29–$347 per file, depending on complexity
Software like LegacyLeaps handles everything the DIY path can't: it audits VBA for 64-bit compatibility issues, preserves ActiveX controls, fixes linked table connections, and verifies the output against the source. The free scan shows you exactly what's in each file before you spend anything.
The free scan pays for itself. Before buying any tokens, the LegacyLeaps scanner shows you which files are Standard vs. Pro complexity. Many organizations find 60–70% of their library is Standard-tier — a significant cost difference at scale.
Scan your files for free — LegacyLeaps shows exactly what needs to be converted and what tier each file falls into. No commitment required.
Try the Free ScanCost: $97–$997+ per file, with a guaranteed outcome
For business-critical files where you need a human to verify the output — not just a software pass — LegacyLeaps offers a done-for-you service. A specialist reviews the scan results, performs the migration, tests functionality, and delivers a converted file with a report of what changed.
This makes sense when:
The 14-day money-back guarantee applies to all done-for-you engagements: if the output doesn't preserve your formulas, macros, and formatting, you get a full refund.
Cost: $50–$150/hour, typically $150–$1,500 per file depending on complexity
Hiring a freelance VBA developer makes sense when the migration is inseparable from a code rewrite — for example, if you need to refactor an Access application into a new architecture, not just change the file format. This is a different job than format migration.
Freelancers are expensive for pure format conversion. A developer charging $100/hour who needs 3 hours per complex Access database ($300/file) is more expensive than LegacyLeaps's $347 Pro tier — with less consistency and no audit trail. The developer option is justified when you need custom functionality added, not just the file converted.
Cost: $150–$300/hour, typically $500–$3,000+ per database for full assessments
Enterprise IT consultants add project management, change control documentation, stakeholder coordination, and compliance reporting on top of the technical work. For organizations with 500+ files across multiple departments, formal procurement processes, or regulatory requirements (HIPAA, SOX, FERPA), a consultant-led engagement may be required.
The practical reality: most consultants use migration software as part of their engagement anyway. The premium you pay for a consultant is project management and accountability, not a fundamentally better technical process.
Several factors reliably push migration cost toward the high end of any range:
Any file with VBA code requires a review of 64-bit compatibility, external references, and form controls. Expect 3–5x higher cost per file compared to a macro-free file. This is the single biggest cost driver in Excel migration.
Access databases that link to other .mdb files, ODBC sources, or SharePoint lists require each connection to be tested and re-established after conversion. Miss one, and users will hit silent data errors weeks after migration.
Access queries written in Jet SQL may use syntax that ACE (the modern engine) no longer supports. Rewriting queries adds significant cost — and requires someone with Access expertise, not just a generic developer.
The per-file cost drops significantly with volume. Bulk packs (10, 25, and 50 files) save up to 46% per file depending on type and tier. IT Teams and MSPs have dedicated bundle pricing for department-scale migrations. See current bulk pricing for exact rates.
A file that runs a simple report is tested in 10 minutes. A database that processes end-of-month payroll needs weeks of parallel-run testing before decommissioning the original. Build testing time into your total cost estimate.
Every month you delay migration is a month your team is working around broken compatibility — saving files in compatibility mode, opening .xls files in a legacy VM, manually re-entering data that macros used to process automatically. The productivity cost of maintaining workarounds often exceeds the migration cost within a single quarter.
After Windows 10 reaches end-of-life in October 2025, machines running unsupported OS versions become a compliance and security liability. At that point, migration isn't optional — it's urgent. Migrating now, while you can plan it carefully, is always cheaper than migrating under pressure.
If LegacyLeaps doesn't preserve your formulas, macros, and formatting, we'll refund every penny. No questions asked. Start with the free scan — see exactly what you're working with before spending anything.
Download Free Scanner| Your situation | Recommended path |
|---|---|
| 1–5 files, no macros, not business-critical | DIY with Excel/Access "Save As" |
| 5–50 files, mixed complexity | LegacyLeaps self-service (scan first to identify complexity) |
| 50–500 files, mostly Standard-tier | LegacyLeaps bulk pack (50- or 100-file) |
| Any file driving a critical business process | LegacyLeaps done-for-you with audit trail |
| 500+ files, enterprise change management required | IT Teams plan or done-for-you with consultant coordination |
| Need new functionality, not just format change | Freelance VBA developer (migration software handles the conversion; developer handles the rewrite) |
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