The verdict in three sentences
A trilingual EN/FR/AR corporate website for an industrial group costs MAD 180,000 to 420,000 excl. VAT in 2026 when built with a Moroccan or nearshore team, roughly EUR 16,500 to 38,500 (USD 18,000 to 42,000); Dubai-based agencies typically quote 1.5 to 2 times more. Arabic is not just another translation: right-to-left (RTL) reading adds 15 to 25 % to integration cost and forces decisions from the mock-up stage. Provider choice (Casablanca agency, Paris agency or nearshore team in Dakar) moves the budget by 30 to 50 % for the same scope.
Why a trilingual site with Arabic costs more
A CIO who has already run an EN/FR site often assumes that adding Arabic means adding a column in the CMS. In reality, RTL affects layout, typography, directional icons, forms, figure tables and SEO. Numbers usually stay in Western digits, but dates, menus and carousels flip.
| Line item | EN/FR site | EN/FR/AR site (RTL) | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| UX/UI mock-ups | MAD 30,000 | MAD 39,000 | + 30 % (RTL variants) |
| Front-end integration | MAD 70,000 | MAD 84,000 | + 15 to 25 % |
| Arabic web typeface licence | MAD 0 | MAD 4,000 to 15,000 | New line |
| Multilingual CMS setup | MAD 12,000 | MAD 18,000 | + 50 % |
| International SEO (hreflang, /ar/ URLs) | MAD 8,000 | MAD 13,000 | + 60 % |
| Multilingual QA | MAD 10,000 | MAD 17,000 | + 70 % |
QA is the most underestimated line: every template must be tested in three languages on mobile and desktop, with Arabic copy often 20 to 30 % shorter or longer depending on the section. For reference, MAD 10,000 is about EUR 920 or USD 1,000.
Full budget and translation cost
Professional translation is billed per source word. In 2026, a sworn translator or specialist agency in Morocco charges MAD 0.9 to 1.4 per word for French or English into Arabic, a little more for technical content (industrial product sheets, standards, ESG reports). Post-edited machine translation drops to MAD 0.4 to 0.6 per word but remains risky for corporate and financial pages. Gulf-based translation agencies usually charge USD 0.12 to 0.20 per word.
| Scope | Pages per language | Source words | EN + AR translation | Development | Total excl. VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate essentials | 25 | 15,000 | MAD 27,000 to 42,000 | MAD 150,000 to 180,000 | MAD 180,000 to 220,000 |
| Corporate + products | 45 | 30,000 | MAD 54,000 to 84,000 | MAD 190,000 to 230,000 | MAD 245,000 to 310,000 |
| Group + subsidiaries | 70 | 45,000 | MAD 81,000 to 126,000 | MAD 240,000 to 290,000 | MAD 320,000 to 420,000 |
| Monthly maintenance | MAD 4,000 to 12,000 | ||||
| Translating updates | 2,000 words/month | MAD 3,600 to 5,600/month |
The average timeline is 12 to 18 weeks, of which 3 to 5 weeks go to translation and business approval alone. Agree a validated technical glossary before translation starts: it avoids back-and-forth worth 10 to 15 % of the translation budget.
Local agency, Paris agency or nearshore Dakar
The group can hand the project to three kinds of teams. Each has strengths, and the right choice depends on the Arabic quality required and internal governance.
| Criterion | Casablanca agency | Paris agency | Nearshore team in Dakar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget excl. VAT (45 pages, 3 languages) | MAD 230,000 to 310,000 | MAD 380,000 to 520,000 | MAD 190,000 to 260,000 |
| Average day rate | MAD 3,500 to 5,500 | MAD 7,500 to 9,500 | MAD 3,000 to 4,500 |
| Native Arabic expertise | Strong | Weak, subcontracted | Medium, partner translation |
| Headless / Next.js expertise | Variable | Strong | Strong |
| Time zone vs Morocco | Same | + 1 h | Same in winter, - 1 h in summer |
| Timeline | 12 to 16 weeks | 14 to 18 weeks | 12 to 16 weeks |
A common 2026 setup: development by a nearshore team experienced in headless, Arabic translation and proofreading by a specialist agency, project management by the group's IT department. This cuts the budget by 20 to 30 % compared with a Paris agency, with equal RTL quality.
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Mini case study
Karim, CIO of a 1,200-employee agri-industrial group with a regional office in Dubai, must launch a 45-page site per language. His source text volume is 30,000 words. EN + AR translation at MAD 1.1 per word per language: MAD 66,000. He compares two development offers: MAD 210,000 (nearshore Dakar) and MAD 420,000 (Paris agency). With translation, totals are MAD 276,000 and MAD 486,000. The MAD 210,000 gap (about EUR 19,300) funds three years of maintenance at MAD 6,000 per month (MAD 216,000). Karim picks the nearshore setup with native Arabic proofreading at MAD 18,000, i.e. MAD 294,000 excl. VAT (about EUR 27,000), delivered in 15 weeks.
FAQ
How much does a trilingual EN/FR/AR website cost in 2026?
Budget MAD 180,000 to 420,000 excl. VAT (about EUR 16,500 to 38,500) with Moroccan or nearshore teams. Translation usually represents 15 to 30 % of the total.
Why does Arabic cost more than another language?
Right-to-left reading requires mock-up and integration variants, adding 15 to 25 % to front-end cost. You also need a quality Arabic web font, MAD 4,000 to 15,000 in licensing.
What does professional Arabic translation cost?
MAD 0.9 to 1.4 per source word in Morocco in 2026, or USD 0.12 to 0.20 with Gulf agencies. Post-edited machine translation is cheaper but not advised for financial pages.
What timeline should we plan?
12 to 18 weeks, including 3 to 5 weeks of translation and approval. A glossary validated upfront saves 1 to 2 weeks.
Do we need a special CMS for Arabic?
No, a headless CMS such as Sanity or Strapi handles multilingual and RTL content well. The critical points are front-end integration and QA in three languages.
Let's scope your project. Share your sitemap and text volume: we will price your EN/FR/AR site with RTL integration, an indicative budget and a 12 to 18 week plan. 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.
