The verdict in three sentences
A banking corporate website costs between 60,000 and 180,000 EUR (net) depending on the number of languages, entities and integrations. The non-negotiable items are WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility, CSP headers, compliant hosting and an annual security audit. A realistic timeline is 4 to 7 months with a dedicated project manager and weekly reviews.
The real budget lines of a bank website
A communications director running this project should break the budget down by work package rather than reason in a single lump sum. The variance comes from the number of languages, the CMS with a validation workflow, and integrations (CRM, client area, investor relations newsroom).
| Line item | 2026 range (EUR net) | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| UX/UI design + design system | 12,000 - 35,000 | Guidelines, components, mockups |
| Front-end + headless CMS | 25,000 - 70,000 | Sanity/Strapi + editorial workflow |
| WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility | 6,000 - 15,000 | Audit + fixes + certification |
| Security audit (pentest) | 8,000 - 20,000 | Intrusion test + report |
| Multilingual (per language) | 3,000 - 6,000 | Translation + integration |
| Integrations (CRM, IR, press) | 10,000 - 40,000 | Depends on existing APIs |
| Project total | 60,000 - 180,000 | Excluding maintenance |
Recurring maintenance runs 1,500 to 4,000 EUR/month: it covers the SLA, monitoring, security updates and editorial changes.
The compliance requirements to tick off
In banking, non-compliance is not a cosmetic remark: it exposes you to sanctions and reputational risk. Here are the obligations your provider must put in the contract.
| Requirement | 2026 expected level | Proof to demand |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | WCAG 2.1 AA | Compliance report + statement |
| Data protection | GDPR-grade + region hosting | DPA + server location |
| Transport security | TLS 1.3, HSTS, CSP | SSL Labs A+ scan |
| Availability | 99.9% SLA | Contractual commitment + penalties |
| Backup | Encrypted daily backup | Tested restore procedure |
| Logging | Logs kept 12 months | Retention policy |
| Audit | Annual pentest | Report + remediation plan |
A 99.9% SLA allows about 8 h 45 of downtime per year: beyond that, penalties must be priced into the contract.
Mini case study
Sophie, communications director of a regional banking group in Dubai, is running the redesign of three sites (retail bank, private bank, newsroom). Approved budget: 145,000 EUR (net), three languages, 6-month timeline. She demands a security audit (14,000 EUR) and a 99.9% SLA with penalties. Over 3 years, by sharing the design system across the three entities, she saves about 40,000 EUR compared with three separate projects, and pooled maintenance (3,200 EUR/month) stays within her annual 40,000 EUR envelope.
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FAQ
How much does a banking group website really cost in 2026?
Between 60,000 and 180,000 EUR (net) depending on languages, entities and integrations. A bilingual single-entity corporate site starts around 60,000 EUR; a multi-site set with an investor area exceeds 150,000 EUR.
Is WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility really mandatory?
Yes for financial services in most regulated markets. Budget 6,000 to 15,000 EUR for the audit and fixes, and demand a published accessibility statement.
What budget for the security audit?
A full pentest costs 8,000 to 20,000 EUR in 2026. It must be annual and followed by a contractual remediation plan.
How long does the project take?
Budget 4 to 7 months with a dedicated project manager, agile sprints and weekly reviews. CRM and IR integrations are often the critical path.
What does 1,500-4,000 EUR/month maintenance cover?
99.9% SLA, 24/7 monitoring, security patches, encrypted backups and editorial changes. Without this contract, compliance risk reappears within the first quarter.
Let's scope your project. Tell us the number of entities, languages and your compliance requirements, and we will frame scope, indicative budget and timeline. 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.
