The verdict in three sentences
For a business law firm (corporate law, arbitration) working across Casablanca, Dubai and the wider region, a trilingual FR/EN/AR site with RTL support costs MAD 90,000 to 180,000 excl. VAT (about EUR 8,300 to 16,700, or USD 9,700 to 19,400) with a Moroccan agency and takes about 10 weeks. The most underestimated item is legal translation at MAD 1.2 to 1.8 per word, which can reach a third of the total budget. Hosting must be chosen with data protection law in mind, Law 09-08 in Morocco and the PDPL in the UAE, especially when the site collects consultation requests containing personal data.
What a trilingual site with Arabic RTL costs
Arabic is more than a translation: the layout flips (menus, directional icons, tables, forms), fonts must be chosen for legal readability, and the CMS must manage three synchronised versions of every lawyer profile and practice area.
| Component | 2026 range excl. VAT | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Design and mockups FR/EN/AR (LTR and RTL) | MAD 20,000 to 35,000 | Two template sets to approve |
| Development and multilingual CMS | MAD 35,000 to 70,000 | Language switcher, hreflang, URL per language |
| Lawyer profiles (10 to 25) | MAD 8,000 to 15,000 | Bar, languages, practice areas, publications |
| Practice area pages (8 to 15) | MAD 10,000 to 25,000 | Excluding translation |
| Contact form compliant with Law 09-08 | MAD 5,000 to 10,000 | Consent, limited retention |
| RTL and accessibility QA | MAD 6,000 to 12,000 | Mobile testing in Arabic |
| Monthly maintenance | MAD 1,500 to 3,500 | Updates, backups, small edits |
Legal translation comes on top: a 15,000-word French site translated into English and Arabic means 30,000 words, so MAD 36,000 to 54,000 depending on the translator. Unreviewed machine translation is out of the question for practice pages that carry the firm's credibility.
Local agency or offshore agency: comparison
| Criterion | Local freelancer | Casablanca agency | Offshore agency (Europe) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price excl. VAT, FR/EN/AR site (2026 order of magnitude) | MAD 40,000 to 70,000 | MAD 90,000 to 180,000 | MAD 220,000 to 400,000 |
| Arabic RTL expertise | Variable | Good | Often outsourced |
| Arabic legal translation | Sourced separately | Network of sworn translators | Expensive, MAD 2 to 3 per word |
| Timeline | 8 to 12 weeks | 9 to 11 weeks | 12 to 16 weeks |
| Knowledge of Law 09-08 and the CNDP | Low | Good | Low |
| In-person meetings | Yes | Yes | Rarely |
| Invoicing | MAD, 20% VAT | MAD, 20% VAT | EUR, no Moroccan VAT but possible withholding tax |
An offshore agency sometimes brings a more international design, but the 2 to 2.5x premium and weak command of legal Arabic weigh heavily. For comparison, Dubai agencies typically quote AED 60,000 to 150,000 for a similar bilingual EN/AR firm site. A Moroccan agency remains the best value for a firm that also needs to convince clients in the Gulf and sub-Saharan Africa.
Law 09-08 and hosting: decisions to make
A law firm's contact form often collects sensitive information (disputes, identities of parties). Law 09-08 requires a declaration to the CNDP, clear information to data subjects and limited retention periods. Hosting in Morocco simplifies compliance; EU hosting remains possible, as the EU offers a recognised level of protection, but the transfer must be declared. The site must also respect bar ethics rules: no comparative advertising, no promise of results.
Mini case study
Maître Bennani, managing partner of a 14-lawyer firm in Casablanca, chooses a FR/EN/AR site at MAD 140,000 excl. VAT, plus MAD 45,000 of legal translation for 30,000 words and MAD 2,500 a month of maintenance. Year-one cost: 140,000 + 45,000 + 30,000 = MAD 215,000 (about EUR 19,900). If the site brings two international arbitration mandates a year at MAD 180,000 average fees, so MAD 360,000, the project pays for itself in year one with MAD 145,000 to spare.
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FAQ
How much does a trilingual law firm website cost?
Budget MAD 90,000 to 180,000 excl. VAT (about EUR 8,300 to 16,700) with a Moroccan agency for a FR/EN/AR site with RTL. Legal translation comes on top at MAD 1.2 to 1.8 per word.
Why does Arabic cost more?
RTL requires a second set of templates and dedicated QA, adding 15 to 25% to development. Arabic legal translation also needs a specialist translator.
Must the site be hosted in Morocco?
It is not mandatory, but it is simpler under Law 09-08. EU hosting is possible with the transfer declared to the CNDP; firms serving UAE clients should also check the PDPL.
How much time should I plan for?
About 10 weeks, including 3 to 4 weeks of translation in parallel with development. Approval of lawyer profiles by each partner is often the bottleneck.
Can the site show client references?
Only with clients' written consent and within professional secrecy rules. Many firms prefer anonymised case types.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your target languages and the number of lawyers and practice areas: we will price the site, legal translation and compliant hosting with an indicative budget in MAD and a 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.
