The verdict in three sentences
A corporate website for a mid-market company in Amsterdam costs, in 2026, between 18 000 and 55 000 EUR, for 20 to 40 pages with a validation-workflow CMS and multilingual NL/EN. A realistic timeline is 8 to 14 weeks, with a dedicated project manager and structured editorial governance. This budget differs from a brochure site on three fronts: WCAG accessibility, hardened security and multi-contributor content management.
Budget breakdown of a corporate website
Where a brochure puts 60 % of the budget into design and dev, a corporate site spreads across more items: UX, accessibility, governance. Here is a typical breakdown for a 34 000 EUR project.
| Line item | Share | Amount (EUR) | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| UX / research / structure | 15 % | 5 100 | Workshops, personas, wireframes |
| Design / art direction | 18 % | 6 120 | Art direction, design system |
| Development / CMS | 30 % | 10 200 | Build + editorial workflow |
| Content / copy NL-EN | 12 % | 4 080 | Writing and translation |
| WCAG accessibility | 10 % | 3 400 | Audit + AA fixes |
| SEO / performance | 8 % | 2 720 | Core Web Vitals, structure |
| Project management | 7 % | 2 380 | Dedicated project manager |
| Total | 100 % | 34 000 | — |
Editorial governance (writer → approver → publish workflow) and WCAG accessibility are the two items that truly set a corporate site apart from a premium brochure.
The criteria that double the price
The same brief can go from 22 000 to 50 000 EUR depending on a few structural factors. Knowing them helps you decide upfront.
| Criterion | Budget impact | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Languages (beyond 2) | +20 to +40 % | CMS duplication + translation |
| Investor relations area | +5 000 to 12 000 EUR | Reports, share price |
| HR / careers portal | +4 000 to 10 000 EUR | Vacancies, applications |
| Integrations (ERP, CRM) | +6 000 to 18 000 EUR | Salesforce, HubSpot, SAP |
| Proprietary design system | +7 000 to 14 000 EUR | Reusable components |
| Hardened compliance | +2 500 to 7 000 EUR | Advanced GDPR, security audit |
Recurring costs and maintenance
A corporate site lives 4 to 6 years and must be maintained. Maintenance covers security, updates and support.
| Recurring item | 2026 cost (EUR/year) |
|---|---|
| Application maintenance | 2 500 - 7 000 |
| Managed hosting + CDN | 1 500 - 4 500 |
| CMS / tool licences | 0 - 3 500 |
| Annual accessibility audit | 1 800 - 4 000 |
| Managed SEO / content | 7 000 - 20 000 |
Mini case study
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Laurent, head of communications at a 400-employee aerospace mid-market firm near Amsterdam, must rebuild the ageing corporate site. Scope: 32 pages, NL/EN, HR area, investor section, WCAG AA compliance. Budget chosen: 40 000 EUR, 12-week timeline, maintenance 5 500 EUR/year. The current site gets 8 000 visits/month but generates only 12 qualified applications; with an optimised HR portal, the goal is to triple that. At roughly 4 500 EUR of recruiter cost avoided per executive hire, cutting 6 agency-led hires a year is 27 000 EUR of annual saving — the site pays for itself in 18 months on that lever alone.
FAQ
Why does a corporate site cost more than a brochure?
Because it adds three layers: multi-contributor editorial governance, mandatory accessibility (public sector and large organisations) and hardened security. These requirements often make up 25-35 % of the total budget.
Is WCAG accessibility mandatory?
For public bodies and some large companies, yes. Even without a legal duty, targeting AA level widens your audience and reduces legal risk. Budget 8-12 % of the total for audit and fixes.
How long does the project take?
Between 8 and 14 weeks depending on page and language count. UX workshops and multilingual content production are the longest phases, often underestimated on the client side.
Which CMS for a corporate site?
A headless CMS with a validation workflow (writer, reviewer, publish) is recommended for multi-contributor organisations. It secures publishing and enables native multilingual.
How do I keep the budget under control?
By phasing: launch the NL/EN corporate site first, then add the investor area or HR portal in phase 2. This smooths cash flow and lets you adjust based on early results.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your scope (pages, languages, HR/investor areas) and target budget, and we'll frame a realistic phasing. 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.
