The verdict in three sentences
In 2026, a corporate website redesign for an Amsterdam mid-market company sits between 18,000 and 45,000 EUR ex. VAT, with the gap driven by the headless CMS, content volume and accessibility. Comparing three quotes means looking at the line-item split, not just the total: design 25-35 %, development 35-45 %, content 10-15 %, SEO 8-12 %. Plan for 3 to 5 months of work with clear editorial governance to avoid scope creep.
Reading a corporate quote: the split that matters
A 30,000 EUR quote can hide an imbalance: too much design, not enough development, or zero accessibility budget. Here is the healthy split expected in 2026.
| Line item | Share of budget | Amount on 30,000 EUR ex. VAT |
|---|---|---|
| UX/UI design | 25 - 35 % | 7,500 - 10,500 EUR |
| Development + CMS | 35 - 45 % | 10,500 - 13,500 EUR |
| Content / copywriting | 10 - 15 % | 3,000 - 4,500 EUR |
| Technical SEO + migration | 8 - 12 % | 2,400 - 3,600 EUR |
| Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA) | 5 - 8 % | 1,500 - 2,400 EUR |
| QA + project management | 5 - 10 % | 1,500 - 3,000 EUR |
If a quote shows 50 % design and 20 % development, be wary: the site will look great but be hard to maintain. The reverse (over-sized dev) often signals an over-engineered build.
Headless CMS or traditional CMS?
The company must choose its technical foundation. Headless (content decoupled from the front end) offers performance and flexibility; a traditional CMS stays simpler to run in-house.
| Criterion | Traditional CMS (WordPress) | Headless CMS (Strapi/Sanity) |
|---|---|---|
| Redesign cost | 18,000 - 30,000 EUR ex. VAT | 28,000 - 45,000 EUR ex. VAT |
| Performance | Good with caching | Excellent |
| Multi-channel flexibility | Limited | High (site + app + newsletter) |
| Editorial autonomy | High | Medium (training required) |
| Annual maintenance | 3,000 - 6,000 EUR | 4,000 - 8,000 EUR |
| Timeline | 3 - 4 months | 4 - 5 months |
For a company that publishes heavily and targets multi-channel, headless is justified; for one with a lean comms team, a traditional CMS cuts cost and dependency.
Mini case study
Thomas, communications director at a 320-employee mid-market company in Amsterdam, compares three quotes: 21,000, 29,500 and 42,000 EUR ex. VAT. The 21,000 EUR quote includes neither accessibility nor SEO migration; the 42,000 EUR quote over-sizes design at 45 %. He picks the middle quote at 29,500 EUR ex. VAT, balanced (dev 40 %, design 30 %, accessibility 7 %), on a headless CMS. With 5,500 EUR/year maintenance, the full 3-year cost reaches 46,000 EUR. The WCAG-compliant site removes a non-compliance risk (accessibility being an obligation for large organisations), a decisive argument before his executive committee.
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FAQ
Why can three quotes vary two-fold?
Because they don't cover the same scope: accessibility, SEO migration, governance and CMS weigh heavily. Always normalise each quote to the same line-item grid before comparing.
Is a headless CMS worth the premium?
Yes if you publish across multiple channels (site, app, newsletter) or need maximum performance. Otherwise a traditional CMS at 18,000-30,000 EUR ex. VAT stays relevant and more autonomous.
Is accessibility compliance mandatory?
For large organisations and covered bodies, digital accessibility is a legal obligation. Budget 5 to 8 % of the project; retrofitting it costs 2 to 3 times more.
How long does a corporate redesign take?
Plan for 3 to 5 months depending on the CMS and content volume. Editorial governance (who approves what) is the main cause of delay: frame it from the start.
What maintenance budget should I plan after delivery?
Between 3,000 and 8,000 EUR/year depending on the CMS. It covers security, improvements, hosting and editorial support. Without maintenance, a corporate site ages fast.
Let's scope your project. Send us your current quotes or brief, and we'll return a comparison grid and a balanced estimate. 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.
