The verdict in three sentences
Staying on end-of-support Drupal 7 exposes a public body to unpatched vulnerabilities and accessibility rules that are ever harder to meet. In 2026, migrating to Next.js + a headless CMS costs between 25,000 and 60,000 EUR depending on page volume and integrations. The gain is not only technical: 3x performance, accessibility compliance and a maintenance cost cut in half.
Anatomy of the migration cost
The budget depends on the number of pages to migrate, template complexity and integrations (directory, e-services, mapping). Content migration and redirects often make up a third of the project.
| Item | 2026 range (EUR) | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping + architecture | 3,000 - 7,000 | audit, IA, CMS choice |
| Design system + templates | 6,000 - 14,000 | mockups, accessible components |
| Next.js development | 8,000 - 22,000 | front + headless integration |
| Content migration | 4,000 - 10,000 | 500 to 2,000 pages moved |
| Redirects + SEO | 2,000 - 4,000 | 301 redirect plan |
| Accessibility audit | 2,000 - 5,000 | AA compliance |
Drupal 7 vs headless Next.js: the comparison
Moving to a decoupled stack separates content (headless CMS) from presentation (Next.js). Static rendering and a CDN transform the user experience, especially on mobile and slow connections.
| Criterion | Drupal 7 (legacy) | Next.js + headless |
|---|---|---|
| Editor support | end-of-life | active, long term |
| Load time | 2.5 - 4 s | 0.8 - 1.2 s |
| Lighthouse score | 45 - 65 | 90 - 99 |
| Accessibility | hard | native, testable |
| Maintenance/year | high | 40-60 % lower |
| Security | known flaws | reduced surface |
Mini case study
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mr Fall, IT director of a public body in Berlin, runs a 1,200-page Drupal 7 site with a directory and e-services. Migration quote for Next.js + headless: 42,000 EUR over 16 weeks, including 8,000 EUR of content migration and 3,500 EUR for an accessibility audit. On maintenance, he moves from 14,000 EUR/year (Drupal patches, security) to 6,000 EUR/year. The 8,000 EUR/year saving pays back the migration in about 5 years, before counting the brand gain and the breach risk avoided.
FAQ
Can we migrate without losing search rankings? Yes, provided you build an exhaustive plan of 301 redirects from old URLs to new ones. Never skip this step.
How long does a migration take? Between 12 and 20 weeks depending on page volume (500 to 2,000) and the number of integrations to rebuild.
Is accessibility mandatory? For a public body, yes: AA-level accessibility is a legal obligation. The audit and fixes must be budgeted from scoping.
Which headless CMS to choose? Strapi, Directus or Sanity depending on editorial needs. An open-source headless CMS avoids vendor lock-in.
What about obsolete legacy content? Migration is the chance to prune: only useful content is moved, which lowers migration cost and improves SEO.
Let's scope your project. A public or institutional site to migrate from Drupal to headless Next.js, with accessibility compliance? Tell us your page volume and integrations. 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.
