The verdict in three sentences
In Lausanne, an immigration and relocation firm website built by a Vaud agency costs, as a 2026 ballpark, 10 000 to 32 000 CHF, and more with a custom client area. Kolonell builds the profile pages (transferred employee, researcher, family, retiree), the page for employers' HR teams and the intake form for a fixed price of 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 CHF, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks on Starter and Growth. The useful comparison covers the 3-year total cost, how clearly the site separates immigration advice from relocation, and how each quote protects the data of the people you support.
This version is written for the English-speaking founders and partners of immigration and relocation firms in Lausanne; the French version is the primary one.
What do a Vaud agency, a freelancer and Kolonell charge?
The ranges below are prudent ballparks, not official rates. They are based on public rate cards of agencies in French-speaking Switzerland, minimum project sizes shown on Clutch.co profiles, hourly rates published by agencies around Lake Geneva (often 120 to 190 CHF per hour) and rates visible on Malt or Upwork for local freelancers. The number of languages and a client area move the price more than anything else.
| Criterion | Vaud agency | Local freelancer | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build cost, 2026 ballpark | 10 000 to 32 000 CHF and up | 3 000 to 9 000 CHF | 2 700 CHF, 4 500 CHF or 8 200 CHF, fixed |
| Hour outside scope | Often 120 to 190 CHF | Often 80 to 130 CHF | Quoted before any work |
| Usual timeline | 8 to 14 weeks | 5 to 10 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually 4 to 6 |
| English version | Often billed extra | Varies | Native copywriting included, bilingual FR/EN from Premium |
| Team portraits | Often offered as an option | Rarely | Not included: your images or a Lausanne photographer |
| In-person meetings | Yes | Yes | No, Google Meet calls at your hour |
| Ownership | Check the contract | Check the contract | Domain in your name, all access handed over |
A project manager works in your time zone, with Google Meet calls at an hour that suits the firm and a written update every week. The team is based in Senegal (GMT), one to two hours behind Lausanne depending on the season. Payment by bank transfer or Wise: 50 % at kickoff, 50 % at delivery. The packages are detailed in our international website offer.
What full budget should you plan over three years?
A Lausanne firm almost always needs a French and English site: transferred employees read in English first, Vaud HR teams often in French. The comparison below therefore sets a bilingual local agency against the Premium package, the only one that includes bilingual FR/EN. Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted on request, so we use the same assumption on both sides.
| Item over 36 months | Vaud agency (mid range) | Kolonell Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Bilingual FR/EN build | 21 500 CHF | 8 200 CHF |
| Support included after launch | Per contract | 6 months included |
| Maintenance (same assumption) | 150 CHF per month over 30 months, 4 500 CHF | 4 500 CHF, quoted on request |
| Six added guides (neighbourhoods, schools, health insurance) | 10 hours at 155 CHF, 1 550 CHF | Quoted beforehand, assumption 950 CHF |
| Team portraits | 1 100 CHF | Local photographer booked separately, 1 100 CHF |
| Third-party booking tool | 15 CHF per month, 540 CHF | 540 CHF |
| Indicative total | 29 190 CHF | 15 290 CHF |
These figures structure the comparison; they do not predict your invoice. Ask every provider to fill in the same table with their own numbers.
Which pages does a firm serving researchers, federations and families need?
Lausanne's clientele is unusual. EPFL, UNIL and the CHUV hire researchers and doctors from all over the world; the International Olympic Committee and many international sports federations bring in executives and their families; multinational headquarters transfer staff to the Lake Geneva region. Add affluent retirees and entrepreneurs comparing Lausanne, Pully, Lutry or the Riviera. Each of them wants a precise answer: housing, international or public schools, registering with the commune, mandatory health insurance, driving licence exchange.
| Item | Starter 2 700 CHF | Growth 4 500 CHF | Premium 8 200 CHF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service pages | Service families | One page per profile: employee, researcher, family, retiree | Full structure by profile and by commune |
| Employer offer | Dedicated paragraph | HR page with steps, deliverables, the firm's internal lead times | HR journey and proposal request |
| Practical guides | 2 guides | Up to 6 guides | Structured guide library |
| Who does what | Simple statement | Partners page (lawyer, relocation) | Detailed page per service |
| Bilingual FR/EN | No | No | Included |
| Timeline | 3 to 4 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks | Written plan, usually 4 to 6 weeks |
| Support | 3 months | 3 months | 6 months |
Booking runs through a third-party tool such as Calendly. An area where the transferred employee tracks the case and uploads documents is a custom application, quoted on request, as is ongoing search optimisation. German or Italian versions are supplied by you or quoted separately.
Compliance: what must the site say, and what must it never promise?
The site has to separate two jobs. Immigration advice covers residence and work permit applications; decisions belong to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) and the Vaud cantonal population service, which apply free movement to EU and EFTA nationals and quotas to third-country nationals. To our knowledge, Switzerland has no general federal licence for immigration consultants; legal representation is often handled by lawyers. Relocation covers housing, schools, registering with the commune, bank accounts and family support. If your firm does both, or works with a partner lawyer, the site must state exactly who does what.
No page should promise a permit, an authorisation or a timeline. Case files contain identity documents, family details and sometimes sensitive personal data under the revised Federal Act on Data Protection (revFADP), in force since 1 September 2023: minimal intake form, no passports sent by plain email, a secure upload tool, an up-to-date privacy policy. This is not legal advice.
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Which questions should you ask before signing a quote?
- Does the price cover both languages? An English version added later often costs more.
- Who writes the guides? Without copy, the project stalls for weeks.
- Will the domain be in your name? Get it in writing.
- Does the form ask for too much? Nationality, name and need are enough at first contact.
- Do any pages hint at a permit or a timeline? Reject it, even if a copywriter suggests it.
- Is maintenance locked in for five years? You must be able to take back control.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Nadia F. runs a three-person relocation firm in Pully that works with a partner lawyer for permit applications. A Vaud agency offers a bilingual site for 21 500 CHF, delivered in 11 weeks. Kolonell proposes the Premium package for 8 200 CHF with a written 5-week plan, and Nadia books a Lausanne photographer for 1 100 CHF.
Build alone: a 13 300 CHF gap. Over three years, with the same maintenance assumption (4 500 CHF on each side), the same portraits and the same booking tool, the totals reach 29 190 CHF against 15 290 CHF, a 13 900 CHF difference. Nadia keeps the local agency in mind should the firm ever launch a video series filmed on site.
FAQ
How much does a relocation firm website cost in Lausanne in 2026?
As a ballpark, 10 000 to 32 000 CHF with a Vaud agency and 3 000 to 9 000 CHF with a freelancer. Kolonell offers 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 CHF at a fixed price.
Do we need a bilingual French and English site?
For a clientele of international researchers and executives, almost always. At Kolonell, bilingual FR/EN is included in the Premium package at 8 200 CHF.
Can Kolonell photograph our team in Lausanne?
No. You supply your images or book a local photographer, usually 800 to 1 500 CHF for portraits as a ballpark.
Can the site receive case documents?
Yes, through a secure third-party upload tool embedded in the site. A custom client portal is quoted on request.
How long does it take to go live?
3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth; for Premium, a written plan at kickoff, usually 4 to 6 weeks, provided the firm signs off its content on time.
Let's scope your project. Send us your services, client profiles and languages, and you will receive a fixed-price proposal in CHF with a 3 to 6 week timeline depending on the package. Request your free quote or see the international offer.
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.
