The verdict in three sentences
An institutional group website in Miami costs 35,000 to 120,000 EUR in 2026, the range driven by the number of subsidiaries and the sophistication of editorial governance. The item that blows up or contains the budget is not design but multi-site architecture and the content validation workflow. A headless CMS is nearly unavoidable from three entities up, because it shares the design system while keeping each subsidiary autonomous.
Multi-subsidiary scope: what gets priced
A group site is not a big brochure site. It is a platform serving the parent company and its subsidiaries with a coherent identity, distinct editing rights and strict governance. Here are the 2026 items.
| Item | 2026 price (EUR) | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-site architecture | 8,000 - 22,000 | Corporate + subsidiary structure, routing |
| Proprietary design system | 9,000 - 25,000 | Components, brand, subsidiary variants |
| Headless CMS + workflow | 10,000 - 30,000 | Roles, validation, preview |
| Investor / CSR area | 4,000 - 12,000 | Reports, documents, governance |
| Multilingual (EN/FR) | 6,000 - 15,000 | Two languages, hreflang, editorial |
| Accessibility WCAG AA | 4,000 - 10,000 | Audit, fixes, certification |
| QA, security, go-live | 5,000 - 14,000 | Tests, CSP headers, CDN, training |
For a Miami group with 4 subsidiaries, an investor area and bilingual, a realistic 2026 quote lands around 62,000 to 88,000 EUR, excluding annual maintenance.
Headless vs classic CMS
The CMS choice shapes the whole project. Here is the comparison that drives the decision for a group.
| Criterion | Classic CMS (WordPress) | Headless CMS (Sanity, Strapi) |
|---|---|---|
| Initial cost | 25,000 - 55,000 EUR | 45,000 - 120,000 EUR |
| Native multi-site | Limited, plugins | Excellent, one source |
| Shared design system | Difficult | Native |
| Performance | Average | Excellent (edge, CDN) |
| Security | Wide attack surface | Reduced (decoupled front) |
| Subsidiary autonomy | Fair | Very good, fine roles |
| Annual maintenance | 6,000 - 12,000 EUR | 8,000 - 18,000 EUR |
Below two entities, a well-configured classic CMS is enough. From three subsidiaries, headless becomes profitable: the initial premium is absorbed by design-system sharing and lower security and maintenance costs over three years.
Timelines and governance
A group site takes 16 to 28 weeks from framing to go-live, the longest phase being the definition of editorial governance (who validates what, in what order). This governance is the real strategic deliverable: without it, a subsidiary publishes non-compliant content and exposes the group's image. The multi-level workflow (writer, legal validator, publication) must be configured and tested before launch.
Mini case study
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Marie is communications director of a Miami business-services group with a parent company and four sector subsidiaries. She used to run five disparate WordPress sites, with 14,000 EUR of combined annual maintenance and an incoherent identity. She invests 78,000 EUR in a unified headless platform: one design system, a CMS with validation workflow, bilingual and accessible. As a result, annual maintenance falls to 12,000 EUR, each subsidiary gains editorial autonomy, and the time to publish a news item drops from 5 days to 4 hours. Over three years, the maintenance saving alone covers 8% of the investment, not counting the image and editorial-productivity gains.
FAQ
How much does an institutional group website cost in 2026?
Between 35,000 and 120,000 EUR depending on subsidiary count, multilingual scope and governance. A bilingual 4-entity group with an investor area lands around 62,000 to 88,000 EUR.
Do I really need a headless CMS?
From three entities, yes: it shares the design system and reduces the security surface. Below that, a well-architected classic CMS stays relevant and cheaper initially.
How long does such a project take?
Expect 16 to 28 weeks. The editorial-governance framing phase often represents 20 to 25% of the total timeline and should not be rushed.
Is accessibility mandatory?
For a group, WCAG AA compliance is strongly expected and often contractual with large accounts. Budget 4,000 to 10,000 EUR for audit and fixes.
What annual maintenance budget should I plan?
Between 8,000 and 18,000 EUR for a multi-site headless platform, including security, updates, managed hosting and support. Build it into the initial quote.
Let's scope your project. Tell us the number of subsidiaries, languages and governance requirements, and we frame the scope and price headless vs classic CMS. 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.
