The verdict in three sentences
An institutional group website (parent company + subsidiaries) in Miami runs between EUR 35,000 and EUR 120,000 in 2026, depending on the number of entities and the governance level. The decisive item is not design but content governance: validation workflow, per-entity rights, multilingual. A headless CMS costs more upfront but sharply cuts the editorial bill over 3 years.
What the multi-subsidiary scope covers
A group is not a brochure site multiplied by the number of subsidiaries. Complexity comes from component sharing, a common brand system and differentiated rights. Here are 2026 orders of magnitude by tier.
| Scope | 2026 cost (EUR) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate only (20-30 pages) | 35,000 - 55,000 | 3 - 4 months |
| Corporate + 3 subsidiaries | 55,000 - 85,000 | 4 - 6 months |
| Corporate + 6 subsidiaries multilingual | 85,000 - 120,000 | 6 - 9 months |
| Proprietary design system delivered | +12,000 - 25,000 | Included |
| Investor portal / annual report | +8,000 - 20,000 | +4 - 6 wks |
| Press area + media library | +5,000 - 12,000 | +2 - 4 wks |
Governance adds 15 to 25 % to the budget: multi-level validation workflow, editor/reviewer/publisher roles per subsidiary, versioning, and WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility audit often required in the institutional space.
Headless CMS vs traditional CMS
The CMS choice drives the 3-year cost. Headless (Sanity, Strapi, Contentful) separates content from display: more expensive to build, but far cheaper to run on a multi-site estate.
| Criterion | Traditional CMS | Headless CMS |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Base | +20 to +40 % |
| Multi-site / subsidiaries | Limited | Native |
| Editorial cost / year | 12,000 - 30,000 | 6,000 - 15,000 |
| Performance (CWV) | Average | Excellent |
| Governance / workflow | Adequate | Fine by role |
| Component reuse | Low | High |
For a group of 3 subsidiaries or more, headless pays off from year 2: the editorial saving (EUR 6,000 to 15,000/year) offsets the upfront premium in 18 to 24 months.
Timelines and project governance
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
A group website ships in 4 to 9 months in 2026: 4 to 6 weeks of scoping and governance, 6 to 10 weeks of design system, 8 to 14 weeks of integration and content migration, 3 to 5 weeks of QA, accessibility and security. A dedicated project manager and weekly reviews are essential: on this type of project, delays always come from client-side content validation, not the technology.
Mini case study
Claire, communications director of a Miami industrial group (parent + 4 subsidiaries, EN/ES/FR presence), wants to unify 5 disparate sites inherited from former agencies. Headless CMS project: corporate + 4 multilingual subsidiaries at EUR 96,000, delivered design system included, investor portal at EUR 14,000, i.e. EUR 110,000. Before: 5 maintenance contracts at EUR 4,500/year each = EUR 22,500/year and inconsistent content. After: a single foundation at EUR 11,000/year of maintenance. The EUR 11,500/year saving plus brand consistency justify the investment over a 4-year cycle.
FAQ
What does a multi-subsidiary group site cost? Count EUR 35,000 for corporate alone, 55,000 to 85,000 with 3 subsidiaries, and 85,000 to 120,000 for 6 multilingual subsidiaries with a delivered design system. Governance adds 15 to 25 %.
Headless or traditional? From 3 subsidiaries, headless is cheaper over 3 years: it nearly halves recurring editorial cost (6,000 - 15,000 vs 12,000 - 30,000 EUR/year) and pays off in 18 to 24 months.
How long is the project? From 4 to 9 months depending on scope. The critical path is not technology but client-side content validation, hence the need for a clear workflow.
Is WCAG accessibility mandatory? For institutional sites, WCAG 2.1 AA is almost always required and sometimes legally mandated. The audit and fixes represent 5 to 10 % of the budget.
Can we migrate without losing SEO? Yes, with a rigorous 301 redirect plan and controlled content migration, you keep 90 to 98 % of SEO authority. Without a plan, the traffic drop can reach 40 %.
Let's scope your project. State the number of subsidiaries, your languages and your governance level, and we price the foundation, headless CMS and migration separately. 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.
