The verdict in three sentences
For a mid-market group of 200 to 500 employees, a multilingual institutional website with an editorial-workflow CMS costs in 2026 between EUR 25,000 and 70,000 in Amsterdam. The realistic timeline is 4 to 7 months, including governance and legal validations. Annual maintenance represents 12 to 18 % of the build cost, a recurring line to budget from year one.
The budget, lot by lot
A mid-market corporate site is never a flat package: it is an architecture of lots. Here are the 2026 ranges for a 40 to 80 page site, multilingual EN/NL (+ optional DE or FR).
| Lot | 2026 range (EUR) | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Framing + architecture | 3,000 - 6,000 | Workshops, sitemap, governance |
| Corporate design system | 5,000 - 12,000 | Components, brand, accessibility |
| CMS + validation workflow | 6,000 - 14,000 | Roles, drafts, approval circuit |
| IR / shareholder area | 3,000 - 8,000 | Releases, reports, financial calendar |
| Press + careers area | 2,500 - 6,000 | Media kit, jobs, applications |
| GDPR compliance | 2,000 - 5,000 | Consent, register, legal notices |
| QA + deployment | 2,500 - 6,000 | Testing, training, go-live |
| Total | 24,000 - 57,000 | + multilingual options |
Each additional language adds 8 to 15 % to the content budget. A group integrating three subsidiaries can exceed EUR 70,000.
Cost of ownership: what nobody budgets
The build is only half the story. Over three years, sovereign hosting, maintenance and security weigh heavily.
| Recurring item | Monthly 2026 | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| EU sovereign hosting | EUR 120 - 450 | EUR 1,440 - 5,400 |
| Maintenance | EUR 400 - 1,200 | EUR 4,800 - 14,400 |
| CMS / tool licences | EUR 80 - 350 | EUR 960 - 4,200 |
| Monitoring + security | EUR 150 - 500 | EUR 1,800 - 6,000 |
| Editorial changes | EUR 300 - 900 | EUR 3,600 - 10,800 |
| Annual total | — | EUR 12,600 - 40,800 |
The 2026 rule: provision 12 to 18 % of the build cost per year for maintenance alone, excluding new features.
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Mini case study
Helene, communications director of a 320-employee mid-market group in Amsterdam, with four subsidiaries on disparate sites. She launches a unified site at EUR 48,000 (design system, workflow CMS, press area, EN/NL/ES) plus EUR 14,500/year cost of ownership.
Previously, her teams spent about 20 hours/month juggling four back-offices, a loaded cost of roughly EUR 900/month. The unified CMS cuts that time by three, saving ~EUR 7,200/year. Combined with lower ad-hoc agency costs (estimated at EUR 6,000/year), the project frees up ~EUR 13,000 in annual savings, offsetting a good part of the maintenance.
FAQ
Why does a mid-market site cost 3 to 4 times a SME showcase? Because it includes editorial governance, multilingual support, hardened GDPR compliance, accessibility and often an investor area. These lots are absent from a classic showcase.
Do I need sovereign hosting in 2026? For a group handling HR, press and shareholder data, EU sovereign hosting (EUR 120-450/month) is strongly recommended for compliance and data sovereignty.
How long to deliver? Plan for 4 to 7 months. Legal and communications validation cycles often add more time than the development itself.
What annual maintenance should I plan? Between 12 and 18 % of the build cost, or EUR 3,000 to 12,000/year by size. It covers security, fixes, minor changes and support.
Can the project be phased to smooth the budget? Yes. We deliver the EN/NL corporate core first, then IR, press and additional languages in successive lots over 6 to 12 months.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of subsidiaries, target languages and budget (EUR 25,000 to 70,000 by scope). 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.
