The verdict in three sentences
In Valletta, an interior design studio website built by a Maltese agency costs, as a 2026 ballpark, EUR 3 000 to 15 000, and a local freelancer often delivers a portfolio site for EUR 800 to 4 000, which is frequently less than Kolonell. Kolonell builds a project-led portfolio, a qualified project request form and native English copywriting for a fixed 2 700 EUR, 4 500 EUR or 8 200 EUR, but it does not photograph your interiors: that budget stays with a local photographer. The fair comparison is the 3-year total, including photography, copywriting and the cost of adding each new project.
What do Maltese agencies, freelancers and Kolonell charge?
Malta has a dense market of agencies and freelancers, fed by iGaming, fintech and tourism, so prices are competitive. The ranges below are prudent 2026 orders of magnitude from public rate cards of Maltese agencies, minimum project sizes on Clutch.co profiles, hourly rates published by agencies in Valletta, Sliema and St Julian's (often EUR 40 to 80 per hour) and rates visible on Upwork, Malt and Fiverr.
| Criterion | Maltese agency | Local freelancer | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build cost, 2026 ballpark | EUR 3 000 to 15 000 | EUR 800 to 4 000 | 2 700 EUR / 4 500 EUR / 8 200 EUR, fixed |
| Hour outside scope | Often EUR 40 to 80 | Often EUR 20 to 45 | Quoted before any work |
| Usual timeline | 6 to 12 weeks | 3 to 8 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually 4 to 6 |
| Project write-ups in English | Often extra | Usually your own text | Native, included |
| Italian or Maltese pages | Sometimes in-house | Sometimes | Supplied by you or quoted separately |
| Interior photography | Sometimes through partners | Rarely | Not offered: a local interiors photographer |
| Domain and access | Check the contract | Check the contract | In your name, all access handed over |
In plain terms: in Malta, a good freelancer can build a clean portfolio site for less than our Starter tier. Kolonell adds a project manager reachable in your time zone, written project stories by a native English writer, a fixed price and full ownership. The team is based in Senegal (GMT), so Malta is 1 hour ahead in winter and 2 hours ahead in summer: Google Meet calls happen during your working day and a written update arrives every week. No studio visits, no on-site shoot. The full offer is on our international offer.
What does an interior design studio in Valletta need online?
Interior work around Valletta covers very different briefs, and the portfolio should let each client recognise their own.
- Heritage homes: palazzo apartments and townhouses in Valletta, Mdina, Birgu or the Three Cities, where restoration constraints shape every choice of material and lighting.
- Waterfront apartments in Sliema, Tigné, St Julian's or Ta' Xbiex, often bought or rented by professionals in iGaming, fintech and aviation who need a furnished, finished home fast.
- Hospitality: boutique hotels, guesthouses and restaurants in converted buildings, where the studio works with owners, operators and contractors.
- Gozo farmhouses and villas, frequently for foreign buyers managing the project from abroad.
- Commercial interiors for offices and showrooms.
Clients write in English, often Italian, sometimes Maltese, German or French. A bilingual FR/EN site is included in Premium; Italian and other languages are supplied by you or quoted separately.
| Item | Starter 2 700 EUR | Growth 4 500 EUR | Premium 8 200 EUR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | Up to 6 projects | Up to 15 projects, filters by type (heritage, apartment, hospitality) | Full portfolio with project stories and filters |
| Project write-ups | Short captions | Brief, constraints, materials, outcome | Long-form stories with process steps |
| Services pages | One page | One page per service and per client type | Full structure, including trade and hospitality |
| Project request form | Simple | Qualifying: property type, location, budget band, timeline | Qualifying, with routing by project type |
| Photo credits and licence notes | Credits under each project | Credits plus licence register | Credits, register and press kit page |
| Bilingual FR/EN site | No | No | Included |
| Support after launch | 3 months | 3 months | 6 months |
A client area for mood boards, approvals or procurement tracking is a custom application, quoted on request. Ongoing search engine work is also quoted on request.
Titles, photos and data, factually. In Malta the title of perit, the architect and civil engineer, is regulated, and the profession is represented by the Kamra tal-Periti: the site should present each team member's qualifications exactly, and should not describe designers as periti unless they hold the warrant. Work on scheduled or protected buildings involves the Planning Authority and heritage bodies; describe your role in those projects precisely rather than implying approvals you did not obtain. Interior photographs are protected by copyright: check that the photographer's licence covers web, social and press use, and get the owner's consent before publishing a private home. Inquiries fall under the GDPR, supervised in Malta by the Information and Data Protection Commissioner. The European Accessibility Act has applied since 28 June 2025 to certain products and services, and WCAG 2.1 AA remains a good technical reference for any site. This is not legal advice.
What will the site really cost over three years?
Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted on request, so the table uses the same maintenance assumption for both columns. Photography appears on both sides, since neither option replaces a local interiors photographer.
| Item over 36 months | Maltese agency (mid range) | Kolonell Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Website build | EUR 8 000 | 4 500 EUR |
| Project write-ups | Often extra, EUR 1 200 | Included |
| Maintenance (same assumption) | 90 EUR per month over 33 months, 2 970 EUR | 2 970 EUR, quoted on request |
| 6 new projects added later | 10 hours at EUR 60, 600 EUR | Quoted beforehand, assumption 500 EUR |
| Photography of 4 projects | EUR 2 600 | Same local photographer, 2 600 EUR |
| Indicative total | about 15 370 EUR | about 10 570 EUR |
These figures are a reading grid for quotes, not a forecast of your invoice.
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Which warning signs should you watch for?
- Stock images or renders presented as completed projects.
- No line about photo licences or owner consent for private homes.
- Team bios that call a designer an architect or perit without the qualification.
- A request form with no budget band, which fills your inbox with unqualified inquiries.
- A domain, hosting or image library held in the agency's account.
- No price for adding a project once the site is live.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Martina C. co-founded a three-designer studio in Valletta. Her projects are palazzo apartments for Italian and British buyers and two boutique hotel refits. A Maltese agency quotes EUR 9 500, a freelancer EUR 3 200 without copywriting, and Kolonell Growth 4 500 EUR with project write-ups included.
She budgets the same interiors photographer for each option, 4 projects at EUR 650 (2 600 EUR), adds a copywriter at EUR 900 to the freelance option and applies the same maintenance assumption of 90 EUR per month over 33 months (2 970 EUR). Three-year totals: agency 15 070 EUR, freelancer 9 670 EUR, Kolonell 10 070 EUR. The freelancer is 400 EUR cheaper; Martina weighs that against having a project manager and written project stories she does not have to draft herself.
FAQ
What does an interior design studio website cost in Valletta in 2026?
With a Maltese agency, about EUR 3 000 to 15 000; with a freelancer, EUR 800 to 4 000. Kolonell charges a fixed 2 700 EUR, 4 500 EUR or 8 200 EUR.
Do you photograph our projects?
No. A local interiors photographer is needed, often a few hundred euros per project in Malta; we handle selection, layout and credits.
Can the site be in Italian?
Italian pages are supplied by you or quoted separately. Premium at 8 200 EUR includes a bilingual FR/EN site.
How many projects can the portfolio hold?
Starter shows up to 6 projects and Growth up to 15, with filters by type. Delivery takes 3 to 4 weeks.
How is the project paid?
By bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % at delivery, so two payments of 2 250 EUR on Growth.
Let's scope your project. Send us your best projects, your photo credits and the client types you want more of, and we will reply with a fixed-price tier and a 3 to 4 week timeline. 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.
