The verdict in three sentences
In Basel, a law firm website from a local agency typically costs 8 000 to 35 000+ CHF (2026 ballpark), freelancers ask 3 000 to 9 000 CHF, and agency hourly rates are commonly published between 120 and 180 CHF. Kolonell's international grid is 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 CHF, with native English or French copywriting, a project manager on Google Meet during Swiss office hours, delivery in 3 to 6 weeks and 3 months of support after launch. For a Basel firm serving life sciences companies and clients on both sides of the French and German borders, the real question is which languages you need and who writes them, because that line moves quotes by thousands of francs.
What do Basel agencies charge for a law firm website in 2026?
Basel's legal work clusters around the pharma and life sciences industry (IP and patents, regulatory, licensing and R&D contracts), plus commercial law, employment for the many cross-border workers, tax, private clients and logistics along the Rhine. Clients read German, English and French. Partners usually compare a Basel agency, a Zurich agency and a freelancer. The figures below are a 2026 ballpark from public rate cards of Swiss digital agencies, hourly rates commonly published by Swiss studios and minimum project sizes on Clutch.co profiles. They are wide because scope drives the price.
| Option | Build price (2026 ballpark) | Typical delay | Usually included | After launch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Established Basel or Zurich agency | 15 000 to 35 000+ CHF | 10 to 16 weeks | Brand work, custom design, CMS; copy and translation often extra | Often 140 to 180 CHF per hour |
| Small Basel studio | 8 000 to 15 000 CHF | 6 to 12 weeks | Theme based design, one language | Often 120 to 150 CHF per hour |
| Freelancer | 3 000 to 9 000 CHF | 4 to 10 weeks | Build, firm supplies text | Variable |
| Kolonell Starter | 2 700 CHF | 3 to 4 weeks | About 5 pages, native copy, domain in your name | 3 months included |
| Kolonell Growth | 4 500 CHF | 3 to 4 weeks | Practice area pages, lawyer profiles, insights, analytics | 3 months included |
| Kolonell Premium | 8 200 CHF | Usually 4 to 6 weeks, written schedule | Bilingual EN/FR, advanced design, deeper SEO | 3 months included |
Kolonell is paid by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % at delivery. Custom features, such as a secure area for licensing documents or an intake back office, are quoted on request. The complete scope is on our website packages for international clients.
What a Basel law firm site needs
- The language mix: German for local clients and courts, English for life sciences groups and international in-house teams, French for clients from Alsace and Romandy. Kolonell writes native English and French and delivers a bilingual EN/FR site from Premium; German pages fit into the structure, with text supplied or reviewed by the firm.
- Industry pages that speak to in-house counsel: life sciences IP, regulatory and licensing deserve their own pages, written for a legal or business development lead, with the team and typical mandates described generically.
- Cross-border clarity: employment and tax pages for cross-border workers should state which situations the firm handles and in which jurisdictions its lawyers are admitted.
- Lawyer profiles: admission, languages, technical background (a chemistry or biology degree matters in patent work), publications. Swiss lawyers are subject to federal and cantonal professional rules, including on advertising, which the firm must check.
- Data protection: the nLPD/revFADP has applied since 1 September 2023. Clients across the border may bring GDPR into scope as well. Forms should collect the minimum, with a note not to send confidential information before a conflict check. WCAG 2.1 AA is the practical accessibility reference. This is not legal advice.
Comparable delivered projects: TR Signing Group (trsigninggroup.com), notary and apostille services in New Jersey, with a bilingual EN/FR site, per-file quote verification, booking calendar, live chat and back office. Orven Properties (orvenproperties.com), off-plan real-estate advisory in Dubai, with a trilingual FR/EN/AR site, project pages and investor guides.
What is the 3-year cost?
One shared assumption: 160 CHF per month for hosting and maintenance from month 4. Kolonell maintenance after the 3 included months is quoted, so this is a budget line, not a Kolonell price.
| Cost line over 36 months | Basel agency (mid range) | Freelancer | Kolonell Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build | 16 000 CHF | 5 500 CHF | 4 500 CHF |
| Copywriting | 3 000 CHF | 3 000 CHF | Included |
| Support months 1 to 3 | 480 CHF | 480 CHF | Included |
| Months 4 to 36 (160 CHF per month) | 5 280 CHF | 5 280 CHF | 5 280 CHF |
| Domain and access owned by the firm | To negotiate | Not always | Yes |
| Indicative 3-year total | 24 760 CHF | 14 260 CHF | 9 780 CHF |
Red flags in Basel quotes
| Quote line | Red flag | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Pages | "Up to 15 pages" with no list | A named page list in the contract |
| Languages | "Translation included" | Which languages, how many words, who writes |
| Copy | "Content support" | Who writes, how many rounds of review |
| Maintenance | Annual fee, no hours | Hours included and hourly rate beyond |
| Domain and hosting | Registered by the agency | Registration in the firm's name |
| Delivery | No date | A written schedule and payment milestones |
The team is based in Senegal (GMT), one or two hours behind Basel depending on the season, so calls fit within the working day, and each week ends with a written update.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
Illustrative example, not a real client: Sabine, partner at a hypothetical five lawyer life sciences and IP firm near Aeschenplatz, holds a Basel agency quote of 19 000 CHF plus 3 000 CHF for copy. She compares it with Kolonell Premium at 8 200 CHF, bilingual EN/FR copy included, with German pages written by her team. With 160 CHF per month from month 4 (5 280 CHF) and 480 CHF of early support on the agency side, the local route costs 19 000 + 3 000 + 480 + 5 280 = 27 760 CHF over 3 years, against 8 200 + 5 280 = 13 480 CHF. The difference is 14 280 CHF.
FAQ
What does a law firm website cost in Basel?
As a 2026 ballpark, Basel agencies quote around 8 000 to 35 000+ CHF and freelancers 3 000 to 9 000 CHF. Kolonell's grid is 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 CHF.
Can you deliver English, French and German?
From Premium (8 200 CHF), the site is bilingual EN/FR with native copy. German pages can be added to the structure with text supplied or reviewed by the firm.
Does the site take the nLPD into account?
Yes, we set up privacy notice, consent and minimal forms following practice under the nLPD in force since 1 September 2023, and the firm validates the wording. This is not legal advice.
How long does it take?
Starter and Growth take 3 to 4 weeks; Premium follows a written schedule, usually 4 to 6 weeks.
How is the project paid?
By bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % at delivery, with 3 months of support included.
Let's scope your project. Share your practice areas, the languages your clients read and your launch date, and we will recommend a fixed price tier from 2 700 to 8 200 CHF. 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.
