Local agency or remote studio for an immigration and relocation firm website in Basel: how to choose (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

A boutique relocation consultancy in Basel that serves entrepreneurs and remote workers sells clarity: what you handle yourself (housing, registration, settling in), what you refer to trust companies and lawyers (company set-up, permit questions), and how a client gets started. A Basel agency is the better pick when your clients are German-speaking and you want regular meetings, local video and partner co-marketing on the ground; a remote studio fits when your clients arrive from abroad, read English first and book their first call online. Kolonell's grid in CHF is CHF 2,700 (Starter), CHF 4,500 (Growth) and CHF 8,200 (Premium, the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote), with native English or French copywriting, a project manager in Central European hours and delivery in 3 to 4 weeks.

What must a Basel relocation consultancy's site say, and what must it avoid?

Your clients are founders opening a Swiss company, remote employees of foreign firms and freelancers who chose Basel for its position on the border with Germany and France. They compare Gundeldingen with St. Johann, Kleinbasel with Bachletten, or the city with Riehen and Binningen, and they arrive from the UK, the US, India, Germany or France. Their first question is often about permits, which is exactly where your copy must be careful.

Pages that work for this business type:

• Housing search and neighbourhood guide: what you do, how many viewings a typical search includes, how you work with landlords and agencies.
• Registration and settling in: support with registration at the commune (Einwohnerkontrolle / contrôle des habitants), insurance referrals, bank and school questions.
• Company set-up referrals: you introduce clients to trust companies and lawyers; say clearly that you do not provide legal or tax advice yourself.
• Permits explained in general terms: residence and work permits (L, B, C, G for cross-border commuters) are issued by the cantonal migration offices under federal rules set by the SEM, and EU/EFTA nationals and third-country nationals follow different regimes. Write that routes are described generally and that eligibility is confirmed by a regulated adviser or lawyer, and that contentious matters are handled by lawyers. Never publish thresholds, fees or timelines.
• Status line in the footer: there is no single federal licence for relocation consultants, so check with the canton what applies to you and describe your status accurately.
• A short booking form: name, nationality group (EU/EFTA or other), planned move month, household size, services wanted. Passport and contract copies come later, through a secure upload available on quote, with a written retention period.

Data protection follows the revised Federal Act on Data Protection (nLPD, in force since 1 September 2023), supervised by the FDPIC. Because many Basel clients live in Germany or France before moving, and you market to them, the GDPR is also relevant. This is not legal advice: confirm your obligations with a qualified professional.

Which situations favour a local agency, and which a remote studio?

Basel and Kolonell share Central European hours, so availability during your working day is similar on both sides. The questions that really separate them are language and presence: who writes your German, and how often do you need someone in the room?

What does each route cost over three years?

Ranges are a 2026 ballpark from typical Basel agency quotes and public agency rate pages for a 10 to 15 page site. Maintenance figures for agencies and freelancers are market assumptions; Kolonell maintenance after the 3 included months is on quote. The time column is an estimate of your own hours spent on workshops, reviews and content.

The cheapest line is not automatically the right one. A Basel freelancer who already knows the local relocation scene can be excellent value, and a Basel agency can justify its upper range if it also handles brand identity and seasonal video. Compare scope line by line using the international offer page.

What should you ask both providers before signing?

Send the same list to each candidate and compare written answers:

• In whose name are the domain, hosting account and analytics registered?
• Who writes the English pages, who writes the German pages, and who reviews the permit wording?
• Where is the site hosted, and who signs the data processing agreement under the nLPD and, where relevant, the GDPR?
• How is the booking form secured, which fields are mandatory and how long is data kept?
• Which accessibility target do you test against? WCAG 2.1 AA is a sensible standard for a service site.
• What happens after month three, at what cost, and what do we receive if we leave?

Mini case study

Illustrative example. Noah runs a fictional two-person relocation consultancy in Kleinbasel for founders and remote workers moving from the UK, the US and India. His average settling-in package is a hypothetical CHF 2,500.

His local quote is CHF 24,000 for English and German. The Kolonell Premium route costs about CHF 11,000 (CHF 8,200, a third-party German translator at CHF 1,600 and a local photographer at CHF 1,200). Expressed in packages: the local site needs 24,000 divided by 2,500, or 9.6 packages, to pay back; the Premium route needs 11,000 divided by 2,500, or 4.4.

Because his clients read English first, Noah starts with Growth at CHF 4,500 plus the photographer at CHF 1,200, so CHF 5,700, or 2.3 packages. He plans a German version once German-speaking clients exceed about a quarter of his enquiries.

FAQ

Can our site explain which permit a client will get?

No. Permits are issued by the cantonal migration office under federal rules, and EU/EFTA and third-country nationals follow different regimes. Describe routes generally, say eligibility is confirmed by a lawyer, and review the page every 6 months.

Do we need a licence to run a relocation consultancy in Basel?

There is no single federal licence for relocation consultants. Check with the canton what applies to your services; describing your status accurately takes one line in the footer.

Which tier fits an English and German site?

Premium at CHF 8,200, the multilingual tier, with languages set in the quote; German copy is a third-party cost, often CHF 1,200 to 2,000. Growth at CHF 4,500 suits an English-only start.

Does the GDPR apply to a Swiss consultancy?

It can, when you actively market to people living in the EU, which is common in Basel's border region. Your Swiss base still falls under the nLPD in force since 1 September 2023, so plan both in the privacy notice.

How quickly can the site go live?

About 3 to 4 weeks with a remote studio once texts and photos are ready, against 6 to 12 weeks for many Basel agency projects. Three months of support are included.

Let's scope your project. Tell us your client groups, your languages and the services you refer to partners, and we will reply with a fixed price from CHF 2,700 to CHF 8,200 and a 3 to 4 week plan. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.