The verdict in three sentences
For an immigration and relocation firm website in Dubai, a local agency wins if you want regular filming, an Arabic version written in-house and meetings in your Business Bay or DIFC office. A remote studio like Kolonell fits if you want a clear English site with a qualified inquiry form and a closed budget: 2 900, 4 900 or 8 900 USD, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth. To be honest: in Dubai, many freelancers charge less than our Starter package; the difference lies in copywriting, project management and site ownership.
Which criteria should you compare between a Dubai agency and a remote studio?
| Criterion | Dubai agency | Dubai freelancer | Kolonell (remote studio) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build, 2026 order of magnitude | 25 000 to 120 000 AED (approx. 6 800 to 32 700 USD) | 5 000 to 20 000 AED (approx. 1 400 to 5 400 USD) | 2 900 / 4 900 / 8 900 USD, fixed price |
| In-person meetings | Yes | Often | No, Google Meet calls at your hour |
| On-site photos and video | Often offered | Sometimes | Not included: you book a local videographer |
| Arabic version | Often written in-house | Depends on profile | Supplied by you or quoted separately |
| Time zone | Same | Same | 4 hours apart (team in Senegal, GMT) |
| Typical timeline | 6 to 14 weeks | 3 to 8 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually 4 to 6 |
| Ownership and access | Check | Often unclear | Domain in your name, all access handed over |
These ranges are cautious orders of magnitude, drawn from public price lists of a few UAE agencies, minimum project sizes on Clutch.co profiles of Dubai agencies and rates published on Upwork and Fiverr. Conversion: the dirham is pegged to the dollar, 1 USD is about 3.67 AED. Our packages are detailed in our international website offer.
When is a Dubai agency the better choice?
- Your clients are mainly Arabic speakers and you want an Arabic version written, not translated, and updated every month.
- You rely on video: testimonials from settled families, tours of neighbourhoods such as Dubai Hills or Jumeirah, short content for social media.
- You want a secure client area for uploading passports, attested degrees and tenancy contracts. That is a custom application: we quote it separately, but an agency already running your local CRM may be faster.
- You want meetings in your office at every stage.
And if your budget is under 1 500 USD, a local freelancer is probably the right answer: our Starter package begins at 2 900 USD.
When does Kolonell make sense?
If your site mainly has to convince families and entrepreneurs discovering you from abroad, in English (or French), the remote studio has arguments: native copywriting included, a project manager reachable at your hour with a written update every week, a fixed price, the domain in your name. For Orven Properties (orvenproperties.com), an off-plan real estate advisory in Dubai for international investors, we delivered a trilingual FR/EN/AR site with project pages, investor guides and WhatsApp inquiries; Arabic followed the same rule there: supplied by the client or quoted separately.
| Item | Starter 2 900 USD | Growth 4 900 USD | Premium 8 900 USD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service pages | Visas and relocation as main pages | One page per service (Golden Visa, work visa, free zone company setup, school search, housing) | Separate paths for individuals, families, companies |
| Inquiry form | Simple | Qualified (nationality, current status, plan, arrival date, family size) | Qualified, with routing by path |
| Guides | FAQ page | Guides section | Dated resource centre |
| Bilingual FR/EN version | No | No | Included |
| Timeline | 3 to 4 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks | Written schedule, usually 4 to 6 weeks |
| Support | 3 months | 3 months | 6 months |
Payment by bank transfer or Wise: 50% at kickoff, 50% on delivery. Maintenance after the support period and ongoing SEO are quoted separately.
What a Dubai relocation firm's website must cover
Dubai's clientele is remarkably diverse: executives transferred by their employer, entrepreneurs setting up a company in a free zone (DMCC, Dubai South and others), investors interested in the Golden Visa, families looking for a British, French or IB school, retirees. The site should:
- Clearly separate what you do from what the authorities do (GDRFA, ICP, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation): you assist, you issue nothing.
- Show your fees, or at least their logic, separate from official government fees.
- Date every guide: visa categories and their conditions change.
- Present the team, its languages and your trade licence.
Compliance: the UAE has a federal personal data protection law, and financial centres such as DIFC have their own regime; your adviser confirms which applies to you. Avoid collecting passports through a plain form. The site never promises a visa or an administrative timeline. This is not legal advice.
Questions to ask before signing
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- Who writes and who approves the visa pages?
- Is the Arabic version included, translated or written?
- Are the domain and hosting in your name?
- How do inquiries arrive (email, CRM, WhatsApp) and who receives them?
- What does an update cost when a rule changes?
- Red flag: a provider suggesting "guaranteed visa" or "approval in 48 hours".
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Rania K. runs a four-person firm in Dubai specialising in the Golden Visa and family relocation. Her site dates from 2021 and most of her inquiries arrive without usable information. A local agency proposes 68 000 AED, about 18 500 USD, Arabic included, in 10 weeks. A freelancer proposes 12 000 AED, about 3 300 USD, without copywriting. Kolonell proposes Growth at 4 900 USD, English copywriting included, in 4 weeks; Rania sends the Arabic to a translator for 1 200 USD.
Kolonell plus translation: 6 100 USD, 12 400 USD less than the agency and 2 800 USD more than the freelancer, with copywriting and a qualified form on top. Rania picks the remote studio and keeps the agency in mind for a future client area.
FAQ
How much does an immigration firm website cost in Dubai in 2026?
About 25 000 to 120 000 AED (6 800 to 32 700 USD) with an agency, 5 000 to 20 000 AED with a freelancer. Kolonell offers 2 900, 4 900 or 8 900 USD at a fixed price.
Do you write in Arabic?
No. Native English or French is included; Arabic is supplied by you or quoted separately. The FR/EN version is included from Premium at 8 900 USD.
How do you handle the 4-hour time difference?
Dubai is 4 hours ahead of the team (GMT) all year round. Google Meet calls are set late morning or early afternoon Dubai time.
Can you connect the form to WhatsApp Business?
Yes, a button and inquiry forwarding are included from Growth at 4 900 USD. A full CRM integration is quoted separately.
How long until launch?
3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth, usually 4 to 6 weeks for Premium.
Let's scope your project. Send us your services, audiences and languages, and we will propose a fixed-price package delivered in 3 to 4 weeks. 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.
