The verdict in three sentences
For a corporate relocation company in Lausanne, the right web partner is chosen on the quality of the journey offered to HR teams and on the security of your forms, well before the distance between their office and yours. A Lausanne agency remains the better choice if you plan regular video shoots, in-person workshops with employer clients or a portal connected to your assignment management tool. For a 15 to 25 page site in French and English, a remote studio with a project manager reachable during Swiss office hours and a fixed price (CHF 2,700, CHF 4,500 or CHF 8,200 depending on the tier) covers most of the need.
What should a Lausanne relocation company's website do?
Your website speaks to two audiences who want different things. On one side, the mobility manager of an employer on the Lake Geneva arc, a lab on the EPFL and UNIL campus or an international sports federation, comparing packages, a process and reporting. On the other, the transferee and their family, who want to understand how to find a flat between Ouchy, Pully, Lutry or Renens, enrol the children in school and register with the contrôle des habitants of their commune.
The pages that really matter:
- One page per service: home search, schooling, settling in (commune registration, health insurance, utility contracts), departure and lease hand-back.
- An Employers page: packages, steps, single point of contact, reports to HR, confidentiality.
- A Permits and partners page written with care: residence and work permits (L, B, C, G for cross-border commuters) are issued by the cantonal migration office under federal rules set by the SEM, and the regimes differ for EU/EFTA and third-country nationals. Your company coordinates the file with partner lawyers, without ever promising an outcome or a timeline.
- A minimal first-contact form: name, employer, target arrival date, household in one line. No passport copy at first contact; a secure document upload is priced on quote, with a written retention policy.
On compliance, the revised Federal Act on Data Protection (nLPD/revFADP) has applied since 1 September 2023, supervised by the FDPIC. The GDPR also comes into play as soon as you target people still living in the EU before their move. Aim for WCAG 2.1 AA for accessibility. There is no single federal licence for relocation consultants: check with the canton of Vaud what applies to your business. This is not legal advice.
Lausanne agency or remote studio: which criteria should you compare?
| Criterion | Lausanne agency | Remote studio | What to check in the contract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time zone overlap | Full | Swiss office hours covered by a dedicated project manager | Meeting slots agreed in writing |
| Meetings and visits | On-site workshop possible within 24 to 48 h | Video calls, 3 to 5 meetings over 3 to 4 weeks | Number of meetings included |
| Languages | Native French, English sometimes outsourced | Native copywriting in French and English | Who proofreads the English version |
| Photo and video | Photographer from the agency's network | Independent Lausanne photographer, CHF 1,200 to 2,500 (third-party cost) | Transfer of usage rights |
| Build price | CHF 12,000 to 35,000 (2026 ballpark) | CHF 2,700 to 8,200, fixed price | Written list of what is out of scope |
| Domain and code | Depends on the agency | Depends on the studio | Domain and hosting in your company's name |
| Time to launch | 8 to 14 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks | Content delivery schedule |
The local ranges reflect public rate pages of agencies in French-speaking Switzerland and typical quotes for professional services sites: CHF 8,000 to 20,000 for a polished brochure site, CHF 18,000 to 40,000 once you need two languages and an employer area, CHF 3,000 to 9,000 with a freelancer. These are ballpark figures, not a survey.
When is a local agency clearly the better choice?
To be honest, distance has a real cost in some cases.
- You bid for tenders from large employers that require a supplier established in Switzerland, Swiss hosting and on-site security audits.
- You want a client portal connected to your mobility management software, with monthly changes and a team you can bring into your office.
- You produce videos of neighbourhoods, flat viewings or HR client testimonials several times a quarter.
- You have a budget of CHF 25,000 or more and someone in-house to steer the provider every week.
A remote studio is enough when the need is a bilingual presentation site, delivered quickly, with well-designed forms and a controlled budget. That describes most relocation companies of 3 to 15 people. Our international website offer is built for this format.
What does each option cost over three years?
| Item | Lausanne agency | Local freelancer | Kolonell, Premium tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build, French and English | CHF 18,000 to 30,000 | CHF 5,000 to 9,000 | CHF 8,200 |
| On-site photography (half day) | CHF 0 to 2,000, often included | CHF 1,200 to 2,500 (third-party cost) | CHF 1,200 to 2,500 (local photographer, third-party cost) |
| Initial support | 1 to 3 months | Varies | 3 months included |
| Maintenance, 36 months (market assumption: CHF 100 to 250 a month) | CHF 3,600 to 9,000 | CHF 3,600 to 9,000 | On quote after the 3 included months |
| Three-year total | CHF 21,600 to 41,000 | CHF 9,800 to 20,500 | CHF 9,400 to 10,700, maintenance on quote on top |
Premium is the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote. If you start in English only with 5 pages, the Starter tier at CHF 2,700 is enough; the Growth tier at CHF 4,500 adds more pages and a blog for your settling-in guides.
Six questions to ask both types of provider:
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- Will the domain name and hosting account be registered in our company's name?
- Where is form data stored, and for how many months?
- Who writes the French version: a native copywriter or a translation tool?
- How many meetings are included, and at what times?
- At the end of the contract, do we receive the code, content and access within 10 working days?
- How would a future identity document upload be encrypted and purged?
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Claire Morand runs a corporate relocation company in Pully with 6 consultants, handling around 140 moves a year for employers around the lake, in coordination with two law firms for permits.
- Quote from a Lausanne agency: CHF 24,000, then CHF 180 a month for maintenance.
- Remote option: Premium tier at CHF 8,200, plus a half day with a Lausanne photographer at CHF 1,800 (third-party cost), so CHF 10,000.
- Initial gap: CHF 14,000. Claire moves CHF 4,000 of it into two HR breakfasts held at her office and a printed guide to settling in Lausanne.
If an average package is billed CHF 3,800 to the employer (assumption), 3 extra moves a year attributable to the site bring in CHF 11,400, which covers the CHF 10,000 investment in the first year.
FAQ
Can a remote studio comply with the nLPD?
Yes, if the contract states where data is hosted, how long it is kept and which subprocessors are used. The nLPD has applied since 1 September 2023, wherever the development team happens to work.
Does a Lausanne relocation site need a German version?
Not necessarily, since most moves go through HR teams who work in English. If 20% or more of your clients are German-speaking, plan for the Premium tier and an independent translator, from CHF 0.25 to 0.40 per word as a 2026 ballpark (third-party cost).
How long does it take to launch the site?
Count 3 to 4 weeks with Kolonell if your content is delivered in the first week. A local agency usually quotes 8 to 14 weeks, workshops included.
Can the site state permit processing times?
No: decisions and their timing belong to the cantonal migration office, and even an indicative 4 weeks can be read as a promise. Describe the steps in general terms and state that eligibility is confirmed by a lawyer.
Who owns the site at the end of the project?
Require in writing that 100% of the code, copy and photos are assigned to you, with the domain in your name. The requirement is the same whether the provider sits in Lausanne or works remotely.
Let's scope your project. A bilingual 15 to 25 page site, budget CHF 4,500 to 8,200, live in 3 to 4 weeks. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
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.