The verdict in three sentences
For a private medical clinic in Edinburgh, a local agency is the better choice when you need on-site photography, clinician introduction videos and face-to-face workshops with your medical team; a remote studio fits when the scope is a clear, well-written site at a fixed price. As a 2026 order of magnitude, Edinburgh agencies often quote 8 000 to 30 000 GBP for this kind of site, while Kolonell delivers for a fixed price of 2 300, 3 900 or 6 900 GBP, with a bilingual EN/FR site included in Premium. Either way, judge the proposals on how carefully they handle health data and advertising rules, on who owns the domain and accesses, and on the total cost over three years.
Local agency or remote studio: which criteria really matter?
The ranges below are cautious orders of magnitude, not official figures. They are based on public price grids from Scottish agencies, minimum project sizes shown on Clutch.co profiles, day rates published by Edinburgh and Glasgow agencies (often 450 to 850 GBP per day) and rates visible on Upwork and UK freelance platforms.
| Criterion | Edinburgh agency | Local freelancer | Kolonell (remote studio) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings at the clinic | Yes, usually included | Often possible | No physical meetings, Google Meet calls at your hour |
| Photography and filming of rooms and clinicians | Often offered or coordinated | Sometimes, through a partner | Not included: your images or a local photographer you book |
| Time zone | Yours | Yours | Team in Senegal (GMT): same time as Edinburgh in winter, one hour behind during British Summer Time |
| Build cost, 2026 order of magnitude | 8 000 to 30 000 GBP | 2 500 to 8 000 GBP | 2 300 / 3 900 / 6 900 GBP, fixed price |
| Typical lead time | 8 to 14 weeks | 4 to 10 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually 4 to 6 |
| Ownership of domain and accesses | Check the contract | Check the contract | Domain in your name, all accesses handed over |
| Support after launch | Separate retainer | Case by case | 3 months, 6 in Premium |
To be honest: a good Edinburgh freelancer can quote close to our Starter. What Kolonell adds is a project manager reachable in your time zone with a written update every week, native copywriting in English or French, a fixed price agreed before work starts and the handover of every access. The details are on our international websites offer.
When is an Edinburgh agency the better choice?
Put plainly, a local agency is worth its price in several situations:
- you are redoing your whole identity (logo, signage, leaflets) and want one team for all of it;
- you want photos of consulting rooms and clinician portraits shot on site, with consistent art direction;
- your medical director insists on in-person workshops to approve tone and patient journeys;
- you need deep integration with your practice management software or a patient portal, an application project that is priced separately in any case;
- you want someone who can come to reception on a Tuesday morning.
In those cases, paying 15 000 GBP or more can be justified, provided the quote spells out what is included.
When does a remote studio like Kolonell fit?
A remote studio fits when the scope is clear: treatment pages, clinician profiles, a fees page, an appointment request that hands over to your existing booking tool, compliance pages. You already have decent images, or you book a local photographer for a day. You want a fixed price and a launch in 3 to 4 weeks.
| Element | Starter 2 300 GBP | Growth 3 900 GBP | Premium 6 900 GBP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treatment pages | One page per main specialty | One page per treatment or consultation | Full structure with pages per symptom or care pathway |
| Clinician profiles | Team page | One profile per clinician with qualifications | Detailed profiles, professional registration numbers displayed |
| Appointment request | Short form | Minimal form + link to your booking tool | Separate journeys for new patients, insured patients, corporate clients |
| Fees page | Included | Included, by consultation type | Included, with private insurer coverage |
| Complaints, privacy and registration pages | Included | Included | Included, written from your documents |
| Bilingual EN/FR site | No | No | Included |
| Lead time | 3 to 4 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks | Written schedule at kickoff, usually 4 to 6 weeks |
| Support after launch | 3 months | 3 months | 6 months |
A patient portal, booking connected to medical records or video consultations are custom applications, quoted separately. Ongoing SEO is also quoted on request. Payment by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % on delivery.
What does a private clinic website need in Edinburgh, and which rules apply?
Edinburgh's private patients are a varied group: finance sector employees, university staff and students, families in Morningside and Bruntsfield, international visitors during the August festivals, and patients looking for a shorter wait than NHS Scotland. Clinics in the New Town, Stockbridge or Leith offer private GP care, physiotherapy, dermatology, imaging or menopause consultations. The site has to show fees without ambiguity, present clinicians with their qualifications and reassure patients about confidentiality.
On the rules, here is what we can state. In Scotland, many independent clinics must register with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, depending on the services they provide: check your own position. Advertising falls under the CAP Code, enforced by the ASA, and prescription-only medicines cannot be promoted to the public. Health data is special category data under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018: your contact form should not ask for clinical details. The Equality Act 2010 requires that disabled patients are not put at a disadvantage, and WCAG 2.2 AA is the technical reference. This is not legal advice.
Which questions should you ask, and which red flags should you spot?
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- Who writes the treatment pages? Vague copy, or copy that promises outcomes, is a problem under the CAP Code.
- Does the form collect symptoms? If so, ask why and where the data is stored.
- Is the domain in your name? A domain registered by the agency makes any change of provider harder.
- What does a new clinician profile cost? The price should be stated upfront.
- Are patient reviews displayed? Check where they come from and the ASA rules on testimonials.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Fiona M. runs a six-clinician practice in Stockbridge (private GP care and physiotherapy). Her site dates from 2019, displays poorly on mobile and does not show fees. She receives two proposals:
- Edinburgh agency: 18 500 GBP, photo and portrait day included, on-site workshops, 12 weeks.
- Kolonell Growth: 3 900 GBP, 3 to 4 weeks, plus a day with an Edinburgh photographer at 1 200 GBP.
Kolonell option: 3 900 + 1 200 = 5 100 GBP, a gap of 13 400 GBP. In exchange, Fiona coordinates the photographer herself and approves content over video calls rather than in workshops. If the medical team insists on on-site workshops, the local agency remains a defensible choice.
FAQ
How much does a private clinic website cost in Edinburgh?
As a 2026 order of magnitude, a local agency charges 8 000 to 30 000 GBP and a freelancer 2 500 to 8 000 GBP. Kolonell offers 2 300, 3 900 or 6 900 GBP at a fixed price.
Can we work with a remote studio without ever meeting in person?
Yes: a project manager reachable in your time zone, Google Meet calls at your hour and a written update each week. The time difference is zero in winter and one hour in summer.
Does Kolonell handle photography of the clinic?
No, Kolonell does not shoot on site. A day with a local photographer often costs around 800 to 1 500 GBP in 2026.
Is online booking included?
A link to your existing booking tool is included from Growth at 3 900 GBP. Booking connected to patient records is a custom application, quoted separately.
Can the site be in English and French?
Yes, a bilingual EN/FR site is included in Premium at 6 900 GBP. Other languages are supplied by you or priced separately.
Let's scope your project. Send us your list of treatments, your clinicians and your booking tool, and we will reply with a fixed-price plan and a launch 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.
