The verdict in three sentences
For a luxury real estate agency in Basel, a custom website from a local digital agency is a 2026 ballpark of 8 000 to 35 000+ CHF, with later changes often billed at 120 to 200 CHF an hour, while an experienced freelancer usually quotes 3 000 to 10 000 CHF. Kolonell delivers a comparable site at a fixed 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 CHF, with a project manager available on Google Meet during Basel office hours and launch in 3 to 4 weeks. Because Basel buyers come from Switzerland, France, Germany and the international life sciences workforce, the real comparison is which languages each quote includes and what you will pay over three years.
How do Basel quotes compare with freelancers and Kolonell?
The ranges below are prudent orders of magnitude based on the public rate cards of Swiss digital agencies, the hourly rates they commonly publish, minimum project sizes listed on Clutch.co profiles and rates on freelance platforms such as Malt and Upwork. Scope changes them significantly.
| Criterion | Basel digital agency | Freelancer | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build price, 2026 ballpark | 8 000 to 35 000+ CHF | 3 000 to 10 000 CHF | 2 700 / 4 500 / 8 200 CHF, fixed |
| Changes after launch | Often 120 to 200 CHF per hour | Day rate or ad hoc | Fixed scope, extras quoted in advance |
| Timeline | Often 8 to 14 weeks | Depends on availability | 3 to 4 weeks, Premium 4 to 6 |
| Project management | Account manager | The freelancer alone | Dedicated PM, Google Meet at your hours, weekly written update |
| Languages included | German, others often extra | Usually one | English or French native; bilingual EN/FR on Premium |
| Support | Paid service agreement | Ad hoc | 3 months, 6 on Premium |
| Domain and access | Check the contract | Check the contract | Domain in your name, all access handed over |
Payment is by bank transfer or Wise: 50 % at kickoff, 50 % at delivery. You will find the detail of each tier on the Kolonell website offer for international clients.
What does a prestige agency website in Basel need?
The upper end of the Basel market includes villas on the Bruderholz, townhouses around St. Alban and the Rhine, and family homes in Riehen and Bettingen. The clientele is unusually cross-border: Swiss sellers, buyers from Alsace and Baden, and relocating professionals arriving for the life sciences sector. A site that works for this market should:
- Present properties at their best: large galleries, video, embedded virtual tours, floor plans, descriptions written for international readers.
- Speak the right languages: German is usually the base language, supplied by your team or quoted separately, since Kolonell writes natively in English and French only. English serves relocating professionals; French reaches buyers from Alsace and French-speaking Switzerland. The Premium tier includes a bilingual EN/FR site.
- Reuse your listings: your properties probably already reach Homegate or ImmoScout24 through your broker software. Showing them on your site uses the vendor's export or API: standard embed included where available, custom integration quoted on request, as is a fully custom listings back office.
- Keep sensitive sales discreet: off-market listings with gated details and an enquiry form that qualifies the buyer before any address is shared.
- Win mandates: a valuation request page aimed at owners, plus pages for buying, selling and furnished relocation rentals.
- Guide non-Swiss buyers: a general page explaining that the LFAIE (Lex Koller) restricts certain purchases by persons abroad, and that cross-border buyers should take advice from a notary or lawyer.
On compliance, the nLPD (revFADP) has applied since 1 September 2023 to your enquiry and valuation forms: privacy notice, minimal data, clear purpose. Listings must be accurate under consumer protection rules, and anti money laundering duties apply in real estate transactions: your managing director must validate the content. This is not legal advice.
What does each Kolonell tier cover for a Basel agency?
| Need | Starter 2 700 CHF | Growth 4 500 CHF | Premium 8 200 CHF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agency, team and contact pages | Core pages | Yes | Yes, bespoke design |
| Property pages and galleries | Showcase selection | Full listings with galleries | Full listings, advanced layouts |
| Virtual tour and video embeds | Basic | Yes | Yes |
| Valuation request form | Yes | Yes | Yes, with qualification questions |
| Area guides (Bruderholz, St. Alban, Riehen) | No | Yes | Yes, richer editorial pages |
| Off-market enquiries | No | Simple form | Discreet flow, gated details |
| Bilingual EN/FR site | No | No | Yes |
How much will it cost over three years?
Illustrative comparison with identical assumptions for hosting (about 40 CHF per month) and maintenance (150 CHF per month after included support).
| Cost line (illustrative, CHF) | Basel agency, mid-range | Freelancer | Kolonell Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build | 18 000 | 6 000 | 4 500 |
| English copywriting | 2 000 (often optional) | 0, but your time | Included |
| Hosting and domain, 36 months | 1 440 | 1 440 | 1 440 |
| Support, first 3 months | In the agreement | Ad hoc | Included |
| Maintenance months 4 to 36 | 4 950 | 4 950 | Quoted, same assumption: 4 950 |
| Indicative 3-year total | 26 390 | 12 390 | 10 890 |
When reading quotes, ask: which languages are included, who registers the domain, what the listing integration covers, the hourly rate after launch, how long support lasts and whether there is a written schedule. Be wary of quotes where the site lives inside a platform subscription you cannot leave. To compare like for like, request a free quote on the same scope.
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Mini case study
Illustrative example: Lukas, owner of a three-broker prestige agency in Riehen, receives a local quote of 20 000 CHF plus 260 CHF per month for hosting and maintenance. Over three years: 20 000 + 36 x 260 = 29 360 CHF.
With Kolonell Growth: 4 500 CHF build, 1 440 CHF hosting and domain and, keeping the same 260 CHF monthly envelope from month four (maintenance is quoted, so this is an assumption), 33 x 260 = 8 580 CHF. Total: 14 520 CHF, about 14 840 CHF less. The German version is budgeted separately in both scenarios.
FAQ
Who writes the German version of the site?
Your team or a professional translator quoted separately, because Kolonell writes natively in English and French only. The site structure is multilingual from the start, whatever the tier from 2 700 CHF.
Can we reach French buyers from Alsace?
Yes: the Premium tier at 8 200 CHF includes a bilingual EN/FR site written natively. On Starter and Growth, you choose English or French as the second language next to your German copy.
Can our listings be pulled automatically?
If your broker software provides an export or API, the standard embed is included from the 4 500 CHF Growth tier. A deeper or custom integration is quoted on request.
How fast is delivery?
Starter and Growth go live in 3 to 4 weeks. Premium follows a written schedule set at kickoff, usually 4 to 6 weeks.
What happens after launch?
Support is included for 3 months, 6 on Premium. Maintenance and any ongoing search work are then quoted on request.
Let's scope your project. A Growth site at 4 500 CHF with full listings, area guides and a valuation form, live 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.
