The verdict in three sentences
For a funded B2B software company in Riyadh, the website is a sales tool: it must let a Saudi CIO, operations director or CFO check the product, integrations and security before booking a demo. A local agency commonly quotes 90,000 to 260,000 SAR, roughly 24,000 to 70,000 USD (2026 ballpark, approximate conversion), for an Arabic and English site. Kolonell's grid runs from 2,900 USD (Starter) to 8,900 USD (Premium), Premium being the multilingual tier, with Arabic and the RTL scope set in the quote.
The pages a Saudi buyer checks before the demo
Buying committees at large groups and semi-government entities in Riyadh work methodically. They compare several vendors, often on a shortlist, and the website acts as the pre-qualification file.
| Page | What it must prove | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Product by use case | The business problem solved, real screenshots | Marketing copy with no screens |
| Integrations | Connectors actually available (ERP, HR, payments) | Logos of tools not integrated |
| Security and compliance | Certifications actually held (SOC 2, ISO 27001), data hosting | "In progress" badges shown as achieved |
| Pricing or pricing model | Licence logic, thresholds, enterprise terms | No indication, hence unqualified demos |
| Case studies | Real customers who have given consent | Anonymous cases with unverifiable figures |
| Demo and contact | Short form, slots in Riyadh time | A 15-field form |
| Company and investors | Team, local presence, funding as publicly announced | Non-public or rounded funding amounts |
No customer, funding amount or metric should ever be invented or embellished: a public buyer or investor who spots a gap drops the file. On data, Saudi Arabia's Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), enforced by SDAIA since September 2023, applies to demo forms and analytics tools; your privacy policy must describe your actual processing. This is not legal advice.
What does this site cost in Riyadh, and with Kolonell?
| Option | Budget (2026 ballpark) | Timeline | Usually included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riyadh freelancer | 25,000 to 60,000 SAR (about 6,700 to 16,000 USD) | 6 to 10 weeks | Theme, English only or partial Arabic |
| Local agency | 90,000 to 180,000 SAR (about 24,000 to 48,000 USD) | 10 to 16 weeks | Arabic and English, custom design |
| Premium local or regional agency | 180,000 to 260,000 SAR and up (about 48,000 to 70,000 USD) | 4 to 6 months | Brand strategy, motion design, advanced CMS |
| Kolonell Starter | 2,900 USD | 3 to 4 weeks | Polished product site, native English copy, 3 months of support |
| Kolonell Growth | 4,900 USD | 3 to 4 weeks | More product, integration and use case pages, demo booking |
| Kolonell Premium | 8,900 USD | 4 to 6 weeks | Multilingual tier, languages and RTL scope set in the quote |
Local ranges reflect typical agency quotes and public rate pages. Every Kolonell tier includes a project manager reachable in Gulf time and native English or French copywriting. Customer portals, connected documentation hubs, CRM or marketing automation integrations and any custom app are on quote. Details are on the international offer.
Hidden costs and the three-year budget
The build cost does not tell the whole story. For a software company, Arabic, product visuals and compliance review are the most underestimated items.
- Arabic translation and review by a third party: 6,000 to 20,000 SAR (about 1,600 to 5,300 USD), depending on volume.
- Screenshots, product videos and team photos: 2,000 to 6,000 USD.
- Legal review of the privacy policy and notices: 1,500 to 4,000 USD.
- Demo booking tool and CRM: separate subscriptions, often 50 to 300 USD a month.
- Maintenance after the 3 included months: on quote, with a market range of 300 to 900 USD a month (market assumption).
Over three years, on a median assumption: Premium 8,900 USD, Arabic translation 3,500 USD, media 4,000 USD, legal review 2,500 USD, then 7,200 USD a year of maintenance and tools (market assumption) for two years. Total: 8,900 + 3,500 + 4,000 + 2,500 + 14,400 = 33,300 USD, less than the build alone at a high-end local agency.
When a local agency is the better choice
A Riyadh agency makes sense if you bid on tenders that require a locally registered vendor, if your leadership wants weekly in-person workshops, or if the site must be written Arabic-first by a Saudi copy team with a large share of institutional content. It also makes sense when the project includes a complex customer portal from day one.
Questions to ask any provider:
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- Who writes the Arabic, and is RTL tested on mobile?
- How do you present certifications in progress without overstating them?
- Does the demo form minimise the data collected?
- Who owns the code, the domain and the analytics accounts?
- What does post-launch support cover?
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Nakheel Ops Partners, which makes industrial maintenance software, has closed a publicly announced Series A and targets the Kingdom's large groups. A local agency quotes 210,000 SAR (about 56,000 USD). The team picks Kolonell Premium at 8,900 USD, adds 4,000 USD of Arabic translation and 3,000 USD of product visuals: 15,900 USD.
The gap of roughly 40,000 USD funds almost 10 months of content and Riyadh trade shows at 4,000 USD a month. If the site lifts the qualified demo rate from 30% to 40% on 60 requests a quarter, the sales team gains 6 useful demos per quarter.
FAQ
Is Arabic mandatory to sell in Riyadh?
For public entities and many large groups, a polished Arabic version is expected. It sits in the 8,900 USD Premium tier, with the RTL scope set in the quote.
Can we show SOC 2 or ISO 27001 during the audit?
Only by stating the exact status, for example "audit in progress, report expected in Q2". Displaying a certification you do not hold can cost you a tender.
Should we publish pricing?
A pricing model page, even with "from" figures, cuts unqualified demos. Many vendors publish 2 or 3 plans and keep enterprise terms on request.
How long until launch?
Allow 3 to 4 weeks for Starter at 2,900 USD or Growth at 4,900 USD, 4 to 6 weeks for Premium. Third-party Arabic translation should start as soon as the English copy is approved.
Should the site mention Vision 2030?
Only if your product genuinely serves a related programme or sector. A factual mention beats a slogan.
Let's scope your project. An Arabic and English product site on the 8,900 USD Premium tier ships in 4 to 6 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.
