The verdict in three sentences
The website of a commodity trading house in Amsterdam does not sell a product: it reassures trade finance banks, counterparties, regulators, NGOs and recruits about your governance and compliance. Local agencies price this kind of corporate site at 20,000 to 60,000 EUR as a 2026 ballpark, while Kolonell's fixed grid stands at 2,700 EUR (Starter), 4,500 EUR (Growth) and 8,200 EUR (Premium). Over 36 months the gap remains clear once you add the third-party costs that every option shares: translation, photography and legal review.
Who reads your site, and what each of them checks
A trader gets few prospects through its website. But every new banking relationship, every counterparty and every candidate goes through it before a meeting. The site acts as a public credibility file, and its gaps show quickly during a KYC process.
| Reader | What they look for | Page that must answer |
|---|---|---|
| Trade finance bank | Shareholding, governance, group entities | Governance and group structure |
| Counterparty or supplier | Contacts, offices, how to engage | Offices and contacts by desk |
| A partner's compliance team | Sanctions policy, KYC, anti-bribery | Compliance and ethics |
| NGO or journalist | Responsible sourcing, published reports | Sustainability, with reports actually published |
| Trader or analyst candidate | Culture, career paths, open roles | Careers |
| Regulator or auditor | Legal notices, data protection | Legal and privacy |
In the Netherlands, data protection falls under the GDPR (AVG in Dutch) supervised by the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens, and financial activity may fall under the AFM. The site must reflect your real situation faithfully, without announcing volumes, counterparties or ESG commitments you have not published. This is not legal advice.
The price grid, option by option
Local figures are 2026 ballparks drawn from typical agency quotes and public rate pages in Amsterdam, excluding VAT. Kolonell prices are fixed, in EUR.
| Option | Build price | What is delivered | What stays on your side |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | 5,000 to 15,000 EUR | Adapted theme, build | Copywriting, project management, often the Dutch version |
| Amsterdam agency | 20,000 to 60,000 EUR | Custom design, Dutch and English, project management | Photography, legal review |
| High-end corporate agency | 70,000 to 180,000 EUR | Brand strategy, workshops, design system | Legal review, sometimes hosting |
| Kolonell Starter | 2,700 EUR | Essential corporate site, native English or French copywriting | Photography, legal review |
| Kolonell Growth | 4,500 EUR | Governance, compliance and careers pages, SEO structure | Photography, legal review |
| Kolonell Premium | 8,200 EUR | Multilingual tier, languages set in the quote | Native Dutch copywriting if chosen |
Every tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks (4 to 6 for Premium) and 3 months of support. A counterparty portal, a connection to a recruiting tool or an integration with an internal system is priced on quote. Tier details are on the international offer.
The full budget over 36 months
Comparing build prices alone distorts the decision. The table below sets out the three most common options for a mid-sized trader, with the same third-party costs and the same maintenance assumption.
| Item over 36 months | Freelancer | Amsterdam agency | Kolonell Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build | 10,000 EUR | 45,000 EUR | 8,200 EUR |
| Dutch translation or review (third party) | 1,500 EUR | Often included | 1,500 EUR |
| Office and team photography (third party) | 2,000 EUR | 2,000 EUR | 2,000 EUR |
| Legal review of compliance pages (third party) | 2,500 EUR | 2,500 EUR | 2,500 EUR |
| Maintenance, 250 EUR a month, market assumption | 9,000 EUR over 36 months | 9,000 EUR over 36 months | 8,250 EUR over 33 months, after the 3 included months |
| Indicative total | 25,000 EUR | 58,500 EUR | 22,450 EUR |
Kolonell maintenance after the 3 included months is priced on quote; the 250 EUR a month figure is a market assumption used to compare like for like.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Keizer Grain & Oilseeds B.V., a grain and oilseeds trader based in Amsterdam with an office in Geneva, is preparing a new bank financing line and wants an English and Dutch website.
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With Kolonell Premium: 8,200 EUR for the build, plus 6,000 EUR of third-party costs (1,500 for Dutch review, 2,000 for photography, 2,500 for legal review), or 14,200 EUR at launch. Adding the maintenance assumption of 250 EUR a month over 33 months (8,250 EUR), the three-year total reaches 22,450 EUR. Against a local agency at 58,500 EUR over the same period, the gap is 36,050 EUR, enough to fund a sustainability report or several years of hardened hosting.
When an Amsterdam agency is worth it
A local agency is preferable if your leadership wants weekly in-person workshops, if your employer brand in the Netherlands is a major issue, or if your group requires a supplier approved by procurement. Before choosing, ask who writes the compliance pages, who signs off ESG statements, who holds the code and access rights, and how quickly an urgent statement can be published.
FAQ
How much does a commodity trader's website cost in Amsterdam?
As a 2026 ballpark, allow 20,000 to 60,000 EUR excluding VAT with a local agency, and 70,000 EUR or more with a high-end corporate agency. Kolonell's grid is fixed: 2,700, 4,500 or 8,200 EUR.
Should we publish our volumes or counterparties?
No, nothing requires it on a corporate site, and many traders refrain. Publish only what already appears in your official reports, and have every figure reviewed.
Do we need Dutch if we work in English?
For counterparties, English is often enough. For local recruiting and some institutional relationships a Dutch version helps: it sits in the Premium tier at 8,200 EUR, languages set in the quote, with native review at around 1,500 EUR.
What does a credible compliance page contain?
Your sanctions and KYC policy, your code of conduct, a whistleblowing channel and the reports actually published, with their date. Allow 2,000 to 3,000 EUR of external legal review for these pages.
How long until the site goes live?
3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth, 4 to 6 weeks for Premium, once content is approved. A local agency typically quotes 8 to 14 weeks for a comparable corporate site.
Let's scope your project. Governance, compliance and careers pages, in English and Dutch if needed: we scope the Growth or Premium tier and a launch in 3 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.
