New website for a hedge fund in Dubai: real cost vs local agencies (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

For a hedge fund or alternative asset manager based in the DIFC or ADGM, the public website does not sell a product: it exists to get through allocator due diligence, to recruit and to reassure service providers. Dubai agencies charge AED 40,000 to 110,000 (about USD 10,900 to 30,000) for this kind of site in 2026, while Kolonell's fixed grid is USD 4,900 for Growth and USD 8,900 for Premium, the multilingual tier for Arabic and English. The real gap lies in the costs around the site: compliance review, translation, investor area, maintenance.

What a fund's website must prove, page by page

An allocator, a manager-selection consultant or an operational due diligence team reads a fund's site as a first file. They look for the team's pedigree, risk culture, governance and the strength of service providers, not headline performance. In many jurisdictions, fund promotion is restricted to professional or qualified investors, and the financial centres in Dubai and Abu Dhabi have their own regulators and rules. The site therefore stays factual, and any fund information sits behind a professional-investor disclaimer.

Pages to plan:

• the firm, the regulated entity and its jurisdiction;
• team and partners, with verifiable backgrounds;
• investment philosophy in general terms, with no public performance figures;
• governance, risk management and service providers (administrator, auditor, custodian) where naming them is permitted;
• regulatory pages: legal notices, disclaimers, privacy policy;
• careers, often the most visited page;
• gated investor area, on quote.

On personal data, Federal Decree-Law 45 of 2021 applies across the UAE in general terms, while the DIFC and ADGM have their own data protection regimes. This is not legal advice.

Real cost: Dubai agencies vs a fixed grid

Local figures are 2026 ballparks drawn from typical Dubai agency quotes, converted approximately at AED 3.67 to USD 1.

Every Kolonell 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. The gated investor area, portals and integrations are on quote, as is maintenance after the 3 included months. Details are on the international offer.

Hidden costs and total cost over 3 years

The build price is one line. For a fund, review by legal counsel or the compliance officer before go-live is essential, and the Arabic version is often handed to a specialist financial translator. The table compares a local agency at the middle of its range with the Premium tier, using the same assumptions for third-party costs.

The maintenance assumption uses around AED 2,000 a month, roughly USD 545: it is a market assumption, not a price.

When a Dubai agency is still the better choice

To be fair: a local agency has the edge if you want weekly in-person workshops in the DIFC, an on-site video shoot of the team, Arabic copy written in-house by the agency, or a supplier already approved by your group. It also has the edge if the site is part of a wider brand launch with events and press relations.

Questions to ask any provider:

• who reviews regulated content, and at what point in the schedule?
• is the Arabic written or translated, and is RTL tested on mobile?
• how is the investor area secured, and who hosts it?
• which forms collect data, and under which regime?
• what does maintenance cost after the warranty period?

Mini case study

Illustrative example. "Qasr Ridge Capital", a multi-strategy manager recently registered in the DIFC, receives a local quote of AED 95,000, about USD 25,870, for an English and Arabic site. It chooses the Premium tier at USD 8,900, which frees about USD 16,970. It spends USD 4,000 of that on review by its counsel and USD 3,000 on an Arabic financial translator, and keeps about USD 9,970 for the investor area, priced on quote. The site goes live within 5 weeks once content is signed off.

FAQ

Can a hedge fund website show performance?

In most jurisdictions, communicating performance to the general public is restricted or prohibited for funds reserved for professional investors. Common practice is to place this information behind a disclaimer and gated access, on quote.

Is Arabic necessary for a fund in Dubai?

Not always: many allocators read in English. For regional family offices or public entities an Arabic version adds credibility; it falls under the Premium tier at USD 8,900, with languages and RTL scope set in the quote.

How long does it take to launch the site?

Allow 3 to 4 weeks for Growth and 4 to 6 weeks for Premium once content is ready. Compliance review often adds 1 to 2 weeks, to be built into the schedule.

Should a fund invest in SEO?

Yes, but on the brand, partner names and recruiting, not on product promotion. A well-built careers page often captures more than 30% of visits.

What does maintenance after 3 months cover?

It covers updates, security and small changes, and it is on quote at Kolonell. On the market, allow an assumption of AED 1,500 to 3,000 a month depending on scope.

Let's scope your project. A fund website on Growth or on Premium in English and Arabic, with the investor area priced separately and go-live in 3 to 6 weeks depending on the tier. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.