The verdict in three sentences
In Lausanne, a private or international school website built by a Lake Geneva agency costs, as a 2026 order of magnitude, between 12 000 and 45 000 CHF, and clearly more with a parent portal or a custom enrolment module. Kolonell builds the section pages, the admissions journey, the open day pages and, from the Premium plan, a bilingual French and English site, at a fixed price: 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 CHF. The real comparison is the three-year total cost, plus two things Kolonell does not cover: on-campus photo and video, and in-person meetings.
This version is written for the English-speaking heads, bursars and admissions teams of private and international schools in Lausanne.
What do Lausanne agencies, freelancers and Kolonell charge?
The figures below are cautious orders of magnitude. They draw on public price grids from Vaud and Geneva agencies, minimum project sizes shown on Clutch.co profiles, hourly rates published by agencies in French-speaking Switzerland (often 120 to 180 CHF per hour) and freelance rates visible on Malt and Upwork. Lausanne is slightly cheaper than Geneva or Zurich, but a school site grows quickly: several sections, two languages, admissions forms, an events calendar.
| Criterion | Lausanne agency | Vaud freelancer | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build, 2026 order of magnitude | 12 000 to 45 000 CHF and up | 3 500 to 12 000 CHF | 2 700 / 4 500 / 8 200 CHF, fixed price |
| Hourly rate for changes | Often 120 to 180 CHF | Often 80 to 120 CHF | Additions quoted before work starts |
| Usual timeline | 8 to 14 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually 4 to 6 |
| English version for international families | Often subcontracted and billed separately | Depends on the profile | Native copywriting, bilingual FR/EN from Premium |
| On-campus photo and video | Often offered as an option | Sometimes | Not included: your images or a local photographer |
| In-person meetings | Yes | Yes | No, Google Meet calls and a weekly written update |
| Site ownership | Check the contract | Check the contract | Domain in your name, all access handed over |
A Lausanne agency earns its fee when the leadership wants on-site workshops with the foundation board, filming on campus and someone who can drop by the school. Kolonell fits when the main need is a clear admissions site, written natively in French and English, delivered fast at a price known in advance. Your project manager works to your time zone: the team is based in Senegal (GMT), one to two hours behind Lausanne depending on the season. Payment is by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % on delivery. Each plan is detailed in our international website offer.
What budget should a school plan over three years?
A school updates its site every year: tuition fees, calendar, teaching staff, activities, open day dates. The table applies the same maintenance assumption on both sides, since Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted separately.
| Item over 36 months | Lausanne agency (mid-range) | Kolonell Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Site build | 26 000 CHF | 8 200 CHF |
| English version | Translation billed separately, 3 000 CHF | Included (bilingual FR/EN) |
| Support after launch | Per contract | 6 months included |
| Maintenance (same assumption) | 160 CHF per month over 33 months, 5 280 CHF | 5 280 CHF, maintenance quoted separately |
| Annual updates (fees, calendar, staff) | 12 hours at 150 CHF, 1 800 CHF | Quoted in advance, assumption 1 200 CHF |
| Campus photos | Option at 2 200 CHF | Local photographer booked separately, 2 200 CHF |
| Indicative total | 38 280 CHF | 16 880 CHF |
Most of the gap comes from the build and the English version. Ask every supplier for the same lines, especially the hourly cost of updates after year one.
What does each plan include for a Lausanne school?
| Item | Starter 2 700 CHF | Growth 4 500 CHF | Premium 8 200 CHF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section pages | One early years and primary page, one secondary page | One page per section and programme | Detailed sections, educational approach, exam results if published |
| Admissions | Process page and enquiry form | Step-by-step journey, fees page, link to your admissions software | Careful integration of your software; custom parent portal quoted separately |
| Open days and visits | Contact form | Event page with registration | Events calendar, virtual tour embedded if you supply it |
| Teacher recruitment | No | Simple careers page | Careers page with vacancies and applications |
| Bilingual FR/EN site | No | No | Included |
| Timeline | 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 parent portal, online enrolment with fee payment or a staff intranet counts as a custom application, quoted separately. Ongoing SEO is also quoted separately. Other languages, such as German for Swiss German families, are supplied by the school or quoted separately.
What does a Lausanne private school need online?
Lausanne hosts the International Olympic Committee and many international sports federations, multinational headquarters around Lake Geneva and researchers at EPFL and UNIL. Arriving families compare several schools between Lausanne, the Riviera and La Côte, often from abroad and sometimes for a mid-year start. The Vaud school year starts in late August: enquiries peak between January and June, then return with every job transfer.
- The programme actually offered, explained simply: Swiss curriculum, bilingual track, IB or British programme if the school genuinely delivers them.
- Tuition fees or their structure, since many relocating families must submit a budget to their employer.
- Mid-year arrivals: available places, placement test, French as a foreign language support.
- A typical day and the campus: hours, lunch, public transport, activities, with real photos.
- A short mobile form, because the first visit almost always happens on a phone.
Compliance, facts only. Private schools in Vaud operate under a cantonal authorisation and supervision framework; display only accreditations the school actually holds (for example IB World School, CIS or membership of a private schools association). Pupil and parent data fall under the revised Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP), in force since 1 September 2023, and the GDPR may also apply if you target families living in the European Union. Pupil photos require written parental consent. WCAG 2.1 AA is the technical reference for accessibility. This is not legal advice.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Which red flags should you spot in a quote?
- An English version 'included' without saying who writes it: machine translation shows immediately to English-speaking families.
- An admissions form asking for health data at first contact, with no word on storage.
- No line for annual updates to fees and calendar.
- A CMS only the agency can edit, when the admissions office must publish dates.
- Stock photos of children presented as your pupils.
- A domain registered in the supplier's name.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Marc B., head of a 450-pupil private day school in western Lausanne (early years to secondary, bilingual track), receives three proposals. A Lausanne agency quotes 28 000 CHF over 12 weeks, English version extra. A freelancer offers 9 500 CHF, without native English copy or a project manager. Kolonell proposes Premium at 8 200 CHF, bilingual FR/EN included; the school books a local photographer for one day at 1 800 CHF.
Kolonell total: 8 200 + 1 800 = 10 000 CHF. Gap with the agency: 28 000 + 3 000 for translation, so 31 000 CHF, minus 10 000 CHF, that is 21 000 CHF. Marc sets part of it aside for a virtual tour produced by a Vaud supplier, which Kolonell embeds in the site.
FAQ
How much does a private school website cost in Lausanne in 2026?
As an order of magnitude, 12 000 to 45 000 CHF with a local agency and 3 500 to 12 000 CHF with a freelancer. At Kolonell the price is fixed: 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 CHF depending on the plan.
Can Kolonell connect our admissions software?
Yes, Kolonell integrates or links the tool chosen by the school from the Growth plan at 4 500 CHF. A custom-built parent portal is an application quoted separately.
Can the site be in French and English?
Yes, the bilingual FR/EN version is included in Premium at 8 200 CHF, with native copy in both languages. German is supplied by the school or quoted separately.
Who takes the campus photos?
Kolonell does no on-site shoots. Budget roughly 1 500 to 2 500 CHF for a day with a local photographer, with written parental consent for every visible pupil.
How long before the enrolment season?
Starter and Growth are delivered in 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually in 4 to 6 weeks with a written schedule at kickoff. To go live before January, start the project in November at the latest.
Let's scope your project. Send us your school sections, your admissions software and your languages: we reply with a fixed-price plan and a launch in 3 to 6 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.
