The verdict in three sentences
For a trade chamber of 400 member companies, an institutional website with a member area costs between 12,000 and 35,000 EUR excl. VAT in 2026, plus 4,000 to 9,000 EUR for online dues and 2,000 to 5,000 EUR for the directory. The realistic timeline is 3 to 5 months, because migrating the Excel file and defining access rights take longer than the design. The real return comes from ending manual dues chasing and from the value members perceive.
Minimum requirements document
A chief executive should be able to write a 10 to 15 page requirements document covering:
- Public site: mission, industry news, policy positions, events calendar, press, membership.
- Member area: individual login, restricted documents (legal notes, annotated agreements, rate scales), webinar replays.
- Directory: public or private company profile, search by trade, region and size.
- Dues: annual call, scale by revenue or headcount band, card, direct debit or bank transfer, automatic receipts.
- Back office: member management, reminders, accounting export, engagement statistics.
- Compliance: GDPR, WCAG accessibility if the chamber receives public funds, UK or EU hosting.
2026 prices by module
Indicative 2026 ranges, excluding VAT:
| Module | Agency budget | Timeline | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Institutional site (25 to 40 pages, CMS) | 12,000 to 35,000 EUR | 8 to 14 weeks | Custom design or theme |
| Member area with restricted documents | 3,000 to 7,000 EUR | 3 to 5 weeks | Roles: member, administrator, staff |
| Member directory | 2,000 to 5,000 EUR | 2 to 4 weeks | Filters, profile editable by member |
| Online dues module | 4,000 to 9,000 EUR | 3 to 6 weeks | Scale, direct debit, reminders, receipts |
| Excel file migration (400 companies) | 800 to 2,500 EUR | 1 to 2 weeks | Duplicate cleaning included |
| Events calendar and registrations | 1,500 to 4,000 EUR | 2 to 3 weeks | Payment possible |
| Maintenance | 150 to 400 EUR/month | Ongoing | Security, updates, support |
A complete project therefore often lands between 23,000 and 60,000 EUR excl. VAT. For comparison, Kolonell prices this kind of platform as a medium-complexity custom application: 4 M to 7 M FCFA, or 6,100 to 10,670 EUR, with maintenance at 50 to 180 EUR per month.
Custom build or off-the-shelf membership software?
| Criterion | Membership management software (SaaS) | Custom site and member area |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 0 to 3,000 EUR | 12,000 to 60,000 EUR with an agency |
| Annual cost | 1,200 to 6,000 EUR | 1,800 to 4,800 EUR maintenance |
| Brand image | Limited, standard interface | Full |
| Complex dues scale | Often constrained | Matches your bylaws |
| Ownership of data and code | With the vendor | With the chamber |
| Time to launch | 2 to 6 weeks | 3 to 5 months |
SaaS suits a chamber with fewer than 150 members and a simple scale. Beyond 300 members with several colleges or bands, custom becomes profitable within 3 to 4 years.
Mini case study
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Illustrative scenario: James, chief executive of a London trade chamber with 400 member companies, collects 1,200,000 EUR in dues a year. Today 2 staff spend about 6 combined weeks a year sending calls, chasing and reconciling transfers, 240 hours. With online dues and automatic reminders, he expects to cut this to 60 hours, saving 180 hours, about 7,200 EUR at a loaded hourly cost of 40 EUR. If the collection rate rises from 91% to 95%, the chamber collects 48,000 EUR more per year. A complete 45,000 EUR project pays for itself in under a year.
FAQ
What timeline for a 400-member chamber?
Allow 3 to 5 months, including 3 to 4 weeks for data migration and board approval of access rights. Ideally go live 6 weeks before the annual dues call.
Is direct debit essential?
For dues above 1,000 EUR, yes: many companies refuse card payments. Direct debit fees through a payment provider are around 0.35 to 0.80 EUR per transaction in 2026.
Should we target WCAG?
If the chamber receives public funds or carries a public-interest mission, accessibility is expected. An accessibility audit costs 2,500 to 6,000 EUR depending on page count.
Can members edit their directory profile?
Yes, and it is recommended: it reduces staff workload. Administrator approval before publication avoids errors.
What does maintenance cost?
Between 150 and 400 EUR excl. VAT per month with an agency, 1,800 to 4,800 EUR a year, covering security, backups and minor changes.
Let's scope your project. Send us your bylaws, dues scale and an anonymised extract of your member file: we will price site, member area and online dues, budget 6,100 to 10,670 EUR, delivered in 3 to 4 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
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.
