The verdict in three sentences
For a legal and technical translation agency working with EU institutions, law firms and industrial groups, the website is the first proof of rigour: a 5-language site costs 9,000 to 20,000 EUR excl. VAT in Brussels in 2026 (market ballpark). The real sales lever is an upload-based quote module, at 2,000 to 4,500 EUR, which counts words and returns an estimate in minutes. The non-negotiable constraint is GDPR compliance for uploaded files: contracts, patents and civil status documents must stay hosted in the European Union, encrypted and deleted on schedule.
What a translation agency pays for its website
The budget depends less on page count than on the number of languages and the depth of each specialty page (legal, technical, sworn, interpreting). Each specialty page must prove expertise: document types, turnaround, sworn status before Belgian courts, confidentiality. Institutional buyers also check accessibility and procurement-friendly information.
| Item | 2026 range (excl. VAT) | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 15 to 25 page site, 1 language | 5,500 to 10,000 EUR | Design, specialty pages, basic SEO |
| 4 additional languages (FR, NL, EN, DE) | 3,500 to 10,000 EUR | Integration, hreflang, per-language menus |
| Content translation | 0.10 to 0.16 EUR per word | Often produced in-house |
| Upload quote module | 2,000 to 4,500 EUR | Word count, language pairs, urgency |
| Secure EU hosting | 30 to 120 EUR per month | Encrypted storage, automatic purge |
| Maintenance and updates | 90 to 280 EUR per month | Security, backups, changes |
| Total project | 9,000 to 20,000 EUR | Excluding in-house translation |
For 12,000 source words translated into 4 languages, translation represents 48,000 words, or 4,800 to 7,680 EUR at market rates. Belgian VAT at 21% applies on top for local clients.
The quote module: features and pitfalls
The client uploads a contract or a technical manual, selects the target language, urgency and sworn certification if needed. The system counts words, applies the rate card and suggests an indicative price, then a project manager validates it.
| Feature | Purpose | Watch-out |
|---|---|---|
| PDF, Word, scan upload | Accepts the formats lawyers really send | Scans need OCR, extra cost |
| Automatic word count | Estimate in under 2 minutes | Tables and footnotes need handling |
| Rate per language pair | English, Dutch, German, Arabic, Chinese | Rarer pairs priced higher |
| Sworn option | Adds certification and courier fees | Show the real lead time, 3 to 5 working days |
| Client portal | Quote and delivery history | Strong authentication recommended |
| Automatic purge | Files deleted within 30 to 90 days | State the period in the privacy policy |
| Confidentiality agreement | NDA checkbox before upload | Reassures legal departments |
Hosting matters: a file containing a merger agreement uploaded to a server outside the EU creates legal exposure for both the agency and its client. Require a European host, encryption at rest and access logs, and be ready to answer the security questionnaires that institutions attach to their tenders.
Timeline and method
Allow 8 to 12 weeks: 2 weeks of sitemap and French copy, 3 to 4 weeks of design and development, 2 to 4 weeks of translation and multilingual integration, then tests of the quote module on real documents. At Kolonell, a Premium site with animations, advanced SEO and multilingual setup ranges from 2,000,000 to 3,500,000 FCFA, or 3,050 to 5,340 EUR, with the quote module priced separately depending on accepted formats.
Mini case study
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Sophie, managing director of a sworn translation agency in Brussels (illustrative scenario), receives 40 quote requests per month by email. Each manual quote takes 25 minutes, more than 16 hours a month. With a module that counts words and suggests a price, she drops to 8 minutes of validation per quote: 5 h 20 in total, so 11 hours saved per month. At a loaded hourly cost of 50 EUR, the saving is about 550 EUR per month: a 3,500 EUR module pays back in under 7 months, before counting quotes won thanks to faster replies.
FAQ
Do we really need the whole site in 5 languages?
No, translate the high-stakes pages first: home, specialties, quote, legal notice. They often represent 40% of words and most of the enquiries.
Is automatic word count reliable?
On a Word file or a text PDF, the gap stays under 3%. On a scan, OCR can drift by 10%: display an estimate to be confirmed.
Where should client documents be stored?
In the European Union, with encryption and automatic purge within 30 to 90 days. Budget 30 to 120 EUR per month depending on volume.
What does maintaining a multilingual site cost?
Between 90 and 280 EUR excl. VAT per month with a Belgian agency. At Kolonell, maintenance ranges from 35,000 to 120,000 FCFA per month, about 50 to 180 EUR.
Can the site take online payments?
Yes, card payment at quote validation reduces unpaid invoices on small jobs under 300 EUR. Expect 1.5 to 2.9% in transaction fees.
Let's scope your project. Share your languages, specialties and monthly quote volume: we will price the site, the quote module and EU hosting over 8 to 12 weeks. 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.
