The verdict in three sentences
Abu Dhabi sits at the top of the Gulf price range: a wealth management or family office website from a local or Dubai-based agency typically costs 10 000 to 45 000+ USD in 2026, often with a monthly retainer that doubles the bill over three years. Kolonell builds the same discreet, compliance-ready site at 2 900, 4 900 or 8 900 USD, with the domain in your name and a project manager four hours behind UAE time. Start by clarifying whether your firm sits in ADGM or onshore, because that decides which rules your compliance officer will check the site against.
ADGM or onshore: why it matters for your website
Abu Dhabi hosts two regulatory worlds. Firms licensed in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) on Al Maryah Island operate under ADGM's own framework, while onshore firms answer to UAE federal rules. Your website touches both financial marketing and personal data, so the distinction shapes the content review.
| Topic | ADGM-based firm | Onshore Abu Dhabi firm |
|---|---|---|
| Financial regulator for marketing content | ADGM's Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) | The relevant UAE federal regulator for your licence |
| Data protection reference | ADGM data protection regulations | UAE federal Personal Data Protection Law |
| Who validates the wording | Your compliance officer | Your compliance officer |
| Family office structures | ADGM offers dedicated family office arrangements | Depends on the licence held |
| Typical website languages | English first, Arabic often added | Arabic and English |
| Client portal | Custom application, quoted on request | Custom application, quoted on request |
Financial marketing rules apply depending on the firm's licence, and we do not interpret them: your compliance officer signs off before launch. This article is not legal advice. A single family office that takes no outside clients may still want a discreet site, and that is often the simplest case.
What do Abu Dhabi agencies charge compared with Kolonell?
The ranges below are a 2026 ballpark from public rate cards of UAE agencies, Clutch.co profiles that list minimum project sizes and hourly rates, and freelance platform rates. Abu Dhabi firms frequently hire agencies in Dubai, which compete at the same level. Ranges move a lot with scope; none of them is an official figure.
| Option | Build price (2026 ballpark) | Delay | Typical inclusions | After launch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer, theme based | 2 000 to 8 000 USD | 3 to 6 weeks | 5 to 10 pages, one language | Hourly, availability varies |
| Abu Dhabi or Dubai agency, standard corporate | 10 000 to 22 000 USD | 2 to 4 months | Custom design, EN/AR structure, CMS | Retainer, 400 to 1 000 USD per month is common |
| Premium agency, financial and luxury clients | 22 000 to 45 000+ USD | 4 to 6 months | Brand, motion, bilingual copy, photography direction | Annual retainer |
| Kolonell Starter | 2 900 USD | 3 to 4 weeks | Professional site, native English copy | 3 months support |
| Kolonell Growth | 4 900 USD | 3 to 4 weeks | Services, team, governance, insights | 3 months support |
| Kolonell Premium | 8 900 USD | Usually 4 to 6 weeks, written schedule | Bespoke design, bilingual FR/EN available | 3 months, 6 on Premium per the live offer |
Every Kolonell tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone (Google Meet at a time that suits you, written weekly update), native English or French copywriting, the domain registered in your firm's name and all access handed over. Payment by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % to start and 50 % at delivery. The UAE dirham is pegged to the US dollar, so the USD price is your budget. See the full international offer.
What does a wealth or family office site in Abu Dhabi need?
- Discretion: no client names, no assets under management unless already published, no return or performance figures, no investment advice.
- Services described soberly: wealth planning, investment advisory, succession and governance of family wealth, philanthropy.
- People and governance: partner and committee bios, approved one by one.
- Arabic, English and often French: Abu Dhabi has a large French-speaking community alongside Arabic and English speakers. Kolonell writes natively in English and French; Arabic copy is supplied by your team or quoted separately.
- Right-to-left done properly: we delivered Orven Properties (orvenproperties.com), a trilingual FR/EN/AR site for an off-plan real estate advisory in Dubai, with project pages and investor guides.
- Secure contact: a form that collects only what is needed, with a privacy notice reviewed by your counsel.
- Investor or family login: document rooms, statements or dashboards are custom applications, always quoted on request, never in the website grid.
Mini case study
Illustrative example, hypothetical persona. Karim is a partner in an ADGM-licensed wealth boutique on Al Maryah Island with clients from the Gulf and francophone Europe. He wants a bilingual English and French site, a governance page, an insights section and Arabic versions of four key pages.
- Premium Abu Dhabi agency: 30 000 USD build plus 700 USD per month. Three years: 30 000 + 36 × 700 = 55 200 USD.
- Kolonell Premium: 8 900 USD, bilingual FR/EN included. Arabic copy for four pages by his usual translator, about 900 USD (his estimate). Hosting about 1 000 USD over three years (ballpark). He budgets 2 500 USD per year for updates, since maintenance is quoted. Three years: 8 900 + 900 + 1 000 + 7 500 = 18 300 USD.
In this hypothetical case the gap is about 36 900 USD over three years. Karim's compliance officer reviews the content in both scenarios.
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How do you compare Abu Dhabi quotes properly?
| Question to ask | Good answer | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Who owns the domain? | Your firm, registered in its name | Registered in the agency's account |
| Is Arabic copy included? | Clear yes or a separate line | "Arabic layout included" with no word on copy |
| What is the cost after launch? | Written, cancellable terms | Open-ended retainer with long notice |
| How is compliance review planned? | Named review rounds in the schedule | No mention of your compliance officer |
| Do we get admin access and files? | Full handover at delivery | Access only while the retainer runs |
| Is a portal included? | Scoped and priced separately | Vague promise inside the website price |
When you have two or three answers in writing, send us the same brief through our free quote page and compare like for like.
FAQ
Why are Abu Dhabi agency quotes so high?
Premium agencies there serve banks, sovereign entities and luxury brands, and price brand, motion and bilingual content accordingly. Quotes above 22 000 USD are common for that level of work.
Can Kolonell handle an ADGM firm's site?
Yes. We build the site and structure the regulatory pages; your compliance officer validates the wording against FSRA rules. Plan one or two review rounds inside the 4 to 6 week Premium schedule.
Is French useful for a wealth firm in Abu Dhabi?
For firms with French, Swiss, Belgian or Lebanese clients, often yes. A bilingual FR/EN site is available from Premium at 8 900 USD.
Do you translate into Arabic?
No. Kolonell writes natively in English and French only. Arabic text is supplied by your team or quoted separately; the build supports right-to-left layouts.
How long does support last?
3 months after launch on every tier, 6 on Premium per the live offer. After that, maintenance is quoted when you need it.
Let's scope your project. Tell us whether you are in ADGM or onshore, your languages and the tier you have in mind, and we will send a fixed USD price with a written schedule. 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.
