The verdict in three sentences
Moving a business law firm from Wix to a custom website costs 15,000 to 45,000 USD in New York in 2026, and 6,000 to 20,000 EUR in Paris, over 6 to 10 weeks. The migration is only worth it if it fixes two measurable problems: poor mobile speed and practice area pages that do not rank for the queries executives actually type. The most underestimated line item is the 301 redirect plan: without it, you lose what little visibility you had within weeks.
Why law firms leave Wix
Wix works for getting online. For a firm of 8 to 30 lawyers, the limits show up fast: heavy scripts that slow mobile loading, limited control over URL structure, basic markup on practice area pages, difficulty publishing well-structured long-form articles and dependence on hosting you do not control. The website becomes a brochure, not a business development tool.
The profession also sets a framework. In New York, the Rules of Professional Conduct govern attorney advertising: no false or misleading claims, the Attorney Advertising label on many communications, archiving obligations and strict limits on claiming specialization. In Paris, communication must stay fair and specializations may only be displayed with the matching certificate. A custom build lets you enforce these rules inside the attorney profile and practice area templates themselves.
| Criterion | Wix (firm subscription) | Custom website |
|---|---|---|
| Annual platform cost | 300 to 600 USD | Managed hosting 400 to 1,500 USD |
| Observed mobile load time | 3.5 to 6 s (estimate) | 1.5 to 2.5 s targeted |
| Control of URLs and markup | Partial | Full |
| Structured attorney and practice pages | Manual | Templates with controlled fields |
| Data hosting | Platform-defined | Region of your choice |
| Portability | Low | Code and content handed to the firm |
The 2026 budget line by line
The ranges below are New York market figures, with the Paris equivalent for reference. The spread between the low and high end mostly depends on the number of practice pages, multilingual needs and a client portal.
| Line item (market) | New York | Paris (excl. VAT) | Timeline | Price driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audit and URL inventory | 1,000 to 3,000 USD | 500 to 1,500 EUR | 1 week | Number of pages and articles |
| Custom design | 4,000 to 10,000 USD | 1,500 to 5,000 EUR | 2 weeks | Number of templates |
| Development and CMS | 6,000 to 18,000 USD | 2,500 to 8,000 EUR | 3 to 4 weeks | Attorney profiles, filters, languages |
| Content migration | 1,000 to 4,000 USD | 500 to 2,500 EUR | 1 week | Volume of articles |
| 301 redirect plan | 500 to 2,000 USD | 300 to 1,000 EUR | In parallel | Legacy URLs and backlinks |
| Second language | 2,000 to 5,000 USD | 1,000 to 3,000 EUR | 1 to 2 weeks | Legal translation included or not |
| QA, launch, 30-day follow-up | 500 to 3,000 USD | 400 to 1,500 EUR | 1 week | Testing and post-launch fixes |
For comparison, Kolonell websites are priced from 800,000 to 3,500,000 FCFA (1,220 to 5,340 EUR) depending on the Starter, Growth or Premium tier, with the scope fixed in the quote. Ongoing care can then run on a Kolonell maintenance plan at 35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA per month (about 50, 110 or 180 EUR).
Switching over without losing rankings
Three rules prevent the post-launch traffic drop. First, export every indexed URL and every URL receiving external links, then map each one to its new address. Second, keep the content that already ranks, even if you rewrite it, rather than starting from a blank page. Third, check Search Console every week for 2 months to fix the remaining 404 errors.
Mini case study
Daniel, managing partner of a 12-lawyer business firm in Midtown Manhattan (illustrative persona), currently receives 8 qualified inquiries a month through his Wix site. He signs a 32,000 USD quote for a bilingual rebuild with 10 practice area pages.
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Conservative assumption: with mobile load time cut from 4.8 s to 2 s and better structured practice pages, inquiries rise to 10 a month. If just one extra inquiry a month becomes a matter worth 8,000 USD in fees, the project pays back in about 4 months. If the gain is zero, Daniel has at least regained control of his code and hosting.
FAQ
How much does a Wix to custom website migration cost?
In New York in 2026, expect 15,000 to 45,000 USD depending on pages, languages and a client portal; in Paris, 6,000 to 20,000 EUR. The redirect plan alone represents 500 to 2,000 USD.
Will we lose our rankings when leaving Wix?
Not if every indexed URL is 301-redirected to its equivalent. A temporary 10 to 20 % dip for 4 to 8 weeks is common, after which traffic should exceed its initial level.
Which ethics rules apply to a law firm website?
In New York, attorney advertising rules ban misleading claims, often require the Attorney Advertising label and restrict specialization claims. Have the responsible partner approve templates before launch.
Where should the site be hosted?
No specific location is mandated for a brochure site, but choose a reputable host with backups once a form collects client data. Managed hosting costs 400 to 1,500 USD a year.
How long does the project take?
6 to 10 weeks for a mid-sized firm, including 2 weeks of design and 3 to 4 of development. The main source of delay remains partner sign-off on content.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of practice pages, languages and target launch date: we will price the migration, redirects and maintenance. Detailed quote within 48 h, or via our quote page. 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.
