The verdict in three sentences
In Lausanne, a boat hire, yacht charter or private aviation website built by a local agency costs, as a 2026 ballpark, between 12 000 and 40 000 CHF, and more once you add online booking with payment. Kolonell builds the fleet, destination and seasonal rate pages plus the qualified quote request for a fixed price of 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 CHF, with Premium including a bilingual FR/EN site. The real decision rests on the 3-year total cost and on going live before the Lake Geneva season opens.
This version is written for the English-speaking owners and managers of boat hire clubs and charter brokerages in Lausanne, many of whom serve the international staff of the city's sports federations and research institutions.
What do Lausanne agencies, freelancers and Kolonell charge?
These ranges are prudent ballparks, not official figures. They draw on public rate cards of agencies in French-speaking Switzerland, minimum project sizes shown on Clutch.co profiles, hourly rates published by agencies in the canton of Vaud (often 120 to 190 CHF per hour) and rates visible on Malt or Upwork for freelancers based in the region.
| Criterion | Lausanne agency | Local freelancer | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build cost, 2026 ballpark | 12 000 to 40 000 CHF | 4 500 to 12 000 CHF | 2 700 / 4 500 / 8 200 CHF, fixed |
| Changes outside scope | Often 120 to 190 CHF per hour | Often 85 to 130 CHF per hour | Quoted before any work |
| Usual timeline | 8 to 14 weeks | 5 to 10 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually 4 to 6 |
| Boat photos at Ouchy harbour | Often offered | Sometimes | Not included: your images or a local photographer |
| FR and EN copy | Often billed on top | Rarely included | Native copy included, bilingual FR/EN on Premium |
| Support after launch | Separate maintenance contract | Case by case | 3 months, 6 on Premium |
| Ownership | Check the contract | Check the contract | Domain in your name, all access handed over |
Payment is by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % at delivery. A project manager works in your time zone, with Google Meet calls at a time that suits you and a written update every week. The team is based in Senegal (GMT), one to two hours behind Lausanne depending on the season. Full details on our international website offer.
Kolonell does not run photo or video shoots on site and does not hold in-person meetings. If you want your boats filmed along the Ouchy quays at sunset, a Lausanne agency that directs the shoot keeps a real advantage.
Which 3-year total cost should you compare?
Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted on request, so the table uses the same assumption on both sides to compare like with like.
| Item over 36 months | Lausanne agency (mid range) | Kolonell Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Bilingual FR/EN website | 24 000 CHF | 8 200 CHF |
| Support included after launch | Depends on contract | 6 months included |
| Maintenance (same assumption) | 150 CHF per month over 30 months, 4 500 CHF | 4 500 CHF, quoted on request |
| Rate and fleet updates, 3 seasons | 12 hours at 150 CHF, 1 800 CHF | Quoted beforehand, assumption 1 000 CHF |
| German home and contact pages | Common option, 1 200 CHF | Supplied by you or quoted separately, 1 200 CHF |
| Indicative total | 31 500 CHF | 14 900 CHF |
These figures structure the comparison; they do not predict your invoice. Ask every supplier to fill in the same lines.
What does each tier include for a boat hire club or charter broker?
| Item | Starter 2 700 CHF | Growth 4 500 CHF | Premium 8 200 CHF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offer | Lake hire and Mediterranean charter on two pages | One page per service: motorboats, skippered outings, weekly yachts, private flights | Full structure with destination pages (Riviera, Corsica, Croatia) |
| Fleet | Gallery per boat type | One sheet per boat or yacht category | Detailed sheets, static category comparison |
| Quote request | Short form | Qualified form: dates, passengers, departure harbour or airport, indicative budget, flexibility | Separate lake, yacht and flight journeys, discreet call-back |
| Seasonal rates | Shown as on request | Seasonal table updated by hand | Seasonal table and hire terms page |
| 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 |
Online booking with a calendar and payment, instant pricing, an automated empty-leg feed or an owner portal is a custom application, quoted on request. Ongoing search work is quoted on request as well.
What does a charter site need in Lausanne, and which rules apply?
The Lausanne clientele is specific: executives of the international sports federations based in the city, researchers and managers linked to EPFL and the CHUV university hospital, well-off families along the Vaud Riviera, and international visitors passing through Ouchy. On the lake, demand runs from April to October; for yachts, Lausanne clients mostly charter in the Mediterranean in summer. For aviation, most business flights leave from Geneva Airport, about 45 minutes away, or from the Blécherette airfield for small aircraft and helicopters. The site therefore has to:
- show the season: indicative availability, weather conditions, cancellation rules;
- qualify the request without collecting sensitive data at first contact (no passport copies through a form);
- stay discreet: no client names, no passenger photos;
- state clearly who operates each service.
On that last point, the facts. In aviation, the flight is performed by an operator holding an Air Operator Certificate (AOC); in Switzerland the authority is the FOCA (Federal Office of Civil Aviation), and in the European Union the framework falls under EASA and national authorities. A broker must not present itself as the operator and must state who operates the flight. For yachts, commercial charter depends on flag and local rules; in the Mediterranean the MYBA standard contract is widely used, and VAT on charters varies by location. On Lake Geneva, depending on engine power, a boat licence may be required: check with the relevant cantonal office. On data, the revFADP has applied since 1 September 2023, and the GDPR applies as soon as you target clients in the European Union, many of whom live on the French shore of the lake. Aim for WCAG 2.1 AA. This is not legal advice.
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Which warning signs should you spot in a quote?
- A booking engine slipped into a showcase site quote: that is an application and deserves its own estimate.
- Yacht photos taken from shipyards without a written licence.
- Copy that implies you operate the flights when you act as a broker.
- Hosting or the domain in the agency's name.
- A launch date after Easter when your season opens in April.
Questions to ask: who writes the copy, how many revision rounds are included, what adding a boat costs, and how quickly access is handed over if you change supplier.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Olivier P. runs a club of six motorboats in Ouchy and arranges about ten yacht charters in the Mediterranean each summer for clients from Vaud. His old site is slow and the season starts in seven weeks. He receives two quotes:
- Lausanne agency: 26 000 CHF, FR/EN, 12 weeks, shoot included.
- Kolonell Growth: 4 500 CHF in French, 3 to 4 weeks, plus half a day with a regional photographer for 1 400 CHF.
Kolonell route: 4 500 + 1 400 = 5 900 CHF, against 26 000 CHF, a gap of 20 100 CHF, and a site live before the season opens. In return, Olivier directs the photo session himself and postpones the English version to a Premium upgrade the following winter.
FAQ
How much does a yacht and private jet charter website cost in Lausanne?
As a 2026 ballpark, a Lausanne agency charges 12 000 to 40 000 CHF, a freelancer 4 500 to 12 000 CHF. Kolonell charges a fixed 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 CHF.
Can you add booking for our boats on Lake Geneva?
A qualified request form is included from Growth at 4 500 CHF. Booking with a calendar and online payment is a custom application, quoted on request.
Can the site be in German?
Premium includes bilingual FR/EN. German is supplied by you or quoted separately, often 1 000 to 1 500 CHF for the key pages.
Should we publish our hire rates?
That is a commercial choice. Many operators on the lake show an indicative hourly rate and keep yachts on request, which all three tiers allow.
What is the timeline?
3 to 4 weeks on Starter and Growth, usually 4 to 6 weeks on Premium with a written schedule at kickoff. Support lasts 3 months, 6 months on Premium.
Let's scope your project. Send us your fleet, your services and your season opening date, and we will confirm a fixed price in CHF with a 3 to 6 week timeline. 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.