The verdict in three sentences
In Lucerne, a website for lake boat rental and yacht or private jet charter built by a Central Swiss agency costs, as a 2026 ballpark, between 12 000 and 40 000 CHF, and more with online booking tied to the fleet schedule. Kolonell builds the fleet pages, destination pages, qualified quote request and legal pages for a fixed price of 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 CHF, with a bilingual FR/EN site on Premium. The useful calculation is the 3-year total cost and the launch date compared with the opening of the season on Lake Lucerne.
What do Lucerne agencies, freelancers and Kolonell charge?
These ranges are prudent ballparks, not official figures. They draw on public rate cards of agencies in Central Switzerland and Zurich, minimum project sizes on Clutch.co profiles, hourly rates published by agencies in the region (often 120 to 190 CHF per hour) and rates visible on Malt or Upwork. An agency specialised in luxury brands usually sits in the upper half.
| Criterion | Lucerne or Zurich agency | Local freelancer | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build cost, 2026 ballpark | 12 000 to 40 000 CHF | 4 000 to 12 000 CHF | 2 700 / 4 500 / 8 200 CHF, fixed |
| Changes outside scope | 120 to 190 CHF per hour | 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 |
| Shoot on the pier or on board | Often offered | Sometimes | Not included: your images or a local photographer |
| German copy | Native, included | Depends on the profile | Supplied by you or quoted separately |
| English and French copy | Often an option | Rarely included | Native copy included, FR/EN on Premium |
| Ownership | Check the contract | Check the contract | Domain in your name, all access handed over |
To be candid: a Lucerne agency writes German natively and can shoot on the pier in a morning. If your clients are mostly local German speakers, that matters. Kolonell writes English and French natively; German is supplied by you or quoted separately. Full details are on our international website offer.
Payment is by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % at delivery. A project manager reachable in your time zone runs Google Meet calls at a time that suits you and sends a written update every week. The team is based in Senegal (GMT), one to two hours behind Lucerne depending on the season.
Which 3-year total cost should you compare?
Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted on request, so the table uses the same maintenance assumption on both sides.
| Item over 36 months | Lucerne agency (mid range) | Kolonell Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Website build | 22 000 CHF | 4 500 CHF |
| Support included after launch | Depends on contract | 3 months included |
| Maintenance (same assumption) | 150 CHF per month over 33 months, 4 950 CHF | 4 950 CHF, quoted on request |
| German version of the key pages | Included | Quoted separately, assumption 1 800 CHF |
| Spring update of rates and fleet (3 times) | 9 hours at 150 CHF, 1 350 CHF | Quoted beforehand, assumption 900 CHF |
| Indicative total | 28 300 CHF | 12 150 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 and charter business?
| Item | Starter 2 700 CHF | Growth 4 500 CHF | Premium 8 200 CHF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service pages | Lake rental and charter on two pages | One page per service: motorboats, skippered trips, Mediterranean yachts, private jets | Full structure with destination pages (French Riviera, Croatia, Balearics) |
| Boat or aircraft sheets | Gallery per category | One sheet per boat model and aircraft category | Detailed sheets, static comparison |
| Quote request | Short form | Qualified form: dates, passengers, departure point, indicative budget, flexibility | Separate lake, yacht and aviation journeys, discreet call-back |
| Status and safety page | Included | Included, broker versus operator explained | Included, with operator selection criteria |
| Bilingual FR/EN site | No | No | Included |
| Support after launch | 3 months | 3 months | 6 months |
Online booking with a deposit, an availability calendar synced with your fleet software or an automatic empty-leg feed is a custom application, quoted on request. Ongoing search optimisation is quoted on request too.
What does a Lucerne charter site need, and which rules apply?
Lucerne lives on international tourism and on a business clientele from Central Switzerland, with the cantons of Zug, Schwyz and Nidwalden close by. On Lake Lucerne, rental demand concentrates between April and October: motorboat outings, aperitifs on board, weddings, corporate seminars. Large yachts are chartered elsewhere, mostly in the Mediterranean, for well-off Swiss clients. Business flights usually depart from Zurich. The site therefore has to:
- separate the lake from charters abroad clearly, so a two-hour outing and a week in Croatia never blur together;
- speak several languages: German for local clients, English for visitors, French for Romandy;
- state the rental conditions (licence required or not, weather, cancellation) without promises you cannot control;
- stay discreet: no client names, no passenger photos without consent.
The regulatory facts, without going into detail. In aviation, the flight is performed by an operator holding an Air Operator Certificate (AOC); in Switzerland the FOCA (Federal Office of Civil Aviation) supervises it, and in the EU the framework falls under EASA and national authorities. A broker must not present itself as the operator and should state who operates the flight. For Mediterranean yachts, commercial charter depends on flag and local rules; the MYBA standard contract is widely used there, and VAT on charters varies with location. On data, the revFADP has applied since 1 September 2023, and the GDPR applies as soon as you target clients in the European Union. Aim for WCAG 2.1 AA. This is not legal advice.
Which warning signs should you spot in a quote?
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- Online booking sold inside a showcase site without a specification: that is an application and deserves its own quote.
- Yacht or aircraft photos without a licence: shipyard and operator images need written permission.
- Copy implying you operate the flights when you are a broker.
- A site delivered after the season starts: ask for a written schedule.
- The domain or hosting in the agency's name.
Questions to ask: who writes the German, how many revision rounds are included, what a new boat sheet costs, and how quickly the site is handed over if you change supplier.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Markus B. runs a small Lucerne company that rents out six motorboats on the lake and arranges Mediterranean yacht charters in summer through partners. His site dates from 2018 and exists only in German. He receives two quotes in January:
- Lucerne agency: 24 000 CHF, German and English, 12 weeks, shoot included;
- Kolonell Growth: 4 500 CHF in English, German version of the key pages quoted at 1 800 CHF, plus half a day with a local photographer at 1 200 CHF.
Kolonell route: 4 500 + 1 800 + 1 200 = 7 500 CHF, against 24 000 CHF, a gap of 16 500 CHF. In return, Markus organises the shoot himself and proofreads the German. With a February kickoff, the site is live well before April.
FAQ
How much does a boat and yacht charter website cost in Lucerne?
As a 2026 ballpark, a local agency charges 12 000 to 40 000 CHF and a freelancer 4 000 to 12 000 CHF. Kolonell charges a fixed 2 700, 4 500 or 8 200 CHF.
Can the site be in German?
Yes. English and French are written natively, and bilingual FR/EN is included on Premium. German is supplied by you or quoted separately, often 1 200 to 2 000 CHF for the key pages.
Can you add booking with a deposit?
Yes, as a custom application quoted on request, separate from the site. Many operators start with a qualified form, which is easier to manage during a 6-month season.
Should the site show partner operators' fleets?
Only with their written permission for images and names. Otherwise the site presents categories (light jets, midsize jets, 20 to 30 metre motor yachts) with licensed visuals.
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 lake and charter services, your boat or aircraft categories and your season opening date, and we will confirm a fixed-price tier 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.