The verdict in three sentences
In Sandton, Johannesburg, a private aviation website with a yacht charter desk costs, as a 2026 order of magnitude, between 60 000 and 350 000 ZAR (about 3 300 to 19 500 USD) with an agency, and a local freelancer often comes in below Kolonell's prices. Kolonell offers 2 900, 4 900 or 8 900 USD at a fixed price, and over 3 years the gap with a mid-range agency is real but modest: the decision rests on timeline, copywriting and who manages the shoots. For an operator, the site above all has to state accurately which aircraft are on your certificate and when a flight is subcontracted.
What does a private aviation website cost in Sandton?
Sandton is Johannesburg's business district: mining headquarters, banks, law firms and wealth managers. Business flights leave mostly from Lanseria, OR Tambo or the Rand and Grand Central airfields. Competition between web agencies is strong, with premium studios charging at the level of large European cities and many capable freelancers.
Sources for the ranges: rate cards published by Johannesburg agencies, minimum project sizes on Clutch.co, public hourly rates (often 700 to 1 500 ZAR per hour at agencies) and rates visible on Upwork and Fiverr. Indicative conversion: about 18 ZAR to 1 USD.
| Criterion | Agency in Sandton | Johannesburg freelancer | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build, 2026 order of magnitude | 60 000 to 350 000 ZAR (about 3 300 to 19 500 USD) | 15 000 to 60 000 ZAR (about 830 to 3 300 USD) | 2 900 USD / 4 900 USD / 8 900 USD, fixed price |
| Out-of-scope hour | Often 700 to 1 500 ZAR | Often 350 to 700 ZAR | Quoted before any work |
| Usual timeline | 8 to 14 weeks | 4 to 10 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually 4 to 6 |
| Shoot on the apron at Lanseria | Often offered | Sometimes | Not included: your images or a local videographer |
| English and French copywriting | Often billed extra | Rarely | Native copywriting included, bilingual FR/EN in Premium |
| In-person meetings | Yes | Yes | No, Google Meet calls in your hours |
| Ownership | Check the contract | Check the contract | Domain in your name, all access handed over |
A project manager works in your time zone with a written update every week. The team is based in Senegal (GMT), two hours behind Johannesburg. Payment is by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % on delivery. Full details on our international websites offer.
What does the site cost over 3 years?
Shared assumption: maintenance at 100 USD a month over 30 months for all three options, since Kolonell maintenance after support is quoted separately.
| Item over 36 months | Sandton agency | Freelancer | Kolonell Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build | 180 000 ZAR, about 10 000 USD | 50 000 ZAR, about 2 780 USD | 8 900 USD |
| French version | Included in the build | Translation, 1 200 USD | Included in Premium |
| Maintenance, same assumption | 3 000 USD | 3 000 USD | 3 000 USD, quoted |
| 6 new aircraft pages | 12 h at 1 100 ZAR, about 730 USD | 12 h at 500 ZAR, about 330 USD | Quoted upfront, assumption 700 USD |
| Portuguese pages (Mozambique, Angola) | 1 000 USD | 1 000 USD | Supplied by you or quoted separately, 1 000 USD |
| Indicative total | 14 730 USD | 8 310 USD | 13 600 USD |
In Sandton, Kolonell is not the cheapest option: the freelancer is. Against a mid-range agency, the saving is around 1 000 USD over 3 years; the case for Kolonell lies elsewhere, in the timeline and the fixed price.
Which pages does a jet operator with a yacht desk need?
| Item | Starter 2 900 USD | Growth 4 900 USD | Premium 8 900 USD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate and safety page | Included | Included, with subcontracting policy | Included, with procedures explained |
| Aircraft pages | One fleet page | One page per aircraft operated | Detailed pages: cabin, range, baggage |
| Typical routes | Simple list | Pages for Maun, Kasane, Vilanculos, Mauritius | Route and season pages |
| Corporate accounts | Contact form | Dedicated form for mining and financial firms | Corporate path and private path |
| Yacht desk through partner brokers | Mention | Dedicated page | Mozambique, Seychelles, Mediterranean pages |
| Bilingual FR/EN site | No | No | Included |
A booking module, instant quoting or a client area with flight history are custom applications, quoted separately, as is ongoing SEO.
What does Johannesburg demand, and which rules apply?
Sandton's clientele is mostly professional: mining executives heading to remote sites, bankers, delegations to neighbouring countries, and families leaving on safari or for the Indian Ocean. Speed of response matters more than visual effects. The site must load fast on mobile, show an on-call number and qualify the request in a minute.
- Operator or broker: the operator holds an air operator certificate (AOC) issued by the local civil aviation authority. If you subcontract a flight to another operator, say so and state who operates it. A broker must never present itself as the operator.
- Yacht desk: charters abroad fall under flag and local rules; your partner brokers handle the contracts.
- Data: POPIA applies to passenger and corporate client data. Do not request passports through a form.
- Accessibility: aim for WCAG 2.1 AA.
This is not legal advice.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Which questions should you ask before signing?
- Does the quote state the number of revision rounds and the cost of a new aircraft page?
- Who supplies the aircraft photos, and under which licence?
- Does the copy separate aircraft on your certificate from partner aircraft?
- Do you own the domain, hosting and code?
- Is automatic quoting sold within the package? If so, ask for its exact scope.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Lerato K. runs sales at a small turboprop and light jet operator based at Lanseria. A new partnership with a yacht broker in Mozambique justifies a new bilingual site. Two quotes:
- Sandton agency: 210 000 ZAR, about 11 700 USD, 12 weeks, hangar shoot included.
- Kolonell Premium: 8 900 USD, bilingual FR/EN, usually 4 to 6 weeks, plus a local videographer day at 25 000 ZAR, about 1 390 USD.
Kolonell option: 8 900 + 1 390 = 10 290 USD, against 11 700 USD, a 1 410 USD gap. The difference is small: Lerato picks Kolonell for the timeline ahead of the dry season, and accepts organising the shoot herself.
FAQ
What budget for a private aviation website in Sandton?
As a 2026 order of magnitude, 60 000 to 350 000 ZAR with an agency, about 3 300 to 19 500 USD, and 15 000 to 60 000 ZAR with a freelancer. Kolonell offers 2 900, 4 900 or 8 900 USD.
Is Kolonell cheaper than a Johannesburg freelancer?
Generally not. A freelancer can deliver for about 830 to 3 300 USD; Kolonell adds native copywriting, a project manager and a fixed price.
Should we display our certificate number?
It is common among operators and reassures corporate clients. Check the wording with your compliance lead; the site presents what you approve.
Can the site be in Portuguese?
Yes, if you supply the copy or we quote it separately, for instance around 1 000 USD for the key pages. Bilingual FR/EN is included from Premium at 8 900 USD.
How long does it take?
Allow 3 to 4 weeks for Starter or Growth and usually 4 to 6 weeks for Premium, against the 8 to 14 weeks local agencies often quote.
Let's scope your project. Send us your fleet, your typical routes and your target languages, and we will propose a fixed-price package delivered in 3 to 6 weeks. 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.
