How To Budget For A CMS Project
IntermediateQuick Answer
TL;DR
To budget for a CMS project, break costs into five categories: platform licensing, implementation (design + development), content migration, training, and ongoing maintenance. Small projects typically run $5,000–$30,000; mid-market builds $30,000–$150,000; enterprise implementations $150,000–$1M+. Always add a 15–20% contingency and model year-2 and year-3 costs, not just launch.
Key Takeaways
- CMS project budgets have five core categories: platform, implementation, migration, training, and maintenance
- The platform license is rarely the largest cost — implementation and ongoing maintenance usually dominate
- Content migration is consistently underestimated; budget 10–20% of total project cost for it
- Year-2 and year-3 costs (maintenance, new features, upgrades) often exceed the initial build
- A 15–20% contingency buffer is standard practice for CMS projects