Learn from 5,000+ comms leaders on exec buy-in, engagement, and the ROI puzzle.

Intranet Pricing Guide: How Much Does An Intranet Really Cost?

November 21st 2025

Most intranet vendors hide their costs behind "Get a Demo" forms and won't give you any concrete numbers until you've sat through a few sales calls.

The few prices that you do find are all over the map – anywhere from $5 to $500+ per user per month.

That's not exactly helpful when you're trying to build a budget proposal. Pricing varies based on a few factors:

How many users do you have?
What features do you need?
Cloud or on-premise?
How much customization?
How complex is your organization?

The subscription fee is only part of the picture. You'll also budget for setup, implementation support, training, and any customizations you need as you grow.

Below, we'll walk through the expenses at each stage so you can budget with confidence and avoid the costly surprises that catch most organizations off guard.

Factors that impact intranet pricing

Before you can estimate your intranet budget, you need to understand what drives the huge price variations between vendors and implementations.

While every vendor has their own pricing formula, the same core factors determine whether you'll pay $10,000 or $100,000+ for your intranet.

Let's break down each one.

Infrastructure (cloud vs. on-premise)

Cloud solutions are hosted by the vendor and accessed through web browsers, while on-premise systems run on your own servers and infrastructure.

Cloud costs are predictable and subscription-based. You'll typically pay $5-50 per user per month, which includes hosting, updates, and security patches. Most vendors handle maintenance and upgrades automatically.

On-premise costs hit harder upfront. Expect $50k-200k+ in year one for server hardware, software licenses, implementation, and IT setup. However, ongoing monthly fees are often lower since you're not paying for hosting.

Each approach includes extra expenses you'll want to plan for:

Typical Cloud Expenses

Annual price increases (5-10% typical)
Data migration and onboarding
Storage overages
Change management support
Custom workflows or apps
Professional training services
SSO and security add-ons

Typical On-Premise Expenses

Dedicated IT staff or consultants
Hardware refresh every 3-5 years
Backup and disaster recovery systems
Downtime and maintenance windows
Infrastructure monitoring tools
Compliance and audit requirements
Network and bandwidth upgrades

For example, a 500-employee company might pay $15,000/month for a cloud solution versus $120,000 upfront plus $5,000/month for on-premise.

Over three years, cloud costs $540,000 while on-premise totals around $300,000. But that assumes no major hardware issues or staff turnover.

Bottom line → Cloud wins for most organizations under 1,000 users due to lower complexity and predictable costs, while large enterprises often find on-premise more economical long-term.

Deployment and setup

Most vendors or consultants price deployment based on the level of customization, number of integrations, and amount of content you need to migrate:

Simple deployments ($2k-10k) cover basic configuration like setting up your intranet site structure, user permissions, and basic branding. You'll get a functional intranet with the vendor's standard features, suitable for smaller organizations or those comfortable with out-of-the-box solutions.
Moderate deployments ($10k-30k) include custom branding to match your company's look and feel, integration with 1-2 systems, and content migration from existing platforms. This is where most mid-sized companies land because it brings some customization without going overboard.
Complex deployments ($30k-75k+) involve advanced configuration, multiple system integrations (HR systems, CRM, ERP), and migration from legacy intranets or multiple document repositories. You'll need dedicated project teams, and the process can stretch 3-4 months.

For example, a 200-person marketing agency might spend $25k on deployment to migrate existing files and customize workflows for client collaboration.

On the other hand, a 5,000-employee manufacturer would likely need a complex deployment at $150k+ to integrate with ERP systems, migrate decades of documentation, and create custom intranet approval workflows.

Bottom line → Start simple and build up. Most organizations save money and launch faster when they add features after they're up and running rather than trying to build everything at once.

PRO TIP 💡: Workvivo customers typically go live in 2-4 weeks, not months. Our implementation team handles the heavy lifting with pre-built templates for common use cases, automated user provisioning through your existing directory services, and a proven rollout playbook that drives adoption from day one.

Features and functionality

Vendors typically package intranet features into tiers, but understanding what's included versus what costs extra helps you budget realistically:

Basic features come standard with most plans – document storage, simple search, social features like comments and likes, basic pages and news publishing, and user profiles. These cover the absolute minimum for an intranet but lack the functionality most teams expect.
Standard features add $5-15 per user per month and include tools like workflow automation, advanced permissions and groups, basic integrations with Office 365 or Google Workspace, and mobile apps. Most organizations need at least this tier to see adoption.
Premium features usually cost an extra $15-30 per user per month for features like advanced analytics dashboards, custom application builders, AI-powered search and recommendations, and deep integrations with HR and business systems.
Enterprise features often come with custom pricing and include white-glove service – custom development, advanced security and compliance tools, dedicated support, and SLAs. Large enterprises or highly regulated industries typically need this tier.

Many organizations think they'll save money by choosing features à la carte, but vendors price individual features so high that you'll usually spend more than buying a bundled tier.

Plus, features often depend on each other. Workflows need forms, analytics need proper permissions, and integrations need API access.

Before you pick any features, analyze what your current tools actually get used for. Most companies discover that 80% of users only need document access and search, while the expensive features get used by just a handful of power users.

Bottom line → Choose the tier that includes the features you'll use most within the next six months. Buying individual ones or constantly upgrading plans ends up costing more than selecting the right tier upfront.

Company size (number of users)

User count affects everything from per-seat rates to minimum commitments and negotiation leverage. Here’s a common breakdown by size:

Small businesses (<100 users) face the worst pricing economics. You'll pay full per-user rates of $10-50 per month with no volume discounts, and many enterprise vendors won't even talk to you. Worse, some vendors demand a minimum of 100 or 250 users, so you pay for seats you don't need.
Mid-market companies (100-1,000 users) start seeing volume discounts, typically 10-30% off list prices. Vendors become more flexible with custom packages, and you'll have negotiating power. Most platforms offer tiered pricing where the per-user cost drops as you cross 250, 500, and 1,000 user thresholds.
Enterprise organizations (1,000+ users) can often negotiate flat enterprise licenses or discounted per-user rates. Instead of paying $30 per user for 5,000 employees ($150k/month), you might negotiate a flat $50k/month enterprise agreement. Vendors will also throw in premium features, dedicated support, and custom development at this scale.

Watch out for the "minimum user trap" if you're a small company. A vendor that has a 100-user minimum at $20/user means your 30-person company pays $2,000/month instead of $600 – basically $67 per actual user.

When to negotiate depends heavily on your size. Small companies have limited leverage but can sometimes get better rates by committing to longer terms.

Mid-market companies should always negotiate since vendors compete hard for this segment. Enterprise buyers have the most leverage and should expect major discounts, custom terms, and extra perks thrown in.

Bottom line → If you're under 100 users, look for vendors without minimums. If you're approaching a tier threshold, wait to sign until you can negotiate at the higher tier for better rates across all users.

PRO TIP 💡: Workvivo's pricing starts at 250 users specifically to avoid the "paying for empty seats" problem. Our platform scales elegantly from hundreds to tens of thousands of employees with the same intuitive experience. No different interfaces for different company sizes.

Training and support

Training packages range from free self-service resources to comprehensive custom programs:

Self-service training usually comes free with your subscription and includes documentation, video libraries, and help centers. While cost-effective, this approach puts the learning burden on busy employees who may not have time to dig through resources when they hit roadblocks.
Virtual training sessions cost $1k-5k per session and include group webinars, Q&A sessions, and recorded workshops. These work well for distributed teams and cover general platform usage, but they're less effective for complex workflows or role-specific needs.
On-site training brings expert trainers to your location for hands-on workshops and costs $5k-15k per day plus travel expenses. This intensive approach works best for power users, administrators, and teams with complex needs.
Custom training development runs $10k-50k+ and creates tailored materials specific to your organization's workflows and use cases. This investment makes sense for large organizations with unique processes or highly regulated industries with specific compliance training needs.

Don't forget ongoing training needs that include new employee onboarding, feature updates, refresher sessions, and advanced training as teams mature. A good rule of thumb is to budget at least 20% of your initial training investment annually for this.

Bottom line → Virtual sessions combined with custom documentation will usually give you the best ROI. Poor adoption from weak training will cost you more in the long run.

PRO TIP 💡: Workvivo customers achieve 90%+ adoption with minimal training because the platform feels familiar, like the social tools employees already use. Our onboarding includes virtual training sessions, on-demand video libraries

Breaking down the cost of an intranet

Now let's look at the actual expenses you'll face at each stage.

We'll cover what to budget for from setup through ongoing operations, so you can plan your cash flow and avoid surprises.

Recurring costs: what to expect in your budget

Once your intranet is up and running, you'll face predictable monthly and annual costs that form the bulk of your ongoing budget.

These recurring expenses usually go up 5-10% each year, so build that into your long-term budget.

Here's what most organizations pay on an ongoing basis:

Cost category	Typical range	What it includes
Software licensing	$5-50/user/month	Base platform access, core features, updates
Support packages	$2-15/user/month	Phone/email support, SLAs, dedicated account manager
Extra storage	$50-500/month	Storage beyond included limits, video hosting
Enterprise features	$5-30/user/month	Advanced analytics, custom workflows
Custom integrations	$50-500/month each	Enterprise connectors for HR, CRM, ERP systems
Admin resources	$2,000-10,000/month	Internal staff time or managed services
Training and adoption	$500-2,000/month	Ongoing training, new employee onboarding

Software licensing is your largest recurring cost, and it varies wildly based on the vendor and features you choose.

Cloud intranet providers typically bundle hosting and core features into their base price, while on-premise solutions often charge separately for maintenance contracts and updates.

One-time and hidden costs: what to watch out for

While monthly subscription fees get most of the attention, one-time and hidden costs often represent 30-50% of your total first-year investment.

These expenses can turn a seemingly affordable platform into a budget-busting intranet project if you don't plan for them up front.

Major one-time costs include:

Initial setup and deployment ($5k-50k): Configuration, customization, and launch support based on complexity
Data migration ($10k-30k): Moving content from existing systems, cleanup, and reorganization
Integration development ($5k-30k per system): Connecting to Active Directory, HR systems, CRM, or other business tools
Custom branding and templates ($5k-25k): Making the intranet platform match your company's look and standards
Initial training rollout ($5k-30k): Getting your entire organization up to speed at launch
Security and compliance setup ($10k-25k): Meeting regulatory rules or security standards

Hidden costs that might surprise buyers:

Annual price increases (5-10% yearly): Built into most contracts but rarely discussed during sales
User overage fees ($50-100/user/month): When you exceed your user tier, often at premium rates
Premium support during launch ($5k-15k): "Included" support might not be enough during implementation
Mobile app setup and licensing ($5k-20k): Sometimes sold separately despite being "standard"
SSO and advanced security features ($3k-10k/year): Enterprise-grade security features are typically in higher tiers
API access for custom development ($5k-15k/year): Primarily for custom integrations and applications

When you add everything together, a $15/user/month platform might run $30,000-$75,000 in the first year for a 200-person organization.

This is after including setup, training, integrations, and scope changes that come up during implementation.

You should plan to budget 40-60% above the quoted monthly fees to cover these additional costs and avoid surprises.

Top intranet software pricing compared

Now that we've covered what drives intranet costs, let's look at actual prices from leading vendors. This gives you real numbers to work with and helps set a realistic budget.

Quick note: These prices change often and depend on your company's size and specific requirements. We pulled these from vendor websites and public sources, but you'll need to get quotes directly from vendors for your exact situation.

Solution	Primary Pricing Model	Starting Price	Free Trial Option
Workvivo	Tiered Subscriptions (Business/Enterprise)	From $20,000/year (250-2000 employees)	No, but offers a tailored demo
Staffbase	Tiered Subscriptions (Business/Enterprise)	Custom Quote	No - Demo available
Simpplr	Volume-based pricing	Custom Quote	Yes, 14 days
Microsoft SharePoint	Per User/Month	Starts at $5/user/month (Plan 1)	Yes, 30 days
Axero	Tiered Subscriptions (Standard / Premium / Enterprise)	Custom Quote	No - Demo available
Happeo	Tiered Subscriptions (Starter/Growth/Enterprise)	Custom Quote	No - Demo available
LumApps	Tiered Subscriptions (Business/Professional/Enterprise)	Custom Quote	No - Demo available

How to choose the right intranet: aligning features, needs, and budget

Now that you know what drives intranet pricing, the next step is to find the sweet spot between functionality and cost for your organization.

Here's how to approach your selection process strategically:

1. Define your budget by calculating the total cost of ownership (TCO)

Most organizations focus on monthly licensing fees and miss the bigger picture.

For easier budgeting, calculate your total cost of ownership over three years, which includes both the heavy upfront investment and ongoing operations.

Year 1 costs usually include everything you need to launch your intranet system – licenses, setup, deployment, training, integrations, and any custom development. This is typically your most expensive year, often 2-3x the annual license cost alone.

Years 2-3 costs settle into a more predictable pattern and include licenses (with annual increases), support packages, maintenance, extra training, and room for growth.

You can use this TCO worksheet to calculate costs for each vendor you're considering:

Cost component	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Notes
Software licensing	$_____	$_____	$_____	Include price increases
Implementation	$_____	/	/	One-time cost
Data migration	$_____	/	/	One-time cost
Training	$_____	$_____	$_____	Initial + ongoing
Support package	$_____	$_____	$_____	If beyond basic
Integrations	$_____	$_____	$_____	Setup + maintenance
Admin resources	$_____	$_____	$_____	Internal or external
Storage/overages	$_____	$_____	$_____	Estimate growth
Annual total	$_____	$_____	$_____	/
3-year TCO	$_____ — Sum of all years
Cost per user/year	$_____ — TCO ÷ users ÷ 3

Also, make sure to compare vendors using cost per user per year, not monthly licensing fees.

This metric shows the true expense and makes apples-to-apples comparisons possible across different pricing models.

2. Align "must-have" features with business value

Many organizations approach intranet selection backwards – they chase impressive feature lists without understanding what problems they're trying to handle.

Start with your top 3-5 business problems. Maybe employees can't find documents, teams work in silos, or company news feeds and forums don't reach frontline workers.

Write these down before you look at any vendor materials. These problems become your evaluation criteria, not the vendor's feature list.

Next, map features to specific problems. If your problem is document management, you need powerful search and a clear information architecture.

If it's poor internal communication, focus on news distribution and employee engagement tools. Every feature should directly tackle one of your problems (or it's not a must-have).

You can even create a simple priority matrix to guide your decisions:

High value + easy to implement: Your quick wins and must-haves (better search, mobile access, SSO)
High value + complex to implement: Worth the investment but plan carefully (workflow automation, deep integrations)
Low value + easy to implement: Nice-to-haves if budget allows (employee birthday reminders, custom themes)
Low value + complex to implement: Skip these entirely (custom AI features, complex analytics most users won't understand)

This will help you skip most vendor add-ons, keep your costs down, and get an intranet solution that does what you need.

PRO TIP 💡: With Workvivo, you won't get trapped in feature tiers that force expensive upgrades. Our Business plan includes what others call "premium" – livestreaming, podcasts, advanced analytics, and AI-powered search all come standard.

3. Use live demos to verify value for money

Vendors have perfected their 45-minute show with flawless data, zero lag time, and conveniently simple use cases. And that's perfectly fine. You can still learn a lot if you know what to ask for.

Focus on scenarios you can reasonably test. While vendors control most of the demo, you can usually get them to show:

How a regular employee finds and opens a document (watch for how many clicks this takes)
The process to update an old page or news post (demonstrates the real editing experience)
How you'd set up a new department workspace (shows the complexity of administration)
What happens when the search bar doesn't find the right result (tests how they handle failure cases)
If you use specific software (Office 365, Slack, Salesforce), ask to see how the integration works in practice

Most vendors will say yes because these are fair requests that make sense for any buyer.

But there are also some things vendors say or do that can hint at extra costs and headaches later.

Watch for these red flags during demos:

Phrases like "this would be customized for you" or "our services team handles that" (usually means extra costs)
Skipping quickly past admin interfaces or configuration screens (may point to a complex setup process)
"That's on our roadmap" for basic features you'd expect (could mean long wait times)
Reluctance to show mobile experience or specific integrations (might not be fully developed or cost extra)

The demo starts the conversation, but your due diligence happens in trials and reference checks, where you can verify what truly works.

4. Request a detailed, all-inclusive quote

Get specific pricing in writing before you commit, and don't rely on any loose estimates or verbal promises.

Make sure your quote explicitly includes:

Monthly/annual subscription costs with user tiers clearly defined
Onboarding and launch support fees (if not included)
Implementation timeline and any expedited launch costs
Which integrations are included vs. paid add-ons (Slack, Google Workspace)
Mobile app access and any associated costs
AI features pricing (search, suggestions, auto-tagging)
Storage and bandwidth limits before overages kick in
Admin and end-user training options
Support response times for each tier
Contract flexibility (monthly vs. annual commitments)

Watch for vague items like "configuration support" or "implementation assistance" that could mean anything from email help to mandatory $20k consulting engagements.

You should also ask for implementation timelines with clear phases and milestones. Modern SaaS intranets typically launch in 4-8 weeks, not months, so be skeptical of lengthy timelines that inflate costs.

For accurate budgeting, ask for 3-year projections showing:

How annual price increases work (usually 5-10%)
What happens when you cross user tiers
Costs if you grow by 25% or 50%
Which new features might require upgrades as you scale

A good vendor will provide clear, detailed quotes without excessive back-and-forth.

If getting basic pricing information feels like pulling teeth, working with them post-purchase won't get easier.

Workvivo: an investment in your people and your bottom line

You've seen the reality of intranet pricing – hidden fees, surprise costs, and platforms that employees never really use.

The cheapest option might even cost more in the long run, while enterprise suites come with complexity you don't need.

At Workvivo, we prefer to keep things simple. Business plans start at $20,000 yearly for companies with 250-2,000 employees, while Enterprise pricing scales predictably for larger teams.

More importantly, what you see is what you get. There are no hidden fees, surprise implementation costs, or nickel-and-diming for features you need.

Here's what sets Workvivo apart from other vendors:

All-in-one platform that replaces tool sprawl: You can stop paying for separate tools for communication, engagement, documents, and analytics because Workvivo combines everything in one platform. This saves organizations thousands per month in subscriptions and gives employees one place for all their work.
40+ native integrations included in your subscription: Whether you're using Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Workspace, or major HR systems like Workday or BambooHR, these integrations come standard. Our plug-and-play approach means you can connect tools in literally hours.
Mobile apps for iOS and Android included at no extra cost: While other vendors charge premium rates for mobile access or limit functionality on mobile devices, Workvivo is mobile-first by design. Every employee gets full access whether they're at a desk, on the factory floor, or working remotely.
SSO and security features come standard. While competitors reserve single sign-on and compliance tools for their enterprise tiers, Workvivo includes these in every plan. Your IT team gets the security they need, while your employees get seamless access without any authentication headaches.

Workvivo sits in the sweet spot between basic intranets and bloated enterprise suites. You get all the features you need, without months of customization or six-figure consulting fees.

And for companies with frontline or distributed workers, Workvivo bridges the gap between desk and deskless employees in ways traditional intranets never could.

Our mobile-first design and intuitive interface mean adoption happens naturally, not through mandate.

Book a 1:1 demo to see exactly how Workvivo fits your organization's needs and budget. We'll show you real pricing, real timelines, and how to solve the problems you're dealing with right now.

Intranet pricing FAQs

What are the typical pricing models for modern intranet software?

Most modern intranet platforms (e.g., Workvivo, Simpplr, and Workplace from Meta) use per-user monthly or annual subscriptions, typically ranging from $5-20 per user per month, depending on features.

Are free intranet tools a viable option for businesses?

Free tools like Notion's basic plan or Google Sites can work for very small teams (under 20 people) with simple needs, but they quickly hit limitations around storage, permissions, and integrations as you grow.

Most businesses find they need paid features within months (things like SSO for security, admin controls, analytics, or API access), making the "free" option a temporary solution at best.

How should I budget for a new intranet beyond the subscription fee?

Modern company intranets require less upfront investment than traditional ones, but still budget 20-40% above the subscription cost for year one.

This covers initial setup and branding ($2-10k), data migration if needed ($5-15k), training ($2-5k), and 5-10 hours per week of admin time.

Most modern platforms like Workvivo can launch in 4-8 weeks with minimal IT involvement.

How do data storage costs work with cloud-based intranet platforms?

Most cloud intranets include baseline storage of 10-20GB per user, which covers typical document and image needs for most organizations.

Once you exceed this limit, usually from video content, large design files, or poor content governance, you'll pay $100-500 per TB per month for additional storage.

Modern platforms like Digital Workplace and Simpplr often include generous or unlimited storage for standard content but charge for video hosting and streaming.