How much does a website accessibility audit cost? What you are paying for

The main options

What drives the price of a manual audit

• Scope: the number of pages and, more importantly, the number of distinct templates and flows (home, product, cart, checkout, account, forms).
• Standard: WCAG 2.1 or 2.2, Level AA.
• Depth: whether testing includes screen readers on more than one platform, mobile devices and keyboard-only passes.
• Deliverables: a findings list, or also code-level fix guidance, a prioritized plan and a retest after you fix.
• Complexity: custom widgets, single-page apps, PDFs and embedded third-party tools take longer.

Prices vary widely between providers and are usually quoted after scoping, so this guide does not quote a market range. Ask each provider for a written scope that lists pages tested, WCAG version, test methods, deliverables and whether a retest is included, then compare like with like.

What is in each type of audit

The word audit covers very different services. Before comparing prices, find out what is actually included, because a low price and a high price may be for different things.

How to scope an audit so quotes can be compared

Quotes vary widely mostly because the scope is vague. Write a scope note before you ask anyone for a price. It does not need to be long.

• Standard and level: for example WCAG 2.2 Level AA.
• Pages and journeys: list the templates and the key flows, such as checkout, account creation and contact.
• Platforms: desktop, mobile web, and any native apps.
• Assistive technology: which screen readers and browsers should be used.
• Deliverables: a written report, a spreadsheet of issues, a short call to explain results, and a retest after fixes.
• Timeline: when you need results and when your developers can start fixing.

Ways to keep costs reasonable

1. Fix the obvious things first. Run a free scan and fix the basic issues so a paid reviewer spends time on harder questions.
2. Audit templates, not every page. A site with a thousand pages may have only ten templates.
3. Ask for a retest in the quote. A review that does not include a check after fixes leaves you guessing whether the fixes worked.
4. Combine with a build or redesign. Reviewing a design before it is built is cheaper than repairing it afterwards. See the redesign checklist.
5. Train your team. An hour of training for editors and developers prevents repeat issues.

The cost of not fixing

It is not possible to give a reliable figure for what a legal claim costs, since cases differ. What is known is that defending even a small claim involves legal fees, staff time and disruption, and that fixing the underlying problems is needed whatever the outcome. If you have received a letter, see what to do with an ADA website demand letter. Spending on a sound review and repair is generally a better use of money than spending on a badge that makes promises about a site it does not change.

Questions to ask a provider

• Who will do the testing, and what experience do they have?
• Which assistive technologies and browsers do you use?
• May I see a sample report with the client details removed?
• Do you give fix guidance for my platform, for example Shopify or WordPress?
• Is a retest included, and how many rounds?
• Do you avoid claiming that the work makes a site legally compliant? A careful provider will not make that promise.

Budget planning for a small business

Three example projects, described in general terms

Prices change and differ between providers, so this guide does not quote figures. What it can do is show how the scope shapes the work. Here are three examples of different sizes.

A five-page brochure site

A hairdresser has a home page, services, prices, contact and a gallery. There is one form and one booking link. An expert can review every page in a short engagement. The report might list a few dozen issues, mostly missing alternative text, weak contrast and an unlabeled form field. The owner or a freelancer can fix most of them in a day or two.

A Shopify store with a few hundred products

Product pages share one template, so a reviewer samples the home page, a collection page, two product types, search, cart, checkout, account pages and the policy pages. The report focuses on theme issues, app issues and checkout behavior. Fixes are split between the theme developer, app vendors and the store owner, who handles alternative text and content.

A custom web application sold to businesses

A software company with a dashboard, reports and settings needs a larger evaluation with many screens and states, testing with several screen readers, and a formal conformance report. The work may be scheduled in rounds alongside development, and the customer's procurement team may review the result.

Choosing between a one-off audit and a continuing service

Red flags in quotes and sales pitches

• A flat price offered before anyone has looked at the site.
• A promise that you will be protected from lawsuits, or that your site will be compliant.
• A monthly fee for a widget presented as the whole solution.
• A report made entirely by software but sold as a manual audit.
• Reluctance to show a sample report or name who will do the work.
• Pressure to sign immediately because of an urgent legal threat.

Good providers explain what they will do, what they will not do and what you will receive. They speak plainly about uncertainty and do not use fear to sell.

What to do with the audit when you have it

1. Read the summary first, then the high-severity findings.
2. Group the issues by owner: designer, developer, content editor, app vendor.
3. Agree on an order of work. Checkout and forms first, shared templates next, individual pages last.
4. Set dates, and record who agreed to them.
5. Ask for a retest when the main fixes are in place.
6. Keep the report and the retest. They are your record of effort and of progress.

For the automated part of a review, a website accessibility audit across the pages you choose gives you a list of detectable issues before you decide how much manual testing to buy.

A simple way to decide

• Not sure where you stand: run a free scan and a 15-minute hand check.
• You need a developer-ready fix list for a key page: a one-time automated assessment such as Clir's $99 One Page report.
• You manage many client sites: Agency Pass plans start at $390 a year for 100 client pages per 90-day project window.
• You received a legal claim, or you sell to government: involve an attorney, and consider a manual audit by an accessibility specialist (what to do first).

What to prepare before you hire someone

A little preparation lowers the cost of any review, because the reviewer spends less time asking questions. Gather these items before you start.

• A list of the pages and journeys that matter most, in priority order.
• Test accounts and sample data for any area that needs a login, such as an order history.
• The name of the platform, theme and main apps, with version numbers where you can find them.
• Any previous scan reports or audit reports.
• The name of the person who will answer questions and the people who will do the fixes.

How long an audit takes and what happens next

Small sites can be reviewed in a few days, and larger ones take weeks. The audit itself is only the first part of the project. After the report arrives, expect a meeting to go through the findings, a period of fixing and then a retest. Plan for the whole cycle when you set a budget and a deadline, especially if a customer or a legal matter sets the date. Rushing the fix stage tends to create new problems, so give the team time to test each change before it goes live.

Ask the reviewer whether the report will be written for developers, for managers or both. A short executive summary and a detailed technical list are both useful, because the people who decide on priorities are not always the people who write the code.

Reading a report you have bought

A good report is organized so different people can use it. Managers should be able to read the first page and understand how the site is doing and what to do first. Developers should find, for each issue, the page, the element, the criterion, an explanation and a suggested fix. Content editors should find clear guidance on the problems they can fix. If the report is a long list with no priorities, ask the provider to add them.

What to avoid

Be wary of any product that promises your site will become compliant on its own. No tool can promise legal protection either. The FTC took action in January 2025 against an overlay vendor over claims like that. See accessibility overlays explained.