What Does a Website Accessibility Audit Cost? (2026 Pricing Guide)
If you're budgeting for an accessibility audit, here's what drives the price, typical ranges for different types of sites, and what you should expect to get.
The short answer
A manual website accessibility audit usually costs somewhere between about $1,000 and $8,000 for a small to mid-sized website, and more for large stores and web apps. Many providers price per page, with published rates commonly between about $100 and $250 per page, and higher for complex pages. What you pay depends mostly on how many different page types need testing, and how complex they are.
What drives the price
1. Number of unique page types, not total pages
A store with 500 products doesn't need 500 pages tested. Product pages share one template, so one or two are tested as representatives. What matters is how many different page designs and flows you have: home, collection, product, cart, checkout, account, contact, and so on.
2. Complexity
A simple About page takes much less time than a checkout, booking flow, or dashboard with filters, pop-ups and live updates. That's why many auditors charge different rates for simple, medium and complex pages.
3. Manual versus automated testing
Automated scans are cheap or free, but they only catch part of the problems. A manual audit, with a tester using a keyboard and screen readers on real user journeys, takes longer and costs more, and it's the only way to find issues like unannounced cart updates or menus that trap keyboard users.
4. What's included in the report
Some reports just list failures. Better ones explain where each issue is, who it affects, which WCAG criterion applies, and how to fix it, ranked by severity. A retest after fixes is sometimes included and sometimes extra.
5. Extras
- VPAT / ACR: a formal conformance report often required by government and enterprise buyers. Typically an add-on of a few hundred dollars or more.
- PDF testing: usually priced per document or by page count.
- Mobile apps: tested separately from the website.
Typical price ranges
| Type of site | Typical scope | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Small business site | 5 to 10 key pages | $1,000 to $2,500 |
| Online store | 10 to 20 templates, including cart and checkout | $2,000 to $8,000 |
| Large store or web app | Many templates and complex flows | $8,000 and up |
Ranges are based on published pricing from accessibility audit providers as of 2026. Your actual quote depends on your site.
Is an audit worth it?
Compare it with the cost of a claim. The average reported settlement for an ADA website demand letter is about $5,000, before legal fees and before any fixes are made, based on published litigation data. An audit costs less, shows you exactly what to fix, and makes your site usable for more customers. See what claims typically cost.
Watch out for these
- "Instant compliance" offers. No tool or service can honestly guarantee you'll never be sued.
- Automated-only audits sold as full audits. Ask whether the tester uses screen readers and a keyboard.
- Reports without fixes. A list of failures your developer can't act on isn't much help.
How I price audits
My small business audit is $999 for up to 8 key pages, including keyboard and screen reader testing, a prioritized report with fixes, a walkthrough call and a free retest. Online stores and larger sites get a fixed quote within 24 hours, and a VPAT/ACR can be added for $300 to $500. Custom work is priced per page, from $80 to $200 depending on complexity.
This article is general information, not legal advice. For questions about your legal obligations or a claim you have received, talk to an attorney.