Shopify accessibility audit by a DHS Trusted Tester

Details

What Shopify covers, and what is yours

Shopify publishes product-specific accessibility conformance reports for products including Checkout, Admin and the Dawn theme. Each report applies to the version Shopify tested; it does not evaluate your customized storefront or the combination of apps you use. Shopify also says its theme guidance alone does not guarantee a store is fully accessible. Review Shopify's accessibility statement and reports, then test your live store. In practice, responsibility splits like this:

Shopify Theme Store themes have to reach a minimum automated accessibility score. Automated scores cover only part of WCAG, which is why a store can score well and still fail a customer using a keyboard or screen reader.

What I check on a Shopify store

• Can a keyboard user pick a size or colour, change the quantity, open and close the cart drawer, and reach the checkout?
• Does a screen reader announce the selected option, the "added to cart" message and any error?
• Do icon buttons (cart, search, wishlist, menu) have names?
• Do pop-ups, newsletter prompts and the cookie banner trap or lose keyboard focus?
• Do sale badges, buttons and placeholder text have enough contrast, and does the page work at 400% zoom?
• Are product images described, and are decorative images hidden from screen readers?

What you get

• A findings sheet with every issue, its page, a screenshot, the WCAG criterion and a severity rating
• Each finding labelled theme, app or content, so you know whether to send it to your developer, an app vendor or whoever writes your product pages
• A fix for each issue that your developer can adapt to your theme's files
• Findings mapped to the ADA and Section 508, and to EN 301 549 if you sell in the EU
• A walkthrough call and a free retest after your fixes

How it works

1. Tell me about your store. Send the address, your theme name and the apps you use, through the free check form.
2. I scope it. You get a fixed quote within 24 hours covering the templates and journeys to test.
3. I test by hand. Keyboard, NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, zoom and contrast, on desktop and mobile.
4. You get the report and a call. Typical turnaround is 5 to 7 business days.
5. I retest your fixes for free.

What it costs

Shopify accessibility audit pricing depends on the number of distinct templates, customizations, apps and shopping journeys in scope. My custom audit rate is $80 to $200 per page depending on complexity, with one retest included. For a small business site covering 5 to 8 key pages, the fixed price is $499; a Shopify store usually needs a tailored scope so the cart, product options and relevant app interfaces are included. See pricing and scope details or compare website accessibility audit costs.

Your agreed audit scope

The quote lists the representative pages or screens, complete user journeys, browsers, assistive technologies and standard versions to be evaluated. The $499 small business package covers 5 to 8 agreed key pages. Extra templates, documents, apps or journeys are quoted separately. Findings describe the tested scope and point in time; they are not a guarantee about every page of a website or a legal conclusion.

One retest of the original findings is included when requested within 60 days of receiving the report. Your developers implement the fixes; new features or pages require a separate scope.

Who does the work

I'm Rohit Yadav, a DHS Trusted Tester (Section 508) and accessibility auditor with about five years of hands-on testing. Every audit is done by me, by hand, with a keyboard and NVDA, JAWS and VoiceOver, against WCAG 2.2 AA. About me · See a sample report

Common questions

Is Shopify ADA compliant?

Shopify has done work on its own checkout and base themes, but platform work is not the same as store-level compliance. Your theme edits, apps and content decide whether your store works for people using keyboards and screen readers.

Do I need an audit if I use the Dawn theme?

Dawn is a sensible starting point, but most stores change it. Every edit, section or app is a place a barrier can appear, so test the store you actually run.

Will an accessibility app make my Shopify store compliant?

A widget does not establish that your whole store is accessible or protect it from every claim. Test the underlying theme, app interfaces and complete shopping tasks. Read the evidence and limitations.

Does the audit include checkout?

Yes. I test the checkout your customers see, including anything you added to it. Shopify maintains the base checkout, so many findings there will be about your customisations.

Do you fix the code?

I write the findings and the fixes. Your developer or agency makes the changes, and I retest them for free.

Does one audit cover the European Accessibility Act too?

A coordinated scope can include the applicable EN 301 549 edition and additional service requirements. WCAG web testing alone is not a legal determination of EAA compliance. See EAA scope and requirements for non-EU sellers.