How Much Does It Cost to Make a Website Accessible in 2026?

You’ve received a notice about the new European digital accessibility rules, and now you’re wondering: “How much does it cost to make a website accessible?” Making a website accessible costs between €2,000 and €15,000, depending on the complexity of the project and the WCAG compliance level required.

This can no longer be put off. Since June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act has required many businesses to make their digital services accessible, with fines ranging from €5,000 to €40,000 (up to 5% of revenue, but only for companies above €500 million).

In this article we’ll look in detail at all the costs involved, from the initial assessment to the technical work, to help you plan the budget you need.

What determines the cost of web accessibility

The final price depends on several factors you should consider before requesting a quote. Not every website starts from the same place, and that has a huge impact on the investment required.

The complexity of the structure is the first thing to assess. A 10-page brochure website will need very different work than an e-commerce store with hundreds of products and advanced features such as filters, a cart and checkout.

The second factor is the WCAG compliance level you need to reach. The guidelines are divided into three levels:

• Level A: basic requirements, average cost €2,000-5,000
• Level AA: the recommended standard for most businesses, €5,000-10,000
• Level AAA: maximum accessibility, over €10,000

In our experience, 90% of Italian small businesses aim for level AA, which is the best compromise between regulatory compliance and a sustainable investment.

The technology behind your current website

If your website is built on WordPress and uses a recent theme, the work will be more limited. On the other hand, outdated platforms or poorly structured custom code may require a partial rebuild, which significantly increases costs.

What we often see is that websites built before 2020 need deeper work, while more recent projects mostly need optimization.

Initial audit: the first step and what it costs

Before any work begins, you need a thorough analysis of where things stand. An accessibility audit costs between €800 and €3,000, and it’s an essential investment to avoid wasting money later.

The audit checks more than 50 WCAG criteria, from the HTML structure to keyboard navigation, from color contrast to alternative text for images. The result is a detailed report that tells you exactly what to fix and in what order of priority.

A common mistake we see is skipping this phase to save money. The result? Random fixes that don’t solve the real problems = final costs much higher than expected.

What a professional audit includes

A complete audit includes automated tests with professional tools, manual checks with screen readers and alternative navigation devices, and a usability assessment for users with cognitive disabilities.

The final report includes a roadmap of priority fixes, time estimates for each correction and recommendations for avoiding future problems. These documents are also essential for demonstrating compliance in the event of an inspection.

Costs of the main technical fixes

Once the audit is complete, the actual work begins. Fixing accessibility issues requires specialized skills and takes longer to develop than ordinary website changes.

Here are the average costs of the most common fixes:

• HTML structure optimization: €1,500-4,000
• Keyboard navigation implementation: €1,000-2,500
• Contrast and readability fixes: €800-1,800
• Adding alternative text and ARIA labels: €500-1,500
• Updating forms and interactions: €1,200-3,000

In our experience, e-commerce websites always need additional work on the checkout process and cart management, which can add €2,000-4,000 to the base quote.

Imagine running an online clothing store: on top of the standard fixes, you’ll need to make product search, size and color filters, variant display and the entire purchase flow accessible. Each element needs specific testing and dedicated optimization.

Work on multimedia content

If your website includes videos, podcasts or interactive content, plan for additional costs for captions, transcripts and audio-described versions. This work starts at €200 for a short video and can reach €1,000 for complex content.

When it makes sense to rebuild the website from scratch

Bringing a website up to standard isn’t always the cheapest solution. If the cost of fixes exceeds €12,000-15,000, it may be worth rebuilding the website with an “accessible-first” approach.

This often happens with websites built before 2018, when accessibility wasn’t yet a widespread priority. The HTML structure, CSS and JavaScript code of these projects would need such deep changes that a complete rebuild is justified.

The advantage of starting over? You get a modern, fast, SEO-friendly website that’s accessible by design, often at a lower cost than retrofitting an outdated platform.

What we often see is that companies initially focused only on compliance discover the side benefits of rebuilding their website from scratch (better Google rankings, better usability for all users, lower bounce rates) and end up choosing that option.

Calculating the ROI of accessibility

An accessible website reaches 15% more potential users, according to data from Italy’s National Observatory on Disability (Osservatorio Nazionale sulla Disabilità). For an e-commerce store with €500,000 in annual revenue, that means €75,000 in potential additional revenue, which more than pays back the initial investment.

How to get an accurate quote

To get a realistic quote, prepare a few key pieces of information. The quality of the information you provide determines how accurate the estimate you receive will be.

First of all, document your website’s current structure: number of pages, content types, main features and technologies used. If you have Google Analytics set up, include data on traffic and on the devices your visitors use most.

Also specify your business goals and the regulatory deadlines you need to meet. A company that must be compliant within 6 months will have different needs than one that can plan the work over a year.

A common mistake we see is asking for generic quotes. Saying “I want to make my website accessible” doesn’t allow anyone to estimate real timelines and costs. It’s better to be specific: “I have a WooCommerce store with 200 products and I want to reach WCAG level AA by March 2026.”

Red flags in quotes that are too low

Be wary of cheap quotes for complex projects. Web accessibility requires specialized skills and in-depth testing, and that takes time. Prices that are too low often hide a superficial approach that doesn’t guarantee real compliance.

A serious quote should include at least: an initial audit, a roadmap of the work, delivery times, final testing and compliance documentation. If any of these are missing, you’re better off looking elsewhere.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a complete web accessibility audit cost?

A professional accessibility audit costs between €800 and €3,000, depending on how complex the website is. It includes automated tests, manual checks and a detailed report with a roadmap of priority fixes.

Is it cheaper to bring an existing website up to standard or rebuild it from scratch?

It depends on the website’s age and technology. If the cost of bringing it up to standard exceeds €12,000-15,000, it often makes more sense to rebuild the website with an accessible-first approach, which also brings SEO and performance benefits.

What are the penalties for inaccessible websites?

Since June 28, 2025, businesses that fail to meet accessibility requirements face fines from €5,000 to €40,000, and from €2,500 to €30,000 if they don’t respond to requests from the supervisory authority. Only for companies with average revenue above €500 million can the fine reach up to 5% of revenue.

How long does it take to make a website accessible?

Timelines range from 4-6 weeks for simple websites to 3-4 months for complex e-commerce stores. This includes the initial audit, development of the fixes, final testing and compliance documentation.

Is WCAG level AA enough for regulatory compliance?

Yes, level AA is the recommended standard and the one required by most European regulations. Level AAA is optional and only needed in specific sectors such as healthcare or critical public services.