Freelance accessibility auditors typically charge between $1,500 and $8,000 for a website audit, with most projects landing in the $2,500 to $5,000 range. Pricing depends on page count, complexity, the standard being evaluated (WCAG 2.1 AA or WCAG 2.2 AA), turnaround time, and whether the deliverable includes remediation guidance or a follow-up validation pass. Hourly rates for accessibility freelancers commonly fall between $100 and $200, though seasoned auditors with credentials like CPACC, WAS, or DHS Trusted Tester certification often charge $200 to $300 per hour. Project-based pricing is more common than hourly because clients want a fixed cost tied to a clear scope.
| Project Type | Typical Price Range |
|---|---|
| Small informational site (5 to 10 templates) | $1,500 to $3,500 |
| Mid-size site or ecommerce (10 to 25 templates) | $3,500 to $7,500 |
| Web app or SaaS product | $5,000 to $15,000+ |
| Mobile app (single platform) | $3,500 to $8,000 |
| Hourly rate (when used) | $100 to $300 per hour |
| Validation pass (re-audit after fixes) | 30 to 50 percent of original audit cost |
What Factors Set Your Audit Price?
The biggest driver is scope. An accessibility audit evaluates each unique template or screen against WCAG success criteria, so 10 templates takes far less time than 30. Price the work by what is actually being reviewed, not by the total page count of the site.
Complexity matters next. A marketing site with mostly static content evaluates faster than an ecommerce checkout flow with dynamic forms, modals, and third-party components. Authenticated areas, multi-step processes, and custom components add time.
The standard you evaluate against also shifts pricing. WCAG 2.1 AA is the most requested baseline. WCAG 2.2 AA adds nine more success criteria and is increasingly requested for procurement and ADA Title II projects.
How Should Freelancers Structure Pricing?
Project-based pricing wins in most cases. Clients want a number they can approve and a deliverable they can plan around. Hourly billing creates friction because the client cannot predict the final invoice.
A clean structure looks like this: per-template pricing for the audit, a flat fee for the report, and an optional validation pass priced as a percentage of the original. Some freelancers also offer remediation guidance calls or developer consultation as add-ons billed hourly.
Per-template pricing typically ranges from $200 to $500 depending on complexity. A 10-template website at $300 per template comes to $3,000 for the audit itself, with the report writing built in or itemized separately.
What About Credentials and Experience?
Credentials raise your rate ceiling. CPACC and WAS from IAAP signal foundational and technical knowledge. DHS Trusted Tester certification carries weight for government work and Section 508 evaluations. Auditors with these credentials regularly charge 30 to 50 percent more than uncertified freelancers.
Experience with screen readers (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, TalkBack) and assistive technology fluency justify higher rates because the audit quality is directly tied to how thoroughly the auditor evaluates non-visual interaction patterns.
What Should Be Included in the Deliverable?
The audit report is the product. A weak report undercuts your price no matter how thorough the evaluation was. At minimum, the report should include every issue identified and mapped to the specific WCAG success criterion, the location where the issue appears (page URL, screen, component), a clear description of what is wrong and why, a recommended fix with code-level guidance where appropriate, and a severity rating tied to user impact.
Clients paying $3,000 to $5,000 expect a report they can hand to a developer. If the developer needs to call you to understand what the issue is, the deliverable is incomplete.
How Do You Quote a New Client?
Ask for a list of unique templates or user flows, not a page count. A 200-page site might only have 12 unique templates. Then walk the site yourself before quoting. Spending 20 minutes on the site before sending a number prevents underquoting complex builds.
Build a scope document into your proposal. List exactly what is being evaluated, what standard, what platform (web, mobile, both), what is excluded, and what the deliverable looks like. Vague scope leads to scope creep.
Include turnaround time in the quote. Standard turnaround is two to three weeks. Rush work (five to seven business days) commands a 25 to 50 percent premium.
Should You Offer Remediation?
Many freelancers offer remediation as a separate service after the audit. Remediation pays well, often more than the audit itself, but requires development skill. If you only audit, refer remediation to a trusted developer or remediation specialist and take a referral arrangement.
Keep audit and remediation pricing separate. The audit identifies issues; remediation fixes them. Bundling them obscures the value of the audit and makes it harder to price each piece accurately.
FAQs
What is a good starting rate for a new freelance accessibility auditor?
If you are early in your accessibility career but have a strong technical background, starting around $125 to $150 per hour or $250 to $350 per template is reasonable. Raise rates as you complete more audits and add credentials.
Should I charge more for WCAG 2.2 AA than WCAG 2.1 AA?
A modest premium of 10 to 15 percent is justified because 2.2 AA includes additional success criteria that take more time to evaluate. Most freelancers price the two similarly and adjust based on complexity instead.
How long does a freelance audit take to complete?
For a 10-template website, plan on 20 to 35 hours of evaluation time plus 8 to 15 hours of report writing. Larger projects scale from there. Track your hours on the first few audits to refine your per-template pricing.
Do clients expect a sample audit report before they hire?
Yes, often. Create a sanitized sample report (real format, fake client) to send with your proposals. It builds trust and sets expectations for the deliverable quality.
Can I charge for a follow-up validation pass?
Yes. Validation passes after remediation are standard and typically priced at 30 to 50 percent of the original audit cost. The work is faster because you are re-checking known issues rather than auditing from scratch.
Setting your rate is a balance between what the market pays and what your time is worth. Quote with confidence, document your scope clearly, and let the quality of your report speak for itself.
Looking to be listed as a freelance accessibility professional? Contact the Accessibility Base directory to get added.