Choosing a website accessibility company comes down to a few specific signals: fully manual audits, transparent pricing, clear deliverables, and accessibility credentials you can verify. The right vendor walks you through audit scope, remediation expectations, and conformance documentation before asking for a deposit. Avoid any company that promises WCAG conformance through scans alone or markets a one-click fix. Look for firms that publish sample audit reports, name their auditors, and offer fixed pricing per page or screen. Cost varies by project size, but transparency on what you get for the price is the strongest indicator of a serious vendor.
| Criteria | What to Look For |
|---|---|
| Audit method | Fully manual evaluation against WCAG 2.1 AA or 2.2 AA |
| Pricing | Fixed cost per page or screen, published or quoted upfront |
| Deliverables | Detailed audit report with issue descriptions, locations, and recommendations |
| Credentials | CPACC, WAS, DHS Trusted Tester, or equivalent |
| Documentation | VPAT/ACR available as a separate or bundled service |
| Validation | Re-evaluation of fixes after remediation |
Start With the Audit Method
The single most important factor is how the company conducts its audit. Scans alone flag approximately 25% of issues. Any vendor claiming WCAG conformance through automated checkers is misrepresenting what software can do.
A credible website accessibility company conducts a fully manual evaluation. An auditor reviews each page or screen, interacts with content using a keyboard and screen reader, and identifies issues against specific WCAG success criteria. Ask the vendor directly: is the audit fully manual? If the answer involves hedging or a hybrid pitch heavy on automation, keep looking.
What Should Pricing Look Like?
Pricing should be clear before you sign anything. Strong vendors quote per page or per screen, with a stated rate that scales by complexity. You should know the total cost of the audit, the scope it covers, and whether validation or remediation guidance is included.
Be wary of two extremes. Enterprise vendors quoting $20,000 to $50,000 for a small website are often pricing on brand, not value. On the other side, vendors quoting a few hundred dollars for a full audit are almost certainly running a scan and exporting the results.
A serious mid-market website accessibility company typically prices a small site audit between $2,000 and $8,000 depending on page count and complexity.
Review the Sample Audit Report
Ask for a sample audit report before you commit. The report is the deliverable you’re paying for. If a vendor won’t share one, that’s a red flag.
A strong report includes each issue tied to a specific WCAG success criterion, the exact location of the issue (URL, element, screenshot), a description of the problem and its impact on users, a recommended fix with enough detail for a developer to act on, and a severity or priority rating.
If the sample report reads like a scan export with vague descriptions and no recommendations, the audit will not be useful for remediation.
Check Credentials and Track Record
Accessibility is a specialized field. Auditors should hold credentials such as CPACC, WAS, or DHS Trusted Tester certification. Ask who specifically will conduct your audit and what their background looks like.
Track record matters too. How long has the company been doing this work? Do they publish case studies or client references? Are they recognized in the accessibility industry, or did they pivot from a related field last year?
Does the Company Offer VPAT and ACR Services?
If you sell software, SaaS, or any digital product to enterprise or government buyers, you’ll likely need an Accessibility Conformance Report. A capable vendor offers VPAT services as part of the audit workflow or as a standalone deliverable.
Confirm the vendor knows the difference between a VPAT (the template) and an ACR (the completed document). Confirm they can produce the correct VPAT edition for your buyer: WCAG, Section 508, EN 301 549, or INT. WCAG edition is the most common request.
Remediation Support and Validation
An audit report is only useful if you can act on it. Ask the vendor what happens after the report is delivered.
Some companies stop at the report. Others offer remediation guidance, developer consults, or full remediation services. Validation, where the auditor re-evaluates fixed issues to confirm they meet WCAG criteria, is a critical step for documenting conformance.
If you have an internal development team, you may only need the audit and validation. If you don’t have developers familiar with WCAG, look for a vendor that can support remediation directly or recommend trusted partners.
Red Flags to Avoid
A few patterns signal a vendor you should pass on. Claims of “instant” or “automated” WCAG conformance, no sample audit report available, pricing that requires a sales call before any number is shared, no named auditors or credentials listed, reports that are scan exports rebranded as audits, and promises of legal protection or lawsuit immunity.
No accessibility company can guarantee you won’t be sued. What a good company can do is reduce your risk by identifying and fixing issues against WCAG 2.1 AA or 2.2 AA.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should a website accessibility audit cost?
For a small to mid-size informational website, expect $2,000 to $8,000 for a fully manual audit. Ecommerce sites and web apps cost more due to interactive complexity. Enterprise platforms can run $15,000 and up. Pricing should be quoted per page or per screen.
How long does it take to conduct an accessibility audit?
A typical audit takes two to four weeks from kickoff to delivery, depending on scope. Larger projects with dozens of unique templates or app screens may take longer. Ask the vendor for a specific timeline before signing.
Can one accessibility company cover both audit and remediation?
Yes, many vendors offer both. Some clients prefer separation: one company audits, another remediates, and the auditor validates. Either model works as long as the audit is independent and the validation step is included.
What’s the difference between a website accessibility audit and a VPAT?
An audit is the evaluation that identifies WCAG issues. A VPAT is the template used to document conformance status, and the completed VPAT is called an ACR. An audit informs the ACR. You cannot produce a credible ACR without an audit behind it.
Choosing the right partner is less about brand recognition and more about transparency, method, and deliverables. The companies worth working with show their work.
Find vetted accessibility companies on the Accessibility Base directory.