ACR pricing factors center on the size of the product being evaluated, the VPAT edition selected, and whether an audit is bundled with the report. ACR issuance alone typically ranges from 300 dollars to 1,000 dollars, but the underlying audit work that supports a credible report adds the bulk of total project cost. Edition choice, conformance level, and the number of pages or screens in scope shape final pricing more than any other variables.
| Factor | How It Affects Price |
|---|---|
| VPAT Edition | WCAG edition is the lowest cost. Section 508, EN 301 549, and INT editions add to the base price. |
| Audit Scope | Page and screen count drives audit cost, which feeds the ACR. Per-page audit pricing ranges from 100 dollars to 250 dollars. |
| Conformance Level | 2.1 AA is the common reference. 2.2 AA evaluations cover additional success criteria. |
| Issuance Fee | The ACR document itself ranges from 300 dollars to 1,000 dollars on top of audit work. |
| Product Complexity | Authenticated areas, dynamic interfaces, and custom components increase evaluation time. |
The Difference Between an ACR and the Audit Behind It
An ACR is the completed document. The VPAT is the template used to produce it. Filling in that template accurately requires an audit conducted by an accessibility professional who can evaluate each WCAG success criterion against the actual product.
ACR pricing has two components for this reason. The audit identifies where the product conforms and where it does not. The issuance fee covers the work of translating audit findings into the formal VPAT structure with supporting remarks and explanations.
VPAT Edition Selection
Four VPAT editions exist, and the chosen edition affects price. The WCAG edition is the most common selection for SaaS companies and the least expensive to produce. It evaluates the product against Web Content Accessibility Guidelines only.
The Section 508 edition adds U.S. federal procurement requirements. The EN 301 549 edition adds European requirements. The INT edition combines all three frameworks and carries the highest issuance cost because it requires evaluation against the broadest set of criteria.
Audit Scope and Page Count
Most accessibility audits start at 1,000 dollars and range to 3,000 dollars for typical projects. Larger products with more pages or screens push costs higher. Per-page or per-screen pricing of 100 dollars to 250 dollars provides a useful baseline when estimating.
Scope decisions matter. A representative sample of templates and key user flows can produce a credible ACR without evaluating every page. Procurement teams reviewing the ACR will look for coverage of primary functionality, so the sample must reflect what users actually do with the product.
Conformance Level and WCAG Version
Most ACRs reference WCAG 2.1 AA. Some buyers now request 2.2 AA, which expands the evaluation to additional success criteria. The version chosen affects audit time, which feeds back into total cost.
Level AAA is rarely requested for commercial ACRs. The cost of evaluating against AAA criteria is significant, and most procurement requirements stop at AA.
Product Complexity
A static marketing site is faster to evaluate than a SaaS application with authenticated dashboards, dynamic data tables, and custom interactive components. Complexity drives audit hours, and audit hours drive cost.
Authenticated areas require credentials and additional evaluation steps. Custom widgets that depart from native HTML elements need closer inspection because automated checks cover less of their behavior.
Single Product Versus Product Suite
Companies offering multiple products often need separate ACRs for each. Pricing scales with the number of distinct products, though some efficiencies appear when products share a common design system or codebase.
A single ACR covering an entire product line is generally not appropriate. Procurement reviewers expect the report to describe a specific product with a specific scope, not a vendor-wide statement.
Updates and Reissuance
ACRs do not have a formal expiration, but significant product changes warrant an updated report. Reissuance pricing is usually lower than the initial ACR because the auditor already knows the product, but new functionality and changed code still require evaluation.
Buyers who request an ACR more than a year old often ask whether the report still reflects the current product. Planning for periodic updates keeps the report credible and reduces friction during procurement reviews.
Total ACR cost reflects audit depth, edition, conformance level, and product complexity working together. Understanding which factors apply to a given product makes budgeting predictable and helps procurement conversations move faster.