EAA compliance for e-commerce typically starts with an accessibility audit ranging from $1,000 to $3,000, followed by remediation work that varies based on the number of templates and issues identified. Most online stores spend between $5,000 and $25,000 in the first year covering evaluation, code fixes, document remediation, and recurring scans. Larger catalogs, custom checkout flows, and multi-language storefronts push costs higher. The European Accessibility Act went into effect on June 28, 2025, and applies to e-commerce services sold to consumers in the EU.
| Cost Component | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Accessibility audit | $1,000 to $3,000 for a typical storefront, with per-page pricing of $100 to $250 |
| Code remediation | $250 to $550 per page or template that requires fixes |
| PDF and document remediation | Starts at $7 per page for product manuals, invoices, and policy documents |
| Ongoing scans and monitoring | Subscription-based, often bundled with platform access |
| Technical support | $195 per hour when developers need accessibility guidance |
What EAA Compliance Means for E-Commerce
The European Accessibility Act covers e-commerce services offered to consumers in EU member states. Online stores selling physical or digital goods are within scope, regardless of where the company is based. The technical standard most providers follow is EN 301 549, which incorporates WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
For an online store, that means product pages, category pages, search, cart, checkout, account creation, order history, and customer support flows all need to meet WCAG 2.1 AA. Marketing pages, blog content, and downloadable documents like receipts and return policies are also in scope.
What Drives EAA Compliance Cost for E-Commerce
Cost is shaped less by the total page count and more by the number of distinct page templates. Most stores use a handful of templates that repeat across thousands of product URLs. An audit evaluates one representative page per template along with key transactional flows.
Factors that increase cost:
- Custom checkout: Bespoke checkout code requires deeper evaluation than standard platform checkouts.
- Third-party integrations: Reviews, chat, search filters, and live shopping tools each need separate evaluation.
- Multi-language storefronts: Each language variant introduces additional content to verify.
- Mobile app pairing: A companion app adds its own audit scope.
- Document volume: Stores with PDF catalogs, manuals, or downloadable guides add remediation costs.
Audit Pricing for an E-Commerce Store
A WCAG 2.1 AA audit identifies issues across the page templates and flows that matter most to shoppers. For a typical online store with 8 to 15 unique templates, audit pricing falls in the $1,000 to $3,000 range. Larger storefronts with custom configurators, B2B portals, or extensive account features can exceed that.
The audit covers screen reader testing, keyboard testing, visual inspection, and code inspection, with an automated scan used as a review component. The deliverable is a report that lists each issue, its location, the WCAG criterion it relates to, and remediation guidance.
Remediation Costs
Code remediation for e-commerce ranges from $250 to $550 per page or template, depending on the complexity of issues identified. A product page with form field labeling problems and missing image alternatives costs less to fix than a checkout flow with focus management and dynamic error handling issues.
Many stores complete remediation with their in-house or agency developers using the audit report as a roadmap. Outsourced remediation is an option when internal capacity is limited. Document remediation for PDFs starts at $7 per page.
Ongoing Costs After Initial Conformance
EAA conformance is not a one-time project. Product pages change, new templates launch, and third-party scripts update. Recurring scans on a scheduled cadence (weekly or monthly) flag regressions on the roughly 25% of WCAG criteria that automated checks evaluate reliably. Scans cover a meaningful share of common issues but cannot replace periodic re-evaluation of high-traffic flows.
Most stores budget for an annual or biannual re-evaluation of key templates, plus continuous scans. Subscription pricing for monitoring varies by page volume and feature set.
What a First-Year Budget Looks Like
A mid-sized e-commerce store with 10 templates, a standard platform checkout, and a modest document library typically spends $5,000 to $15,000 in the first year. That covers an initial audit, code remediation, document remediation for a few dozen pages, and monitoring. Enterprise stores with custom builds, multi-region storefronts, and large document catalogs often spend $25,000 or more.
Spreading cost across the first year, rather than concentrating it at launch, is common. Audits are conducted early, remediation follows over several sprints, and monitoring picks up once the most material issues are resolved.
Cost of Not Meeting EAA Requirements
Member states set their own penalties under the EAA. Beyond enforcement, non-conformant storefronts lose customers who cannot complete a purchase. Checkout is where accessibility issues most directly affect revenue, since a shopper who cannot operate a form field, error message, or payment screen leaves the funnel entirely.
Budgeting for EAA conformance as a recurring operational cost, similar to security or hosting, produces a more accurate picture than treating it as a one-time line item.