Per-page scan pricing charges a fee for every individual URL scanned, while per-site pricing covers an entire domain or subdomain for a flat rate. The right model depends on how many pages your site has, how often you scan, and whether your page count fluctuates.
| Key Point | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Per-Page Model | You pay based on the number of URLs scanned, making costs proportional to site size |
| Per-Site Model | A flat rate covers all pages on a domain regardless of how many are scanned |
| Cost Predictability | Per-site pricing is more predictable; per-page pricing can shift as your site grows |
| Scan Scope | Scans flag approximately 25% of accessibility issues, regardless of pricing model |
How Per-Page Scan Pricing Works
With per-page pricing, every URL that the scanner evaluates counts toward your total. A 50-page site costs less than a 500-page site under the same rate.
This model is common among vendors that offer tiered packages. You select a page count tier, and if your site exceeds that threshold, you either upgrade or leave pages uncovered. For smaller sites with a stable page count, per-page pricing keeps costs low.
The downside appears when page counts grow. Content-heavy sites, e-commerce catalogs, and platforms with user-generated pages can see costs increase quickly as new URLs are added.
How Per-Site Scan Pricing Works
Per-site pricing covers an entire domain for a single fee. Whether the scanner evaluates 100 pages or 10,000, the price stays the same.
This model favors organizations with large or growing sites. There is no penalty for adding content, and budgeting is predictable because the cost does not change month to month.
The tradeoff is that per-site pricing may cost more upfront than per-page pricing for very small sites. A five-page marketing site pays the same domain rate as a 2,000-page knowledge base.
Which Factors Affect the Cost of Either Model
Scan frequency is the most significant cost factor beyond page count. Recurring scans on a daily or weekly schedule cost more than a one-time scan, regardless of pricing model. Monitoring services that run scans on a set schedule typically use per-site pricing because page-level billing would become unpredictable.
Authenticated page scanning also affects pricing. Pages behind a login require a browser extension running within an active session, which adds complexity. Some vendors charge extra for authenticated scans under either model.
What Both Models Share
Neither pricing model changes what a scan can do. Automated scans evaluate HTML, CSS, and ARIA attributes against WCAG conformance criteria. They flag approximately 25% of accessibility issues. The remaining 75% requires a manual audit conducted by a trained evaluator.
Pricing determines how much you pay, not what you get. A per-page scan and a per-site scan running the same tool produce identical results for the same URL.
When Per-Page Pricing Makes More Sense
Per-page pricing fits sites with a small, stable page count. A 10-page corporate site or a single-page web application will almost always cost less under a per-page model. If the page count is unlikely to change, the variability risk is low.
When Per-Site Pricing Makes More Sense
Per-site pricing fits sites with large or unpredictable page counts. E-commerce sites, content publishers, and SaaS products with dynamic pages benefit from a flat rate. Organizations that conduct recurring scans as part of ongoing monitoring also benefit, since the cost stays fixed regardless of how many pages are evaluated each cycle.
The pricing model sets how costs scale, so matching it to your site’s size and growth trajectory prevents overpaying at either end.