A Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA audit typically costs between $1,000 and $3,000. The final price depends on how many pages or screens are included, how complex those pages are, and whether the scope covers a full site or a representative sample.
| Key Point | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Typical Range | $1,000 to $3,000 for most projects |
| Per-Page Pricing | $100 to $250 per page or screen evaluated |
| Conformance Target | WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the most commonly referenced standard |
| What You Receive | A report identifying accessibility issues with locations and remediation guidance |
What Determines the Cost of a WCAG 2.1 AA Audit?
Per-page pricing is the most common model. Rates fall between $100 and $250 per page or screen, depending on the provider and the depth of evaluation.
A 10-page marketing site and a 25-screen web application produce very different project totals even at the same per-page rate. Pages with interactive elements, forms, dynamic content, or embedded media take more time to evaluate than static informational pages.
Sites with custom components, single-page application architectures, or authenticated workflows add complexity that increases the per-page rate and the total number of screens in scope.
What Does a WCAG 2.1 AA Audit Include?
An accessibility audit is a structured evaluation conducted by a trained professional. It includes screen reader testing with assistive technologies like NVDA, JAWS, and VoiceOver, keyboard testing across all interactive elements, visual inspection, and code inspection.
Automated scans are sometimes included as one component of the review, but scans only flag approximately 25% of accessibility issues. The remaining 75% requires human evaluation, which is where the bulk of an audit’s value lies.
The deliverable is a report that identifies each issue, maps it to the relevant WCAG 2.1 AA success criterion, pinpoints the location on the page, and provides remediation guidance.
Why WCAG 2.1 AA Specifically?
WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the conformance target referenced by most legal and regulatory frameworks. The U.S. Department of Justice references it for ADA Title II. The European Accessibility Act aligns with the EN 301 549 standard, which incorporates WCAG 2.1 AA. Procurement requirements under Section 508 also reference this level.
When organizations request an audit, WCAG 2.1 AA is the default scope unless a different version or level is specified.
Scans Are Not a Substitute for an Audit
Automated scans cost far less than a full audit, often available at no direct cost through open source tools. That price difference reflects a difference in coverage. Scans evaluate HTML, CSS, and ARIA attributes against a subset of WCAG criteria. They cannot assess whether content is logically structured, whether interactive elements communicate state to assistive technologies, or whether the reading order makes sense.
Scans serve a role in ongoing monitoring, but they do not replace the depth of a conducted audit.
Factors That Push Costs Higher
Larger page counts are the primary cost driver. A 50-screen audit at $150 per screen produces a $7,500 project total. Authenticated sections, multi-step workflows, and third-party embedded content each add evaluation time.
Tighter timelines and expedited delivery may also carry a premium. Some providers charge separately for remediation verification, where the auditor re-evaluates pages after fixes are applied.
Most organizations spending between $1,000 and $3,000 are evaluating a representative sample of 8 to 20 unique page templates rather than every page on the site.