# How Much Does a WCAG Audit Cost? The Real Factors

> Updated 2026-10-25 - 7 min read

Search for 'WCAG audit cost' and you'll find vendors quoting wildly different figures for what sounds like the same service. The honest answer is that there isn't a single number - the real cost drivers are scope factors that vary enormously between organizations, and a vendor who quotes a fixed figure before understanding your scope is guessing, not scoping.

## What actually drives cost up or down

- Number of unique page templates and user flows, not raw page count - a 500-page site built from 8 templates costs far less to audit than a 50-page site with 40 unique layouts.
- Whether mobile apps (iOS/Android) are in scope alongside web, since native apps need separate testing with VoiceOver and TalkBack.
- Document volume - PDFs, forms and downloadable statements each need individual remediation, not a bulk fix.
- Whether a VPAT/ACR deliverable is needed on top of the audit itself.
- Whether remediation is bundled in, or the audit is a standalone diagnostic.
- The conformance level targeted - AA is standard; AAA adds significant additional criteria.

## Why flat "per page" pricing is usually a red flag

Template-based scoping is the industry-correct approach, because a site's real complexity lives in its unique components and flows, not its page count. Flat per-page pricing either overcharges for a large but simple site, or - more dangerously - undercharges and under-tests a smaller but genuinely complex one.

## What a properly scoped quote looks like

A vendor should ask about your templates, flows, platforms and VPAT needs before quoting a figure, not after. If a quote arrives before that conversation happens, it isn't really a quote for your product - it's a generic number.

## FAQ

**Can you give me a ballpark figure right now?**
Not honestly, no - and we're wary of any vendor who will. We scope precisely (templates, flows, platforms, VPAT needs) and provide a fixed quote before work starts, once we actually know what we're quoting.

**Is a cheaper automated-scan-only audit a reasonable way to save money?**
No - automated scanning catches roughly a third of WCAG issues and misses the failures that matter most to real users. A cheap "audit" that's really just a scan report isn't a lower-cost version of the same service; it's a different, far less useful deliverable.