If you’ve started getting quotes for a WCAG audit in the UK, you’ve probably noticed the prices vary enormously. You might have seen anything from a few hundred pounds to tens of thousands. That range isn’t irrational, but it does reflect something important: not everyone calling it a “WCAG audit” is offering the same thing.
Here’s what you’re actually paying for, and how to work out whether a quote represents genuine value.
What drives the price of a WCAG audit
The size and complexity of what’s being tested is the biggest variable. A ten-page marketing website with standard content takes far less time than a complex web application with dynamic components, custom controls, multi-step forms, or user-generated content. Document libraries, PDFs, and mobile apps all add scope.
Testing methodology is the second major variable. Automated accessibility tools are fast and cheap to run, but they catch somewhere between 30 and 40% of real WCAG failures. The rest requires manual testing: keyboard navigation, testing with actual screen readers like NVDA, JAWS, and VoiceOver, testing at different zoom levels, checking focus management in dynamic content. That takes time, and it’s priced accordingly.
Deliverables matter too. A simple list of findings costs less to produce than a full report that maps each issue to a specific WCAG success criterion, describes the real user impact, provides developer-ready fix guidance, and prioritises by severity.
Rough price ranges for UK market
These are approximate and context will shift them, but as a general guide:
A basic automated scan report packaged as an “accessibility audit” can cost as little as £200 to £500. Be cautious here. This is not a full audit.
A manual audit of a small website (up to 20 pages, standard content) from an experienced consultant typically runs between £800 and £2,500.
A thorough audit of a medium-sized website or simple web application, including screen reader testing and a full findings report, usually falls between £2,000 and £5,000.
Complex web applications, large eCommerce platforms, or government services with many interactive components can reasonably cost £5,000 to £15,000 or more for a comprehensive audit.
At the upper end of the market, large agencies charge significantly more. Whether that’s justified depends on what you’re actually getting.
The thing most buyers miss
The price of getting it wrong is almost always higher than the price of getting it right first time.
An audit that misses the serious accessibility barriers does not reduce your legal exposure. The Equality Act 2010 duty to make reasonable adjustments applies regardless of whether you’ve paid someone to tell you you’re fine. If a disabled user raises a complaint and your audit missed the relevant issues, the audit hasn’t protected you.
The right question isn’t “how do I pay as little as possible for an audit?” It’s “how do I get accurate information about my accessibility status and a clear path to fixing it?”
What to ask before you agree a price
Before you commit to any provider, ask: what does your testing methodology include? Do you test manually? Which screen readers do you use? What does your report include?
Ask to see a sample report. If it looks like an axe-core export with minimal commentary, that’s what you’ll get for your site.
Ask whether the findings include fix guidance or just issue identification. Fix guidance you can hand to a developer is worth considerably more than a list of problems.
I offer WCAG 2.1 AA audits for websites and web applications, typically including manual testing, keyboard navigation, screen reader testing, and a full prioritised findings report. If you want to talk through scope and pricing, get in touch.