How much does an accessible website cost – and what does the price depend on?

What does an accessible website cost? New build and retrofit compared

With a new build, accessibility flows into concept, design and code from the start: colors with sufficient contrast, a clean page structure, usable forms and a visible focus for keyboard operation. The additional effort compared with a conventional website is then manageable because nothing has to be built twice. What matters is that everyone involved – design, development and editorial – knows the requirements from the beginning.

When retrofitting an existing website, the effort is usually higher. Templates, components and content have to be reviewed, errors found and some parts rebuilt, and changes to the design can affect brand and layout. How large the effort is only becomes clear after an assessment of the existing site. If the website is technically outdated, a relaunch with accessibility can be more economical than many individual fixes.

Does my website have to be accessible at all? The framework

Since June 28, 2025, the German Accessibility Strengthening Act (BFSG) has applied in Germany. It mainly affects digital offerings for consumers in which a contract is concluded, such as online stores and booking or order flows. For services, microenterprises with fewer than ten employees and at most two million euros in annual turnover or balance sheet total are exempt. Purely informational websites without a contract being concluded and offerings only for business customers are generally not covered.

Public bodies are subject to other rules, namely the Barrierefreie-Informationstechnik-Verordnung (BITV 2.0). Whether and to what extent your offering is affected can only be judged case by case – have it reviewed. This guide does not replace legal advice. Regardless of any obligation: an accessible website reaches more people, such as older users or visitors with limited vision, and is easier for everyone to use.

• Online stores and order flows for consumers
• Online appointment booking and reservations for consumer services
• Apps and customer portals with contract conclusion
• Paid subscriptions and memberships via website or app

What the costs include: audit, imple­menta­tion, testing and statement

The first item is the review: an audit combines automated tools with manual tests, because automated checks detect only some of the problems. The check is based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG); in practice WCAG 2.2 at level AA is the sensible target. The result is a prioritized list of defects and measures from which the effort and order of implementation can be read.

Implementation in design, code and content follows, accompanied by tests with keyboard and screen reader. Depending on the offer, the finish includes the accessibility information and a way for users to report problems, as well as training for the editorial team so new content stays accessible. Ask the quote which of these items are included – if tests or training are missing, the website will have gaps again after a few months.

• Audit with automated and manual checks
• Action plan with priorities
• Adjustment of design, page structure and code
• Alternative texts, subtitles and accessible documents
• Tests with keyboard, screen reader and zoom
• Accessibility information and training for the editorial team

The price drivers: complexity, existing site and third parties

The effort depends less on the pure page count than on the number of different templates and components. A website with many identically structured pages is checked faster than one with many special layouts. Interactive elements such as forms, multi-step orders, booking calendars, maps, sliders or dialogs are laborious because they must be operable by keyboard and screen reader and error messages should be understandable.

Then come content and third parties. Images need meaningful alternative texts, videos need subtitles, PDF documents need an accessible structure. Embedded tools such as payment providers, booking widgets or cookie banners are not entirely in your hands; if they are not accessible, they must be adapted or replaced. Our packages give an orientation: Starter from €2,500 for compact presences, Professional from €8,000 for extensive websites with flows and features, Enterprise individually.

Accessi­bility plugins and overlays: cheap, but not a solution

Some providers promise accessibility at the push of a button: an overlay or plugin that displays an icon and switches contrast or font size. That looks cheap but does not fix the causes. If a label is missing in the code, a form cannot be reached by keyboard or the heading structure is wrong, an add-on tool changes nothing. According to widespread expert opinion, such an overlay alone is not enough to meet the requirements.

Additional functions such as a font size switch can complement an accessible implementation but not replace it. Screen reader users also bring their own assistive tools, which can sometimes conflict with additional overlays. Anyone who takes accessibility seriously therefore invests in fixing the causes in design, code and content. That is more laborious once, but more sustainable. For legal questions, please seek legal advice.

Ongoing costs – and what doing nothing can cost

Accessibility is not a one-off project. Every new page, every new image and every new feature can open gaps. So plan ongoing effort: tests for larger changes, upkeep of alternative texts and documents, updating the accessibility information and training for new editors. A fixed process keeps this effort small and predictable.

Against that stands the risk of inaction. For affected offerings, the market surveillance authority can demand improvement, complaints from users are possible, and violations can be punished with fines. In addition there are lost customers who cannot use your offering. Whether and how this affects your company is clarified by a legal review – this guide does not replace legal advice. For the technical review and implementation, we are your contact.