What to Expect from an Accessibility Audit: Process, Deliverables, and Costs

An accessibility audit evaluates how well your website or application conforms to accessibility standards like WCAG 2.1 AA. Understanding what to expect—the process, deliverables, timeline, and costs—helps you choose the right audit approach and maximize value from the investment. Audits range from automated scans to comprehensive expert evaluations with user testing.

This guide covers the accessibility audit landscape: types of audits, what they deliver, typical costs, and how to use audit results effectively for remediation.

Q: What does an accessibility audit include?

A: A comprehensive accessibility audit includes automated scanning, manual expert testing, screen reader evaluation, keyboard testing, and detailed reporting of WCAG violations with remediation guidance. Scope varies by audit type—from quick automated scans to multi-week expert evaluations with user testing.

Types of Accessibility Audits

Automated Scanning

What it is: Software tools scan your website for programmatically-detectable accessibility issues.

What it catches:

• Missing alt text
• Color contrast failures
• Missing form labels
• Improper heading structure
• ARIA errors
• Missing language attributes

Limitations:

• Catches only 30-40% of WCAG issues
• Can't evaluate content quality
• Misses user experience problems
• May have false positives

Cost: Free to $500/month for tools Timeline: Minutes to hours

Best for: Baseline assessment, continuous monitoring, development integration

Manual Expert Audit

What it is: Accessibility specialists manually test your site against WCAG success criteria.

What it includes:

• Keyboard navigation testing
• Screen reader testing (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver)
• Manual WCAG criterion evaluation
• User flow analysis
• Detailed issue documentation

Advantages:

• Catches issues automation misses
• Evaluates content quality and usability
• Provides context-specific guidance
• Human judgment for complex issues

Cost: $5,000-$50,000+ depending on scope Timeline: 2-8 weeks

Best for: Compliance documentation, pre-launch validation, litigation response

Hybrid Audit (Automated + Manual)

What it is: Combines automated scanning with targeted manual testing.

What it includes:

• Full automated scan
• Manual verification of critical paths
• Screen reader spot-checking
• Risk-prioritized evaluation

Advantages:

• More comprehensive than automated alone
• More affordable than full manual audit
• Good balance of coverage and cost

Cost: $3,000-$15,000 Timeline: 1-3 weeks

Best for: Regular compliance checks, budget-conscious organizations

User Testing with Disabilities

What it is: Real users with disabilities test your site while completing tasks.

What it includes:

• Recruitment of diverse testers
• Task-based evaluation sessions
• Observation and feedback collection
• Analysis and recommendations

Advantages:

• Reveals actual user experience
• Catches usability issues beyond compliance
• Validates technical fixes actually work
• Provides authentic user perspective

Cost: $5,000-$20,000+ Timeline: 2-4 weeks

Best for: Validating major releases, understanding real-world impact

The Audit Process

Pre-Audit Preparation

Scope definition:

• Which URLs/pages to audit
• Which WCAG level (A, AA, AAA)
• Specific user journeys to evaluate
• Platforms (desktop, mobile, apps)

Information gathering:

• Site map or key page list
• Target user demographics
• Known accessibility concerns
• Previous audit reports

Access requirements:

• Test accounts if login required
• Access to staging environment
• Content management system access
• Technical documentation

Audit Execution

Automated scanning phase:

1. Crawler scans all specified pages
2. Accessibility engine checks each page
3. Results aggregated and categorized
4. Initial violation report generated

Manual testing phase:

1. Keyboard navigation through key flows
2. Screen reader testing of critical paths
3. WCAG criteria evaluation
4. Dynamic content and interaction testing
5. Mobile device testing

Documentation phase:

1. Issues documented with screenshots
2. WCAG criteria mapped to violations
3. Severity and impact assessed
4. Remediation recommendations developed

Audit Deliverables

Executive summary:

• Overall compliance status
• High-level findings
• Risk assessment
• Recommended priorities

Detailed findings report:

• Each violation documented
• Location (URL, selector)
• WCAG success criterion violated
• Impact and severity
• Screenshots/evidence
• Remediation recommendation

Remediation guidance:

• Prioritized fix recommendations
• Code examples for common issues
• Resource links for developers
• Estimated effort per issue

Optional deliverables:

• VPAT/ACR (Accessibility Conformance Report)
• Presentation for stakeholders
• Developer training materials
• Remediation verification

Sample Finding Format

## Finding: Missing Form Label

**Severity:** High
**WCAG Criterion:** 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A)
**Location:** /checkout (email input field)

**Description:**
The email input field lacks a programmatically associated label.
Screen readers announce "edit text" without context.

**Evidence:**
[Screenshot showing unlabeled input]

**Current Code:**

<input type="email" placeholder="Email address">

**Recommended Fix:**

<label for="email">Email address</label> <input type="email" id="email" placeholder="name@example.com">

**Impact:**
- Screen reader users cannot identify field purpose
- Blocks checkout completion for blind users
- Critical path for e-commerce conversion

Audit Costs

Cost Factors

Site complexity:

• Number of pages
• Types of functionality
• Custom components
• Third-party integrations

Audit depth:

• Automated only vs. manual
• Number of screen readers tested
• Mobile testing scope
• User testing inclusion

Auditor expertise:

• Senior vs. junior auditors
• Specialist certifications
• Industry-specific experience

Deliverable requirements:

• Report detail level
• VPAT/ACR needs
• Training components
• Remediation support

Typical Cost Ranges

| Audit Type                       | Cost Range        | Timeline   |
|----------------------------------|-------------------|------------|
| Automated scan only              | $0-$500           | Hours      |
| Automated + report               | $500-$2,000       | 1-3 days   |
| Limited manual (5-10 pages)      | $3,000-$8,000     | 1-2 weeks  |
| Comprehensive manual             | $15,000-$50,000   | 3-6 weeks  |
| Full manual + user testing       | $25,000-$75,000+  | 4-8 weeks  |
| Enterprise (multiple properties) | $50,000-$200,000+ | 2-4 months |

Cost vs. Value Comparison

One-time audit:

• Point-in-time snapshot
• Compliance degrades immediately after
• Requires re-audit to verify fixes
• No ongoing protection

Continuous monitoring (TestParty):

• Ongoing compliance status
• Catches new issues immediately
• Includes automated remediation
• $15,000-$60,000/year

For most organizations, continuous monitoring provides better value than periodic audits. TestParty's approach combines automated detection with fix generation—addressing the remediation gap that audits alone leave open.

Choosing an Audit Provider

What to Look For

Qualifications:

• IAAP certifications (CPACC, WAS, CPWA)
• Demonstrated WCAG expertise
• Experience with your technology stack
• Industry-specific experience

Methodology:

• Clear testing methodology
• Multiple screen reader testing
• Manual + automated approach
• Defined deliverables

Reputation:

• Client references
• Sample reports
• Industry recognition
• Response to questions

Red flags:

• Promises of "100% compliance"
• Overlay solutions marketed as audits
• No manual testing component
• Vague methodology

Questions to Ask

1. What WCAG version and level do you test against?
2. What screen readers do you use in testing?
3. How many pages are included in the quoted price?
4. What's included in the final report?
5. Do you test with actual assistive technology users?
6. What's your auditor certification/experience?
7. Do you provide remediation support?
8. How do you prioritize findings?
9. What's the timeline?
10. How do you handle re-testing after fixes?

Using Audit Results

Prioritizing Remediation

Critical priority:

• Issues blocking core functionality
• Issues affecting largest user groups
• Issues on high-traffic pages
• Legal/compliance requirements

High priority:

• Significant barriers
• Common user paths affected
• Relatively easy fixes

Medium priority:

• Moderate barriers
• Less common paths
• More complex fixes

Low priority:

• Minor issues
• Edge cases
• AAA criteria (beyond AA target)

From Audit to Action

Step 1: Review and understand

• Read executive summary for overview
• Understand severity distribution
• Identify quick wins vs. complex issues

Step 2: Create remediation plan

• Prioritize by impact and effort
• Assign to appropriate team members
• Set realistic timelines
• Plan for verification

Step 3: Implement fixes

• Address critical issues first
• Document changes made
• Test fixes with assistive technology
• Track progress against plan

Step 4: Verify remediation

• Re-test fixed issues
• Ensure no regressions
• Document compliance status
• Plan ongoing monitoring

Beyond the Audit

Continuous compliance: Audits are snapshots. For ongoing compliance:

• Implement continuous monitoring
• Integrate accessibility into development
• Train team on accessibility
• Establish accessibility processes

TestParty's approach:

• Continuous monitoring catches new issues
• Automated fixes address violations
• CI/CD integration prevents regressions
• Complements periodic expert audits

FAQ Section

Q: How often should we conduct accessibility audits?

A: Annual comprehensive audits are common, but continuous monitoring is more effective. Major site changes should trigger re-evaluation. TestParty provides continuous monitoring that reduces need for frequent full audits.

Q: Can we audit just the pages users visit most?

A: Yes—prioritized audits are common. Focus on homepage, key user journeys (checkout, registration), high-traffic pages, and pages with complex functionality. However, all pages should eventually be addressed.

Q: What's the difference between an audit and a VPAT?

A: An audit evaluates accessibility and provides findings. A VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) is a specific document format reporting conformance status—often created from audit findings for procurement purposes.

Q: Should we fix issues before getting audited?

A: Run an automated scan first and fix obvious issues—this makes expert audit time more valuable, focused on complex issues. Don't try to hide issues; the point is finding them.

Q: How long do audit results remain valid?

A: Audit results are valid for that moment in time. Any site change can introduce new issues. Results typically remain relevant for 3-6 months for static sites, less for frequently updated sites.

Key Takeaways

• Audit types serve different needs: Automated scans for baselines, manual audits for compliance documentation, user testing for validation.

• Automated testing catches 30-40% of issues. Manual testing is necessary for comprehensive evaluation.

• Costs range from $0 to $200,000+ depending on scope, depth, and organizational complexity.

• Audits are snapshots, not solutions. Results degrade immediately as sites change. Continuous monitoring provides ongoing compliance.

• Use audit results strategically: Prioritize by impact, create remediation plans, verify fixes, establish ongoing processes.

• TestParty complements audits with continuous monitoring and automated remediation that traditional audits can't provide.

Conclusion

Accessibility audits provide valuable compliance assessment, but understanding what they do and don't deliver is essential for getting value from the investment. Point-in-time audits reveal issues but don't fix them or maintain compliance—that requires ongoing effort.

For most organizations, the best approach combines periodic expert evaluation with continuous automated monitoring. TestParty provides the continuous component—detecting issues as they arise and generating fixes that maintain compliance between audits.

Whether you're getting your first audit or your tenth, understanding the process helps you choose the right approach and use results effectively for genuine accessibility improvement.

Ready to move beyond periodic audits? Get a free accessibility scan to see your current compliance status—then see how continuous monitoring keeps you there.

Related Articles:

• Accessibility Testing Tools Comparison: Automated vs Manual
• VPAT and ACR Guide: Accessibility Conformance Documentation
• Why Most Accessibility Audits Fail: The Case for Continuous Monitoring

Here's the deal—we use AI to help create content (it's 2025, after all), but humans on our team review everything. TestParty does Shopify accessibility and WCAG testing, and we love talking shop. For legal stuff though, please consult actual experts.