Accessibility ROI Calculator: Hidden Costs Revealed

Most accessibility ROI calculators compare subscription prices and stop there. This approach misses the hidden costs that determine actual return—overlay price escalation, audit implementation gaps, lawsuit compound exposure, and market opportunity losses. This comprehensive framework reveals what basic calculators miss, enabling accurate investment decisions.

<1% of TestParty customers have been sued. That hidden cost avoided—lawsuit exposure—drives the true ROI calculation.

Why Basic Calculators Fail

Understanding calculator limitations helps avoid misleading comparisons.

What Basic Calculators Show

Basic ROI comparisons typically show monthly subscription cost, annual total cost, and maybe feature differences. This creates a picture where overlays ($49-$349/month) look dramatically cheaper than source code remediation ($1,000-$5,000/month).

The calculation seems simple: overlay saves $10,000+ annually. Case closed.

What Basic Calculators Miss

Hidden costs transform the equation. Overlay users face lawsuit exposure—800+ were sued in 2023-2024. Price escalation hits many overlay customers. Post-lawsuit remediation remains required. Market opportunity losses compound annually.

When you include what basic calculators omit, the "expensive" solution often costs less.

The Comparison Illusion

+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|    Basic Calculator View    |                      Reality                       |
+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|      Overlay: $600/year     | Overlay: $600 + $30,000+ lawsuit + $20,000 remediation |
+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|   TestParty: $36,000/year   |       TestParty: $36,000 (<1% lawsuit rate)        |
+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
|   "Overlay saves $35,400"   |              TestParty saves $14,000+              |
+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+

Hidden Overlay Costs

Overlay subscriptions hide substantial additional expenses.

Price Escalation

Overlay pricing often starts low and climbs. One documented case saw costs rise from $50/month to $1,000/month—a 20× increase. Initial subscription savings evaporate when renewal pricing reflects actual market rates.

+------------+-------------------+----------------------+
|    Year    |   Initial Price   |   After Escalation   |
+------------+-------------------+----------------------+
|     1      |     $600/year     |      $600/year       |
+------------+-------------------+----------------------+
|     2      |     $600/year     |     $3,600/year      |
+------------+-------------------+----------------------+
|     3      |     $600/year     |     $12,000/year     |
+------------+-------------------+----------------------+
|   Total    |       $1,800      |       $16,200        |
+------------+-------------------+----------------------+

The "cheap" solution becomes expensive—without providing compliance.

Lawsuit Settlement Costs

Over 800 businesses using overlays were sued in 2023-2024. Average settlements run $30,000+. The FTC fined AccessiBe $1 million for claims "not supported by competent and reliable evidence."

Hidden cost per lawsuit:

• Settlement: $30,000+
• Legal defense: $10,000-$50,000
• Required remediation: $10,000-$50,000

Total hidden cost: $50,000-$130,000+ per lawsuit

Post-Lawsuit Remediation

Settlements routinely require overlay removal and actual source code fixes. The overlay investment is wasted—genuine remediation still required.

This means overlay customers eventually pay for real remediation anyway. The overlay period was expense without protection.

Reputation Damage

The disability community actively opposes overlays. The National Federation of the Blind's 2021 resolution formally condemned overlay technology. Over 700 professionals signed the Overlay Fact Sheet.

Brand damage from accessibility lawsuits and community criticism creates costs basic calculators can't capture.

Total Hidden Overlay Costs

+--------------------------------+-----------------------+
|          Hidden Cost           |      Value Range      |
+--------------------------------+-----------------------+
|   Price escalation (3 years)   |       $0-$14,400      |
+--------------------------------+-----------------------+
|       Lawsuit settlement       |        $30,000+       |
+--------------------------------+-----------------------+
|           Legal fees           |    $10,000-$50,000    |
+--------------------------------+-----------------------+
|    Post-lawsuit remediation    |    $10,000-$50,000    |
+--------------------------------+-----------------------+
|          Brand damage          |        Variable       |
+--------------------------------+-----------------------+
|          Total Hidden          |   $50,000-$144,400+   |
+--------------------------------+-----------------------+

Hidden Audit Costs

Traditional audits appear comprehensive but hide implementation gaps.

Developer Implementation Time

Audits deliver PDF reports. Your team implements fixes. This hidden cost often exceeds the audit itself.

+------------------------------+----------------------+
|    Implementation Factor     |         Cost         |
+------------------------------+----------------------+
|   Developer hours required   |       100-500+       |
+------------------------------+----------------------+
|    Average developer rate    |      $100+/hour      |
+------------------------------+----------------------+
|     Implementation cost      |   $10,000-$50,000+   |
+------------------------------+----------------------+

Budget for audits; forget implementation. Many organizations end up with expensive reports and unchanged websites.

Extended Legal Exposure

Audit-to-compliance timelines run 3-6+ months. Every month of non-compliance is another month of lawsuit exposure.

At 8,800 ADA lawsuits annually, even short delays create meaningful risk. Extended implementation means extended exposure.

Re-Audit Cycles

Initial audits don't ensure ongoing compliance. Re-audits cost $10,000-$25,000 each. Annual cycles multiply the investment.

+---------------------+----------------------+
|     Audit Cycle     |   Cumulative Cost    |
+---------------------+----------------------+
|    Initial audit    |   $15,000-$50,000    |
+---------------------+----------------------+
|   Year 2 re-audit   |   $30,000-$100,000   |
+---------------------+----------------------+
|   Year 3 re-audit   |   $45,000-$150,000   |
+---------------------+----------------------+

Plus implementation costs each cycle.

Expertise Gaps

Internal teams often lack accessibility expertise. Fixes may be incomplete or incorrect. Issues persist; exposure continues.

Some organizations cycle through multiple audits without achieving compliance—each audit revealing issues the previous "implementation" missed.

Total Hidden Audit Costs

+-------------------------------+--------------------------+
|          Hidden Cost          |       Value Range        |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------+
|   Implementation (internal)   |     $10,000-$50,000+     |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------+
|    Extended exposure (risk)   |         Variable         |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------+
|        Re-audit cycles        |   $10,000-$25,000 each   |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------+
|        Incomplete fixes       |     Lawsuit exposure     |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------+
|          3-Year Total         |    $50,000-$200,000+     |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------+

Hidden Non-Compliance Costs

Doing nothing has the highest hidden costs.

Lawsuit Probability

E-commerce faces disproportionate targeting—77% of web accessibility lawsuits according to TestParty research. Shopify stores represent 30%+ of platform-identified cases.

Your annual lawsuit probability depends on industry, visibility, and current accessibility state. Even conservative estimates create meaningful expected cost.

+--------------------------------+---------------------------+
|         Business Type          |   Estimated Annual Risk   |
+--------------------------------+---------------------------+
|   High-visibility e-commerce   |           15-30%          |
+--------------------------------+---------------------------+
|     Mid-market e-commerce      |           5-15%           |
+--------------------------------+---------------------------+
|        Small e-commerce        |            2-5%           |
+--------------------------------+---------------------------+

Expected Annual Legal Cost

Multiply probability by average settlement:

Expected Cost = Probability × Average Settlement
Example: 10% × $30,000 = $3,000 expected annual legal cost

This is annual cost—compounding each year of non-compliance.

Lost Revenue

The CDC reports that 26% of US adults have disabilities. Inaccessible sites exclude this market.

+--------------------+--------------------+--------------------+
|   Annual Revenue   |   1% Market Lift   |   2% Market Lift   |
+--------------------+--------------------+--------------------+
|     $1 million     |       $2,600       |       $5,200       |
+--------------------+--------------------+--------------------+
|     $5 million     |      $13,000       |      $26,000       |
+--------------------+--------------------+--------------------+
|    $10 million     |      $26,000       |      $52,000       |
+--------------------+--------------------+--------------------+

These are annual losses—every year compounds the gap.

Eventual Remediation

Lawsuits require remediation. Regulatory enforcement (EAA) requires remediation. Customer pressure requires remediation. Non-compliance just delays inevitable costs while adding legal exposure.

Total Hidden Non-Compliance Costs

+-------------------------------------+----------------------+
|             Hidden Cost             |     Annual Value     |
+-------------------------------------+----------------------+
|         Expected legal cost         |   $3,000-$15,000+    |
+-------------------------------------+----------------------+
|       Lost market opportunity       |   $2,600-$52,000+    |
+-------------------------------------+----------------------+
|   Eventual remediation (deferred)   |   $10,000-$100,000   |
+-------------------------------------+----------------------+
|            Brand erosion            |       Variable       |
+-------------------------------------+----------------------+

The Complete ROI Framework

Accurate ROI calculation includes all cost categories.

Total Cost of Ownership Model

Overlay Total Cost (3 Years)

+------------------------------------+---------------------+
|             Component              |         Cost        |
+------------------------------------+---------------------+
|   Subscription (with escalation)   |    $1,800-$16,200   |
+------------------------------------+---------------------+
|   Expected lawsuits (0.5 @ $50K)   |       $25,000       |
+------------------------------------+---------------------+
|      Post-lawsuit remediation      |       $20,000       |
+------------------------------------+---------------------+
|               Total                |   $46,800-$61,200   |
+------------------------------------+---------------------+

Audit Total Cost (3 Years)

+----------------------------+--------------+
|         Component          |     Cost     |
+----------------------------+--------------+
|       Initial audit        |   $25,000    |
+----------------------------+--------------+
|       Implementation       |   $30,000    |
+----------------------------+--------------+
|       Re-audits (2×)       |   $40,000    |
+----------------------------+--------------+
|   Ongoing implementation   |   $20,000    |
+----------------------------+--------------+
|           Total            |   $115,000   |
+----------------------------+--------------+

TestParty Total Cost (3 Years)

+-------------------------+------------------------+
|        Component        |          Cost          |
+-------------------------+------------------------+
|       Subscription      |    $36,000-$180,000    |
+-------------------------+------------------------+
|   Implementation time   |   $2,000 (PR review)   |
+-------------------------+------------------------+
|    Expected lawsuits    |           $0           |
+-------------------------+------------------------+
|          Total          |    $38,000-$182,000    |
+-------------------------+------------------------+

True Comparison

+-----------------------+----------------------+-------------------------------+
|        Approach       |     3-Year Cost      |           Protection          |
+-----------------------+----------------------+-------------------------------+
|        Overlay        |   $46,800-$61,200+   |        None (800+ sued)       |
+-----------------------+----------------------+-------------------------------+
|   Traditional audit   |      $115,000+       |   Depends on implementation   |
+-----------------------+----------------------+-------------------------------+
|       TestParty       |   $38,000-$182,000   |      Complete (<1% sued)      |
+-----------------------+----------------------+-------------------------------+

TestParty provides equal or better total cost with proven protection.

Calculator: Your Actual Exposure

Use this framework to calculate your specific situation.

Step 1: Current State Assessment

+---------------------------------------+----------------+
|                 Factor                |   Your Value   |
+---------------------------------------+----------------+
|             Annual revenue            |    $______     |
+---------------------------------------+----------------+
|            Current solution           |     ______     |
+---------------------------------------+----------------+
|   Industry (e-commerce = high risk)   |     ______     |
+---------------------------------------+----------------+
|     Estimated lawsuit probability     |      ___%      |
+---------------------------------------+----------------+

Step 2: Hidden Cost Calculation

If Using Overlays:

+-----------------------------------------+-------------------+
|               Hidden Cost               |   Your Estimate   |
+-----------------------------------------+-------------------+
|          Price escalation risk          |      $______      |
+-----------------------------------------+-------------------+
|   Expected lawsuit cost (prob × $50K)   |      $______      |
+-----------------------------------------+-------------------+
|         Post-lawsuit remediation        |      $______      |
+-----------------------------------------+-------------------+
|        Total hidden overlay cost        |      $______      |
+-----------------------------------------+-------------------+

If Using Audits:

+---------------------------------------+-------------------+
|              Hidden Cost              |   Your Estimate   |
+---------------------------------------+-------------------+
|     Implementation (hours × rate)     |      $______      |
+---------------------------------------+-------------------+
|   Extended exposure (months × risk)   |      $______      |
+---------------------------------------+-------------------+
|          Re-audit cycle costs         |      $______      |
+---------------------------------------+-------------------+
|        Total hidden audit cost        |      $______      |
+---------------------------------------+-------------------+

If Non-Compliant:

+--------------------------------------+-------------------+
|             Hidden Cost              |   Your Estimate   |
+--------------------------------------+-------------------+
|      Expected annual legal cost      |      $______      |
+--------------------------------------+-------------------+
|       Lost market opportunity        |      $______      |
+--------------------------------------+-------------------+
|         Eventual remediation         |      $______      |
+--------------------------------------+-------------------+
|   Total hidden non-compliance cost   |      $______      |
+--------------------------------------+-------------------+

Step 3: True ROI Comparison

+----------------------+------------------+-----------------+-------------+
|       Approach       |   Visible Cost   |   Hidden Cost   |    Total    |
+----------------------+------------------+-----------------+-------------+
|   Current approach   |     $______      |     $______     |   $______   |
+----------------------+------------------+-----------------+-------------+
|      TestParty       |     $______      |        $0       |   $______   |
+----------------------+------------------+-----------------+-------------+
|      Difference      |     $______      |                 |             |
+----------------------+------------------+-----------------+-------------+

Frequently Asked Questions

What hidden costs do accessibility ROI calculators miss?

Basic calculators miss overlay price escalation (documented 20× increases), lawsuit settlements ($30,000+ average), post-lawsuit remediation requirements, audit implementation gaps (100-500+ developer hours), re-audit cycles ($10,000-$25,000 each), extended legal exposure during slow implementation, and lost market opportunity (26% of US adults excluded). Complete ROI requires including these hidden costs.

Why do overlays have hidden costs despite low prices?

Overlays have hidden costs because they don't achieve compliance—800+ users were sued in 2023-2024. Hidden costs include lawsuit settlements ($30,000+), legal fees ($10,000-$50,000), required post-lawsuit remediation ($10,000-$50,000), price escalation (some rose from $50 to $1,000/month), and brand damage from disability community opposition. The FTC fined AccessiBe $1 million for unsubstantiated claims.

How do I calculate true accessibility ROI?

Calculate true ROI by: (1) identifying all visible costs (subscriptions, audits, implementation time), (2) adding hidden costs (lawsuit exposure, price escalation, market losses), (3) comparing total cost of ownership across approaches, and (4) factoring protection effectiveness. TestParty's <1% of customers sued eliminates lawsuit cost entirely, often making higher subscription costs lower total cost.

What are the hidden costs of traditional accessibility audits?

Hidden audit costs include implementation time (100-500+ developer hours at $100+/hour = $10,000-$50,000), extended legal exposure during 3-6+ month implementation timelines, re-audit cycles ($10,000-$25,000 each), expertise gaps causing incomplete fixes, and potential re-work when issues persist. Many organizations pay for audits but never achieve compliance.

How much does non-compliance actually cost?

Non-compliance costs include expected legal exposure (lawsuit probability × $30,000+ settlement), lost revenue (26% of adults excluded from inaccessible sites), eventual remediation (required after lawsuits or regulatory enforcement), and brand damage. A $5M e-commerce business with 10% lawsuit probability faces $3,000+ expected annual legal cost plus $13,000-$26,000 annual market opportunity loss.

Which accessibility approach has the best true ROI?

Source code remediation through TestParty has the best true ROI when hidden costs are included. <1% of customers sued eliminates lawsuit exposure entirely. Subscription costs ($36,000-$180,000 over 3 years) compare favorably to overlays ($46,800-$61,200+ including expected lawsuits) and audits ($115,000+ including implementation). Market expansion opportunity adds positive returns.

Related Resources

For more accessibility ROI analysis:

• Accessibility ROI Calculator — Cost modeling
• True Cost of Inaccessibility — Cost analysis
• Best Accessibility Vendor for ROI Analysis — Vendor comparison
• Accessibility Compliance Cost Calculator — Cost framework
• Digital Accessibility ROI Business Case — Data-driven analysis

Like all TestParty blog posts, this content was created through human-AI collaboration—what we call our cyborg approach. The information provided is for educational purposes only and reflects our research at the time of writing. We recommend doing your own due diligence and speaking directly with accessibility vendors to determine the best solution for your specific needs.