There is no fixed amount to make an app accessible, and any provider who quotes a price without asking questions is guessing. What actually determines costs is a combination of three things: the platform the app runs on, the number of unique screens and interaction patterns, and the state of the existing code. A small native app with ten screens that is well-built from the start requires a fraction of the work that a large hybrid app with hundreds of screens and years of technical debt demands.
The costs fall roughly into two categories. Fixing an existing app is usually more expensive than building accessibility into the design phase from the start, because existing components need to be rebuilt instead of being done correctly in one go. Before you request a quote from a developer, it helps to know first where the bottlenecks are. With a few questions you see a first indication of how your digital service is getting on, and that is free.
What determines the price
The first factor is the platform: native iOS and Android, cross-platform frameworks like React Native or Flutter, and web apps all behave differently with screen readers and keyboard navigation. Native apps follow the accessibility standards of the operating system most closely, which sometimes makes fixing easier. Cross-platform frameworks don't always automatically translate all accessibility features, which can require extra work per component.
The second factor is the scale: how many unique screens, forms and interaction patterns the app has. An app with a few fixed screens is manageable; an app with dynamic content, filters, maps or a checkout flow has significantly more parts that need to be tested and adjusted if necessary.
The third factor is the state of the existing code. Components built with the platform's standard building blocks are usually quicker to adapt than fully custom-built interface elements, where accessibility features often have to be added from scratch.
What an automated scan does and does not reveal about costs
An automated scan provides a good starting point: it shows which screens have problems with things like colour contrast, missing labels or structure. That saves time in the quoting phase, because a developer doesn't have to start blind. However, an automated scan cannot test part of the requirements — keyboard-only navigation in complex interaction patterns, or the logic of a screen reader through a multi-step form, requires manual review. This is stated in every report we deliver, and it means that a quote based on a scan alone can always be an underestimate of the work still to follow.
Axessia itself does not carry out remedial work or manual audits; we test, prioritize and document. The outcome of the knowledge base by topic does give an indication of what to expect per bottleneck, so that you as a client can have a more focused conversation with the party that actually adapts the app.
Maintenance after launch
The costs do not stop at the first correction. Every app update can add new screens or components that need to be tested again. Anyone who only includes accessibility at release and then stops checking runs the risk that after a few updates the app is back to where it was before the fix. That makes ongoing monitoring, not a one-time exercise, the cheapest path in the long term.
When the question is not applicable
The regulation provides an exception for micro-enterprises providing services: companies with fewer than ten employees and a maximum turnover of two million euros. For them, the cost question regarding an accessible app typically does not arise in the same way, because the exemption applies as long as both conditions are met. Whether that exemption applies is something the scope check answers free of charge and without an account.
For those who want to know what our own service costs to convert the findings from a scan into a prioritized action list and declaration, that information is clearly set out on our pricing page. If you are still unsure about what is and is not covered by the law or what a scan exactly shows, then the overview with frequently asked questions provides a concrete answer on most points.
Would you first like to know where your app or website currently stands before you contact a developer? The free quick scan provides an initial indication within a few minutes, without requiring an account.