Accessibility check & WCAG audit: process, benefits, and costs
An accessibility check shows in black and white how usable your website is for everyone – and where the barriers lie. We explain what a WCAG audit tests, how it works, and what costs to expect.
Accessibility has long ceased to be a niche topic. More and more companies want to know whether their website is truly usable for everyone – for people who work with screen readers, keyboards, voice control, or strong magnification. The first step is almost always an accessibility check: a structured audit that honestly shows where your site stands.
This article explains what distinguishes a quick check from a full audit, which criteria are tested, how an audit works with us, and what costs to expect. We offer exactly this audit – and the subsequent implementation – as part of our Accessibility service.
What an accessibility check is
An accessibility check is a systematic assessment: How well can your website be operated without a mouse? Is content read out correctly by a screen reader? Are contrasts sufficient, forms labeled, focus states visible? The check delivers a clear status – as a foundation for all further decisions, not as a mere checklist to tick off.
The distinction matters: a quick check provides an initial overview. A full audit goes much deeper – it automatically tests all relevant page types against the WCAG criteria and evaluates the findings with expert judgment.
Why accessibility matters for your website
An accessible website reaches more people – and that pays off in multiple ways. Accessible pages are usually more clearly structured, faster, and easier for search engines to read. Clean, semantic HTML helps screen readers just as much as Google. Those who consider accessibility from the start often improve performance and findability as well.
On top of that, societal and regulatory pressure is increasing — keywords being the Accessibility Reinforcement Act (BFSG) and the European Accessibility Act. Regardless of deadlines, however, accessibility is above all a question of quality and attitude — of a website that excludes no one.
WCAG 2.2: the most important test criteria
The benchmark is the international standard WCAG 2.2, usually at conformance level AA. It is structured around four principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. In practice, we check, among other things:
- Keyboard operation: Can everything be reached and operated without a mouse – with visible focus?
- Contrast & font sizes: Is text easy to read even with impaired vision?
- Alternative texts: Do images and graphics have meaningful descriptions?
- Forms: Are fields clearly labeled and errors easy to understand?
- Structure & semantics: Are headings, landmarks, and order logical?
- Motion & media: Are there captions, pause controls, and reduced motion?
Automatically checked, expertly evaluated
We audit your website with automated, tool-based testing against the WCAG criteria – efficiently and across many pages. We then evaluate the findings professionally, rank them by severity, and derive concrete measures from them. This turns raw measurements into an understandable, reliable overall picture instead of a mere tool log.
How an audit works with us
We keep the process transparent and easy to follow:
- Scoping: Together we define which page types and features are reviewed as representative examples.
- Automated testing: Tool-based WCAG tests across all relevant page types.
- Expert evaluation: We review, verify, and weight the findings against the WCAG criteria.
- Evaluation & prioritization: Every finding is classified by severity and impact.
- Report: Clearly documented, with specific recommended solutions for each point.
The result is not a cryptic tool log, but a report your team and we can work with directly.
From findings to implementation
An audit is only worth as much as what follows from it. Because we offer auditing, consulting, and implementation from a single source, the findings do not turn into ping-pong between service providers. We implement the corrections directly in the code – cleanly and permanently, instead of with an overlay tool that merely papers over real barriers. For new projects, we build accessibility into the web design from the very start.
What an accessibility audit costs
Costs depend primarily on scope: How many different page types and features are there, and how complex are the forms and interactive elements? A focused check of a manageable website is significantly less expensive than an audit of a large portal with login areas and configurators. An audit followed by implementation prioritized by impact usually makes sense – that way, your budget flows first to where it delivers the most. In a free initial consultation, we provide a first, reliable assessment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a check and an audit?
A check is a faster assessment of the most important barriers; an audit tests the WCAG criteria systematically and completely – automated across all relevant page types and with expert evaluation of the findings. For a solid foundation, we recommend the audit.
How does the review work?
We test with automated, tool-based methods against WCAG 2.2. The tools cover the measurable criteria efficiently across many pages; we then evaluate the findings professionally, prioritize them by severity, and derive concrete measures. The result is a reliable overall picture.
Which standard do you audit against?
We audit according to the internationally recognized WCAG 2.2, usually at level AA. These criteria are also the basis for the relevant regulations such as the BFSG and the European Accessibility Act.
Do you only do the audit or also the implementation?
Both. We audit, advise, and implement the improvements directly in the source code – all from a single source. That turns the findings into a permanently accessible website instead of a long to-do list.
How long does an audit take?
That depends on the scope. A focused website can often be audited in a few days; large portals with many functions take correspondingly longer. We define the framework together in advance during scoping.
What does an accessibility check cost?
Costs are based on the number of page types and the complexity of interactive elements. After a brief initial consultation, you receive a transparent quote – for the audit alone or including implementation.
