The verdict in three sentences
Bringing a B2B website to WCAG 2.1 AA compliance in 2026 totals between 5,000 and 14,000 EUR (audit + remediation). It is no longer an optional best practice: the European Accessibility Act makes an accessibility statement mandatory for many players. Penalties can reach 50,000 EUR, on top of reputational risk and the loss of 15 to 20 % of users who are shut out.
What compliance costs
The budget splits into an initial audit, a remediation project, then a formal statement. Here are the 2026 orders of magnitude.
| Line item | 2026 range | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility audit (106 criteria) | 2,000-5,000 EUR | official checklist, report |
| Remediation work | 3,000-9,000 EUR | contrast, ARIA, keyboard nav |
| Accessibility statement | 500-1,200 EUR | drafting, mandatory publication |
| Editorial team training | 800-1,500 EUR | maintain compliance |
| Annual control audit | 1,200-2,500 EUR | regression testing |
| Overall timeline | 4-8 weeks | depending on site size |
Remediation is the most variable line: a technically clean site is fixed fast, while a site heavy with custom components needs more effort.
Priority WCAG criteria and cost
Not all criteria weigh the same. Here are the families to tackle first, the ones that block the most users.
| Criteria family | User impact | Remediation effort |
|---|---|---|
| Color contrast | high (low vision) | low: 300-800 EUR |
| Keyboard navigation | high (motor) | medium: 800-2,000 EUR |
| Text alternatives | high (screen readers) | medium: 600-1,800 EUR |
| Accessible forms | critical (conversion) | medium: 700-2,200 EUR |
| Heading structure | medium (SEO + a11y) | low: 300-900 EUR |
| Dynamic ARIA components | high | high: 1,000-3,000 EUR |
Good to know: accessibility overlaps heavily with technical SEO. Clean heading structure and text alternatives also improve rankings.
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Mini case study
Mehdi, compliance lead at a 120-person services firm in Bordeaux, must bring his 22-page website into compliance before a regulatory deadline. Accessibility audit: 3,200 EUR; remediation (contrast, keyboard, forms): 6,400 EUR; statement + training: 1,800 EUR. Total: 11,400 EUR over 6 weeks. Against a potential 50,000 EUR penalty and the risk of exclusion from public tenders, the investment pays off with the first contract won. Measured bonus: +9 % completion on the contact form after fixing keyboard accessibility.
FAQ
Who is subject to accessibility obligations? Public bodies for a long time, and with the European Accessibility Act, many private companies offering online services. The threshold depends on revenue and sector.
What is the difference between RGAA and WCAG? RGAA is the French implementation of the international WCAG 2.1 level AA standard. Meeting RGAA means meeting WCAG 2.1 AA, via a 106-criteria checklist.
How long does compliance take? From 4 to 8 weeks for a 15-to-40-page website: 1 to 2 weeks of audit, 2 to 5 of remediation, 1 for statement and QA.
Is the accessibility statement mandatory? Yes for affected entities: it must be published, state the compliance rate and any exemptions. Its absence is itself sanctionable.
Can compliance be maintained over time? Yes, provided editorial teams are trained and an annual control audit (1,200-2,500 EUR) is planned. Otherwise, each new content item can reintroduce non-compliance.
Let's scope your project. Send us your site URL and regulatory deadline, and we will frame the audit and a compliance budget, typically between 5,000 and 14,000 EUR. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
