The verdict in three sentences
WCAG 2.2 compliance for a 20-page B2B site costs in 2026 between 8,000 and 18,000 USD in New York, audit and remediation included. The stake is not cosmetic: non-compliance exposes you to ADA lawsuits with settlements commonly in the tens of thousands of dollars, and effectively excludes you from public contracts that require accessibility. The project wraps in 6 to 10 weeks and concludes with a published accessibility statement.
The cost items of WCAG compliance in 2026
Compliance breaks into two phases: auditing against WCAG success criteria, then technical and editorial remediation. Here are the orders of magnitude.
| Item | 2026 range (USD) | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| WCAG audit (30-criteria grid) | 3,000 - 6,500 | non-conformance report |
| Technical remediation (20 pages) | 5,000 - 11,500 | code + design fixes |
| Accessibility statement | included in remediation | published legal page |
| Editorial team training | 1,000 - 2,000 | content best practices |
| Post-fix control audit | 1,200 - 2,300 | conformance attestation |
| Accessibility maintenance | 250 - 500 USD/month | ongoing tracking |
The overall budget for a first compliance project sits between 10,000 and 18,000 USD, training and control included.
Common non-conformances and fix cost
Most B2B sites fail on the same points. This table lists the most common non-conformances and the typical fix cost.
| Non-conformance | Frequency | Fix cost (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Insufficient color contrast | very common | 400 - 1,000 |
| Images without alt text | very common | 500 - 1,300 |
| Broken keyboard navigation | common | 1,000 - 2,600 |
| Form fields without labels | common | 650 - 1,600 |
| Inconsistent heading structure | medium | 500 - 1,200 |
| Misimplemented ARIA components | medium | 1,200 - 3,200 |
Fixing upfront, at the design stage, costs two to three times less than remediating a live production site after the fact.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
Christophe is CFO of a New York mid-market firm of 140 employees that regularly bids on public contracts. A 400,000 USD contract was dropped for the site's accessibility non-compliance. He budgets 12,000 USD for the audit and remediation of his 20 pages, plus 400 USD/month of maintenance. The project runs 8 weeks and ends with a published conformance statement. By the next quarter, the firm is eligible for public bids again. Measured against the single 400,000 USD contract regained, the sub-12,000 USD investment pays back dozens of times over, before even counting the lawsuit risk removed.
FAQ
Who is subject to accessibility obligations? Public bodies and, increasingly, significant private companies or those bidding on public contracts. A mid-market firm targeting public bids must be compliant.
What is the real penalty? ADA lawsuit settlements commonly reach tens of thousands of USD and can recur. Beyond the settlement, exclusion from public bids is often the costliest consequence.
How much is the audit alone? A WCAG audit on 30 criteria costs 3,000 to 6,500 USD. It is essential before any remediation to target priority fixes.
Is compliance permanent? No: every site change can introduce regressions. Maintenance at 250-500 USD/month and an annual control audit keep compliance current.
Can we fix it without a rebuild? In most cases, yes: remediation targets code, contrast and content. A rebuild is only warranted if the architecture is structurally inaccessible.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your page count and deadline (bid, legal requirement), and we will price a WCAG audit followed by a remediation plan. 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.
