What does an accessible website cost? (And do you actually have to?)

Try this: put your mouse away and order something from your own webshop. Keyboard only. Tab, tab, enter.

Did it work? Then you're doing better than most of the big webshops in the Netherlands.

Didn't work? Then you've just experienced what a customer with a motor impairment runs into every day. And since 28 June 2025, that's no longer just a UX problem. It's a legal one too.

I see the question "what does an accessible website cost?" come up more and more. No surprise: there are a lot of stories going around, and half of them come from companies trying to sell you a widget. So here's the honest answer: what changed, whether it applies to you, what it really costs, and where you'd better not spend your money.

The short answer

• Does it apply to you? If you sell or take bookings online and you have 10 or more employees or more than €2 million in turnover: yes.
• What does it cost? That mostly depends on how your site is built. A well-built site often needs a few days of work. A site on an outdated theme can turn into a proper renovation.
• The cheapest fix usually isn't a fix. An accessibility widget for a few euros a month does not make your site accessible. More on that in a minute.

What changed?

Since 28 June 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) applies across Europe. In the Netherlands, the Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) supervises it.

The rules apply to, among others:

• E-commerce: websites and apps where you can buy something, enter into an agreement or make a reservation. Think webshops, booking sites and reservation systems.
• Electronic communication services: such as chat and (video) calling.

The goal is simple: people with a disability should be able to use your service just as well as anyone else. Blind, partially sighted, deaf, with a trembling hand, or with only a keyboard.

Since then, customers can report an inaccessible website or app to ACM ConsuWijzer.

Does it apply to you?

In short: the rules apply to businesses with 10 or more employees and/or an annual turnover above €2 million. Smaller businesses (micro-enterprises) are exempt for services.

Not sure about your situation? Check with the ACM or a lawyer. I'm a UX designer, not a solicitor.

And now the honest part: even when it's not required, an inaccessible site costs you customers. Someone who can't operate your order button won't call to complain. They'll just order somewhere else.

What the ACM found at the biggest webshops

In March 2026, the ACM shared the results of a study of around 100 of the largest digital platforms in the Netherlands: webshops, telecom and energy companies. The outcome surprised me, to be honest:

• 61% were so inaccessible that ordering with assistive technology (like a screen reader) was impossible.
• For another 33%, it worked, but took a disproportionate amount of effort.

The most common culprits? Not exotic technical problems. Just:

1. The CAPTCHA check. "Select all the traffic lights" is impossible if you can't see, or can't see well.
2. Order buttons that don't work with a keyboard.

The ACM will contact the worst-scoring companies directly. Those who do nothing risk fines or other enforcement measures.

If even the big players with entire IT departments haven't got this sorted, there's a fair chance your site stumbles somewhere too. That's not a reproach. It's an invitation to take a look.

What does an accessible website cost?

This is where it gets interesting, because the cost is almost never in "accessibility" itself. It's in how your site is built. A house with a good foundation is easy to make wheelchair-friendly. A house with stairs at every corner becomes a renovation.

Prices on request. Want a number for your site? Get a free estimate. For what a website costs in general, see how much should a website actually cost? and our pricing.

The three things that drive the price most:

1. How many templates your site has. It's not the number of pages that counts, but the number of different kinds of pages. Fix the product page template, and you fix all 500 products at once.
2. How your checkout works. That's where the money is, and where most of the problems are.
3. Whether you get it right at your next redesign or migration. Adding accessibility afterwards is always more expensive than designing it in.

That last one is my most important tip: about to redesign or migrate your webshop? Include accessibility now. Then you only pay for it once.

The cheap trap: the accessibility widget

Search for "make my webshop accessible" and you'll get a wall of plug-ins: one click, a little icon in the bottom corner, "100% EAA-compliant". Sounds too good to be true.

It is. A widget like that (a so-called overlay) puts a layer on top of your site, but doesn't fix the code underneath. Your order button that doesn't work with a keyboard stays broken.

Not just my opinion, by the way. In April 2025, accessiBe, one of the best-known providers, had to pay $1 million to the US Federal Trade Commission. The reason: it claimed its widget could make any website comply with the WCAG guidelines, and that turned out not to be true.

So a widget isn't a saving. It's a monthly subscription to a false sense of security.

Do the 5-minute test yourself

You don't need to be an expert to find the biggest problems. Open your own site and try this:

Ticked two or more? That's not a disaster, but it is a reason to have someone take a serious look.

Accessibility is just good UX

What strikes me most when I test sites: almost everything that makes a site more accessible also makes it better for everyone. Clear labels help someone using a screen reader, but also someone filling in a form on the train. Good contrast helps people with low vision, but also anyone checking their phone outside.

So accessibility isn't a separate "compliance job". It's UX that happens to have become a legal requirement.

Frequently asked questions

Does the EAA apply to my small webshop?

If you have fewer than 10 employees and no more than €2 million in turnover, you're a micro-enterprise and exempt from the legal obligation for services. Being accessible is still smart, because otherwise you're shutting customers out.

Who supervises this in the Netherlands?

The Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM). Customers can report an inaccessible website or app to ACM ConsuWijzer.

Will I get a fine straight away?

In the first period, the ACM is focusing mainly on critical problems and also looks at how much effort companies are making. Those who ignore warnings risk fines or other measures. Showing you're working on it counts.

Is an accessibility widget enough?

No. A widget doesn't fix your site's code. In 2025, the US FTC ordered accessiBe to pay $1 million over misleading claims that its widget could make websites WCAG-compliant.

Which guidelines should I follow?

In practice, the European standard EN 301 549 is used, which for websites aligns with the WCAG guidelines. WCAG 2.1 level AA is a good, widely used target.

What's the cheapest way to make my site accessible?

Including it in your next redesign or migration. Fixing it afterwards is always more expensive than designing it right in one go.