BUYER’S GUIDE
An accessibility audit is only useful if it leads to a product more people can actually use. The right partner will test important journeys, explain what is broken, and help your team turn findings into fixes rather than another forgotten compliance spreadsheet.
Define the user journeys before the audit
A marketing website, checkout and logged-in software product present different barriers. Identify the journeys that matter: finding information, comparing options, signing in, submitting forms and completing transactions. List important templates, languages, devices and third-party components. Do not ask agencies to quote a vaguely defined ’whole-site WCAG check’.
Automated scans cannot replace human testing
Tools can surface certain code-level problems quickly, but cannot evaluate every accessibility barrier. Manual review should examine keyboard operation, focus order, screen-reader behaviour, error recovery, zoom, responsive layouts and realistic task completion. W3C explains what evaluation tools can and cannot establish. Ask candidates to show how human findings complement automated evidence.
Standards and legal duties are not identical
WCAG defines technical accessibility success criteria. The applicable legal framework depends on your organisation, product, audience and jurisdictions. Public-sector websites, some consumer services and other regulated offerings may face different obligations. If the product spans several countries, the provider should identify what can be assessed technically and where local legal advice is needed. See the WCAG 2.2 standard; do not assume that one national law covers every business website.
Three briefs that call for different specialists
Ecommerce: test discovery, filtering, cart, payment and recovery from errors, including embedded checkout. B2B SaaS: focus on data tables, complex controls, settings, keyboard workflows and assistive technology compatibility. Public-service interface: evaluate relevant policies, documents, content governance and supported ways for people to report accessibility barriers. The same page sample cannot represent all three scenarios.
Choose an auditor, implementer or both
An independent audit specialist may provide a stronger review and prioritised findings. A development agency with accessibility expertise can rebuild components and prevent regressions. A combined supplier can be effective when accountability is clear. Ask who personally conducts manual testing, who codes fixes and whether the final check is genuinely independent of implementation.
Make proposals comparable
Specify expected templates and components, authenticated states, mobile/desktop coverage, target browsers, assistive technologies, languages, PDFs and third-party journeys. Ask each agency to explain sample selection and exclusions. A quote that covers only a homepage scan is not comparable to a representative application audit.
Deliverables worth paying for
Require actionable issues with reproduction steps, affected journeys, relevant WCAG references, impact or severity, suggested remediation and a named owner. Include developer walkthroughs, content-editor guidance and a defined retest once fixes are deployed. W3C’s WCAG Evaluation Methodology is a useful reference for scoping, selecting samples, testing and reporting.
What drives accessibility project cost?
Budget depends on component diversity, workflow complexity, the number of languages, supporting documents, legacy frontend code and third-party dependencies. Separate discovery, auditing, remediation, regression testing and staff training in the quote. A one-click scanner subscription and specialist manual review are fundamentally different purchases.
Questions to ask the shortlist
Which tasks will you test without a mouse? Which screen-reader and browser combinations are in scope? How do you prioritise issues that block core tasks? Who owns the fix backlog? Will you retest completed fixes? How are new components checked after launch? Can we review an anonymised report showing the quality of your findings?
Red flags
Be cautious of guaranteed full compliance through an overlay or plugin, automated scores described as a complete audit, no assistive-technology checks, weak documentation, or statements about legal requirements unsupported by your actual service model. A responsible specialist is precise about both findings and limitations.
Prepare an RFP that reveals fit
Share the product, target users, most important journeys, technology stack, internal engineering capacity, desired timeline and budget range. Specify whether you need an independent audit, hands-on remediation or a repeatable testing programme. Start with Mosai’s agency RFP template so every bidder answers the same questions.
Shortlist for delivery, not compliance theatre
Choose a partner who will make barriers visible and actionable, not merely award a certificate. Describe your project through Mosai and compare the scope and skills of relevant suppliers. A directory listing alone does not certify an agency or guarantee legal compliance.
Find an agency that can turn an audit into action
Share your product scope, critical user journeys and the help you need with remediation. Compare providers on method, accountability and project fit, not promises of a perfect score.