As companies across Europe prepare their 2026 budgets, digital accessibility is increasingly a strategic priority. With the European Accessibility Act (EAA) now in force, accessibility is a compliance requirement that also offers business advantages.
Shifting from “Should we invest?” to “How can we allocate our accessibility budget effectively to create long-term value?”
Digital Accessibility: from compliance to opportunity
Many organisations initially respond with minimal fixes, publishing an accessibility statement, patching websites, or outsourcing quick audits. However, this band-aid approach is costly in the long term and can harm reputation.
Forward-looking companies view accessibility as an opportunity to enhance user experience, brand trust, and market reach. Integrating inclusive design principles into strategy turns compliance into a competitive advantage.
Three key areas to allocate your accessibility budget
A structured accessibility program spreads investment across three core areas:
1. People: building skills and culture
Accessibility is as much about culture as it is about technology. Training designers, developers, content teams, and QA staff in accessible design reduces future remediation costs. Organisations may appoint dedicated accessibility champions or rely on external consultants to accelerate adoption.
2. Processes: embedding accessibility early
Addressing accessibility issues during design is far cheaper than post-launch fixes. Studies show correcting issues late can cost up to 100 times more. Integrating accessibility criteria into workflows, user stories, acceptance testing, and quality definitions, ensures inclusive design is standard practice rather than an afterthought.
3. Tools: Technology to scale accessibility
Automation and assistive technologies help teams work efficiently. Automated testing tools in CI/CD pipelines catch common issues, while screen readers, magnifiers, and voice navigation tools allow QA teams to replicate real user experiences.
How much should companies budget for accessibility?
There is no one-size-fits-all figure, but some benchmarks guide planning:
- Large enterprises may need hundreds of thousands of euros annually for audits, remediation, governance, and training.
- SMEs can start with 0.1%–0.5% of annual revenue to achieve measurable improvements.
- A practical model is to treat accessibility as part of the overall compliance budget. For instance, if a company sets aside €500,000 for compliance, dedicating 5–10% (€25,000–€50,000) to accessibility ensures proportional and sustainable investment.
Accessibility as a strategic business asset
With the right strategy, accessibility shifts from a compliance obligation to an investment in customer experience and brand equity. It strengthens brand reputation, improves user experience, reduces legal risk, and opens digital channels to wider audiences.
For more information or to assess for free your current level of accessibility, visit our Accessibility Resources Page.