Web accessibility is often framed as a compliance issue or a moral imperative. But there's a compelling business case too. Inaccessible websites cost money—sometimes a lot of it.
The Legal Costs
Lawsuit Settlements
The average web accessibility lawsuit settles for $20,000-$100,000. Add legal fees, and you're looking at $50,000-$300,000 or more.
The Trend Is Clear
Web accessibility lawsuits have increased year over year, with over 4,500 lawsuits filed in 2023.
The Lost Revenue
A Massive Market
Over 1 billion people worldwide have disabilities. In the US alone, people with disabilities have $490 billion in disposable income.
The Friends and Family Effect
When you exclude someone with a disability, you often lose their family and friends too. Research shows 2 out of 3 people would choose an accessible competitor.
The SEO Impact
Accessibility and SEO overlap significantly:
- Alt text: Helps both screen readers and image search
- Heading structure: Helps both navigation and search indexing
- Video captions: Make content searchable and indexable
The Cost of Remediation vs. Lawsuits
| Scenario | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Proactive accessibility audit and fixes | $5,000-$30,000 |
| Settling a demand letter | $15,000-$50,000 |
| Defending and settling a lawsuit | $50,000-$300,000+ |
Prevention is dramatically cheaper than remediation after legal action.
The ROI of Accessibility
Investing in accessibility:
- Expands your market to 15-20% of the population
- Improves SEO and organic traffic
- Reduces legal risk
- Improves usability for all users
- Demonstrates social responsibility
Getting Started
The first step is understanding where you stand. SiteDNA provides comprehensive accessibility audits that identify issues across your entire site.
Don't wait for a lawsuit. Start your accessibility journey with a free scan today.