Web accessibility ensures that disabled people can use online services, just like those without disabilities. It typically refers to websites, mobile applications, and other digital platforms.
To achieve this, the website or APP should be designed and developed in accordance with the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), which is internationally recognized accessibility standard for accessibility. In a nutshell, WCAG is the technical standard. It gives plenty of user scenarios that may present barriers for people with disabilities on the web, and tells how to fix them.
Due to the legal pressure, more and more companies are obliged to make their websites and mobile Apps accessible. And a lot of them have already taken significant steps towards this. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), requires businesses selling in the US to make their online services available to people with disabilities.
Many companies have already faced lawsuits under this law, often resulting in substantial financial fines. In addition, court decisions frequently include remediating the digital content, so it becomes disability friendly. In 2025 alone, almost 4000 lawsuits were filed in the United States over web inaccessibility.
This number is not final, as many cases are resolved through out-of-court settlements. It is also important to note that the law does not apply to companies with fewer than 15 employees.
On June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) entered into force across EU member states. This law applies to companies that operate in or sell products and services within the EU market, regardless of where they are registered.
A few lawsuits against businesses based in Europe were already filed by individuals with disabilities, and associations representing them. In cases where companies rely on external vendors such as payment systems beyond their direct control, transition period until June 28, 2030 is given. This should allow those providers to make the necessary accessibility adjustments. Companies and organizations with fewer than 10 employees, or those with annual revenue below €2000000, are exempt from this law.
Companies that neglect accessibility leave a lot of money on the table. people with disabilities shop online nearly twice as often as the general population. Tesco, the leading UK’s supermarket chain invested £35000 in website accessibility., which brought in additional revenue of over £13 million a year.
Similar to Wheelchair Ramps in the physical world, implementing accessibility standards makes the digital space more inclusive. Accessible digital content is not only beneficial for disabled. It improves the experience for all users. Disability friendly websites are easy to navigate, allowing better usability and higher user satisfaction to all visitors.
Businesses that prioritize accessibility receive 35% fewer support requests than their competitors.
Also, social media boost accessible content, so companies can reach a wider audience more effectively. Accessible websites are typically structured in a clear and logical way, with well-organized headings that make information easier to find.
This benefits not only people with disabilities but also non/disabled users, especially those browsing on smaller devices such as smartphones and tablets. So, investing in accessibility is not just a moral responsibility. It is extremely wise business decision.
Web accessibility is a relatively new and often misunderstood field. Due to the so many myths among developers and managers, maximizing accessibility takes way longer then it should. One of the most common misconceptions is that overlay solutions are enough to become accessible and ensure legal compliance. Some people think that adding a widget that allows users to select options based on their type of disability automatically makes a website accessible.
However, these widgets only add a few lines of code. Although this can fix a few minor issues, such solutions hide key challenges affecting disabled users. In 2025, over 40% of accessibility-related lawsuits in the United States were filed against companies with overlays installed.
Another common myth is that accessibility requires you to sacrifice design. In reality, 90%+ of accessibility issues are resolved through code changes, without touching the visual appearance. Accessibility and strong design can absolutely coexist when properly integrated. Another belief is that automated testing and AI tools can detect all accessibility issues. While automation can identify up to 30% of basic problems, more complex issues often stay unnoticed.
The best way to find them is via manual accessibility audit process, where users with disabilities also participate. Many people assume that investing in accessibility is not profitable. Well, that up to 10% of monthly online transactions are abandoned because disabled customers can not complete their purchases as a result of inaccessible online shop..
Additionally, the purchasing power of people with disabilities is estimated at $1.9 trillion.
This process is not universal. It depends on a range of factors such as a company’s size, maturity, and organizational structure. While some companies have dedicated in-house accessibility teams, most rely on external consultants, especially in the early stages of implementation.
The typical path toward accessibility usually look like this:
Step 1. External consultant checks the website/app accessibility. Result of this audit is the detailed report, with all accessibility issues and recommended fixes for each of them.
Step 2. The client’s development team fix those issues.
Step 3. External consultant verifies that issues are resolved, and provides appropriate accessibility certificate proving this.
It is the official letter, which confirms the accessibility level achieved.
While initial testing and remediation are essential first steps, they are not enough to ensure long-term accessibility. Companies that want to see full benefits of this investment need to treat accessibility as an ongoing commitment. This includes regularly monitoring new content and thorough audits done from time to time.
Accessibility should be integrated into the marketing and brand strategy, as well as become part of the corporate culture. Although it may initially seem like a continuous investment with uncertain returns, once internal teams fully adopt accessibility principles, they begin applying them almost instinctively.
As a result, the need for external support becomes minimal over time. In today’s regulatory landscape, developers with strong accessibility skills are highly demanded. Accessibility can really become a powerful competitive advantage. But you must take that first step. Are you ready?