Summary:
- An accessibility audit checks your website against WCAG 2.1 AA and delivers a concrete action plan — a legally relevant compliance document, not just a certificate.
- Cost: €449 for a full automated audit at BFSG-Scan.at; manual professional audits cost €2,000–€8,000.
- Non-compliant websites risk fines up to €80,000 (companies) or €7,200 (sole traders) — SMS enforcement inspections start in 2026.
---
What Is an Accessibility Audit?
An accessibility audit is a systematic review of your website for compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA criteria — the standard required by Austria's Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG).
The goal of an audit is not just to identify errors, but to create a concrete action plan: what needs to change, in what priority, and how? An audit concludes with a documented test report — the basis for your WCAG conformance statement.
> Since 28 June 2025, the BFSG applies to all Austrian companies. Planned inspections by the Social Ministry Service (SMS) from 2026 onwards increase the pressure — non-compliant websites risk fines of up to €80,000.
---
What Is Checked in an Accessibility Audit?
A complete audit according to WCAG 2.1 AA covers four areas:
Perceivable
- Alt texts for all images, icons and graphics
- Captions and transcripts for multimedia content
- Color contrast (min. 4.5:1 for text, 3:1 for large text)
- Correct document structure (heading hierarchy, lists)
Operable
- Full keyboard accessibility of all functions
- Visible focus indicator
- Skip links for screen reader users
- Meaningful page titles and link texts
- No disruptive animations or flashing content
Understandable
- Correct HTML language declaration (
langattribute) - Consistent navigation across all pages
- Clear error messages in forms
- Unambiguous labels for all form fields
Robust
- Valid HTML without syntax errors
- Correct ARIA roles for custom components
- Programmatically communicated status messages
---
Automated vs. Manual Audit — Differences
| Feature | Automated Audit | Manual Audit |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | 30–40% of all errors | 80–100% of all errors |
| Speed | Seconds to minutes | Hours to days |
| Cost | €0–449 | €2,000–8,000+ |
| Suitable for | Initial check, monitoring | Certification, authorities |
| Can detect | Contrast, alt texts, labels, ARIA | Cognitive barriers, contextual clarity |
| Cannot detect | Meaning of alt texts, comprehension | — |
Recommendation: Start with an automated audit. It uncovers the most common and legally relevant errors — and delivers immediate results.
---
What Does an Accessibility Audit Cost in Austria?
| Provider type | Price | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| BFSG-Scan.at (automated, free) | €0 | 5 pages, instant report |
| BFSG-Scan.at (full audit) | €449 | All pages, PDF report, conformance assessment |
| BFSG-Scan.at (monitoring) | €99/month | Weekly checks, alerts |
| Digital agency (manual) | €2,000–8,000 | Fully manual, expert assessment |
| Specialized accessibility consultants | €5,000–15,000 | Certification, authority communication |
For most SMEs in Austria, an automated audit with a manual follow-up is the optimal starting point — cost-efficient and BFSG-compliant.
---
What Is Included in the BFSG-Scan Audit?
The full audit from BFSG-Scan.at (€449) includes:
- Complete website analysis: All reachable pages are crawled and checked
- WCAG 2.1 AA testing: All automatically verifiable criteria
- Prioritized error report: Critical / Important / Low
- PDF conformance report: As the basis for your conformance statement
- Technical recommendations: Concrete code examples for your development team
- 30-day monitoring: Free monitoring for new errors after the audit
---
Why Is an Audit Important?
Legal Obligation Under BFSG
The BFSG (§22) provides for the following penalties:
- Companies: Up to €80,000 fine
- Sole traders: Up to €7,200 fine
- Authorities as clients: Can require accessibility as a criterion in procurement procedures
SMS Inspections from 2026
The Austrian Social Ministry Service (SMS) will actively inspect websites from 2026 and pursue complaints. Without a documented audit, you risk:
- Official proceedings
- Public reprimand
- Remediation deadlines under supervision
Business Benefits
- 9% of the population in Austria lives with a disability
- Accessible websites rank better on Google (structured HTML, alt texts = SEO)
- Improved user experience for everyone (mobile users, older users, users in difficult environments)
---
Start for Free Now
You don't need a budget for a first overview. BFSG-Scan.at delivers in 60 seconds:
- The most common WCAG 2.1 AA errors on your website
- An assessment of compliance risk
- Concrete first recommendations
Start your free quick check — no login, no credit card, instant results.