Web Accessibility Platform or Accessibility Consultant: Which One Do You Need?

$50,000. That’s how much the average accessibility lawsuit costs. That price does not include legal fees, remediation costs, and potential revenue loss that comes from inaccessible websites. With nearly 9,000 lawsuits filed last year alone, the question isn’t whether businesses need to prioritize digital accessibility, but how to implement it effectively before becoming part of the statistics.

As organizations look for ways to prioritize accessibility, two approaches are near the top of the list: investing in a web accessibility platform or hiring an accessibility consultant. While both can help companies comply with accessibility laws and standards, they serve different needs and budgets — choosing between them can be difficult.

Below, we’ll clear up that confusion by breaking down exactly when a web accessibility platform makes the most sense versus when a web accessibility consultant might be the better choice.

Understanding Your Accessibility Options

When it comes to achieving compliance with laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or meeting the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), both accessibility platforms and consulting services can help. However, each offers distinct advantages depending on an organization’s size, technical capacity, budget, and compliance timelines. 

The key to making the right choice is understanding what each solution provides and how well it aligns with an organization’s specific accessibility challenges and long-term digital strategy. 

Accessibility Platforms

Web accessibility platforms are software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions that automatically scan digital content for common accessibility issues. Some will provide guidance for fixing them, while others automatically fix identified issues. Most automated testing tools rely on algorithms to detect common WCAG violations and also offer real-time monitoring, detailed reporting, and integration with existing development workflows. 

For example, AudioEye’s Accessibility Platform detects and fixes issues in real-time with 24/7 monitoring. Our platform also includes Automated Fixes, which automatically fix identified issues, streamlining the path to compliance. 

Web accessibility platforms bring a myriad of benefits, including:

• Continuous monitoring across all pages and updates

• Scalable scanning for large websites and applications

• Developer-friendly integrations with CI/CD pipelines

• Cost-effective for organizations with extensive digital properties

• Real-time alerts when new accessibility issues are detected

• Standardized reporting that simplifies compliance documentation

However, accessibility platforms excel at one thing: identifying common accessibility issues — such as missing alt text, insufficient color contrast, or improperly structured headings. They cannot identify complex user experience barriers, contextual accessibility needs, or subjective elements that require human judgment and testing with assistive technologies. Only expert testing can do that.

Accessibility Consultant Services

A digital accessibility consultant is a specialized professional who provides expert guidance, auditing, and strategic support to help organizations achieve and maintain accessibility. Unlike automated platforms, consultants bring human expertise, contextual understanding, and the ability to evaluate the full spectrum of accessibility issues — including those that require context or real-world testing with assistive technologies.

Types of Accessibility Consulting Services

• One-time audits: These audits provide in-depth evaluations of digital content and deliver clear recommendations for fixing identified accessibility issues.

• Ongoing partnerships: Partnering with professional consultants provides access to ongoing support, regular accessibility reviews, strategic planning, and additional website accessibility enhancements to implement as digital properties evolve. 

• Specialized services: These services focus on more specific needs, such as mobile app auditing, PDF remediation, video captioning, or accessibility testing for complex interactive elements or custom components. 

• Training and education: Some consultants will provide programs designed to increase accessibility knowledge through workshops, certification courses, and knowledge transfer sessions for content creators.

When evaluating accessibility consultants, prioritize those with IAAP (International Association of Accessibility Professionals) certification. This demonstrates verified expertise and a strong commitment to accessibility compliance standards. Additionally, look for website accessibility consultants with industry-specific experience that aligns with the organization’s sector and compliance requirements. They should have a proven portfolio of implementations that show measurable accessibility improvements for clients in similar industries.

While digital accessibility consultants provide unmatched expertise and comprehensive evaluation capabilities, they typically cannot offer continuous, real-time monitoring that platforms provide. Consultant services also require longer timelines for comprehensive audits and may have higher per-project costs for organizations with larger digital portfolios.

Woman sitting in front of a computer screen showing a website with various errors on it holding a magnifying glass. A gear shaft with the accessibility symbol is to the left of the computer.

Is a Web Accessibility Platform or Consulting Better?

The answer to this question entirely depends on an organization’s specific circumstances, resources, and accessibility goals. Neither approach is necessarily better — each excels in different scenarios and helps meet distinct organizational accessibility needs.

When Web Accessibility Platforms Work Best

Web accessibility platforms are best for organizations that need continuous monitoring at scale, have a limited budget, or require immediate visibility into compliance issues. They’re particularly valuable for companies with large digital footprints, frequent content updates, or development teams that need real-time feedback integrated into their workflows. 

For example, the platform approach might work best for an e-commerce company with thousands of product pages that change daily. A platform can automatically scan new listings, detect missing alt text or adjust color contrast ratios, and alert teams to issues before they go live. Similarly, an SaaS company with complex web applications may benefit from platforms that can monitor accessibility across user dashboards, form interfaces, and interactive elements as new features are deployed. 

When Accessibility Consultant Services Work Best

Accessibility consultants are essential when organizations need deep expertise, contextual evaluation, or strategic development. They’re particularly beneficial for those with complex digital experiences, highly regulated industries (like healthcare or government), or organizations looking to build accessibility into their core business processes.

For instance, healthcare organizations with patient portals may benefit from the expertise provided by consultants. Together, they can ensure online portals work seamlessly with assistive technologies used by patients with disabilities. This is particularly beneficial considering the high stakes surrounding patient information and medical workflows. Additionally, financial services companies need consultant-led evaluations to ensure their online banking platforms, loan applications, and investment tools meet accessibility standards and real-world usability requirements.

The Reality Most Organizations Face

While each approach has its strengths, the most effective accessibility strategy requires both online tools and human expertise. Automation-only approaches can miss critical accessibility barriers that require human judgment, while consulting services may lack the continuous monitoring needed to maintain accessibility as digital content evolves. 

That recognition leads many organizations to a different approach: a hybrid approach, which enables organizations to combine the best of both worlds.

A purple accessibility symbol, with an icon of a person on the left and a gear on the right.

Why a Hybrid Approach is Best

Successful accessibility implementation doesn’t take an ‘either or’ approach. Instead, they combine the continuous monitoring capabilities of accessibility platforms with the deep expertise that only accessibility experts can offer. This hybrid approach addresses the fundamental limitations of each approach while maximizing the benefits of both.

Key Benefits of Combining Platforms and Consulting

• Comprehensive coverage ensures both accessibility violations and complex user experience barriers are found and fixed. While platforms detect issues like missing alt text and color contrast problems across thousands of pages, accessibility consultants and real users with disabilities dive deeper, identifying usability challenges that determine whether digital properties are actually accessible.

• Strategic program development becomes possible when consultants provide the roadmap, and platforms provide ongoing monitoring. This combination builds sustainable accessibility practices rather than temporary or band-aid fixes.

• Cost efficiency emerges from using each approach for its strengths — platforms handle routine accessibility scans while consultants focus their expertise on complex evaluations and strategic planning.

One company that unlocked the benefits of a hybrid approach: Explore Utah Valley. The company wanted to create a more accessible website where any visitor could book a trip. However, the team needed an accessibility approach to fix accessibility issues and scale as the website grew and changed. Additionally, Explore Utah Valley wanted to keep accessibility at the forefront of its web strategy to ensure all users can navigate their site. 

AudioEye provided that perfect balance — delivering automated fixes and continuous monitoring that resolve issues in real time and a dedicated team of experts who help the company stay on top of evolving needs. With AudioEye, Explore Utah Valley fixed over 1,600 accessibility issues, enhancing the user experience for all while helping the company stay on top of accessibility changes seamlessly.

The Bottom Line: Choosing the Right Accessibility Solution

The accessibility solution landscape can feel overwhelming — rightly so, considering the dozens of platforms that promise instant compliance and the countless consultants offering specialized expertise. But true accessibility isn’t about picking one or the other — it’s about combining the efficiency of technology with the insight of human expertise.

That’s what sets AudioEye apart. Our Accessibility Platform uses powerful automation to catch and fix issues at scale, while our Expert Audits — led by accessibility professionals and members of the disability community — go deeper to ensure real usability. And with ongoing monitoring, organizations can stay compliant and keep accessibility improvements on track without breaking their budget or timeline.

Ready to see how AudioEye perfectly combines automation with consultant expertise? Schedule a demo today and see how our approach makes accessibility both effective and sustainable.