How Much Does Accessible PDF Remediation Cost?
Making a PDF accessible means adding structure that screen readers can follow. How long that takes depends on what is on the page, so the price follows the page too.
In short: At Laydox, accessible PDF remediation costs €3.00 per page for simple pages, €5.00 for standard pages and €8.00 for complex pages, with very difficult files priced individually. An audit with a conformance report starts at €40 per document. If we do the layout, building accessibility in costs €1.00 per page extra.
Price per page
| Work | Price |
|---|---|
| Remediation, Simple | €3.00 / page |
| Remediation, Standard | €5.00 / page |
| Remediation, Complex | €8.00 / page |
| Remediation, Hard | Individual |
| Accessibility built into our layout | +€1.00 / page |
| Large print or Easy Read layout | from €3.00 / page |
| Audit with conformance report | from €40 / document |
Simple: running text, headings, lists and a few images. Standard: images and charts that need alt text, simple tables, footnotes. Complex: multi-column layouts, complex or nested tables, forms, infographics.
What drives the price
- Images and charts: each one needs alternative text that says what it shows
- Tables: header cells and their scope have to be set, which takes longer for nested tables
- Forms: every field needs a label, a tooltip and a sensible tab order
- Multi-column layouts and sidebars: the reading order has to be set by hand
- Scanned pages: they need OCR before they can be tagged at all
Worked examples
A 60-page annual report. 40 standard pages at €5.00 and 20 complex pages with tables and charts at €8.00: €200 + €160 = €360 per language. In three languages: €1,080.
The same report, laid out by us with accessibility built in. The surcharge is €1.00 per page: 60 × 3 languages = €180 on top of the layout, instead of remediation afterwards.
Checking an existing file. An audit with a conformance report starts at €40 per document and tells you what needs fixing before you commit to remediation.
Every language version counts
Each translated PDF is a separate file for a screen reader. Alt text and form labels have to be translated, the document language and every language change marked, and the reading order checked again after the text reflows. That is why remediation is priced per page of each language version.
What the price includes
- Tag tree, reading order, bookmarks, title and language settings
- Alt text written for images and charts
- Tables with header cells, and forms with labels
- Validation in PAC 2024 against PDF/UA and WCAG, plus a manual check
- A conformance report with every file
How to keep the cost down
- Build accessibility into the layout from the start: €1.00 per page instead of remediation later
- Remediate the source language first and translate the accessible file, so structure carries over
- Send the InDesign or Word source if you have it, not only the PDF
- Use an audit to find out which documents really need work
Questions
Is alt text writing included?
Yes. We write alt text for images and charts as part of remediation. If your experts prefer to supply or approve it, we place and tag their texts.
Which standards does the price cover?
PDF/UA (ISO 14289) and WCAG 2.1 and 2.2 AA, which also cover EN 301 549, Section 508 and the ADA Title II rule. Every file is checked in PAC 2024 and by hand.
How do I get an exact price?
Send the files and tell us the standard you need. A quote usually comes back within 15 minutes; large batches of files take longer.
Key takeaways
- Remediation: €3.00, €5.00 or €8.00 per page by complexity
- Audits with a conformance report from €40 per document
- Built into our layout, accessibility costs €1.00 per page extra
- Each language version is priced separately
- Alt text and PAC 2024 validation are included