Web Accessibility Stats and Data 2026

The average webpage contains roughly 297 accessibility issues, according to our scan of approximately 400,000 web pages across 15,000 sites. Our comprehensive analysis reveals the current state of web accessibility, including the most common accessibility errors, their impact on users with disabilities, and what these numbers mean for legal compliance and business outcomes.

Below, we cover disability population data, accessibility error statistics by category, lawsuit trends, and the business case for prioritizing accessibility.

How Much of the Web Is Accessible?

Web accessibility data paints a consistent picture across independent sources: inaccessibility is the default state of the commercial web.

AudioEye's scan of approximately 400,000 web pages found that only 2% of those sites pass 70% of testable WCAG criteria. Moreover, the average web page contains 297 accessibility issues that do not meet WCAG success criteria, according to AudioEye’s 2025 Digital Accessibility Index. 

These findings align with WebAIM's 2025 Million report(opens in a new tab), which found that 95.9% of the top 1 million homepages have detectable WCAG failures. Together, these numbers reveal that inaccessibility is the default state of the commercial web, not the exception. 

This widespread inaccessibility creates barriers for millions of users and exposes organizations to legal risk under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 508, and international laws such as the European Accessibility Act, which entered into enforcement on June 28, 2025.

Image Accessibility Statistics

These numbers reveal how frequently visual content fails the users who depend on assistive technologies to access it:

• 38% of images had missing alt text, making them inaccessible to users with visual disabilities.

• 93% of domains have at least one page with an inaccessible image. 

• 60% of images had no alternative text. 

Without appropriate color contrast and alt text, users with visual impairments such as blindness, low vision, color blindness, and cataracts cannot access image content. This may leave out critical context and negatively impact the user experience for screen reader users and individuals relying on assistive technologies.

Link Accessibility Statistics

Link failures are among the most widespread accessibility issues found in AudioEye's research, affecting navigation and content discovery for users with disabilities:

• 64% of pages have links that aren't clear to people with disabilities. 

• 80% of sites had at least one page with an inaccessible link. 

• About 5 links on every page weren't clear to users. 

Inaccessible links interrupt the user experience for individuals with disabilities. Without understanding why a link is on a page and where it will take them before they click, disabled users are less likely to engage with site navigation and content.

Form Accessibility Statistics

Form accessibility failures are particularly high-stakes because they prevent users from completing transactions, submitting information, or accessing services. According to AudioEye’s 2023 DAI: 

• 1 in 4 forms are missing descriptive labels for people with disabilities. 

• 81% of domains tested had at least one page with functionality issues. 

• 56% of pages had at least one functionality issue. 

Most users encounter errors when submitting form data and are not given clear instructions on how to fix them, forcing them to either abandon the attempt or recruit assistance.

Four figures are shown, one is colored red while the others remain neutral. Along the bottom reads, "1 in 4 of people in the U.S. live with some type of disability."

Disability Demographics: Scale of the Affected Population

Understanding who is affected by inaccessibility puts these error statistics in human terms.

Globally, 1.3 billion people experience a disability, representing approximately 16% of the world's population, according to the World Health Organization(opens in a new tab). In the United States, 61 million adults live with a disability, which represents approximately 1 in 4 U.S.s adults, according to the CDC(opens in a new tab). This population holds significant economic power, with Americans with disabilities controlling approximately $490 billion in disposable income.

For more detailed US and global disability statistics, including breakdowns by disability type, see AudioEye's disability statistics resource.

Accessibility Lawsuit Statistics

The legal risk associated with inaccessible websites has grown steadily, with filing volumes now consistently exceeding thousands of cases per year.

In the first half of 2025 alone, more than 2,000 ADA website accessibility lawsuits were filed, a 37% increase(opens in a new tab) compared to the same period in 2024. Nearly 70% of these lawsuits targeted e-commerce retailers, many of them small businesses with annual revenues under $25 million. Demand letters related to web accessibility compliance have shown similar upward trends, with thousands of businesses receiving legal notices each year.

For detailed data on settlement amounts and legal exposure by industry, see AudioEye's analysis of ADA lawsuit settlement trends.

Web Accessibility Market Data

The growth of the digital accessibility market reflects how organizations are responding to both the legal and business imperatives these statistics represent.

The global digital accessibility market is valued at approximately $1.4 billion in 2025 and projected to reach $3.2 billion by 2034, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 8.6%(opens in a new tab).

This growth reflects increasing legal requirements, rising awareness of accessibility as a business priority, and expanding adoption of accessibility tools and services across industries.

Why These Statistics Matter

The data above makes clear that most organizations are exposed — legally, financially, and reputationally — without taking action on accessibility.

These accessibility statistics reveal that inaccessible websites are the norm, not the exception, creating legal risk and excluding a significant portion of the population from accessing digital content and services. Organizations failing to meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA requirements are not providing an ADA-compliant website and are not complying with international accessibility laws, including the EAA and Section 508.

Beyond legal compliance, accessible websites reach a larger audience with significant purchasing power. According to AudioEye's 2026 Accessibility Advantage Report, 62% of business leaders believe customers have abandoned transactions due to accessibility issues, representing measurable revenue loss for organizations that have not prioritized accessibility. While the leaders who implement digital accessibility see the following:

• 61% of business leaders believe accessibility gives their brand a competitive edge

• 42% report increased website traffic after prioritizing accessibility

• 35% say it improves site navigation and overall user experience

A checklist with an accessibility symbol at the top of the page, in front of a laptop computer.

How to Improve Accessibility

Organizations looking to improve website accessibility should consider the following steps:

• Conduct a comprehensive accessibility audit combining automated testing with manual expert review to identify all accessibility issues.

• Follow a structured compliance checklist that addresses the most common accessibility errors found in research.

• Test with screen readers and other assistive technologies to understand the user experience for individuals with disabilities.

• Schedule regular audits to identify new accessibility risks as content is updated and site features change.

Gain a Competitive Edge with Accessibility

Digital accessibility isn't slowing down. The population of people with disabilities is growing, legislation is expanding, and organizations that invest in accessibility now will be better positioned to reach more users and outperform competitors who don't.

AudioEye can help you get there — from automated tools like our Website Accessibility Checker to Expert Audits, AudioEye ensures your site works for everyone.