PIPELINEGuide
Accessible website: what alternatives exist
Not every problem needs an accessible website. What simpler routes exist, where ready-made standard solutions are enough, and when the right answer is: do nothing at all.
Before an accessible website comes into question, it's worth looking at the simpler routes: a more clearly written page, a different phone policy, a tidied-up process. Ready-made standard solutions cover part of it and hit their limits where your own data and integrations come into play. Doing nothing is also a legitimate answer.
01 — Alternatives
What else is out there
Before an accessible website comes into question, it's worth looking at the simpler routes. Sometimes a clearly written page, a different phone policy, or a tidied-up process solves the same problem without any system at all.
Ready-made standard solutions cover part of the use cases and are quickly available. Their limit lies where your own processes, your own data, or integrations come into play — and in the question of who ultimately owns the data.
The third option is to do nothing. That's a legitimate answer when the process in question happens rarely or when the real bottleneck lies elsewhere. We'll say so if that's the case.
02 — Boundaries
When we advise against it
- The process is still changing. As long as you're adjusting the process itself, manual work is more flexible and cheaper.
- Exceptions outweigh standard cases. Then you're automating exceptions, and that gets expensive.
- There's no data foundation. Without digitally available source data, the basis is missing.
- Volume is too low. With five transactions a month, no system pays off — not even an affordable one.
- The real bottleneck lies elsewhere. If you don't have enough inquiries, you don't need faster processing.
03 — Criteria
How quotes differ
- What exactly is included. Two quotes with the same total can cover completely different deliverables. Ask for scope as a list, not as running text.
- Who delivers what. Content, images, data, access — if it's not specified, it becomes a point of conflict later.
- What operation costs. Calculated over three years, including licenses, hosting, and support.
- What happens if you want to switch. Do you get access, data, and documentation? The answer to this question says more about a provider than any reference.
- Who actually does the work. With small providers this matters: who sits in the meeting, and who then does it.
04 — Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is an accessibility overlay sufficient?
No. These overlays do not fix the underlying problems and are largely rejected by disability advocacy groups. They can even create additional barriers. Accessibility is created in the markup, not in a layer on top.
Does this also apply to PDF documents on the website?
Yes, if they contain essential information — such as price lists or downloadable forms. PDFs must also be structured with alternative texts.
Are we affected by the Barrierefreiheitsgesetz?
The Austrian Accessibility Act has been in force since June 28, 2025, and primarily applies to online services in the consumer sector: online shops, bookings, e-ticketing, banking services. Microenterprises with fewer than ten employees and less than two million euros in revenue are exempt for services — but not for the sale of products. A purely informational site without sales is generally not covered.
What is the most common error?
Forms without linked labels and controls that cannot be reached with the keyboard. Both go unnoticed by anyone working with a mouse — and make the site unusable for others.
What happens in case of violations?
The Sozialministeriumservice is responsible. Administrative penalties of up to 80,000 euros are provided for. In the initial phase, the focus was mainly on advice rather than penalties, but that's no guarantee for the future — proceedings are already underway.
Can we implement this step by step?
Yes, by priority: first the defects that completely block usage, then those that make it difficult. This can be spread across several stages without taking the site offline in the meantime.
How much work is involved for an existing site?
It varies widely. A well-built site often only needs contrast corrections, alternative texts, and focus indicators. A site with custom-built controls without keyboard support can be more work than building from scratch.
05 — Next
Related pages
- Accessible Website — Overview
- Accessible Website — Risks
- Accessible Website — Value
- Accessible Website — Funding
- Accessible Website — Privacy
- Accessible Website — Duration
- Accessible Website — Contract and Ownership
- Accessible Website — Small Businesses
- Have a website created
- Web design
- Website relaunch
- All guides
Accessible Website by Region
Next step
We'll look at your starting position.
Tell us what's eating up time today. That becomes an assessment with effort and benefit — and only then an offer.