The 2025 Accessibility Checklist for SaaS and Online Service Providers

“You don’t know what you don’t know”-until a user tells you they can’t even sign up.

That was the moment things changed for me. A visually impaired user had taken the time to email our team. Not to complain, but to help. She couldn’t get past the first page of our signup flow.

I remember reading her message twice. I felt a wave of embarrassment-and then, resolve.

The Wake-Up Call for 2025

Accessibility in tech has long hovered at the edge of “important but not urgent.” But that’s changed.

The European Accessibility Act (EAA), which comes into force on 28 June 2025, is a sharp line in the sand. It affects almost every SaaS platform, app, or digital service operating within the EU.

If you provide online banking, e-commerce, e-learning, video streaming, or even ride-hailing-your digital services must be accessible to people with disabilities.

That means screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, color contrast, form labeling, and so much more.

And the stakes? Up to €75,000 in fines per violation. Per country.

But It’s Not Just About the Fines

It’s about people. About users with low vision who still want to run businesses. About the young developer who relies on voice commands due to motor limitations. Or the aging parent navigating your app with a screen magnifier.

One in five Europeans lives with a disability.

And here's the truth: Most of us will eventually join that statistic. Accessibility is a “you in the future” problem.

A Checklist That Actually Works

Let’s skip the vague advice. You need something practical and human-centered. Here’s what you should focus on-now, not later.

1. Audit Your Core Flows

Start with the basics: your homepage, signup/login, onboarding, main dashboard, and support pages.

Can a screen reader user get from point A to B without hitting a wall?

Use tools like Test Evolve’s Accessibility Audit (more on that below) to get a fast, expert-validated view of what needs fixing. Trust me, you’ll find things you never expected.

2. Use Semantic HTML-No Exceptions

If you’re building with divs and spans for everything, you’re setting a trap.

HTML5 elements like <nav>, <button>, <header>, and <main>

Why it matters:

A screen reader needs structure to make sense of your app. Without landmarks, it’s like walking into a building with no walls or doors.

3. Test Keyboard Navigation Like Your Life Depends On It

Put the mouse down. Can you tab through your app, hit every control, and actually use it? No cheating.

Accessible apps are navigable with a keyboard alone. That’s non-negotiable.

4. Mind Your Color Contrast and Motion

Your beautiful pastel buttons might be unreadable to someone with color blindness. And that animated modal with bounce effects? It could trigger motion sensitivity.

Use WCAG 2.2 guidelines (at least AA) as your baseline.

5. Use ARIA Responsibly

ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles are powerful-but dangerous in the wrong hands. Misused ARIA can break accessibility. If you’re not sure, lean on native elements first.

6. Don’t Forget PDFs, Videos, and Third-Party Plugins

If your help docs are in PDF, they need to be tagged and readable.

Videos? Include captions and transcripts.

Plugins? Vet them like you would any core part of your tech stack.

7. Train Your Team

Your devs, designers, PMs, and QA testers all need to know the basics. Accessibility isn’t a checklist you do once-it’s a culture you build.

I’ve worked on teams where accessibility was “one person’s job.” That never ends well. Make it part of your definition of done.

Personal Note: What Changed Me

A few years ago, I attended a virtual conference where one speaker joined from a refreshable Braille display. The way he navigated web pages-and the speed at which he hit accessibility blockers-was astonishing.

He said something that stuck:

“Bad accessibility isn’t just an inconvenience. It’s exclusion.”

I think about that every time I ship a new feature.

Final Thought: Do It Now, Not Later

Compliance isn’t a one-week sprint before June 2025. It’s an investment in your product's usability, ethics, and long-term sustainability.

Besides-it feels good to build things everyone can use.

Free Help to Get You Started

The clock is ticking: the European Accessibility Act carries fines up to €75,000 starting 28 June 2025.

Test Evolve will scan your key pages, combine automated and expert reviews, and return a priority-ranked report within one business day—free of charge.

• Understand where you stand. Fix what matters most.

Request your audit here: https://www.testevolve.com/european-accessibility-act-2025

Let’s build digital spaces that welcome everyone-not just the ones who can use a mouse.

Read Our Recent Published Vocal Aritcle - How to Improve Accuracy in Automated Accessibility Testing Reports