The State of Mobile App Accessibility: Is ‘Fair’ good enough?

My dad hates using most apps on his phone because they simply don’t work for him. He’s quadriplegic and relies on iOS Voice Control and a stylus to navigate apps on his iPhone. Recently, I was with him when he tried ordering dinner through a restaurant app – and after painstakingly navigating menus and adding items to his cart, the app timed out before he could check out. He gave up and ordered elsewhere. His experience, unfortunately, isn't unique – and he’s a big reason why I’m so proud to share this new report from ArcTouch, "The State of Mobile App Accessibility."

Over 1.3 billion people live with disabilities, relying on digital services through apps for everything from communication and entertainment to banking and healthcare. Many more, including aging technology users, benefit from accessible design. Yet, as our report found, digital accessibility is often an afterthought. Inaccessible apps exclude users, damage brand reputation, and limit market reach. Furthermore, the legal landscape is evolving rapidly, with regulations like the European Accessibility Act (EAA) holding businesses accountable.

To conduct this study, we analyzed 50 popular iOS and Android apps across five key industries: Food & Delivery, Payments, Fitness, Shopping, and Streaming Media. Our UX and accessibility experts manually evaluated each app, focusing on key attributes that enable assistive technologies like screen readers and voice navigation. We also partnered with Fable to conduct user testing and illustrate the real-world impact of accessibility shortcomings.

Findings: Two standouts and a lot of broken user journeys

This report, designed for brand and product leaders, offers a view of the current state of mobile app accessibility and actionable recommendations to improve inclusivity across apps. Our overall findings include:

• The average score of apps across industries was Fair. Only two of the 50 apps tested achieved Great accessibility, while nine received Failing grades.

• 72% of user journeys included accessibility barriers (Poor or Failing experiences), highlighting the fragmented approach many developers take by focusing on individual screens rather than the entire user experience. In many cases, these broken experiences make it impossible for users with disabilities to complete tasks that are fundamental to the app's purpose.

• Landscape support is almost non-existent, creating significant barriers for users with limited mobility who may use devices in fixed positions and for those with low vision who often rely on this feature to improve readability with enlarged text.

The Shopping industry, which arguably can benefit the most by offering accessible experiences — increased sales — performed the worst among the industries we studied.

View data table

The time for accessible apps is now

Today, apps are a gateway to many essential goods and services. For brand and business leaders, building accessible apps is a smart investment that opens doors to a significant market opportunity. Prioritizing accessibility isn't just about compliance or avoiding lawsuits; it drives customer loyalty and revenue growth. But beyond the business benefits of accessibility-first app development, it's simply the right thing to do. No one should be excluded because of a disability. Creating accessible apps fosters a more equitable and inclusive society. 

As Joe Devon, co-founder of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) and an advisor for our report, wrote in the foreword, “Take the lessons from this report. Understand the opportunity — not just to do what’s right, but to do what’s best for your business and brand.”

Download the full report today.