The State of Mobile App Accessibility Report

While the app development community has made strides in accessibility awareness and the availability of tools, our findings reveal that Fair is the most common performance level across industries. Streaming Media had the highest Industry Accessibility Score (60), potentially influenced by the legacy of accessibility regulations in traditional broadcast media. Out of the 50 apps tested across all five industries, only two achieved Great accessibility (an App Accessibility Score above 85), while nine received a Failing grade. The vast majority scored Fair or Poor, emphasizing the need for more consistent and robust implementation of accessibility features.

Apple has pioneered many accessibility features, which many people assume means that 3rd party iOS apps are automatically more accessible as well. However, our testing revealed a more nuanced reality. Android apps achieved a slightly higher average App Accessibility Score (56) than iOS apps (48). This difference is largely attributed to a cluster of poorly performing iOS apps. Eight of the 25 iOS apps tested scored in the Poor range (under 30), compared to only two Android apps. However, the two apps that achieved Great scores in this study were both on iOS. Furthermore, iOS had four Good scoring apps, while Android had seven.

While native accessibility tools built into iOS and Android are a valuable starting point for builders, they are not a silver bullet. Our testing revealed numerous instances where apps using basic native components still failed to provide a fully accessible experience. Notable examples include unlabeled icons, improperly grouped content, missing headings, and a lack of dynamic font support. These issues demonstrate that builders must go beyond simply using native components and actively test and optimize their apps for accessibility. To truly understand where users with disabilities encounter barriers, real user testing is essential.

The Shopping industry received the lowest Industry Accessibility Score (41), a Poor rating. Yet, this industry has, arguably, the most direct benefit from inclusive design. A bad shopping experience for people with disabilities translates directly to lost sales. It's that simple.

The home screen is the first and often most important interaction a user has with an app. A poor home screen experience can lead to immediate abandonment, especially for users with disabilities who encounter accessibility barriers. Across all industries, we found that nearly half (48%) of home screen attributes received Poor or Failing scores, highlighting the need for prioritizing accessibility from that very first interaction.

Download this free report below for the rest of the key findings, plus the 5 industry scorecards and clear action items for brand and product leaders.