Auditi vs Level Access: Self-Service Platform vs Consulting Model

Level Access (formerly SSB Bart Group) is a leading accessibility consulting firm. They combine software with expert services for comprehensive accessibility programs. Auditi offers a self-service platform approach: tools that teams use directly, with faster results and lower costs.

Transparency note: Auditi is built by BetterQA, a software testing company. We'll explain where each approach fits best.

Quick Comparison

| Feature | Auditi | Level Access | |---------|--------|--------------| | Model | Self-service platform | Software + consulting | | Time to Results | Hours | Weeks to months | | Pricing | Transparent subscription | Custom enterprise | | Expert Dependency | Low | High | | VPAT Generation | Built-in automation | Consultant-prepared | | Scaling | Team-driven | Consultant-constrained |

The Core Difference

Level Access sells expertise. Their consultants conduct audits, provide training, and guide remediation. The software supports the consulting relationship. Value comes from human experts.

Auditi sells capability. The platform enables your team to conduct audits, generate VPATs, and track compliance independently. Value comes from tools your team uses directly.

When to Choose Level Access

You Need Expert Guidance

Complex accessibility challenges benefit from expert perspective. Level Access consultants bring experience across industries, standards, and technologies. For novel problems, expertise matters.

Legal Risk is Significant

When facing litigation or regulatory action, expert testimony and professionally-prepared documentation carry weight. Level Access provides the credibility that comes from established expertise.

You're Building Internal Capability

Level Access offers training programs. If your goal is building internal accessibility expertise from scratch, structured training with ongoing support accelerates capability development.

Budget Supports Consulting

Consulting-driven accessibility requires significant investment. If budget allows for expert services, Level Access delivers comprehensive programs.

When to Choose Auditi

Speed to Results Matters

Level Access engagements take weeks to begin and months to complete. Auditi deploys in hours with immediate testing capability. For fast-moving teams, waiting for consultants isn't viable.

Budget Requires Efficiency

Consulting rates limit scope. Auditi's platform pricing enables comprehensive testing without consultant hours constraining coverage.

Your Team Can Execute

If your QA team, developers, or compliance staff can run tests with appropriate guidance, self-service tools deliver more value than waiting for consultants.

Scaling Testing Volume

Consultant-dependent testing doesn't scale. Auditi scales with your team - more journeys, more audits, more coverage without proportional cost increase.

Ongoing Compliance Monitoring

Post-engagement, what happens? Auditi provides continuous testing capability. Consulting engagements end; platform access continues.

Feature Deep Dive

Testing Approach

Level Access: Expert-conducted audits using proprietary methods. Consultants test applications, identify issues, and provide detailed reports.

Auditi: Self-service journey testing. Your team creates user flows, runs audits, and receives guided remediation recommendations.

VPAT Generation

Level Access: Consultant-prepared VPATs based on professional evaluation. High credibility, longer timeline.

Auditi: Automated VPAT generation from test results. Faster production, consistent format, team-controlled timing.

Knowledge Transfer

Level Access: Training programs and documentation. Expertise transfers through formal education and ongoing consultation.

Auditi: Guided testing interface with explanations. Teams learn by doing, with in-context guidance throughout the testing process.

Pricing Model

Level Access: Project-based and retainer pricing. Enterprise-level investment with custom scoping.

Auditi: Transparent subscription pricing. Self-service signup with predictable costs.

Platform vs consulting: how QA companies differ

BetterQA, ranked among top qa companies and best qa companies globally, built Auditi because teams need accessible tools, not just expert consultants.

The consulting model works but creates dependency. When consultants are busy, testing waits. When budgets tighten, coverage shrinks. Platform-based testing gives teams control over their own compliance.

The Dependency Problem

Consulting-dependent accessibility creates bottlenecks:

• Scheduling delays: Consultants have other clients
• Budget constraints: Every hour costs premium rates
• Knowledge silos: Expertise stays with consultants
• Scaling limits: More testing requires more consultants

Auditi eliminates these dependencies. Your team runs tests on your schedule, at predictable cost, building internal capability with each audit.

The Hybrid Approach

Many organizations benefit from both: expert consulting for complex challenges and strategic guidance, plus self-service tools for ongoing testing and monitoring.

Auditi complements consulting relationships. Between expert engagements, maintain compliance testing. After consultants identify issues, verify fixes independently. Build capability while retaining access to expertise.

Pricing Comparison

Level Access: Custom pricing based on scope and engagement type. Expect $50,000-200,000+ annually for comprehensive programs.

Auditi: Subscription pricing with transparent tiers. Self-service signup without sales negotiation.

For ongoing accessibility testing capability, Auditi provides more coverage per dollar than consultant-dependent approaches.

The Verdict

Choose Level Access if: You need expert guidance for complex challenges. Legal risk requires professional credibility. You're building capability from zero with training support. Budget supports consulting investment.

Choose Auditi if: Speed to results matters. Budget requires efficiency. Your team can execute with tool support. Scaling testing volume is needed. Ongoing monitoring is important.

Frequently asked questions

What does Level Access offer that accessibility tools cannot provide?

Level Access offers expert human judgment that automated tools and self-service platforms cannot replicate. This includes legal strategy for organisations facing ADA litigation or DOJ investigations, complex ARIA implementation guidance for custom components that have no clear WCAG precedent, and expert witness services for legal proceedings. Their consultants provide training programs that build internal accessibility expertise over time. For organisations with no accessibility programme and significant legal exposure, the consulting-led approach provides accountability and expertise that tools alone cannot deliver.

How much does a professional accessibility audit cost compared to self-service testing?

Professional accessibility audits from consultants like Level Access typically cost $15,000-$50,000 per engagement for web applications, with VPAT documentation billed separately at $3,000-$8,000. Annual programs for ongoing compliance can reach $50,000-$200,000. Self-service platforms like Auditi charge $79-$199 per month, with VPAT generation included. The WebAIM Million 2025 report found that 95.9% of home pages still have detectable WCAG failures, suggesting that organisations at any budget level face significant work regardless of their testing approach.

What is the average timeline to achieve WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance?

The timeline depends heavily on the size and complexity of the application and the current compliance baseline. According to BetterQA's experience across 500+ accessibility assessments, a marketing website with 20-50 pages typically requires 3-6 months from initial audit to remediated compliance. A complex web application with authenticated flows takes 6-18 months. Organisations that integrate accessibility into their development process from the start (design system updates, developer training, CI/CD automation) achieve sustainable compliance faster than those treating it as a remediation project. The DOJ's April 2024 Title II final rule gave government entities 2-3 years to comply, reflecting the realistic effort required.

Self-Service Compliance

Auditi puts compliance in your team's hands. Start testing today, not after consultant scheduling aligns.

Start your free trial - accessibility testing on your timeline.