Build Native Apps for Everyone: A Roadmap to Mobile Accessibility

Consumers today increasingly rely on mobile devices to interact with the digital world. Roughly 60% of global website traffic in 2024 came from mobile users, a figure that’s only projected to increase in 2025. And web visits only account for a small fraction of mobile users’ activity. In fact, according to eMarketer, 90% of time on mobile devices is spent on native apps, not websites.

There’s a good reason for this. Apps specifically designed for mobile operating systems are faster than websites, and they create a more familiar, more personalized, and smoother user experience.

To better reach, engage, and retain today’s mobile-first consumers, businesses are increasingly investing in native mobile experiences. But when organizations don’t prioritize their apps’ accessibility, they unintentionally exclude users with disabilities—limiting revenue opportunities and exposing themselves to legal and reputational risks.

In this blog, we’ll unpack the business advantages of mobile app accessibility and share best practices for creating native apps that work for all users.

Why accessibility matters on mobile

It’s estimated that more than 1.3 billion people worldwide have disabilities, and many disabilities impact how users engage with mobile experiences. Built-in screen readers, like VoiceOver on iOS and TalkBack on Android, expand access to content for mobile device users who are blind or have low vision. However, if your apps aren’t designed and developed with accessibility in mind, users may still face significant barriers trying to navigate them.

By accounting for accessibility, you can ensure all people, regardless of disability, can use your app. And mobile accessibility also enhances the experience for many users without disabilities, including older adults.

In short, accessible apps are simply more user-friendly. But prioritizing mobile accessibility isn’t just the right thing to do for your users. It’s also a legal imperative and a significant business opportunity.

The legal case for mobile accessibility

As web accessibility lawsuits remain widespread, plaintiffs increasingly reference mobile apps alongside websites in legal complaints filed under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This shift from web-only lawsuits to web and mobile lawsuits heightens risk for organizations that neglect to address mobile accessibility barriers.

Additionally, recent legislation, including the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and a 2024 rule under ADA Title II, specifically mandates mobile accessibility for covered organizations. Failing to comply with these laws has consequences: In particular, organizations that violate the EAA may face steep fines and restrictions on their ability to do business in the European market.

The business case for mobile accessibility

The World Economic Forum reports that people with disabilities, along with their friends and family, control roughly $13 trillion in spending power. In the U.S. alone, working-aged adults with disabilities have an estimated $490 billion in annual disposable income. If your mobile app isn’t inaccessible, you risk missing out on substantial revenue by alienating this sizable portion of your potential customer base. By contrast, proactively investing in mobile accessibility can help you fuel growth by engaging this critical demographic.

Best practices for building accessible native apps

It’s clear that accessibility is an essential part of effective, responsible mobile app design. But if your organization is new to mobile accessibility, you may be unsure where to begin. The following tips can help you start creating native apps that everyone can use.

Leverage built-in platform tools

Both Apple (iOS) and Google (Android) provide built-in, native development components, which are standard user interface elements like buttons, text fields, and labels. These components come with default accessibility features that improve compatibility with assistive technologies like screen readers. However, it’s crucial to understand the nuances and limitations of these accessibility features before using them. And while native accessibility tools in iOS and Android are a great starting point, they aren’t a complete solution.

Studies by ARCTOUCH show that even apps using basic native components often fall short of providing a fully accessible experience. Common issues include unlabeled icons, poorly grouped content, missing headings, and a lack of dynamic font support. These findings highlight the need for developers to go beyond just relying on built-in tools and actively test and optimize their apps for accessibility.

Audit existing mobile apps for accessibility

Regularly assess your apps for accessibility issues using both automated and manual testing. Keep in mind that, while automated scans provide rapid insight, they can’t catch everything. Manual evaluation by accessibility professionals is essential for comprehensive, reliable results. This evaluation should ideally include testing by native users of assistive technologies, who can provide feedback on your app’s real-world usability for people with disabilities.

In addition to obtaining audits by professionals, encourage developers to spot-check their work with built-in mobile screen readers like VoiceOver and TalkBack.

Design with accessibility in mind

Empower designers to apply accessibility principles to new digital content from the start. That includes adhering to best practices such as:

• Using proper color contrast: Meeting established color contrast requirements helps ensure your content is readable for all users, including those with low vision or color blindness. Normal text should have a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1, while large text needs at least a 3:1 contrast ratio. Interface controls and graphical objects should also have a 3:1 contrast ratio.
• Supporting text resizing: It’s essential that text doesn’t get distorted when resized. Make sure your app respects the font size settings on a user’s device, allowing them to adjust text sizes to their liking. Enable pinch-zoom functionality so users can easily zoom in and out for better readability.
• Considering all user needs: Mobile accessibility goes beyond just readability. To create truly inclusive experiences, always design for a wide range of disabilities, including motor disabilities and cognitive and learning disabilities as well as visual disabilities.

Test during development

Using Software Development Kits (SDKs)specifically for mobile testing can help your developers proactively catch and fix issues while new apps and features are still in
development, reducing the need for reactive, time-consuming fixes in live experiences. These tools streamline cross-platform testing for both Android and iOS, simplifying maintenance, reducing costs, and enabling faster integration with third-party services and platforms.

Train your teams

Educate your team on implementing and maintaining high accessibility standards from start to finish. Accessibility training for mobile app designers and developers should cover WCAG 2.2 success criteria, like ensuring proper focus order for assistive technology users. It may also be helpful to address best practices for responsive web design and use fluid layouts that maintain reading order and support magnification.

Iterate on your progress

Mobile accessibility is an ongoing process that requires continuous testing and improvement. Keep track of accessibility by setting a schedule for automated scans and manual audits, and gather real-world input by providing a mechanism for users to share accessibility feedback. It’s also essential to regularly update your accessibility policies and training materials to keep your team informed and aligned.

Engage with the disability community

Collaborating with disability advocacy groups and user communities can help your team better understand the needs of users with disabilities and proactively design for these needs. Partnering with disability advocates also demonstrates a strong commitment to inclusivity, positioning your organization as a genuine champion for all users.

Simplify mobile app accessibility with an expert partner

As consumer demand for native apps intensifies, prioritizing mobile accessibility is critical to mitigating legal risk and maximizing business opportunities. An experienced partner like Level Access can help you confidently create apps that work for every user.

Our end-to-end solution is built around the three pillars of effective digital accessibility programs—Audit & Test, Build & Fix, and Governance & Reporting—supporting lasting compliance. And products like our new Mobile Testing SDK make it easier than ever to proactively embed accessibility in your app development process. Connect with our team to learn more about our mobile accessibility tools and services.