Website Compliance in 2025: What Every SaaS Founder Needs (GDPR, ADA, CCPA, WCAG)

Imagine you built a cool app. People love it. You're making money. Life is good.

Then you get an email: "We're suing you because your website is non-compliance with accessibility laws.."
Legal fees? $50,000. Just like that.
But here's the good news: fixing this is easier than you think.

Let’s break down the four biggest areas every SaaS founder needs to get right: GDPR, ADA, CCPA, and WCAG.

1. GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)

Europe’s strict privacy law. It protects users’ personal data and gives them control over how it’s used.

What you must do:

• Show a cookie consent banner (no sneaky pre-checked boxes).
• Have a Privacy Policy that’s easy to find and easy to read.
• Give users control: ability to delete their data (“Right to be Forgotten”).

Imagine you’re running a B2B SaaS tool with 5% of your traffic from Germany. One user complains about tracking without consent. GDPR fines can go up to €20 million or 4% of annual revenue. Suddenly, that “small detail” could be your biggest risk.

2. CCPA/CPRA (California Consumer Privacy Act)

California’s data privacy law. It gives users the right to know what you’re collecting and stop you from selling/sharing it.

What you must do:

• Tell users what data you collect and why.
• Give a “Do Not Sell or Share My Data” option if you use ad tech or sell personal info.
• Make it as easy to opt-out as it is to opt-in.

3. ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)

Your site must be usable by people with disabilities (vision, hearing, motor, cognitive). This isn’t just law it’s good business.

What you must do:

• Provide alt text for images.
• Ensure color contrast is strong enough for readability.
• Add captions to videos.

4. WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)

The international gold standard for making websites accessible. Unlike ADA, it’s not a law but a widely adopted framework companies use to measure accessibility.

Levels of compliance:

• Level A: Minimum compliance.
• Level AA: Recommended, most companies aim for this.
• Level AAA: Ideal but hard to achieve.

What you must do (the basics):

• Use proper heading structure (H1 → H2 → H3).
• Ensure text has good contrast (dark text on light background).
• Add alt text for all images.
• Make forms accessible with clear labels and error messages.

Think of WCAG as the “ISO standard” for accessibility. If your SaaS is planning to scale into enterprise, procurement teams will often ask for WCAG compliance before signing contracts.

Your Simple Action Plan:

Accessibility fixes

• Add alt text to all images
• Check that your text is readable (dark on light)
• Test navigation using only keyboard

Privacy fixes

• Install a cookie banner
• Update your privacy policy

The Hidden Benefit: Compliance Builds Trust

Compliance isn’t just a checkbox. It’s a signal to customers that you respect their privacy, care about inclusivity, and run your SaaS like a serious business.

• GDPR → Transparency.
• CCPA → User choice.
• ADA/WCAG → Accessibility for all.

And here’s the kicker: compliant websites perform better in SEO, retain more users, and close more enterprise deals.

FAQs

1. Do I need GDPR compliance if my SaaS isn’t based in Europe?

Yes. If even one of your users is in the EU, GDPR applies to you. It’s about where the user is located, not where your company is.

2. Is ADA compliance only for U.S. based businesses?

No. ADA is a U.S. law, but accessibility is becoming a global standard. Following WCAG guidelines makes your website usable everywhere, not just in the U.S.

3. I’m a small SaaS startup do I still need to worry about this?

Yes. Many small companies get targeted with lawsuits because they’re easier to pursue than big corporations. Starting compliance early saves time, money, and reputation later.

4. What’s the easiest compliance step I can take right now?

Add a cookie consent banner and update your Privacy Policy. These are quick wins that cover GDPR/CCPA basics and show users you respect their data.

5. How often should I update my Privacy Policy?

At least once a year, or anytime you introduce a new feature that collects data (like analytics, chatbots, or integrations).

6. What’s the difference between WCAG and ADA?

ADA is the U.S. law, WCAG is the global guideline. Following WCAG usually ensures ADA compliance.

7. Can compliance actually help me grow, or is it just legal protection?

It does both. Enterprise customers often require compliance before signing contracts. Plus, accessibility makes your SaaS usable by a wider audience which directly increases conversions.