The European Commission on November 4, 2026 published a 69-page independent study, written by Owen Bennett for DG CNECT, on what an EU-wide age check requirement would cost online services. Citing Ofcom's 2026 review of UK services, it puts the median per-check cost at about €0.07, with most checks at or below €0.12. The study does not say how many services Ofcom sampled, and Australia's pre-implementation forecast was about €0.39 per check.
The study estimates that most small and medium-sized services could integrate a third-party product for hundreds to low thousands of euros, and notes vendors sell plug-ins for WordPress and Shopify. Building in-house could run up to £1 million, according to Ofcom estimates it cites. The study says smaller firms will likely pay more per check because they lack volume discounts, and that most UK services using digital ID checks reported per-check costs of zero.
The report warns that apps built on the EU age verification blueprint, which it calls among the cheapest compliance routes, are available in only a small number of member states, and that this gap must be addressed before any law takes effect. It also flags a risk that age check data could feed commercial profiling. The Commission says the study does not assess the KIDS Act it proposed on September 17, which would bar using age assurance to advertise to or profile users. PPC Land notes the study leaves out revenue lost from users who quit at the age gate.