Alexis Kestler
Ensuring your website is accessible to people with disabilities is not only ethically responsible, but in many countries, it‘s required by law. Having an accessible website opens you up to a wider audience, improves your search engine optimization, and protects you from potential legal issues.
Testing and monitoring your website for accessibility issues can be a daunting task. Thankfully, there are many excellent web accessibility testing tools available to make the process smooth and efficient.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore the top 9 web accessibility testing tools to help you monitor and test compliance. Let‘s get started!
What is Web Accessibility and Why is it Important?
Web accessibility refers to making websites usable for people with disabilities. This includes accommodating:
- Visual impairments like blindness, low vision, and color blindness.
- Auditory impairments like deafness and hearing loss.
- Motor impairments that affect control and movement, like paralysis.
- Cognitive disabilities like autism, dyslexia, and ADD/ADHD.
There are a few key reasons why web accessibility is crucial:
Social Responsibility
Ensuring people with disabilities can access your website is simply the right thing to do. Over 1 billion people worldwide live with disabilities, and they deserve equal access to information online.
Legal Compliance
In many countries, web accessibility is required by law. For example, in the US, ADA and Section 508 require website compliance with WCAG standards. Failure to comply can lead to lawsuits.
Wider Audience
An accessible website allows you to reach more customers and users. People with disabilities represent a significant market segment.
SEO Benefits
Accessible sites are easier for search engines to crawl and index. This can improve your search engine rankings.
Enhanced UX
Making a website accessible improves usability for all visitors, with or without disabilities. It demonstrates you value inclusive design.
What are Web Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)?
Web accessibility guidelines outline how to make digital content accessible to people with disabilities.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are developed by the W3C‘s Web Accessibility Initiative. They consist of a set of standards that help web developers create accessible sites.
WCAG covers these principles:
- Perceivable – Users must be able to perceive content in some way, whether visually, audibly, or tactilely.
- Operable – All components must be operable through a keyboard interface, assistive technology, or other solutions.
- Understandable – Content and interface must be clear and straightforward for all users.
- Robust – Content should be interpreted reliably by current and future user agents, including assistive technologies.
There are three levels of WCAG compliance:
- Level A – Minimum baseline of accessibility.
- Level AA – Ideal level that removes most barriers.
- Level AAA – Highest level that addresses all accessibility barriers.
Now let‘s look at the top web accessibility testing tools to help you meet WCAG standards.
1. Siteimprove
Siteimprove is an enterprise-level web accessibility testing tool. It offers automated testing across unlimited domains and pages using advanced AI technology.
Siteimprove checks for WCAG and Section 508 compliance issues. It prioritizes errors and identifies fixes through detailed reports. You can track accessibility progress over time with historical charts and benchmarking.
Key Features
- Automated testing for WCAG 2.1 AA/AAA compliance
- Manual testing via browser extensions
- Custom dashboards and accessibility reports
- Remediation tools and recommendations
- Integration with popular CMS platforms and browsers
- Real-time monitoring and anomaly detection
- Accessibility score benchmarking
Siteimprove is trusted by major corporations and government agencies. For small businesses, they offer more affordable plans starting at $99 per month.
2. Deque Systems aXe
Deque Systems aXe is an automated web accessibility testing tool used by leading companies like Google, Microsoft, and Mozilla.
aXe offers a full suite of testing products powered by axe-core, the most widely-used web accessibility library. This includes extensions, dev tools, web crawlers, and more.
aXe automatically checks for WCAG and Section 508 issues. It delivers consistent, comprehensive results to reveal your site‘s true accessibility. Custom rules can also be created.
Key Features:
- Automated testing for WCAG 2.1/2.0 AA/AAA compliance
- Browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari
- Integration with Selenium for regression testing
- Customizable rules engine
- Detailed reporting and error grouping
- Support for major frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue
Pricing starts at $4,260 per year for the Pro plan. aXe also offers free tools like the Chrome browser extension.
3. AudioEye
AudioEye combines automated testing with expert manual audits for in-depth accessibility analysis. Their remediation tools make fixes simple across unlimited pages.
After installing AudioEye‘s JavaScript widget, their technology scans your site and assigns an accessibility score from 0-100. An online dashboard outlines errors and guides remediation.
AudioEye also provides a customizable accessibility toolbar allowing site visitors to modify page display. This assists users with disabilities.
Key Features:
- Automated and manual accessibility testing
- WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance monitoring
- Remediation engine to automatically fix common issues
- AudioEye toolbar for text size, color, and more
- Customizable admin dashboard and reporting
- Daily rescans to detect any new issues
- Integrates with all CMS platforms and web hosts
AudioEye pricing starts at $24 per month. They offer a free 7-day trial to test the platform.
4. Tenon.io
Tenon.io is an on-demand web accessibility testing API. It checks single pages or entire sites for WCAG 2.0/2.1 and Section 508 compliance via comprehensive audits.
Tenon scans uncover accessibility issues, assign severity ratings, and outline fixes in actionable reports. The API integrates into your existing workflows through plugins for platforms like Github, Slack, Chrome, and more.
For developers, Tenon supports automated accessibility testing during agile sprints. Custom rules can also be created to test components as they‘re built.
Key Features:
- Automated accessibility audits for WCAG 2.0/2.1
- Detailed compliance reports with annotations
- Custom API integration and webhooks
- Slack, Jira, Chrome, and IDE plugins
- Manual test scripts for user flows
- Custom rule builder for components
- API-based with no software installation needed
Tenon pricing starts at $79 per month for up to 750 pages. Enterprise and NFP plans are also available.
5. accessiBe
accessiBe is an AI-powered web accessibility solution designed to help all websites achieve WCAG compliance quickly.
By installing a single line of code, accessiBe‘s technology scans your site and makes real-time adjustments to fix accessibility errors. This includes adding alt text, ARIA attributes, semantics, and more.
An intuitive dashboard outlines identified issues and compliance status. You can also customize the on-page accessibility interface, including 20+ icon options.
Key Features:
- Fully automated WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance
- AI-powered scanning and adjustments
- Customizable on-page accessibility menu
- Daily rescans to detect changes
- Easy integration for sites of any size
- Compliance monitoring and audit trails
- Integrates with popular CMS platforms
accessiBe is affordably priced for small businesses starting at $49 per month. Enterprise pricing is also available.
6. EqualWeb
EqualWeb is an AI-based accessibility solution focused on WCAG 2.1 AA compliance. Their goal is to foster digital inclusion.
By adding a single line of JavaScript code, EqualWeb‘s technology scans and monitors your site. It identifies accessibility issues and automatically applies fixes in real time.
An online dashboard outlines detected problems and tracks remediation progress. You can also leverage EqualWeb‘s crowd-sourced knowledge base for DIY fixes.
Key Features:
- Fully automated WCAG 2.1 Level AA audits
- Real-time adjustments and issue resolution
- Crowd-sourced knowledge base for self-remediation
- Customizable accessibility menu
- Voice control and screen reader support
- Daily rescans to detect changes
- Easy integration for sites of any size
EqualWeb starter pricing begins at $49 per month. Custom enterprise plans are also available.
7. UserWay
UserWay offers a free web accessibility widget alongside premium compliance scanners. Their solutions integrate with all major CMS platforms.
The UserWay widget provides customization options for those with disabilities, including text size adjustment, color contrast controls, and more.
Their paid AI scanner conducts automated WCAG 2.1 AA testing. It checks for errors related to semantics, ARIA, images, forms, headings, and more. An online dashboard tracks compliance progress.
Key Features:
- Automated scanner for WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance
- Free accessibility widget with customizations
- Daily scans to detect site changes
- Customizable compliance reports
- Real-time visitor usage analytics
- Easy integration for sites on any platform
- Application testing for mobile and web apps
- International language support
UserWay scanner plans start at $40 per month. The free widget is unlimited.
8. Accessible360
Accessible360 provides managed web accessibility services that combine technology with human expertise.
Their software checks compliance with WCAG and Section 508 guidelines. Expert auditors then perform manual testing to identify issues the scanner missed.
Accessible360 generates compliance reports with clear instructions for resolving problems. Their team can also directly implement fixes for you. Ongoing support and training are provided.
Key Features:
- Automated accessibility testing combined with manual audits
- WCAG 2.1 Level AA and Section 508 compliance monitoring
- Remediation and implementation services
- Developer and staff training programs
- Customized reporting with annotations
- Ongoing support and consulting
- International language testing
- Integrates with all CMS platforms
Accessible360 provides customized quotes based on your needs. Packages start around $1,000 per month.
9. AMP
The Accessibility Management Platform (AMP) is an enterprise-grade accessibility solution. It combines automated testing with remediation tools.
AMP scans websites, web applications, and documents for all WCAG and Section 508 compliance issues. The platform uses AI to identify problems and guide fixes.
Detailed reporting and analytics provide insights to inform your accessibility roadmap. AMP also integrates with Agile methodologies and popular web development frameworks.
Key Features:
- Automated WCAG 2.1 Level AA and Section 508 testing
- Intelligent remediation tools and guidance
- Customized accessibility reports and roadmaps
- Developer framework integrations
- Real-time site monitoring and alerts
- Manual auditing and expert testing
- Accessibility help desk for users
Pricing for AMP starts around $25,000 for setup plus ongoing costs. Enterprise pricing is customized.
Choosing the Right Tool
All the tools we covered offer robust accessibility testing and monitoring. Choosing the right solution depends on your budget, business size, and compliance needs.
For most small businesses, affordable options like Siteimprove, AudioEye, accessiBe, EqualWeb, and UserWay should meet requirements. Support for integration with popular CMS platforms makes implementation easy.
For large enterprises and government agencies, more advanced solutions like AMP, Tenon, and Deque Systems aXe provide deeper capabilities. Their compliance reports and IT integrations scale to complex environments.
Regardless of the tool, take advantage of free trials to see what works best for your goals. Partnering with an accessibility specialist can also help guide your approach.
Implementing Accessibility Testing Best Practices
Leveraging web accessibility testing tools is the first step to compliance. You should also implement scanning early and often during development cycles.
Here are some other best practices to complement using accessibility testing tools:
- Design inclusively from the start, rather than retrofitting for compliance.
- Test continuously, not just before launches or if issues arise.
- Integrate accessibility checks into your regular regression testing suite.
- Use assessment reports to create and prioritize an accessibility roadmap.
- Provide accessibility training for designers, developers, content teams, and QA testers.
- Monitor scans and user feedback to address emerging issues quickly.
- Stay current with updated regulations and guidelines as they evolve.
Achieve Accessibility Compliance with Confidence
Accessibility testing tools make it easy and efficient to evaluate your website for WCAG and ADA compliance. Leveraging automation and advanced AI, they identify issues that might otherwise fall through the cracks.
Choosing a solution tailored to your technical capabilities, business resources, and compliance goals is key. With regular use of these web accessibility testing tools, you can feel confident your site provides an inclusive experience.
By making accessibility a priority, you open your business to new markets and protect your brand reputation. Most importantly, it demonstrates your commitment to equal access and opportunity for all users.
