Top 20 Free Accessibility Testing Tools for Website Compliance in 2024
Accessibility testing tools help you identify accessibility issues on your site. Discover the top free accessibility testing tools on the market today and how they can help you meet compliance requirements.
Slow-loading web pages, poor font choices, and difficult navigation are common web problems that pose a slight inconvenience for most users. However, for users with disabilities, these inconveniences can restrict their internet use entirely.
The goal of web accessibility is to eliminate accessibility problems and make it easy for everyone — particularly those with disabilities — to use the internet. While web accessibility is a fundamental right, it’s also a legal requirement. Organizations have the responsibility to create accessible online content or risk facing legal actions (i.e. lawsuits or demand letters) that can be incredibly costly.
To help identify and eliminate web accessibility barriers, there are accessibility testing tools. Website accessibility testing tools check digital content for errors like missing alt text or poor color contrast. Highlighting these issues helps you take proactive steps to resolve and create a more accessible, compliant, and inclusive online experience.
Whether you’re just getting started with accessibility or you have some experience in the industry, free accessibility testing tools can help you create more inclusive websites, mobile apps, and other digital content.
What is an Accessibility Testing Tool?
Web accessibility testing tools are software programs or online platforms that scan digital content to determine if it complies with accessibility compliance standards (e.g., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)). Depending on the platform, some tools may provide recommendations for remediation.
By scanning web pages for accessibility errors, developers and designers can identify where improvements must be made to ensure digital content is accessible to individuals with disabilities. Not only does this help you avoid potential lawsuits, but also improves the overall user experience for everyone.
20 Best Free Accessibility Testing Tools
Below, we’ve compiled a list of the top 20 free accessibility testing tools to help you get started on your path to accessibility. We’ve included an overview of each platform to help you determine which is best for your specific needs.
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AudioEye
AudioEye is a digital accessibility platform that combines both automated and human testing to find and fix accessibility violations. The free Website Accessibility Checker is powered by AudioEye’s issue detection technology, which runs over 400 accessibility tests and identifies over 70 common accessibility issues. This includes poor color contrast, missing alt text, lack of support for assistive technologies, and more. AudioEye also features a free Color Contrast Checker to help you include appropriate contrast ratios throughout your site.
Accessible Web RAMP
Accessible Web RAMP’s free browser extension, Accessible Web Helper, lets you scan digital content for accessibility issues directly from your browser. The tool scans your web pages, highlights the location of violations, and checks the color contrast ratios of the page’s web elements. You can also choose which WCAG rulesets to scan your content against based on your accessibility goals.
Silktide Accessibility Checker
Silktide’s free accessibility checker tests your site against more than 200 WCAG guidelines and provides step-by-step remediation guidance. The tool is added to your Chrome browser and scans the page currently loaded within your browser. It includes four tools: a WCAG checker, a disability simulator, a free screen reader, and a color contrast checker. Together, these tools help you get closer to ADA compliance and WCAG conformance.
Total Validator
Total Validator checks whether your website is accessible and meets accessibility regulations, including WCAG, Section 508, and ARIA tests. The free browser extension checks multiple web pages to ensure HTML and CSS validation, helping you stay up-to-date on accessibility regulations.
Sa11y
Geared toward content authors, Sa11y helps you identify content-related accessibility issues. The tool performs a quick scan of web pages and displays accessibility errors or warnings via a notification badge with the total number of issues detected. Sa11y is available as a bookmarklet and can be used in any desktop browser.
AAArdvark
AAArdvark performs a free test of your homepage for accessibility issues. The Chrome Extension tests digital content for conformance with WCAG level A, AA, and AAA and provides guidance on the remediation process. The rest of AAArdvark’s accessibility tools are available for a free, one-time use to enhance your accessibility insights further.
Monsido
Monsido performs an accessibility audit of your site to identify WCAG 2.2 and ADA compliance issues. The platform provides an accessibility score and highlights where errors are on your site and at which WCAG level (i.e. A, AA, and AAA) they fall under. The platform also includes additional free accessibility tools, including a color contrast checker, accessibility statement generator, and accessibility handbook.
Accessible Metrics
Accessible Metrics provides a free manual accessibility scan of your homepage. The scan identifies WCAG and Section 508 accessibility errors and helps to locate dead links. The insights provided help you determine where users with disabilities may have difficulty interacting with your site and provide actionable solutions for remediation.
WebAccessibility.Com
WebAccessibility.com provides a free Website Health Accessibility Score to help you understand your website’s current WCAG conformance level. With these insights, you can create a remediation plan that will help you break down accessibility barriers and expand your audience base.
ARC Toolkit
The ARC Toolkit enables you to uncover and resolve accessibility issues across your digital content. The platform features free accessibility testing tools, including an accessibility scan, color contrast checker, and JAWS screen reader testing. You can also get a free 5-page monthly scan of your most-used web pages to get a better understanding of your site’s accessibility.
COMPLYFirst Element-V
Available as a Windows Extension, COMPLYFirst Element-V enables web accessibility testers and developers to test web applications for WCAG 2.1 compliance. The platform features both automated and manual testing with over 50 code examination tools. Test results can be shared across your organization with comprehensive test result reports.
IBM Equal Access Toolkit
Available as an open-source download, the IBM Equal Access Toolkit includes a suite of accessibility tools, including their Accessibility Checker. The Accessibility Checker is freely available as a Chrome, Edge, or Firefox extension that integrates into the browser’s development tools. Using IBM’s accessibility rules engine, the tool scans digital content for WCAG 2.2 accessibility issues, highlights the source, and provides recommendations for fixes.
QualWeb
QualWeb is an automated web accessibility tool that checks web pages against WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards. For example, the tool determines whether a website has a responsive design, is keyboard accessible, has a minimum color contrast ratio of 4.5:1, is compatible with assistive technologies, and all images have alt text. The open-source platform can be used as a command line tool, a browser extension, or integrate directly into JavaScript products.
axe Monitor
axe Monitor is an accessibility scanner that reports on the accessibility status of your site. The tool pinpoints where accessibility errors are occurring on your site as well as identifies where accessibility has declined over time. You can use the tool’s reporting tools to drill down further and perform root cause analysis for certain accessibility issues.
AChecker
AChecker monitors accessibility against ADA, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), and EQA compliance across your website. The free scanner provides an accessibility review, highlighting likely and potential problems. It also performs HTML and CSS validation to ensure you don’t have any non-conformant code.
ACHECKS
ACHECKS monitors your website for WCAG 2.0 Level AA conformance using intuitive dashboards available in AChecker and Google Lighthouse. The platform features multiple accessibility testing tools, including an accessibility scanner, PDF checker, and color contrast checker. ACHECKS also enables you to set which WCAG conformance level you want to test content against (i.e. Level A, AA, or AAA).
Accessibility Cloud
Accessibility Cloud’s basic version of its web accessibility testing platform enables you to test and monitor your websites and documents against WCAG, EN 301 549, ADA, Section 508 and more. The free plan includes automatic accessibility testing, multiple compliance targets, accessibility monitoring and email notifications, and more. The basic plan is available for one user and one site and can test up to five pages.
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WAVE
WAVE is a suite of accessibility evaluation tools that help web authors make their content more accessible by remediating WCAG errors. The solution is available as a browser extension and performs accessibility testing directly within your web browser. The extension can also check intranet, password-protected, dynamically generated, or sensitive web pages to further enhance accessibility.
Accessibility Checker
Accessibility Checker is a free ADA and WCAG compliance checker that identifies web accessibility issues and provides recommendations on how to fix them. The platform also features additional free accessibility tools, including a color contrast checker and PDF accessibility checker. After the scan, you’re provided with a detailed, accurate audit of your site's accessibility errors and solution recommendations.
Includia Accessibility Checker
The Includia Accessibility Checker is a free Chrome extension that provides detailed accessibility reports within seconds of scanning your website. The report also contains a breakdown of issue severity, step-by-step instructions for remediation, and accessibility scores. With this information, you can prioritize fixes and better understand the impact of website changes. It also helps you conform to WCAG guidelines.
Most Common Findings with an Accessibility Test
The issues accessibility testing tools uncover vary depending on the specific tool. However, most scan digital content for ADA, Section 508, WCAG, and AODA compliance issues, including:
- Alt text: WCAG guidelines recommend all images or other visual content contain written descriptions that can be read by assistive technologies such as screen readers. This ensures users can understand all information on a web page.
- Color contrast: Poor color contrast (i.e., the difference between web elements and the background) can make reading difficult for users with visual impairments (including low vision or colorblindness). Most accessibility testing tools test contrast ratios to ensure an appropriate balance.
- Navigation issues: Many users with disabilities rely on the use of a keyboard or assistive technologies to navigate the web. Testing tools ensure websites are navigable via these methods; some highlight where navigation improvements can be made.
Most testing tools will scan for common accessibility issues. However, advanced tools look for more nuanced issues such as missing form labels, lack of keyboard focus, or improper heading structure.
What Should You Do with Your Accessibility Testing Results?
After you’ve received the results of your accessibility test, you may wonder: what next? You may be surprised at the volume of errors on your site. Rest assured, even if you find dozens of accessibility errors that range in complexity, you can fix them.
The next step is to conduct additional accessibility testing. Software alone — no matter how advanced — cannot identify all accessibility errors, so human testing is also needed. Once you comprehensively understand your content’s accessibility, you can create a remediation plan.
Remember, accessibility is not a “one-and-done” project, but a journey. It requires ongoing monitoring and adjustments to ensure continued compliance. Conduct regular accessibility scans of your site and supplement them with expert testing. This will help you maintain compliance with accessibility guidelines and create more accessible, inclusive digital content.
Embrace Digital Inclusivity with AudioEye
Each of the accessibility testing tools above provides a great starting point for your accessibility journey. Based on the insights the tools provide, you’ll start to understand how accessible your existing digital content is. This gives you the knowledge needed to break down accessibility barriers and create a more inclusive experience for all users.
AudioEye streamlines your path to accessibility and inclusivity. Our Website Accessibility Checker runs more than 400 accessibility tests — more than any other site scanner — and highlights common accessibility issues. Some issues are automatically resolved by our Automated Fixes, saving you valuable time. Expert Audits performed by our team of experts uncover additional errors with recommendations for remediations. By combining both automated and manual accessibility testing, AudioEye enables you to find and fix more accessibility issues than ever.
Want to learn more about AudioEye? Check out our Digital Accessibility Platform or schedule a demo today.
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