Shopify Accessibility Guide: Best ADA Compliance Apps + Essential Tips

If you run a Shopify store, you probably spend a lot of time figuring out how to reach more shoppers — and turn them into loyal customers. 

But have you thought about the accessibility of your website? Or how accessibility issues can affect the one in four U.S. adults(opens in a new tab) who live with a disability?

Just 3% of the internet is accessible to people with disabilities(opens in a new tab). That’s a pretty big gap — and one that needs to be closed. However, it’s also a significant opportunity to create sites that can be utilized by everyone, regardless of their ability. 

That’s where Shopify apps come in. These apps can help you enhance the accessibility of your site and create an online shopping experience that’s usable and compliant for everyone. But not all Shopify accessibility apps are created equal.

In this guide, we’ll cover the best apps for accessibility, best practices for using them, and key steps for meeting accessibility requirements. We’ll also cover how AudioEye can help you enhance accessibility and effortlessly meet accessibility guidelines with our Digital Accessibility Platform.

A list of accessibility issues: low contrast text, missing alt text, empty links, missing input labels, empty buttons, and missing document language.

Why Shopify Stores Need ADA (and WCAG) Compliance

Accessibility is much more than a legal or ethical issue — for Shopify store owners, it’s a strategic business imperative. In 2024, U.S. retail e-commerce sales were estimated at $1.18 trillion(opens in a new tab).(opens in a new tab) 

That’s a massive market, but most Shopify merchants are missing out on a critical demographic: the disability community. The disability community controls roughly $2.6 trillion in disposable income(opens in a new tab) — a huge revenue opportunity for retailers. Yet, most fail to attract, let alone keep, these users due to poor accessibility. 

According to AudioEye’s 2025 Digital Accessibility Index, which analyzed 15,000 sites, the average web page has 297 accessibility issues. Retail websites had among the highest number of accessibility issues, averaging 350.1 issues per page, creating serious barriers for people with disabilities. 

These aren’t just “small missing alt text” problems — these are significant barriers that can prevent users from completing key tasks like browsing products, interacting with forms, and, most importantly, checking out. 

Digital Accessibility is a Legal Requirement

Aside from the huge revenue opportunity digital accessibility brings, it’s also a legal requirement.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act(opens in a new tab) (ADA), businesses are required to provide equal access to goods and services, including online storefronts. While the ADA doesn’t specify technical standards, the Department of Justice (DOJ) requires businesses to follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines(opens in a new tab) (WCAG), which includes detailed criteria for making content accessible to individuals with disabilities.

The consequences of non-compliance are real. Retailers are at the highest risk of facing ADA lawsuits due to the complexity of their site functionality and the frequency of updates, and accessibility barriers only exacerbate that exposure. These issues don’t just create a legal risk — they can damage your brand reputation and exclude a significant segment of shoppers. As mentioned above, the disability community represents trillions in disposable income, and many will simply abandon a site if they can’t browse products or complete a purchase. 

Beyond the legal and market impact, accessibility improvements can also enhance SEO rankings, as clear headings, descriptive links, and structured content help both users and search engines navigate your site more effectively.

A stylized web browser with green checkmarks showing accessibility errors that have been fixed, next to an accessibility icon

How to Assess Your Shopify Site’s Accessibility

Although accessibility features are built into Shopify’s platform(opens in a new tab), it’s still essential to test your website’s accessibility and conformance with the WCAG.

A good starting point: figuring out how accessible your existing content is. Using automated accessibility tools can help give you a snapshot of your site’s accessibility. For example, AudioEye’s free Web Accessibility Checker automatically scans your site and identifies 32 WCAG violations (more than any other tool on the market). These insights provide a clear starting point for increasing accessibility and delivering a smoother, more usable experience for everyone.

Alongside automated tools, you can also manually review your site to ensure it follows accessibility best practices, including:

• Adding alt text to images: Alt text is a written description of an image that assistive technologies, including screen readers, can read aloud so people with visual impairments, sensory processing disorders, or learning disorders can understand and interact with content. Check that all images on your Shopify site — especially product images — have clear, descriptive alt text.

• Design for sound off: Video is likely a significant part of your Shopify store, whether you’re using it for promotional campaigns, product explanations, customer testimonials, or a combination of the three. Regardless, all video content should have captions and visual descriptions so that users with auditory disabilities or those in noise-sensitive environments can enjoy them.

• Use clear, descriptive headers: Ensure headers follow the proper order (e.g., H1, H2, H3, etc.). Screen readers will announce each header, and it can be confusing for users if you skip heading ranks. 

• Write descriptive links: Descriptive links help users understand where clicking the link will take them. Screen reader users often navigate emails by following links, so providing links that make sense enhances the user experience.

• Ensure sufficient color contrast: To enhance readability for users, ensure your Shopify site has a good color contrast ratio. WCAG guidelines recommend a minimum ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text and 7:1 for larger text. 

• Test for keyboard navigation: Use the ‘Tab’ key to navigate through your site and ensure a visible focus indicator shows exactly where you are on the page. Additionally, test that you can activate buttons and links using the enter key, the spacebar to select or deselect checkboxes and radio buttons, and the arrow keys to change selections in open dropdowns and pre-selected radio buttons.

• Include clear error messages: Enter incorrect data on your forms to check if the error messages are clear and help fix the problem. Make sure you’re using an indicator other than color to denote errors.

• Allow for font customization: Allow users to change the size, type, spacing, and color of text as needed. Additionally, test that the text remains readable when zooming into the content. If it overlaps or text isn’t readable, you may need to increase the line height or letter spacing of your site.

Top Shopify Apps to Help Your Store Be ADA-Compliant

After you’ve evaluated how accessible your current Shopify site is, the next step is figuring out which tools can help you maintain — and continue improving — that foundation. 

The good news: the Shopify app ecosystem includes several accessibility-focused solutions that offer everything from visual adjustments to automated checks. Here’s a look at some of the most commonly used options.

1.AudioEye 

AudioEye integrates seamlessly into your Shopify site, automatically scanning for common accessibility issues and applying fixes through our powerful automation. The platform also includes Expert Audits, with testing performed by accessibility experts and members of the disability community to identify more complex barriers. Plus, with continuous monitoring, you can maintain an accessible experience even as your site changes.

2. Ai Accessibility

Ai Accessibility(opens in a new tab) offers an AI-powered accessibility widget that provides shoppers with tools such as contrast adjustments, font resizing, and keyboard navigation support. It also scans your site for common accessibility issues and provides suggestions to help improve compliance.

3. SEA Accessibility

SEA Accessibility(opens in a new tab) adds an accessibility toolbar to your Shopify store, offering features such as text spacing, color contrast adjustments, and dyslexia-friendly modes. It includes basic scanning capabilities and aims to help Shopify merchants align with key WCAG requirements.

4. Accessibility ADA CartCoders

Accessibility ADA CartCoders(opens in a new tab) provides both a front-end accessibility menu and optional theme updates that improve foundational accessibility. Features include dyslexia-friendly typography, alt text support for images, and basic compliance reporting to help merchants track progress.

5. Accessibility Spark

Accessibility Spark(opens in a new tab) adds an interactive accessibility panel to Shopify sites, providing shoppers with options such as adjustable text size, customizable contrast, and tools to reduce motion or clutter. The widget is designed to provide quick, on-page improvements that help users personalize their interaction with your store.

6. Accessibly 

Accessibly(opens in a new tab) brings a flexible accessibility interface to your Shopify storefront. Visitors can tailor their viewing experience with features like font and color adjustments, grayscale mode, and reading assistance tools. Behind the scenes, the app applies helpful ARIA attributes and markup to improve compatibility with assistive technology.

7. All-in-One Accessibility

All-in-One Accessibility(opens in a new tab) provides a broad set of on-page controls — such as visual enhancements, text-to-speech options, and keyboard-friendly navigation — that help shoppers interact more easily with your website. It also supports multilingual environments, making it a fit for global stores aiming to meet WCAG guidelines.

8. Accessibility Enabler AW

Accessibility Enabler AW(opens in a new tab) equips your store with a toolbar that lets users fine-tune their browsing experience. They can adjust contrast, zoom in on content, modify spacing, and more. The app focuses on giving customers greater control over how they view and navigate your site.

9. Web Comply ADA & WCAG

WebComply ADA & WCAG(opens in a new tab) combines an accessibility interface with automated scanning tools that flag potential issues on your site. The widget helps users adjust visual settings, while the built-in checker assists store owners in identifying gaps related to ADA and WCAG requirements.

10. Accessibility by AppifyCommerce

Accessibility by AppifyCommerce(opens in a new tab) introduces a floating toolbar that allows shoppers to personalize elements such as text size, contrast levels, and cursor visibility. Store owners also gain access to compliance resources and support, enabling them to understand accessibility requirements better.

11. CodeInspire by Accessibility Tool

CodeInspire’s(opens in a new tab) accessibility tool offers simple usability enhancements—such as color adjustments, link highlighting, and text formatting controls—that help make your storefront easier to navigate. Designed to be lightweight, it integrates seamlessly without slowing down your site.

12. Variant Alt Text King: SEO

Variant Alt Text King: SEO(opens in a new tab) focuses on generating structured alt text for product images, including variant-specific photos. While its primary purpose is to support SEO, consistent and descriptive alt text can also enhance the screen-reader experience for shoppers with visual impairments.

13. Readabler

Readabler(opens in a new tab) offers a customizable interface that allows visitors to modify text, spacing, and contrast, along with helpful tools such as a reading guide or screen mask for enhanced focus. The app is designed to support users with visual or cognitive impairments by reducing friction during browsing.

14. Elfsight ADA Compliance Widget

Elfsight’s ADA Compliance Widget(opens in a new tab) offers a customizable interface that enables users to adjust text size, contrast, and page layout. It also includes screen reader support and automated accessibility checks to help merchants address common barriers on their storefronts.

Several translucent browsers float over a purple to green gradient

Comparing Overlay Widgets vs. In-Code/Deep Fixes

One thing to note: Not all Shopify accessibility solutions are created equal. Many apps, also called overlay widgets, sit on top of your existing website and give users the ability to adjust color contrast, text size, or other visual elements. 

While overlays can be helpful in some situations, they don’t actually fix the underlying accessibility issues in your site’s code, meaning most accessibility issues still remain on your site. For example, a product page with improperly coded image descriptions may still be inaccessible to screen reader users, even if a widget allows them to increase text size or change color contrast. 

Relying solely on widgets carries real risks, as accessibility overlays cannot guarantee full ADA compliance. Many businesses have faced legal action despite having an overlay installed. Additionally, overlays can interfere with assistive technology, further complicating the user experience and frustrating users. 

To maximize accessibility, you need a comprehensive accessibility platform that can help fix issues at the code level. These solutions can help fix more complex issues, helping you create a truly accessible experience. For example, AudioEye’s automation can quickly find and fix common accessibility issues. At the same time, our team of experts goes deeper into your store, identifying additional barriers that block users from shopping your Shopify site. Rather than applying temporary or cumbersome fixes, AudioEye permanently fixes issues and creates a truly accessible experience for users.

Implementing Accessibility Across Your Shopify Store

One of the biggest mistakes retailers make when it comes to accessibility is assuming it’s a one-time task — something to implement once and then forget about it. The reality is that accessibility is an ongoing process that requires a combination of automated tools, code fixes, and continuous monitoring. 

Luckily, the process is easier than you think. Here’s a step-by-step approach to help you build accessibility into your workflow and stay aligned with ADA and WCAG guidelines.

1. Start with an Accessibility Scan

Start by running an automated scan to identify accessibility barriers across your site, product pages, navigation, and interactive elements. Tools like AudioEye’s Web Accessibility Checker can quickly flag violations and give you a baseline to work from. Think of this as your roadmap — it tells you what’s broken, what’s missing, and where to focus first.

2. Deploy Accessibility Apps

If you’re using additional Shopify accessibility apps, install them early so you can see how each one interacts with your theme and identify any necessary adjustments before launch. Remember, these apps shouldn’t be your entire approach to accessibility — they should be an added layer of support that enhances the accessibility provided by deeper, code-level fixes.

3. Fix Major Structural Issues

Next, address the core barriers identified in your scan. This may include adding missing alt text, correcting heading hierarchies, improving keyboard navigation, fixing ARIA labeling issues, or ensuring proper form error handling. These structural fixes are what make your site truly usable with screen readers, keyboards, and other assistive technologies. If you’re using AudioEye’s platform, many of these issues can be automatically fixed and continuously monitored. 

4. Test with Assistive Technology — and Real Users

Once basic accessibility features are in place, test your site the way your customers do. Navigate with only a keyboard. Use common assistive technologies, such as VoiceOver, TalkBack, or NVDA, to experience your pages through a screen reader. If possible, involve people with disabilities in user testing — their feedback will reveal real-world barriers that automated tools can’t catch. 

5. Monitor and Re-Scan Regularly

Accessibility isn’t static, especially for e-commerce sites that constantly add new products, apps, and content. Schedule regular rescans and monitor your store for new issues triggered by theme updates, marketing campaigns, or app installations. Platforms like AudioEye can automate much of this process by scanning, detecting, and resolving issues in real-time. 

6. Keep Documentation of All Accessibility Work

Maintain a clear record of all scans, fixes, platform updates, and testing performed. This documentation is invaluable for demonstrating your ongoing compliance efforts — something that can help reduce legal risk if your accessibility is ever questioned. It also provides your team with a historical reference, making accessibility a consistent part of your development and content workflow. 

Someone using a screen reader as assistive technology next to their computer keyboard.

Take the Next Step Toward a More Accessible Website

Remember: Digital accessibility is not a one-time project or something you can fix once and forget about. Every update to your online store — whether it’s uploading new product photos or adding a new video or banner to your homepage announcing your latest deal — is a chance to accidentally introduce new accessibility issues. 

To ensure ongoing accessibility (and earn more customers), you need an accessibility tool that includes automatic fixes, ongoing monitoring, expert testing, and seamless integration with your Shopify site. That’s where AudioEye comes in.

AudioEye seamlessly integrates with your Shopify store, continuously scanning for accessibility issues that put you at risk for non-compliance. With our Automated Fixes and Expert Audits, you’ll enjoy up to 400% more protection than consulting or automation-only approaches, giving you peace of mind that your store is accessible and your business is compliant.

Ready to see AudioEye in action? Start with a free scan or schedule a demo for more information.