9 Best ADA Compliance Software and Services
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Can you make your website more accessible with ADA compliance software? Yes, although you’ll also need expert guidance to get past the finish line. We’ll review those tools and how to further accessibility with expert testing below.
An accessible website isn’t just a nice to have — it’s a legal requirement, one that can have pretty steep consequences if not followed. According to Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), all businesses must provide people with disabilities with the same access to information as those without disabilities.
Equal access doesn’t just extend to physical spaces — the U.S. Department of Justice has repeatedly stated accessibility requirements also extend to online spaces with many businesses facing lawsuits due to ADA non-compliance.
So how do you ensure your digital content meets website compliance standards? That’s where ADA compliance software and services come in. These solutions can help streamline your path to ADA compliance by finding and fixing common accessibility issues. But ADA compliance requires a holistic approach — more complex accessibility issues require human judgment and intervention, which can be missed by accessibility solutions.
Below, we’ll discuss the most popular ADA compliance solutions, including AudioEye, and provide tips for building a sustainable and effective digital accessibility strategy using both automated tools and expert testing.
9 Popular Accessibility Software and Services for ADA Compliance
Web accessibility software falls into two broad categories: automated solutions, which intend to address common compliance issues automatically, and accessibility testing tools, which attempt to identify issues that need to be fixed.
For example, automated SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) solutions can find (and in some cases, fix) many issues that affect real-life users. For example, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) requires a certain level of contrast between text and its background; automated tools can find this issue by looking at a website’s CSS and then make adjustments to meet the WCAG thresholds.
But other issues require human intervention. Images need alternative text (also called alt text) that explains their context, and while artificial intelligence is rapidly improving, humans still need to write alt text to ensure that it’s accurate and descriptive.
No automated solution can guarantee 100% compliance with the ADA or other non-discrimination laws. Your strategy should include manual and automated testing, and you should use software that’s built around the best practices of WCAG, the international standards for digital accessibility.
With that in mind, let’s review 9 of the most commonly used automated solutions and accessibility testing tools.
1. AudioEye
At AudioEye, we understand that there is no silver bullet to solving digital accessibility. But, there is a gold standard that takes a three-pronged approach to achieve compliance with web accessibility standards. AudioEye provides this three-pronged approach with:
- AI-driven automation technology that finds and fixes common accessibility issues in real-time with 24/7 Active Monitoring.
- Expert audits from our team of experts and individuals from the disability community that supplement testing from our automated testing tools for enhanced accessibility and compliance.
- Testing during the development process to proactively address accessibility issues early on and minimize the need for costly fixes.
AudioEye also includes an Accessibility Help Desk that gives visitors a fast, easy way to report new accessibility issues and get support, and AudioEye Assurance, which provides 400% better legal protection than consulting or automation-only approaches.
Why Choose AudioEye
The AudioEye digital accessibility platform seamlessly integrates with your existing workflows, enabling you to maintain compliance without the hassle of time-consuming accessibility fixes. It runs for every visitor — not just once — and simplifies accessibility remediation by fixing many issues automatically.
Web visitors can customize their user experience with our web personalization tools, and the robust Active Monitoring feature provides a realistic, real-time analysis of your website’s conformance.
Most importantly, AudioEye doesn’t rely on automation alone for ADA compliance testing. We help teams learn the best practices of WCAG and implement those practices with expert guidance. AudioEye’s combined approach of automated and expert fixes provides 400% more legal protection than traditional consulting or automation-only solutions and streamlines your path to accessibility compliance.
Pricing: Basic plans start at $49 per month with additional pricing plans available upon request.
2. LERA
Provided by digital accessibility firm AdvancedBytez, LERA is a free automated web accessibility testing and reporting tool. Available as a Chrome extension that scans web pages for WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA violations, generates detailed reports with visualizations, and offers suggestions for remediation.
Why Choose LERA
Like all automated tools, LERA is limited to simple pass-or-fail issues — it’s not a replacement for manual testing, and it doesn’t perform fixes (also known as remediations). Browser extensions are also limited; they operate well on individual pages, but LERA and similar products may not be the best choice for testing content at scale.
LERA features a “reporting dashboard with granular data” and includes a pre-built reporting template for performing basic audits. It features a simple installation and compelling visualizations.
Pricing: The browser extension is free (Note: AdvancedBytez provides other accessibility testing and remediation services at a cost).
3. accessiBe
accessiBe’s accessWidget utilizes two applications that work together to remediate your website. The accessibility interface is responsible for the UI and design-related adjustments, while the AI-powered process handles the complex requirements, such as optimization for screen readers and keyboard navigation.
Why Choose accessiBe
accessiBe is relatively affordable. However, the product’s functionality relies on JavaScript, which may be disabled on certain browsers.
Pricing: Plans start at $49 per month (or $490 per year with annual billing). Standard and advanced plans have page limits, and additional charges apply for premium “addons" such as priority support and monthly remediation reports.
4. WAVE
WAVE is a suite of evaluation tools developed by WebAIM (Web Accessibility In Mind). Like other reporting tools on this list, it doesn’t perform accessibility fixes, but it delivers visual feedback to help developers and content creators fix issues on their own.
The tools are available as browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. WebAIM also provides subscription API options for testing data on many pages at once.
Why Choose WAVE
By providing visual overlays for certain issues (such as missing alternative text and structural tags), WAVE provides intuitive feedback for developers. WebAIM’s site has excellent resources for learning about the best practices of web accessibility.
As with other automated tools, WAVE cannot make your website fully compliant, and WAVE doesn’t claim to guarantee ADA compliance. The API version of the software may be expensive for some applications.
Pricing: The WAVE browser extension is free. Annual licenses for WAVE’s standalone API start at $4000 for up to 100,000 API requests. API credits can also be licensed for $.04 cents per credit, with a minimum purchase of $10.
5. IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker
The IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker is a free, open-source browser extension that helps identify accessibility issues on web pages and PDF documents. It uses IBM’s accessibility rule engine and integrates with other browser development tools.
Why Choose IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker
IBM Equal Access is intended for developers and auditors, so its output can be technical. If you’re learning the basics of accessibility and you don’t have a solid understanding of code and markup, other tools may offer a smoother learning curve.
The accessibility checker is part of IBM’s greater Equal Access Toolkit, which contains resources for planning, designing, developing, testing, and launching digital products. If you’re creating a web app, a mobile app, or a complex website, the Equal Access toolkit provides excellent resources for building with an inclusive design mindset.
Pricing: Free.
6. Total Validator
Total Validator is a website HTML validator that checks for various aspects of site health. Its accessibility tests claim to cover “more than sixty W3C specifications.” The standalone tool also searches for issues with CSS, HTML, broken links and spelling.
Why Choose Total Validator
Total Validator uses WCAG 2.2 for web accessibility. It can be used on offline pages and runs on three operating systems (Windows, macOS, and Linux). The basic version of the software can validate one page at a time, while the professional version is “fully featured for testing entire websites.” A browser extension is also available.
Total Validator provides detailed output, though users may need some technical knowledge to interpret the results. It’s more complex than similar browser extensions, but it’s useful for experienced developers who have at least a basic knowledge of WCAG standards.
Pricing: A basic license home license costs $14, while a professional license costs $52.
7. ChromeLens
ChromeLens is another Chrome extension that helps identify accessibility issues by highlighting elements on a web page with potential problems. It provides visual overlays and annotations to pinpoint areas that may need improvement, such as missing labels or insufficient color contrast.
Why Choose ChromeLens
ChromeLens can be useful for simulating various visual impairments; however, it’s important to remember that web accessibility isn’t only for people who are blind.
While the extension has some features for testing keyboard accessibility, it’s primarily intended to help designers avoid “visual-first" design decisions that might impact users with low vision or color vision deficiencies.
Pricing: Free. Currently, ChromeLens is exclusive to Google Chrome web browser.
8. axe DevTools
axe DevTools is an accessibility testing engine developed by Deque Systems. Available as browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox, it can also be integrated into automated testing environments.
The company’s full software suite includes axe DevTools, a toolkit that can be used to test apps and websites while coding. That toolkit also includes axe Monitor, which can “dynamically scan, monitor, and report on the accessibility status of your entire website.”
Why Choose axe DevTools
The axe toolkit can be set up to run automatically and the results can be integrated into the build process. The DevTools browser extension is free, and can quickly test individual web pages. As the tools are designed for developers, the output can be fairly technical, but Deque has excellent resources for learning the best practices of WCAG.
Pricing: The DevTools web extension is free. Pricing for the full DevTools toolkit varies based on company size and usage. Developers can also use the open-source axe-core automated testing rules library, which powers DevTools, at no charge.
9. Siteimprove
Siteimprove is a comprehensive platform offering a suite of website optimization tools, including accessibility testing. Automated scans identify WCAG violations and offer guidance on remediation. Siteimprove also includes features for assessing content quality and search engine optimization (SEO).
Why Choose Siteimprove
Siteimprove takes a holistic approach to website management with accessibility as a core component. Its user-friendly interface is intuitive for non-technical users.
The platform's breadth makes it a comprehensive platform to manage website accessibility alongside other aspects of website performance. However, teams may need to adapt existing workflows to use the software, and some users report a high incidence of false positives.
Pricing: Varies depending on the chosen plan and features.
Choosing the Right ADA Compliance Software and Service
No accessibility testing tool can find every potential ADA violation, and no automated solution can “fix" a badly broken website. To maintain compliance with the ADA — and to provide users with disabilities with an equivalent experience — you need a comprehensive approach, including:
- Automated Testing: While automation isn’t perfect, it’s essential for finding many of the most serious accessibility issues at scale. Look for tools that can scan your entire website — not just one page at a time — with a minimal number of false positives and false negatives.
- Expert Testing: Automated tools can’t find every WCAG violation. Regular audits, performed by people who use screen readers and other assistive technologies, will provide a better path to compliance.
- Accessibility Remediation Support: Experts can also provide useful feedback for fixing issues in ways that make sense; remember, the goal is to create a better website, not to simply meet the bare minimum requirements.
- Integration with Existing Platforms: If you’re forced to change your CMS or analytics tools to use an accessibility tool, that particular accessibility solution may not be sustainable. Work with developers and designers to make sure that your software will work within established workflows.
- Continuous Monitoring: Every change you make could potentially introduce new accessibility issues, so test your content regularly. Realtime monitoring can help you fix problems and deliver a better user experience.
- Legal Support: Compliance can be complex. Legal support can give you peace of mind if you receive an ADA demand letter.
ADA compliance cannot be guaranteed and maintained with either a software or a service. You need both — along with continuous monitoring from accessibility tools and periodic remediations to meet ADA requirements.
Yes – ADA Compliance is Required
Title III of the ADA applies to all “places of public accommodation,” which includes websites. Even if you’re sure that your business doesn’t have customers with disabilities, you still have a responsibility to provide accessible content (and there’s a good chance that you’re wrong — more than 1 in 4 U.S. adults live with some type of disability).
All digital communications need to be accessible. That includes mobile apps, web-delivered documents (such as PDFs), emails — even social media posts.
But here’s the good news: Most accessibility improvements don’t cost much to implement, and they have enormous benefits for all customers. Adding alt text to an image makes web experiences better for screen reader users, but it can also help users when an image fails to load. Adjusting your site’s color contrast makes it readable for people with color vision deficiencies, and it also helps people who browse in bright ambient light.
And with AudioEye, the path to meeting ADA standards and providing an accessible user experience is fast, easy, and cost-effective. Our hybrid approach to accessibility testing leverages the power of automation with the knowledge provided by accessibility experts, resulting in digital content that’s compliant and accessible.
Ready to get started? Schedule a demo with AudioEye to see our accessibility and compliance services in action.
Want to see how accessible your existing content is? Use our free Web Accessibility Scanner below.
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