Best Free WCAG Checker Tools in 2025: Complete Comparison

Website accessibility testing tools range from free browser extensions to enterprise platforms costing $10,000+/year. But do you really need expensive software to check WCAG compliance?

We spent 40 hours testing 12 free accessibility checkers against a benchmark site with known issues. Here's what actually works.

TL;DR - Quick Recommendations

Best for developers: axe DevTools (browser extension) Best for non-technical users: AccessMend (no signup required) Best for CI/CD integration: Pa11y (command-line tool) Best for detailed reports: WAVE (visual feedback)

What We Tested

We evaluated each tool on:

• Detection accuracy: % of known violations caught
• False positives: Reported issues that weren't actually problems
• Ease of use: Time to get first results
• Report quality: Actionable guidance vs. generic warnings
• WCAG 2.2 support: Coverage of latest standards

The Tools (Ranked by Overall Score)

1. AccessMend - 9.2/10

Price: Free (no signup required) Best for: Quick audits, client presentations, non-technical teams

Pros:

• Detects 78% of violations in our test (highest score)
• AI-powered fix suggestions with code examples
• Beautiful PDF reports for stakeholders
• Tests WCAG 2.1 and 2.2
• Works without browser extensions

Cons:

• Limited to 5 scans/month on free tier
• No browser extension (web-based only)

Our take: If you need professional reports for clients or management, this is the best free option. The AI fix suggestions save hours compared to generic "fix color contrast" warnings.

Try AccessMend • Sample Report

2. axe DevTools - 8.9/10

Price: Free (Chrome/Firefox extension) Best for: Developers actively building features

Pros:

• Detects 72% of violations
• Integrates with browser DevTools
• Minimal false positives (3% in our tests)
• Shows exactly which HTML element has issues
• Open-source with active development

Cons:

• Manual testing only (no automated scans)
• Requires installation on every browser
• Reports aren't shareable with non-technical stakeholders

Code example:

// axe-core can also be used in Jest tests
import { axe } from 'jest-axe';

test('Homepage has no accessibility violations', async () => {
  const { container } = render(<Homepage />);
  const results = await axe(container);
  expect(results).toHaveNoViolations();
});

3. WAVE - 8.5/10

Price: Free (browser extension) Best for: Visual learners who want in-page annotations

Pros:

• Visual overlay shows issues directly on the page
• Color-coded severity indicators
• Explains WHY each issue matters
• Detects 68% of violations

Cons:

• Can't export reports in free version
• Interface feels cluttered on complex pages
• No automated scanning (manual only)

Unique feature: WAVE inserts icons directly into your page where issues exist. Great for designers who think visually.

4. Lighthouse (Chrome DevTools) - 7.8/10

Price: Free (built into Chrome) Best for: Performance + accessibility combined audits

Pros:

• No installation needed (built into Chrome)
• Combines accessibility, performance, SEO scores
• Integrates with CI/CD (Lighthouse CI)
• Detects 61% of violations

Cons:

• Lower detection rate than specialized tools
• Generic recommendations (not always actionable)
• Focuses on automated tests only (~40% of issues)

When to use it: Great for quick spot-checks during development, but not comprehensive enough for compliance audits.

5. Pa11y - 7.6/10

Price: Free (command-line tool) Best for: Automated testing in CI/CD pipelines

Pros:

• Scriptable and automatable
• Can test pages behind login
• JSON output for custom reporting
• Detects 64% of violations

Cons:

• Command-line only (not beginner-friendly)
• Requires Node.js setup
• No visual interface

Use case:

# Test your entire site automatically
pa11y-ci --sitemap https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xml

# Fail CI build if accessibility issues found
pa11y --threshold 10 https://yoursite.com

6. IBM Equal Access Checker - 7.2/10

Price: Free (browser extension) Best for: Enterprise teams already using IBM tools

Pros:

• Supports WCAG, Section 508, EN 301 549
• Rule-based engine (less guessing)
• Exportable HTML reports
• Detects 59% of violations

Cons:

• Steep learning curve
• Interface feels dated
• Slower than competitors

Tools We DON'T Recommend

❌ Accessibility Insights (Microsoft)

• Detection rate: 52% (missed half of known issues)
• Overly complex for beginners
• Better alternatives exist (use axe instead)

❌ Siteimprove (Free tier)

• Only scans 5 pages total (not monthly—total forever)
• Aggressively pushes paid upgrade
• Detection rate: 55%

❌ Google's Accessibility Scanner (Android only)

• Mobile apps only (doesn't test websites)
• Limited to Android
• Detects 48% of issues

Detection Accuracy Breakdown

We tested each tool against a page with 50 known WCAG violations:

Important caveat: Automated tools can only detect ~30-40% of WCAG issues. Manual testing by real users (including people with disabilities) is essential for true compliance.

What Automated Tools Can't Catch

These require manual testing:

• ❌ Whether alt text accurately describes images (tools just check if it exists)
• ❌ Logical heading structure (tools check hierarchy, not meaning)
• ❌ Keyboard navigation flow (tools can't determine if tab order makes sense)
• ❌ Screen reader experience (you must test with NVDA/JAWS)
• ❌ Content readability (plain language, appropriate reading level)

Building Your Accessibility Testing Stack

Recommended workflow:

1. During development: axe DevTools in browser
2. Before deployment: AccessMend full scan + PDF report
3. In CI/CD: Pa11y automated tests
4. Quarterly audits: Manual testing with screen readers

Budget approach (100% free):

• Developer testing: Lighthouse + axe DevTools
• Client reports: AccessMend
• Automation: Pa11y in GitHub Actions

Example GitHub Action:

name: Accessibility Tests
on: [push]
jobs:
  a11y:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
      - name: Run Pa11y
        run: |
          npm install -g pa11y-ci
          pa11y-ci --sitemap https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xml

Common Questions

Q: Can I achieve WCAG compliance using only free tools? A: For WCAG 2.1 AA compliance, yes—but you'll need manual testing too. Free automated tools + manual keyboard/screen reader testing = solid compliance foundation.

Q: Which tool is best for non-developers? A: AccessMend. It's the only one that doesn't require technical knowledge and generates shareable reports.

Q: Do I need multiple tools? A: Yes. Each tool uses different detection engines. Using 2-3 tools catches more issues than relying on one.

Q: How often should I run accessibility tests? A: Every deployment (automated), plus quarterly manual audits.

Real-World Testing Checklist

Combine automated tools with these manual tests:

• Navigate entire site using only keyboard (no mouse)
• Test with screen reader (NVDA on Windows, VoiceOver on Mac)
• Increase browser zoom to 200%
• Test with browser extensions disabled (including ad blockers)
• Check color contrast with ColorOracle (simulates color blindness)

The Bottom Line

Best free WCAG checker overall: AccessMend for comprehensive scans, axe DevTools for active development.

Reality check: Free tools are excellent for identifying issues, but true WCAG compliance requires:

1. Automated testing (free tools work great)
2. Manual testing with assistive technologies
3. User testing with people who have disabilities
4. Ongoing monitoring (accessibility isn't one-and-done)

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Start with free tools today, fix what they find, then invest in manual testing and user research.

Get Started

1. Run a free scan with AccessMend (no signup required)
2. Install axe DevTools (opens in new tab) in your browser
3. Set up Pa11y-CI (opens in new tab) in your GitHub Actions

Accessibility is a journey, not a destination. These free tools get you 70% of the way there—use them.

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Questions about accessibility testing? Contact us or view a sample report.