Best Free Website Accessibility Checkers in 2026 — Compared
You need to check if your website is accessible. Maybe the European Accessibility Act (EAA) just made you nervous. Maybe a client asked about WCAG compliance. Maybe you just want to do the right thing.
Whatever the reason, you want a free tool that actually works. There are dozens of options — here's an honest comparison of the best ones available right now.
Quick Comparison Table
| Tool | Free Tier | WCAG Version | Speed | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PlanningTel Scanner | 3 scans/day, instant score | WCAG 2.1 | 10 seconds | Small businesses wanting a score + fix plan |
| WAVE | Unlimited (single page) | WCAG 2.2 | 5-10 seconds | Developers debugging specific pages |
| axe DevTools | Unlimited (browser extension) | WCAG 2.2 | Instant | Developers in Chrome DevTools |
| Lighthouse | Unlimited (built into Chrome) | WCAG 2.1 | 15-30 seconds | Developers wanting a broad site audit |
| accessScan | Limited scans | WCAG 2.1 | 30-60 seconds | Non-technical users |
| Silktide | Browser extension | WCAG 2.2 | Varies | Marketers and content editors |
1. PlanningTel Accessibility Scanner
Best for: Small business owners who want a clear score and actionable fixes without technical knowledge.
PlanningTel's scanner checks your website against 17 WCAG 2.1 criteria and gives you a letter grade (A to F) with a score out of 100. You get your top issues immediately — no sign-up required.
What makes it different:
- Designed for non-developers — plain English explanations, not WCAG jargon
- Instant letter grade makes it easy to understand where you stand
- Paid reports (from £4.99) include exact fixes you can hand to a web developer
- EAA Compliance Package (£49) includes executive summary, compliance matrix, and phased action plan
Limitations: 3 free scans per day. Single-page scan (doesn't crawl your entire site). Report generation is paid.
2. WAVE (WebAIM)
Best for: Developers who want detailed, visual feedback on accessibility issues.
WAVE is the gold standard for accessibility testing. It overlays icons directly on your page showing exactly where issues are. Available as a web tool and browser extension.
Strengths:
- Visual overlay shows issues in context
- Unlimited free scans
- Highly detailed — shows contrast ratios, ARIA usage, structural issues
- Trusted by accessibility professionals worldwide
Limitations: Overwhelming for non-developers. No score or grade — you need to interpret the results yourself. One page at a time.
3. axe DevTools (Deque)
Best for: Front-end developers who want to catch issues during development.
axe is a browser extension that integrates into Chrome DevTools. It's the engine behind many other accessibility tools and catches a wide range of WCAG violations.
Strengths:
- Industry-standard testing engine
- Zero false positives (they guarantee it)
- Integrates into development workflow
- Free browser extension is genuinely powerful
Limitations: Requires Chrome DevTools knowledge. Not suitable for non-technical users. Full-site scanning requires paid tier.
4. Google Lighthouse
Best for: Developers who want accessibility as part of a broader performance audit.
Lighthouse is built into Chrome and tests performance, SEO, best practices, and accessibility in one scan. The accessibility score is based on axe-core.
Strengths:
- Free, unlimited, built into Chrome
- Combines accessibility with performance and SEO metrics
- Industry-standard benchmarking tool
Limitations: Accessibility section is limited compared to dedicated tools. Results can vary between runs. Technical output.
5. accessScan (accessiBe)
Best for: Non-technical users who want a downloadable report.
accessScan provides a free accessibility scan with a downloadable report. It's designed for business owners rather than developers.
Strengths:
- Clean, simple interface
- Downloadable PDF report
- No technical knowledge required
Limitations: Made by accessiBe, whose overlay product is controversial in the accessibility community. Limited number of free scans.
Which Tool Should You Use?
It depends on who you are:
- Business owner with no technical background? Start with PlanningTel — you'll get a clear grade and know exactly where you stand in 10 seconds.
- Developer debugging accessibility? Use WAVE or axe DevTools — they give you the technical detail you need.
- Running a broad site audit? Use Lighthouse for the overview, then a dedicated tool for deep accessibility testing.
- Need a report for compliance? PlanningTel's EAA Compliance Package gives you everything you need to hand to your web developer or show to an auditor.
Why Accessibility Matters More in 2026
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) came into force on 28 June 2025. Businesses selling to EU customers must now meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. The UK Equality Act 2010 already requires "reasonable adjustments" for disabled users — and an inaccessible website increasingly fails that test.
This isn't theoretical risk. Accessibility lawsuits have increased year-on-year, and regulators are paying attention. The cost of fixing issues early is a fraction of the cost of responding to a complaint.
The first step is knowing where you stand.