Free Website Accessibility Checker
Test any website against WCAG 2.1 A and AA in about a minute. See exactly what screen-reader and keyboard users run into — in plain English, with a fix for every issue.
Check my website free3 free scans per day · No sign-up · Results in 60 seconds
What this accessibility checker does
An accessibility checker scans your web pages and reports where they break the rules that make a site usable for people with disabilities. Those rules are the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), and Level AA is the version referenced by the ADA, AODA, and the European Accessibility Act.
The problem with most tools is that they hand you a wall of technical error codes. WCAGsafe runs the same trusted engine — axe-core, the open-source scanner behind Google Lighthouse — then translates every finding into a sentence a non-developer can act on, points to the exact element, and gives you the fix. You get a score, a legal risk level, and a complete list of what to change.
What the checker tests
WCAG is built on four principles — content should be Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust. The scan covers all four across 55+ automated checks.
Perceivable
People must be able to perceive your content. The checker flags missing image alt text, low color contrast, captions, and text that only conveys meaning through color.
Operable
Everything has to work by keyboard, not just a mouse. It catches keyboard traps, missing focus indicators, skip links, and controls a screen-reader user can never reach.
Understandable
Content and controls must be predictable. It checks page language, form field labels and instructions, and error messages that assistive technology can actually read.
Robust
Your markup has to work with screen readers and other assistive tech. It validates ARIA usage, name/role/value on custom widgets, and duplicate IDs that break navigation.
Who accessibility actually helps
Over 1 billion people worldwide live with a disability. Accessibility barriers quietly turn them away — here is who your fixes reach.
Blind & low-vision users
Rely on screen readers like JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver — they need alt text, labels, and semantic structure.
Motor-impaired users
Navigate by keyboard or switch device — every button, link, and menu must be reachable and operable without a mouse.
Deaf & hard-of-hearing users
Need captions and transcripts for audio and video content to access the same information as everyone else.
Users with cognitive differences
Benefit from clear labels, consistent navigation, readable contrast, and predictable page behavior.
What an automated scan can and can't catch
We'll be straight with you: no automated checker finds 100% of issues. Here's exactly where the line falls, so you know what you're getting.
Caught automatically
- Missing or empty image alt text
- Insufficient color contrast (4.5:1 / 3:1)
- Form inputs with no associated label
- Missing page language attribute
- Empty links and buttons
- Broken or misused ARIA attributes
- Missing document title or heading structure
- Duplicate element IDs that break screen readers
Needs a human check
- Whether alt text actually describes the image well
- Logical reading and focus order across a page
- Whether error messages make sense in context
- Keyboard operation of complex custom widgets
- Caption accuracy and video audio-description
Need help with the manual side? Our team can fix it for you.
How the accessibility checker works
Enter your URL
Paste any public web page. No installation, extension, or code added to your site.
Automated scan
Our engine runs axe-core plus enhanced checks across 55+ WCAG 2.1 A and AA criteria.
Plain-English report
See every issue explained simply, with the exact element, your score, and how to fix it.
Why check your website's accessibility
Reach more customers
One in four U.S. adults has a disability. An inaccessible checkout or form quietly loses those sales — accessible pages serve everyone.
Lower your lawsuit risk
Over 4,000 website accessibility lawsuits are filed in the U.S. each year, most citing WCAG failures. Finding and fixing them removes the common triggers.
Better SEO and UX
Alt text, semantic headings, clear labels, and readable contrast help every visitor — and the same signals help your Google rankings.
WCAGsafe vs. other ways to check
| WCAGsafe | Browser extension | Overlay widget | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain-English results | |||
| No setup or install | |||
| Fix instructions included | |||
| Scans multiple pages | |||
| Fixes real code (not a script) | |||
| Shareable report & certificate |
Accessibility Checker FAQs
What is a website accessibility checker?
A website accessibility checker is a tool that scans your web pages and reports where they fail accessibility standards — the rules that make a site usable for people with disabilities. WCAGsafe tests your pages against WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA and returns each issue in plain English, with the specific element and a fix, instead of raw error codes.
Is the WCAGsafe accessibility checker really free?
Yes. You get 3 free scans per day with no account and no credit card. Each free scan returns your accessibility score, your issue count, and a preview of the violations found. Paid plans unlock every violation, step-by-step fix instructions, PDF export, and monthly monitoring.
Which accessibility standard does it test against?
WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA — the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines maintained by the W3C. This is the same benchmark referenced by the U.S. Department of Justice for the ADA, by AODA in Canada, and by the European Accessibility Act. The scan runs axe-core, the open-source engine behind Google Lighthouse and Chrome DevTools, plus our own enhanced checks.
Can an automated checker find every accessibility problem?
No — and any tool that claims otherwise is not being honest. Automated testing reliably catches a large share of issues (missing alt text, contrast, labels, ARIA errors), but some things need human judgment: whether alt text is meaningful, whether reading order makes sense, whether a custom widget is truly keyboard-operable. WCAGsafe automates everything it safely can and tells you plainly where a manual check is still needed.
Do I need to install anything or add code to my site?
No. Paste your URL and the scan runs on our servers — no browser extension, no plugin, and no script added to your website. Nothing changes on your site; the checker only reads your public pages the way a visitor would.
How is this different from an accessibility overlay widget?
An overlay is a script you add to your site that claims to auto-fix accessibility. Overlays are widely criticized by disabled users and have been named in lawsuits because they do not fix the underlying code. WCAGsafe is the opposite: it finds the real code issues so you (or a developer) can fix them properly. It changes nothing on your site.
How is this different from a browser extension like Lighthouse or axe DevTools?
They share the same axe-core engine, so the underlying checks overlap — but a browser extension tests one page at a time on your machine and returns technical output. WCAGsafe scans without any setup, explains each issue in plain English, adds enhanced checks beyond axe-core, can crawl multiple pages on paid plans, and produces a shareable report and certificate.
Will fixing the issues it finds make my website accessible?
Fixing them removes the most common and most-cited barriers, which is a large and important step. But full accessibility also depends on the manual factors above and on new content staying accessible over time. Treat the checker as your fast, repeatable baseline — not a one-time guarantee. WCAGsafe does not provide legal advice.
Can I check accessibility on a WordPress, Shopify, Wix, or Squarespace site?
Yes. The checker works on any public URL regardless of the platform — WordPress, Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, or fully custom code. It reads the rendered page the way a browser does, so it tests the real HTML your visitors get, not the builder you used to create it. Platform-specific guides are on our blog for Wix, Shopify, and WordPress/WooCommerce.
How does WCAGsafe compare to WAVE, Lighthouse, or axe DevTools?
WAVE, Lighthouse, and axe DevTools are solid free tools aimed at developers — they annotate one page at a time and return technical output you interpret yourself. WCAGsafe uses the same axe-core engine under the hood, then adds plain-English explanations, enhanced checks beyond axe-core, multi-page crawling on paid plans, per-issue fix instructions, and a shareable report and certificate. If you are a developer who lives in DevTools, keep using them; if you want a clear answer and a fix list without reading spec numbers, this is built for that.
How often should I run an accessibility check?
Any time your site changes — a new theme, a redesign, added pages, a new plugin or app, or fresh content — can introduce new accessibility issues. A good rhythm is to scan after every significant change and at least monthly. Paid plans include automated monthly monitoring that re-scans your site and emails you if a regression appears, so you are not relying on memory.
Keep exploring
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