An ADA-compliant website delivers accessibility and inclusive experience to all users, maximizing ranking and conversion opportunities. The only way to achieve this trait is by checking your website with an ADA compliance scanner.
The right website accessibility checker helps in identifying and resolving accessibility issues that may contradict the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
But which one is the right tool for your website?
Let’s narrow down your choices to free accessibility checker tools and find out which one meets the bare minimum ADA compliance. Later, you can always switch to their paid versions with advanced features.
This guide compares the top 5 free ADA compliance scanners, analyzing their features, ease of use, and other functionalities. Plus, you’ll learn a number of tricks to improve your website accessibility score.
Let’s get started!
What is ADA Compliance?
ADA is an abbreviation for the Americans with Disabilities Act. According to this act, all businesses operating in the US for US-based customers must ensure their online platforms (websites, software, or mobile apps) offer the same level of accessibility to disabled people as normal people.
ADA compliance takes into account different types of disabilities, such as:
- Mental impairments — intellectual disability, mental illness, or specific learning disabilities
- Physical impairments — Physiological disorders, disfigurements, or anatomical losses
- Major life activities — Seeing, listening, speaking, learning, walking, eating, and communicating
This act protects the rights of over 70 million US-based citizens, providing them with an opportunity to use online platforms and tools like normal people. Websites must follow the Website Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to make sure everyone, including people with disabilities, can benefit from them.
ADA Compliance Levels
There are three ADA compliance levels:
| Levels | Importance | Description |
| A | Minimum level | It addresses the most basic web elements to ensure content is perceivable and usable. |
| AA | Medium level | It is commonly required for legal compliance. It addresses common barriers related to user experience. |
| AAA | The highest level | It is recommended for sites aiming to provide an exceptional accessibility experience, though not always required. |
Standards for ADA-Compliant Websites
The Website Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) proposed detailed documentation addressing almost all the issues regarding website accessibility. These approaches have been narrowed down to four core principles.
An ADA-compliant website meets the following basic standards:
- It should be perceivable. The information available on your website should include text descriptions, alt texts, captions, audio versions of content, etc.
- The website should be operable. It deals with user interface and navigation, enhancing content compatibility so users can scroll and scan it using keyboard-only setups or other specific tools.
- The information should be easy to understand. This principle includes clear and concise paragraphs, readable text with color contrast, and short and actionable instructions.
- It must be robust. Users can access the website content using assistive technology, such as screen readers and other tools meant for visually impaired individuals.
Choosing the Right ADA Compliance Scanner
Websites differ according to the products and services they deliver. So, their content structure, navigation, and other elements may differ from others. Similarly, web accessibility checkers vary in terms of functionalities and features.
As a website owner, you need to ensure your website serves everyone, including people with disabilities. Therefore, choosing the right ADA compliance website checker that can address all the major issues becomes critical.
Here are some of the most common issues that free accessibility checkers should be able to identify:
Issues with the Alt-text
Text descriptions stored in the “alt” attributes of the images and videos allow disabled people to understand their purpose. An accessibility checker ensures that the description is available. It also ensures that the text is concise and has relevance.
Issues with Color Contrast
Poor color contrast between the text and its background often troubles people with low vision. A Free ADA compliance scanner can identify this problem.
Complex Navigation
A good accessibility checker can identify poor or complicated navigation — complex menus, for instance — that often challenge people with motor disabilities relying on keyboard-only setups.
Top 5 Free ADA Compliance Scanners
With these five free accessibility checkers, you can align your website with ADA standards and build a more inclusive digital space:
1. Accessibility Spark
Accessibility Spark is an AI-powered scanner compatible with ADA, WCAG 2.1, Section 508, and European and Australian accessibility standards. It offers a comprehensive website accessibility analysis, cross-checking your website across various standards and suggesting changes.
The platform offers free web accessibility testing, identifying potential flaws on your website and suggesting changes with respect to:
- Keyboard navigation
- Screen reader adjustment
- Color selections
- Orientation adjustments
- Display adjustments, etc.
The paid version scans your website regularly, offering daily compliance and monitoring. Want to try it? Get a 5-day free trial before choosing a suitable package. Starting pricing is $99.99/month.
2. WAVE
The WAVE is a simple ADA compliance website checker launched by WebAIM, a non-profit organization. This ADA compliance scanner has free and paid versions and is also available as a browser extension.
The WAVE API is a paid application that automates website accessibility testing. It allows you to schedule accessibility checks and assess custom viewport sizes. It also validates whether the page behind the login is secure.
3. IBM Accessibility Toolkit
Another powerful accessibility checker, the IBM Accessibility Toolkit, is an open-source application for developers and testers. It offers a plethora of resources to adjust the accessibility of your mobile app or desktop site.
IBM’s accessibility checker is a browser extension that allows developers and website owners to evaluate their website’s accessibility at any time. Its enterprise version allows you to onboard other team members with equal access.
Whether you’re developing a website or testing its automation, this toolkit will guide you through all the stages.
4. AChecks
AChecks is another ADA compliance accessibility scanner that is also compatible with AODA and WCAG 2 AA. It offers serval different features, including:
- Checking multiple domains
- Inspecting page limits
- Analyzing the site’s hierarchy, etc.
Its dashboard provides access to web analytics, allowing you to check report summaries and identify potential issues related to your website.
Achecks offers Free Tools in bundles for different purposes. These include:
- AChecker + Web Accessibility Checker
- AChecker Legacy Web Accessibility Checker
- WCAG 2 Accessible Colour Contrast Checker
- APCA Accessible Colour Contrast Checker
5. Accessibility Checker
Accessibility Checker is another website accessibility testing tool with free and paid versions. It is compatible with WCAG 2.1 and offers detailed reports on ADA violations — missing alt text, broken links, poor contrast ratio, etc.
Unlike the IBM toolkit, this free compliance checker offers simple and actionable remedial steps, so even beginners with no background in development can use it to improve their website’s accessibility.
Quick Tips to Improve Website Accessibility
1. Improving Keyboard Navigation
If a certain action on your website is performed via a mouse, there must be backup keys, too. For example, using the Enter key to submit forms is common across websites.
Pay attention to the interactive elements (forms, links, CTA tabs, etc.). Ensure that these elements are navigable through the Space and Tab keys.
By simplifying interactive elements, you can make it easier for people with motor disabilities to interact with your content.
2. Adjusting Color Contrast
Ensuring color contrast is the most critical factor in website accessibility. While there is no specific color palette from ADA, you can follow the WCAG contrast ratio for normal and large text.
- For normal text — higher than 4.5:1
- For the large text — higher than 3:1
You can mix and match color palettes to get the desired results.
3. Inserting Alternative Text
Provide a detailed text description for images, icons, videos, and multimedia. This should help people with visual impairments to interpret the content on your website. Don’t forget that the text should be concise, precise, and not redundant.
4. Incorporating Resizable Text
Ensure that your website contains text that can be resized up to 200% without losing its functionality. Why is it an important accessibility matrix? This way, people with low vision can zoom in and interact with your content.
5. Using Semantic HTML
Semantic HTML elements such as <article>, <main>, <header>, and <footer> help explain your website’s structure to assistive technologies. Tags, such as H1, H2, H3, etc., organize the content, making the content navigable for screen readers.
6. Designing Accessible Forms
Accessible forms contain labeled elements. The buttons, text fields, and checkboxes have labeled instructions to help screen readers interpret their meanings to the visually impaired users.
Consider a form with labels such as First Name: [blank], Last Name: [blank], contact number: [blank], etc. A screen reader can easily communicate the purpose of the field and the required action to be taken by the user.
7. Adding Audio/Video Transcripts
The audio and video content on your website must have captions and text transcripts so that users with auditory deficiencies can understand it. This simple change can help you enhance your accessibility score.
8. Using Focus Indicators
These visual cues help users with keyboard-only setups navigate a website seamlessly. The focus indicator shows the currently active location or focused element on the web page. In simple words, it shows where your keyboard focus is.
9. Preventing Automatic Content Changes
Auto-plays, pop-ups, and sliders can disorient or mislead people with disabilities. You must avoid these elements as much as possible to adhere to the ADA compliance checklist.
However, when it’s absolutely necessary, users must be able to stop, pause, or adjust the functions according to their requirements.
10. Communicating Error Identification
If the interactive elements encounter errors, the website must display clear instructions. Replace technical language with user-friendly messages to help users make corrections.
Final Thoughts
The above list of free tools should help you find the best ADA compliance scanner for your website. Some of them are technical, while others are quite user-friendly.
However, if you want a quicker and hassle-free solution, opting for Accessibility Spark may be the right option.
The platform offers AI-powered website accessibility testing to check your website across multiple standards at once. It efficiently highlights the weaknesses and suggests corrections.
Join Accessibility Spark to keep accessibility issues at bay!