Blog Testing tools

Helpful Web Accessibility Tools

By Simon Dakin 2 min read

What tools help identify problems which may be restricting the use of your website? The right tools let you take action and quickly resolve accessibility issues. Here is a curated list of reliable, actively maintained tools to get you started.

Automated testing tools

  • WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool:A free browser-based tool from WebAIM that visualises accessibility issues directly on your page.
  • axe DevTools:A powerful browser extension and API from Deque that finds WCAG issues with zero false positives. Available for Chrome and Firefox.
  • Pa11y:An open-source command-line tool and dashboard for automated accessibility testing at scale.
  • SortSite:Tests entire websites for accessibility, broken links, and other quality issues.

Colour contrast checkers

Guidelines and checklists

Screen reader software

  • NVDA:A free, open-source screen reader for Windows. An essential testing tool for web developers.
  • JAWS:The world's most widely used commercial screen reader, used extensively by people with vision impairments in workplace settings.
  • VoiceOver: Apple's built-in screen reader on Mac and iOS; no download required. Enable it via System Settings > Accessibility.
  • TalkBack: Google's built-in screen reader for Android devices.

Browser extensions

Platform accessibility resources

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Testing WAVE axe Screen readers

Common questions about web accessibility tools

What’s the best free accessibility tool?

There’s no single “best” tool - but axe DevTools (free browser extension), WAVE (free in-browser scanner), NVDA (free screen reader for Windows) and Color Contrast Analyser are widely used and combine well. For automated coverage, axe-core is the most commonly used open-source rule engine and can be integrated into CI pipelines.

What’s the difference between automated and manual accessibility testing?

Automated tools scan code for predictable failures - missing alt text, low contrast, missing labels, broken landmark structure. They typically catch 30-40% of WCAG issues. Manual testing covers what tools cannot: meaningful content quality, keyboard usability, focus management, screen-reader experience, and cognitive load. A real accessibility programme uses both; neither alone is sufficient.

Can a single tool guarantee WCAG conformance?

No. No tool guarantees conformance - every credible accessibility programme combines multiple tools, manual expert review, and assistive-technology testing. A clean automated scan is necessary but not sufficient. Beware of any tool or vendor that claims to deliver compliance from a scan alone.

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