DevOps

The Top 8 Accessibility Testing Solutions

Discover the Top Accessibility Testing Solutions with features such as manual testing support, usability testing, and multi-platform support.

Last updated on Aug 06, 2024

Written by Mirren McDade

Technical review by Laura Iannini

The Top 8 Accessibility Testing Solutions include:

1. accessiBe
2. AudioEye
3. axe by Deque Systems
4. BrowserStack
5. Crownpeak
6. Monsido by Acquia
7. Silktide
8. Siteimprove

As our daily lives move more and more into online spaces, the need for those spaces to be accessible to all increases. Much in the way physical spaces must accommodate a wide range of accessibility needs, so too must websites, mobile applications, or other digital products ensure a seamless user experience for all patrons, regardless of their abilities.

Accessibility testing is a great way to ensure that your digital services are accessible to all, ensuring a smooth experience that rewards you with a larger pool of potential customers. These tools check sites and apps against important guidelines like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and American with Disabilities Act, removing barriers for users with disabilities that may affect their hearing, vision, or mobility.

Maintaining good accessibility creates a better experience for everyone. It’s not just about legal compliance, it’s also about inclusivity and reaching a wider, more varied audience. By including accessibility testing early in the development process, you can build products that everyone can enjoy.

In this article, we will identify the top Accessibility Testing Solutions, basing our selection on factors like ease-of-use, scope of testing, and support for different accessibility standards. We will also take into consideration how well each solution integrates with other tools, and how comprehensive their reporting capabilities are.

accessiBe

accessiBe is a comprehensive suite of products and services focused on enhancing website inclusivity for all users. It combines adaptive tools, AI auditing, developer guidance, and expert services to enhance web accessibility.

What We Like: The platform can be deployed within minutes and offers proof of accessibility compliance through partnering with hundreds of disability-tolerance organizations. The platform is linguistically diverse, available in 20 languages.

Best Features:

accessWidget allows users to tailor website’s UI to their specific accessibility needs
accessFlow is an accessibility co-pilot for developers, integrating with current tools to spot and rectify accessibility faults
accessScan facilitates quick and automated accessibility testing to deliver detailed audits of website accessibility
accessServices combines user and expert auditing for a thorough review of website’s accessibility

We Recommend: accessiBe is ideal for a broad spectrum of organizations, from small businesses to large corporations. With clients like Nintendo, GE, and British Airways, it’s a proven, scalable solution for enhancing web accessibility.

AudioEye

AudioEye is an all-round web accessibility solution that provides automated remedies for common problems, round-the-clock monitoring, and expert assistance.

What We Like: AudioEye combines effective automation with manual tests by trained professionals and offers comprehensive strategies to track, solve, and monitor accessibility concerns without overwhelming clients with an extensive list of issues to fix.

Best Features:

Continuous active monitoring that tests for accessibility issues in real time with every page load
Over 70 automated remedies available to solve common problems flagged by active monitoring
Comprehensive reports for easy analysis and tracking of accessibility issues
Expert audits identify hard-to-find issues, focusing on most-visited pages while using a variety of assistive tech and browsers

We Recommend: AudioEye is suitable for brands and organizations of all sizes, with over 122,000 brands already using it. The platform provides both self-managed and fully managed plan options that cater to different needs.

axe by Deque Systems

Axe by Deque Systems is a comprehensive suite of tools designed to enhance the accessibility of digital content like websites and mobile applications.

What We Like: Axe brings over two decades of industry expertise to identify and rectify accessibility issues. It offers a diverse range of testing methodologies to adapt to any platform.

Best Features:

Versatile DevTools for automated accessibility testing across multiple coding languages, environments, and testing frameworks
Axe Auditor tool streamlines manual testing to ensure regulatory compliance
Axe Monitor tool for active scanning and status reporting on web accessibility
Expert accessibility audits, remediation services, and program strategy consultancy to enforce and enhance accessibility norms

We Recommend: Axe is best suited for organizations of all sizes prioritizing web accessibility. It’s particularly beneficial for teams looking to enforce robust accessibility guidelines, while leveraging automated, semi-automated, and manual testing methodologies.

BrowserStack

BrowserStack is a comprehensive testing solution for websites, web apps, and mobile apps that aims to enhance performance and enforce compliance.

What We Like: The solution is compatible with popular third-party tools like GitLab, Jenkins, and Jira, as well as delivering an SDK for easy automation.

Best Features:

A sophisticated website scanner for accessibility check and progress monitoring
Workflow analyzer to pinpoint issues rapidly
Testing features with widely-used screen readers such as NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack
Assisted and automated tests for focused and systematic error detection

We Recommend: With over 6 million developers and 50,000 organizations as users globally, including prominent clients like Microsoft and Expedia, BrowserStack is a trustable solution suitable for both individual developers and large enterprises seeking a robust testing tool.

Crownpeak

Crownpeak is an AI-powered digital experience platform that embeds accessibility within its functionality, covering websites, mobile sites, apps, and various digital content.

What We Like: Crownpeak seamlessly integrates with any CMS platform and prioritizes accessibility by embedding tools right in the content creation process.

Best Features:

Automated real-time scanning for accessibility and quality issues following WCAG guidelines
Customized automated checks for content adherence to quality and style guidelines
Prioritized insights on fixing the most critical issues
A dedicated team of in-house experts for creating custom accessibility solutions and offering continuous support

We Recommend: Crownpeak works for websites, mobile sites / apps, documents like PDFs, and other digital content. This solution is ideal for businesses with large web content ecosystems, and it has already gained trust from well-known enterprises like Asos and Unilever.

Monsido by Acquia

Monsido is a digital experience solution that assists with web optimization and accessibility. It is designed to promote inclusivity and compliance within digital interfaces.

What We Like: Monsido effectively integrates with numerous recognized CMS platforms. Additionally, it provides an inclusive toolkit that empowers web design teams to address accessibility issues proactively.

Best Features:

Offers the convenience of running automated scan sessions or on-demand scans when needed
Delivers insightful ideas for improvements and prioritizes issues after a scan
Allows delegating detected issues to suitable team members for rapid resolution
Records compliance progress over time with an integrated audit log feature
Provides a browser extension to detect and rectify issues while browsing the website

We Recommend: Being utilized by major clients such as Colorado State University and Nestle, Monsido is suitable for organizations that have teams dedicated to developing and managing web content. The platform’s pricing depends on the website’s page count and complexity and offers unlimited user capacity and support.

Silktide

Silktide Suite is a comprehensive website quality controller that combines intelligent digital accessibility features with expert auditing services, making your website content universal.

What We Like: Silktide combines instructional and gamification elements for organization-wide engagement in maintaining website accessibility. Direct CMS integration allows your teams to rapidly introduce modifications.

Best Features:

Automated scanning and reporting of accessibility issues
Constant monitoring of all web content, including interactive website sections
Task division for easy remediation
Pre-publication accessibility scrutiny for keeping sites standardized and away from new issues

We Recommend: Silktide is highly recommended for organizations that require expert suggestions and personal attention. Clients include eBay, University of Oxford, and the NHS, proving its value in maintaining top-notch web accessibility.

Siteimprove

Siteimprove is a digital performance and governance platform that includes a robust solution for web accessibility and quality assurance, ensuring an effective online experience for all users.

What We Like: Siteimprove aids in compliance with regulatory standards such as WCAG, ADA, Section 508, and EAA, with numerous integrations ensuring its compatibility with pre-existing tools.

Best Features:

Automated checks of all web pages, PDFs, and content against WCAG standards
Page Reports identify accessibility and QA issues, offering corrective instructions
Accessibility scoring, customizable dashboards, and automated reporting measure and document compliance progress
The ability to customize internal policies, supplementing regulatory standards

We Recommend: Siteimprove is particularly effective for larger organizations with in-house development teams. Companies like Akamai and Cuisinart are among their notable clients.

The Top 8 Accessibility Testing Solutions

Everything You Need to Know About Accessibility Testing Solutions (FAQs)

What Is An Accessibility Testing Solution?

Accessibility testing refers to the process of making your web and mobile applications easily accessible to people with disabilities, whether they experience a loss of visual, hearing, mobility, or a cognitive impairment.

Achieving this involves developers evaluating their service against established accessibility standards and laws. The objective of accessibility testing is to create a more inclusive environment by removing accessibility barriers.

Web accessibility mean ensuring that all websites and applications can be used by everyone, including those with disabilities. This includes designing and coding web pages so that they can be easily navigated, read, and interacted with by users who may have some level of hearing, mobility, visual, or cognitive impairment.

For example, the web accessibility practices that involve providing text descriptions for images (so they can be accurately described by screen readers), creating keyboard friendly navigation (so users who are unable to use a mouse can still browse easily), and ensuring content is clear and understandable. Prioritizing web accessibility helps to ensure that everyone is given equal access to digital information and services.

An accessibility testing solution is a tool or services designed to help evaluate digital content, such as websites and applications, to ensure they are accessible to all users regardless of their abilities. These solutions check for compliance with accessibility standards and identify issues that could potentially impact users with various impairments that might prevent them from interacting with the content. By providing automated and manual testing capabilities, an accessibility testing solution helps organizations to create inclusive digital experiences, enhance user satisfaction, and meet legal and regulatory requirements for accessibility.

How Do Accessibility Testing Solutions Work?

Accessibility Testing Solutions work by scanning a website or application’s source code for potential accessibility barriers. These tools are designed to simulate user experiences and check the compliance of your interfaces with established accessibility standards such as WCAG, ADA, and Section 508. After scanning, they provide detailed reporting and recommend solutions to address any discovered issues.

These solutions automate the process of identifying and fixing accessibility issues in web content and applications. They scan source code, detect issues, advise fixes, and verify corrections. These tools also allow businesses to create detailed reports, demonstrating their commitment to digital inclusivity.

What Features Should You Look For In Accessibility Testing Solutions?

When selecting Accessibility Testing Solutions, consider the following features:

Manual Testing Support. Any solution you consider should provide the necessary tools and frameworks to facilitate manual testing for things that automated tools might miss, such as nuanced user interactions and context specific issues.
Usability Testing. The solution should include features that allow real users, including those with various disabilities, to test and respond with feedback on the accessibility of the digital content.
Multi-Platform Support. Compatibility with a variety of platforms, including web, mobile, and desktop applications, is very important. Multi-platform support means the solution can evaluate accessibility across multiple types of digital content, which helps to ensure that accessibility standards are met consistently across different devices and operating systems.
User Experience Evaluation. This means assessing how accessibility issues are affecting the overall user experience, which then helps to determine the severity of accessibility barriers and make it easier to prioritize fixes based on their impact on users.
Compliance. The accessibility testing solution should cover a wide range of accessibility norms like WCAG, ADA, Section 508. Compliance is met by automatically checking digital content against established accessibility standards and identifying any issues or violations.
Detailed reporting. Clear, actionable reports that highlight accessibility issues, their severity, and provide guidance on how to fix them help to ensure the digital content is properly accessible to all users, which enhances the user experience and maintains compliance with accessibility standards.

Mirren McDade

Senior Journalist & Content Writer

Mirren McDade is a senior writer and journalist at Expert Insights, spending each day researching, writing, editing and publishing content, covering a variety of topics and solutions, and interviewing industry experts. She is an experienced copywriter with a background in a range of industries, including cloud business technologies, cloud security, information security and cyber security, and has conducted interviews with several industry experts. Mirren holds a First Class Honors degree in English from Edinburgh Napier University.

Laura Iannini

Cybersecurity Analyst

Laura Iannini is an Information Security Engineer. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity from the University of West Florida. Laura has experience with a variety of cybersecurity platforms and leads technical reviews of leading solutions. She conducts thorough product tests to ensure that Expert Insights’ reviews are definitive and insightful.