5 must-have accessibility tools
Accessibility isn’t optional—it’s foundational. Whether you’re a developer, designer, or QA engineer, creating digital products that everyone can use means embracing accessibility from day one.
The good news? You don’t have to do it alone. There’s a powerful ecosystem of extensions and tools built to help you catch issues early, fix them fast, and design with empathy and intention.
In this post, I’m breaking down 5 essential accessibility tools—from browser extensions that instantly flag violations to platforms that guide your testing process step-by-step.
Whether you’re just getting started or tightening up an existing workflow, these tools will level up your accessibility game. All of these tools are free, user-friendly, and fully support the latest WCAG 2.2 accessibility standards . Let’s dive in.
Axe DevTools
Is a browser extension developed by Deque Systems that helps developers identify and fix accessibility issues in web applications. It’s one of the most popular tools used in the industry for automated accessibility testing. If you’re building web apps and you care about inclusion, performance, and legal compliance (hello, WCAG and ADA), this tool should be in your belt.
The axe DevTools browser extension can be downloaded directly from the Chrome web store , Edge Add-ons site , and Firefox add-ons site .
How it works?
- Scans your webpage for accessibility issues (like missing alt text, low contrast, incorrect ARIA usage, etc.)
- Provides explanations and recommendations on how to fix them.
- Integrates with your dev workflow, whether you’re using Chrome/Edge, dev tools, or test automation frameworks.
Key features
- Fast: No need to write tests; just scan and fix.
- Reliable: Built on the axe-core engine, which is open source and used in many automated test pipelines.
- Customizable: You can configure rules, ignore false positives, or write your own checks.
- Dev-focused: It gives technical, actionable insights that developers can use—not just vague WCAG guidelines.
Accessibility Insights for Web
Is a powerful, free, open-source browser extension (by Microsoft) that blends automated scans with guided manual testing, making it easy for devs to build accessible and helps developers test and improve the accessibility of web applications. It runs in Google Chrome and Edge , and is based on the axe-core engine (just like Axe DevTools).
How it works?
It provides two main testing flows:
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FastPass
- A quick, automated scan that checks for common accessibility issues.
- Runs in seconds and gives you a summary report.
- Great for catching low-hanging fruit early.
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Assessment
- A manual testing guide broken into detailed steps aligned with WCAG standards.
- Helps you test things that automation can’t catch—like keyboard navigation, screen reader support, or focus indicators.
- Includes pass/fail criteria, examples, and how-to-fix instructions.
Key features
- It’s developer-friendly and integrates easily into your workflow.
- Offers a clean UI, with clear guidance on how to reproduce and fix issues.
- Supports exporting reports to share with teams or for documentation.
- It promotes manual testing, which is essential (because automated tools only catch about 30–40% of real issues).
Siteimprove Accessibility Checker
Is a free browser extension (available for Chrome , Firefox , Edge , Opera ) by Siteimprove that lets you instantly evaluate the accessibility of any web page—private, password‑protected, or dynamic—directly in your browser. A great starter tool for real-time, browser-based accessibility audits. It’s ideal for quick feedback and aligns with the Siteimprove platform, but remember—it should complement, not replace, manual testing and review.
How it works?
- Uses the same testing engine as the full Siteimprove Accessibility platform, making browser feedback consistent with enterprise-level reports.
- Ideal for on-the-fly checks during development or QA without needing full platform access.
- If you’re a Siteimprove customer, the extension links to deeper platform insights like dashboards, SEO analysis, and quality metrics.
Key features
- Automated accessibility scanning: quickly detects common issues like missing alt text, poor contrast, improper semantics, etc.
- Inline highlighting: highlights problem areas right on the page for easy identification.
- Detailed guidance: explains each issue’s impact, provides code examples, and links to relevant WCAG techniques.
- Secure evaluation: works on non-public or password-protected pages—perfect for development or staging environments.
- Explorer: simulates impairments (e.g. color blindness or low vision) so you can visually understand user experiences.
EqualWeb Accessibility Checker
Is a free Chrome browser extension by EqualWeb LTD that provides an automated accessibility audit based on WCAG 2.1—and even WCAG 2.2 and ADA—standards. A quick and user-friendly tool to get started with accessibility validation—great for pinpointing issues and visualizing them in-browser. Its premium offering adds deep scanning, AI-powered fixes, compliance monitoring, and human support. However, like all automated tools, it’s not a substitute for manual checks and thoughtful accessibility development.
How it works?
- Single-page audits: scan any webpage (including private or dynamic pages) to instantly surface accessibility issues filtered by WCAG A/AA/AAA levels.
- Visual score & sidebar report: view a summary of errors, contrast problems, warnings, and ARIA/role issues—all highlighted directly on the page via a floating sidebar.
- Guidance and remediation tips: click specific issues to see detailed explanations that reference relevant WCAG guidelines, element info, and developer guidance
Key features
Because it’s fast, visual, free, WCAG-compliant, and developer-friendly. If you’re looking to level-up your accessibility audits without heavy setup, it’s an excellent tool to have on hand—just don’t expect it to do everything for you.
WAVE
WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) is a free, Chrome browser extension developed by WebAIM that helps identify and address accessibility issues on web pages. It provides visual feedback by injecting icons and indicators directly into the page, making it easier for developers and content creators to spot and fix accessibility barriers.
How it works?
-
Quick Scan
Allows for rapid evaluation of web pages by simply entering a URL or using the browser extension. It performs an immediate scan and overlays the page with icons representing various accessibility issues, such as missing alt text, contrast errors, and structural problems. -
manual testing support
Facilitates manual testing by providing detailed information about each identified problem. This supports human evaluation, which is crucial for understanding the context and impact of accessibility barriers. -
Fix Suggestions
Offers brief explanations and suggestions for remediation. These insights help developers and content creators understand why an issue is problematic and how to resolve it, promoting better accessibility practices. -
Export Reports
Provides options to generate and export detailed reports of the accessibility evaluation. These reports can be saved in various formats, such as HTML or PDF, and are useful for documentation, compliance purposes, or sharing findings with stakeholders.
Key features
- User-Friendly Interface: WAVE’s intuitive design makes it accessible for both beginners and experienced developers.
- Comprehensive Feedback: it offers a holistic view of accessibility issues, including visual indicators and detailed information.
- Supports Manual Evaluation: encourages human assessment, which is essential for understanding the real-world impact of accessibility barriers.
- Free and Open-Source: being free and open-source ensures that WAVE is accessible to a wide audience without financial barriers.
Remember, automated tools like these are a fantastic first line of defense, but they can’t fully replicate the experience of a user navigating with a screen reader, for instance. Manual testing remains essential.
Start small, test often, and keep learning. Inclusive design isn’t just good UX—it’s the future of the web.