A11yScope vs Octopus Scanner (formerly A11y Scanner)

A11yScope scans public web pages for accessibility issues and gives practical next steps. It renders pages in a headless browser, including JavaScript, then runs axe-core checks for WCAG 2.1 AA. It also offers guidance on WCAG 2.2 criteria that may require manual review. Findings include fix guidance and copyable code snippets for common failures. Every plan, including Free, includes PDF and emailed reports. Free allows five page scans per hour without an account; a free account allows 50 scan attempts per 30 days and keeps the last three scans in history. Paid plans add weekly rescans and changes with links to page results. Starter costs $10 a month for one monitored site; Pro costs $49 a month for up to 10 sites; Agency costs $149 a month for up to 30 sites. A 7-day trial is available. A11yScope runs on the web and has no browser extension. Automated scans do not certify WCAG conformance, so keyboard and assistive-technology review is still needed.

Octopus Scanner, formerly A11y Scanner, is a free desktop tool for auditing website accessibility on Windows and macOS. It uses browser automation and axe-core-powered checks to scan sites against WCAG 2.2; setup also supports requirements including Section 508 and EN 301 549. It can record and replay authenticated flows such as logins and checkouts without code, and handle dynamic interfaces, Shadow DOM, embedded frames and dark mode. Scans produce an interactive HTML report and a companion CSV, and the tool can check the structure of linked PDF documents. Scanning, analysis and reporting stay on the local machine. Scanned-site traffic can be routed through HTTP, HTTPS or SOCKS proxies. Optional update checks use official checksums and signatures, and updates can be reverted. The Windows download is 64-bit and the macOS download is ARM64. Listed version 5.0.9.8 is marked beta. The software is free; contributions to its independent developer are optional.