A11yScope vs WAVE

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.

WAVE is a web accessibility tool that identifies many accessibility and WCAG errors and provides tools for human evaluation of web content. Its browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge can examine password-protected, locally stored, and highly dynamic pages. The service supports page scans, scheduled site audits, intranet pages with most authentication types, and custom viewport sizes for checking responsive breakpoints. Stand-alone tools can integrate with continuous-integration systems including Selenium and Puppeteer. The API returns JSON or XML; basic analysis uses one credit, while advanced features may use two or three. New accounts receive 100 free API credits. Subscription API access has a 250-credit minimum purchase for $10 a month. Stand-alone API licenses cost $4,000 a year for Basic, $8,000 a year for Expanded, and $12,000 a year for Unlimited. The stand-alone API runs on Linux, Mac, or Windows web servers with PHP and Node installed; minimum requirements are 1 CPU, 1 GB memory, and 100 MB storage.