Access Continuum vs IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker
Access Continuum
levelaccess.com
IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker
ibm.comSide by side
| Figure | Access Continuum | IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Accessibility Testing Software | 8.5 (#28) | 9.0 (#7) |
| Audience | Continuum is designed for developers embedding accessibility checks into their continuous integration and automated testing processes. | IBM describes the tools as intended for web developers and accessibility auditors. |
| CI/CD integration | Yes | Yes |
| Purpose | Access Continuum is an SDK that automates accessibility testing so developers can find issues before they reach a live environment. | The checker automates accessibility checking of web content and applications for web developers and accessibility auditors. |
| Support | Licensed Continuum customers receive personalized training and expert support to customize scripts. | The project Wiki directs users to submit bugs, questions, and suggestions through GitHub issues. |
Plans
IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker
- Free and open sourceFree
- Free/open-source toolkitFree
In their own words
Access Continuum
Access Continuum is an SDK for developers adding automated accessibility checks to development and testing workflows. It includes the Professional edition of Access Engine and defaults to automatic tests that do not require human validation. Teams can test code snippets, page nodes or rendered pages within existing automated tests, including CI/CD processes. Its XML-based scripting framework lets teams author accessibility tests without an existing test framework or automation setup. Guided Automatics can flag items for human review; advisory tests are not run in Continuum. Coverage includes WCAG 2.1, with web and mobile testing and examples for Android and iOS. SDK instructions cover C#, Java, JavaScript and Python; Ruby is also listed among supported package repository languages. Results can be returned as JSON or exported to the Accessibility Management Platform (AMP) UI. Use depends on AMP services and access to Level Access package repositories, which may require network access. Licensed customers receive personalized training and expert support. Pricing is available on request, and the product page offers a demo request.
IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker
IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker automates accessibility checks for web content and applications, with tools aimed at web developers and accessibility auditors. Its rule engine connects checks to accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.2, and scans at page level. Results can identify the issue type, applicable WCAG success criteria, affected element, XPath, progression level, and a help link. Browser extensions are available for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. They work in browser DevTools and include a visualization mode for keyboard checking. For CI/CD workflows, packages are available for Node, Cypress, and Java; the project Wiki also lists a Karma plugin and names Selenium, Puppeteer, Playwright, and Zombie as testing or parsing engines. The extension can combine up to 50 stored scans into a Microsoft Excel report. The Wiki says web data, rules, and the engine stay local rather than sending web data to servers or third parties. The tool is free at free. IBM cautions that automated checks cover only part of its accessibility requirements, so manual and screen reader testing should follow.