Accessibility Checker vs IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker
Accessibility Checker
accessibleresources.com
IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker
ibm.comSide by side
| Figure | Accessibility Checker | IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 2 |
| Spec score · Accessibility Testing Software | 8.1 (#70) | 9.0 (#7) |
| Audience | The maker describes the toolkit as intended for designers, developers, and QA engineers. | IBM describes the tools as intended for web developers and accessibility auditors. |
| Browser extension | No | The Chrome extension runs inside Developer Tools and helps locate accessibility problems and possible fixes. |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Limits | Automated testing is not a conformance certification, and full conformance requires manual testing. | IBM says automated checks cover only a subset of its accessibility requirements and should be followed by manual and screen reader testing. |
| Privacy | Audits, contrast checks, and focus scans run on-device, and the sites, images, and colors checked are not uploaded. | The project wiki says web data remains local, with rules and engine downloaded and run locally rather than sent to servers. |
| Purpose | Accessibility Checker audits websites for accessibility using axe-core WCAG scans, keyboard focus order mapping, and color contrast checks. | The checker automates accessibility checking of web content and applications for web developers and accessibility auditors. |
| Reports | Reports combine audit, contrast, and focus-order evidence in a PDF aligned with WCAG 2.1 AA and EN 301 549. | XLSX output is included automatically, and JSON and other report formats can be configured. |
| Support | Users can send feedback in Settings or contact the maker by email. | The project Wiki directs users to submit bugs, questions, and suggestions through GitHub issues. |
Plans
Accessibility Checker
- MonthlyPrice not published
- Yearly accessPrice not published
- Pro (Yearly)Price not published
- Monthly premium subscriptionPrice not published
- Checker Pro LifetimePrice not published
IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker
- Free and open sourceFree
- Free/open-source toolkitFree
In their own words
Accessibility Checker
Accessibility Checker has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
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.