GuardGrid vs IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker
GuardGrid
guardgrid.ai
IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker
ibm.comSide by side
| Figure | GuardGrid | IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $49/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 9 | 2 |
| Spec score · Accessibility Testing Software | 8.6 (#23) | 9.0 (#7) |
| Audience | The maker describes the platform for colleges, public agencies, and agencies or web shops managing client sites. | IBM describes the tools as intended for web developers and accessibility auditors. |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Limits | GuardGrid identifies issues and provides guidance but does not rewrite code or push changes into a CMS. | IBM says automated checks cover only a subset of its accessibility requirements and should be followed by manual and screen reader testing. |
| Support | Enterprise includes an SLA and dedicated support. | The project Wiki directs users to submit bugs, questions, and suggestions through GitHub issues. |
Plans
GuardGrid
- PersonalFree
- Starter$49 a month
- Pro$149 a month
- Enterprise$399 a month
- PersonalFree
- Starter$49 a month
- Brand Monitor add-on$49.99 a month
- Pro$149 a month
- Enterprise$399 a month
IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker
- Free and open sourceFree
- Free/open-source toolkitFree
In their own words
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.