IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker vs PDFUA.io Validator
IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker
ibm.comPDFUA.io Validator
pdfua.ioSide by side
| Figure | IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker | PDFUA.io Validator |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $19/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 5 |
| Spec score · Accessibility Testing Software | 9.0 (#7) | 7.7 (#113) |
| Purpose | The checker automates accessibility checking of web content and applications for web developers and accessibility auditors. | The Validator checks PDFs against WCAG 2.1 AA or strict PDF/UA-1 (ISO 14289-1) and keeps audit-ready evidence. |
| Self-hosting | The repository documents local builds of browser and Node engine bundles and includes a rule-server component. | Enterprise options include a stateless validation API container that stores nothing or a self-hosted monitoring appliance with groups, schedules, and domain scanning. |
Plans
IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker
- Free and open sourceFree
- Free/open-source toolkitFree
PDFUA.io Validator
- Cloud · FreeFree
- Cloud · Starter$19 a month
- Cloud · Growth$49 a month
- Cloud · Pro$249 a month
- Enterprise · On-premise · AgenciesPriced on request
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.
PDFUA.io Validator
PDFUA.io Validator has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.