IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker vs WAVE
IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker
ibm.com
WAVE
wave.webaim.orgSide by side
| Figure | IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker | WAVE |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $10/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 13 |
| Spec score · Accessibility Testing Software | 9.0 (#7) | 9.4 (#2) |
| Spec score · Website Accessibility Tools | 9.0 (#6) | 9.4 (#2) |
| Spec score · Web Accessibility Software | 8.4 (#6) | 8.5 (#4) |
| API access | Yes | Yes |
| Browser extension | The Chrome extension runs inside Developer Tools and helps locate accessibility problems and possible fixes. | Yes |
| CI/CD integration | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Scan scope | page | page |
| WCAG version | wcag 2.2 | wcag 2.2 |
Plans
IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker
- Free and open sourceFree
- Free/open-source toolkitFree
WAVE
- Subscription API — 250–999 credits$10 a month
- Subscription API — 1,000–9,999 creditsPrice not published
- Subscription API — 10,000+ creditsPrice not published
- Stand-alone API — Basic$4,000 a year
- Stand-alone API — Expanded$8,000 a year
- Stand-alone API — Unlimited$12,000 a year
- Free API creditsFree
- API credits 10000+$0.03, paid once
- API credits 1000-9999$0.03, paid once
- API credits 250-999$0.04, paid once
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.
WAVE
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.