Nutrient DWS Accessibility API vs PAC (PDF Accessibility Checker)

Nutrient DWS Accessibility API processes PDFs to add accessibility tags and check conformance. It returns a tagged PDF with PDF/UA metadata and targets PDF/UA-1 (ISO 14289-1). Tagging covers H1–H6 headings, ordered and unordered lists, table rows and cells, reading order, annotations and decorative artifacts. The API accepts HTTP requests from any programming language, with quickstarts for Java, C#, JavaScript, Python and PHP. Nutrient reports 96.5% PDF/UA conformance across a validation corpus of 3,157 files. Its free plan costs nothing and includes 20 auto-tagged pages and 100 validations per month. Starter costs $79 a month for 200 pages and 1,000 validations; Professional is $249 a month for 1,000 pages and 5,000 validations; Business is $499 a month for 3,000 pages and 15,000 validations. Monthly quotas do not roll over, and requests in a quota category are blocked when that quota runs out unless a larger plan or pay-as-you-go is used. Auto-tagging does not guarantee full accessibility compliance, so Nutrient recommends QA, especially for sensitive or high-stakes documents.

PAC (PDF Accessibility Checker) is a free Windows desktop application for assessing PDF accessibility. Its Free plan costs nothing and includes PDF/UA and WCAG checks, quality checks, and AI-assisted checks. PAC covers WCAG 2.2 and combines automated scans with manual review tools. It also provides remediation guidance for addressing accessibility issues. The application is made by PAC (PDF Accessibility Checker), founded in 2010 and headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. Windows is the listed platform. Mobile testing, a browser extension, and CI/CD integration are not included among its capabilities. The stated product scope is PDF accessibility checking, with checks aimed at PDF/UA and WCAG requirements rather than broad application testing. For Windows users reviewing PDF files, the free plan brings automated analysis, reviewer-led assessment, quality checks, AI-assisted checks, and guidance for remediation into one desktop application. Its feature set is focused on document accessibility rather than multi-platform testing.