Octopus Scanner (formerly A11y Scanner) vs WCAGWatch
Octopus Scanner (formerly A11y Scanner)
lachie1999.itch.ioWCAGWatch
wcagwatch.comSide by side
| Figure | Octopus Scanner (formerly A11y Scanner) | WCAGWatch |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $19/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 5 |
| Spec score · Website Accessibility Tools | 9.0 (#5) | 8.5 (#20) |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Scan Scope | Supports single-page audits, full-domain crawling, sitemaps, URL batches, multiple domains, and SPA routes. | site |
| WCAG version | wcag 2.2 | wcag 2.2 |
Plans
Octopus Scanner (formerly A11y Scanner)
- Name your own priceFree
- Support contribution$1, paid once
- Free softwareFree
WCAGWatch
- FreeFree
- Starter$19 a month
- Pro$39 a month
- Business$79 a month
- Agency$149 a month
In their own words
Octopus Scanner (formerly A11y Scanner)
Octopus Scanner, formerly A11y Scanner, is a free desktop tool for auditing website accessibility on Windows and macOS. It uses browser automation and axe-core-powered checks to scan sites against WCAG 2.2; setup also supports requirements including Section 508 and EN 301 549. It can record and replay authenticated flows such as logins and checkouts without code, and handle dynamic interfaces, Shadow DOM, embedded frames and dark mode. Scans produce an interactive HTML report and a companion CSV, and the tool can check the structure of linked PDF documents. Scanning, analysis and reporting stay on the local machine. Scanned-site traffic can be routed through HTTP, HTTPS or SOCKS proxies. Optional update checks use official checksums and signatures, and updates can be reverted. The Windows download is 64-bit and the macOS download is ARM64. Listed version 5.0.9.8 is marked beta. The software is free; contributions to its independent developer are optional.