Frequently Asked Questions

Web accessibility means designing and developing websites so that people with disabilities can use them. This includes people with visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments. An accessible website works with assistive technologies like screen readers, provides keyboard navigation, uses sufficient color contrast, and includes text alternatives for non-text content.

WCAG 2.1 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1) is the international standard for web accessibility published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). It defines success criteria organized under four principles: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR). WCAG 2.1 has three conformance levels: A (minimum), AA (recommended for most sites), and AAA (highest). Most laws and regulations reference WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the baseline.

WCAG 2.2, published in October 2023, adds 9 new success criteria on top of WCAG 2.1. New criteria include Focus Not Obscured, Dragging Movements, Target Size (minimum), Consistent Help, Redundant Entry, and Accessible Authentication. WCAG 2.2 also removes success criterion 4.1.1 Parsing. If you comply with WCAG 2.1 AA, you're most of the way to 2.2 compliance.

Common automated findings include missing alternative text on images, insufficient color contrast, missing form labels, links or buttons without accessible names, and missing document language. Their frequency varies by the pages and rules tested. Review the affected elements and human-check items before deciding on a repair.

There is no fixed percentage that describes every website or tool. Automated checks can identify issues such as missing labels and some contrast failures, but they cannot evaluate every WCAG requirement or user journey. Combine the results with human review of text alternatives, keyboard operation, screen-reader behavior and other relevant tasks. No automated findings does not establish WCAG conformance.

Requirements depend on the entity and applicable law. ADA Title III covers public accommodations, including many businesses and nonprofits open to the public. DOJ guidance explains that their online goods and services must be accessible. The separate Title II technical rule for state and local governments does not impose its WCAG standard or deadlines on every private business. A scan cannot determine your legal obligations or certify compliance. See the DOJ sources below for scope and requirements.

The Title II rule generally requires covered web content and mobile apps to meet WCAG 2.1 AA, subject to its exceptions. Effective April 20, 2026, DOJ extended the compliance dates to April 26, 2027 for public entities with a total population of 50,000 or more, and April 26, 2028 for smaller public entities and any special district government. Existing ADA duties continue before those dates. The DOJ fact sheet explains the population calculation and scope. Reviewed October 14, 2026.

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is an EU directive that requires digital products and services to be accessible starting June 28, 2025. It applies to e-commerce websites, banking services, e-books, transportation services, and more. The EAA references the EN 301 549 standard, which maps to WCAG 2.1 AA. Non-compliance can result in fines and market access restrictions.

Section 508 applies to US federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain or use information and communication technology. The revised standards incorporate WCAG 2.0 A and AA requirements for covered content, alongside other requirements and exceptions. Receiving federal funding alone does not make an organization subject to Section 508; Section 504, other laws or specific contract or grant terms may apply separately. See the official Section 508 source below.

There is no single lawsuit cost, settlement amount or outcome that this scanner can predict. Costs depend on the facts, jurisdiction, legal work and any remediation or agreement involved. Seek qualified legal advice for a complaint or demand letter. A11yScope provides automated findings for remediation, not a legal risk score or protection from a claim.

A11yScope opens a public URL in a browser and runs axe-core against the rendered state available at scan time. Duration depends on the page, network and service load. Results include automated findings, saved element evidence and fix guidance; some checks need human review. The scan does not automatically sign in or exercise every interactive state.

Yes. Anonymous visitors can run 5 scan attempts per hour without an account. A free account gives 50 scan attempts per 30 days and history of your last 3 scans. Paid plans start at $10/month (Starter) with unlimited scans, full scan history, and weekly automated monitoring for one site with a weekly summary email. PDF and emailed reports are included on every plan, including Free. Pro ($49/month) covers up to 10 monitored sites with crawls of up to 20 linked public pages per site. Agency ($149/month) adds up to 30 sites, larger crawls, and downloadable PDFs with your brand, optional cover logo and footer. Crawls can have missing or failed pages and do not certify accessibility.

axe-core is an open-source accessibility testing engine created and maintained by Deque Systems. It's also used by Google Lighthouse, Microsoft Accessibility Insights, and browser DevTools. A11yScope uses its high-confidence automated checks; findings still require contextual review, and automated results do not establish WCAG conformance.

A11yScope can check JavaScript-rendered content that is available in the public page state when the scan runs. It does not guarantee that every component has loaded, automatically sign in, or open menus, dialogs and other interactive states. Test those states separately, including keyboard and screen-reader use.

The score can change with page content, rendered state and checker versions. Run a current scan to inspect the findings and timestamp rather than relying on a fixed score here. A high score or no automated findings is not a certification of accessibility; human testing remains necessary.

Add an alt attribute to every <img> tag that describes the image content. For informational images, write a concise description (e.g., alt="Team meeting in conference room"). For decorative images that don't convey content, use an empty alt attribute (alt=""). For complex images like charts, provide a brief alt text and a longer description nearby or via aria-describedby.

WCAG 2.1 AA requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text (18px bold or 24px regular). To fix contrast issues: darken your text color or lighten the background (or vice versa). Use a contrast checker tool to verify ratios. Common fixes include changing light gray text (#999) to darker gray (#595959) against white backgrounds.

Every form input needs an associated label. The preferred method is using a <label> element with a 'for' attribute matching the input's 'id': <label for="email">Email</label><input id="email" type="email">. Alternatively, use aria-label for inputs where a visible label isn't appropriate, or aria-labelledby to reference existing text on the page.

Ensure all interactive elements (links, buttons, form fields, menus) are reachable and operable with keyboard alone. Use semantic HTML elements that are naturally focusable. Add visible focus indicators (:focus-visible styles). Implement logical tab order. Avoid keyboard traps where focus gets stuck. For custom widgets, add appropriate ARIA roles and keyboard event handlers.

No. Accessibility overlay widgets (like AccessiBe, UserWay, AudioEye) add a JavaScript layer on top of your site but do not fix the underlying code issues. Multiple studies and advocacy organizations have documented that overlays often introduce new accessibility barriers, interfere with screen readers, and provide a false sense of compliance. Over 800 accessibility advocates have signed an open letter against overlays. The recommended approach is fixing your actual code.

Eligible first-time customers use Stripe Checkout, which securely collects a payment method when they start a 7-day free Starter trial. Your exact deadline is shown in Dashboard and Billing. Unless you cancel in Billing before the deadline, Starter's paid period begins then at the standard USD 10/month price before any discounts, and Stripe attempts payment. A11yScope does not receive or handle card details. Starter trials that already began without a payment method keep their original deadline and original terms shown in Billing. If no default payment method is registered by that deadline, that Starter subscription is canceled and Starter access ends; any other valid plan remains unaffected.

Eligible first-time customers use Stripe Checkout, which securely collects a payment method when they start a 7-day free Pro or Agency trial. Eligibility is confirmed at checkout, and your exact deadline is shown in Dashboard and Billing. Unless you cancel in Billing before the deadline, the paid period begins then at the standard USD 49/month for Pro or USD 149/month for Agency before any discounts, and Stripe attempts payment. A11yScope does not receive or handle card details. Previously saved Pro or Agency checkouts keep their original server-confirmed terms shown by Stripe Checkout. Customers with prior ended subscription or trial history receive no new trial.

You may request cancellation at any time. Open Billing in your dashboard and select Manage Subscription to review the controls available in Stripe's secure billing portal; for help, email support@a11yscope.com. For a new card-required Starter, Pro or Agency trial, cancel in Billing before the trial deadline to prevent monthly paid billing from beginning. A Starter trial that already began without a payment method keeps its original terms shown in Billing; if no default payment method is registered, no additional cancellation action is needed because that Starter subscription is canceled at its original deadline. Previously saved Pro or Agency checkouts keep their original server-confirmed terms shown by Stripe Checkout. Subscription cancellation takes effect at the end of the current trial or paid billing period, and access continues until then. There are no cancellation fees.

We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans. If you are not satisfied within the first 30 days of your subscription, contact us at support@a11yscope.com for a full refund, no questions asked.

We accept credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, and Link through Stripe. Stripe Checkout displays the methods actually available for your device and region before you submit. Availability follows our current Stripe configuration. All payment data is handled by Stripe and never touches our servers.

Yes. To switch between plans (for example Pro to Agency, or Agency to Pro), email support@a11yscope.com and we'll make the change for you — upgrades are prorated, and downgrades take effect at the start of your next billing period. Self-service plan switching from the Billing page is coming soon.