If your website isn’t accessible, there are people who can’t read it, navigate it, buy from it, or complete any transaction.
And you probably don’t even know it.
We’re not talking about isolated cases. According to the World Health Organization, more than 15% of the world’s population lives with some type of disability (WHO, World Report on Disability). This figure doesn’t even include older people, those with low digital literacy, those with temporary injuries, or those who simply navigate the internet under less than ideal conditions.
Web accessibility isn’t just a technical or legal issue. It’s a human issue.
And it’s also an opportunity: an accessible website is usually more usable, clearer, ranks better in search engines, and is more profitable.
This article shows you 10 web accessibility tools to detect barriers and improve your site. They’re not magic bullets, but they are helpful allies.
Before we begin: an important warning ⚠️
There is no single tool that will make your website accessible with one click.
The W3C’s own Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) makes this clear:
“Automated tools can only detect a portion of accessibility problems”
(W3C – Evaluating Web Accessibility).
Therefore, throughout this article you will see assessment tools, development support tools, and tools for direct user use. Each one serves a different purpose.
1. WAVE – Detect visible errors quickly
WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) is a tool for an initial accessibility review. It works as a browser extension and visually displays errors such as:
- Missing alternative text in images
- Header structure problems
- Links that are not very descriptive
Ideal if…
You want a quick first snapshot of the most obvious problems on your website.
2. Google Lighthouse – Accessibility and SEO hand in hand
Google Lighthouse is a free tool built into Chrome that analyzes performance, SEO, best practices, and accessibility.
Why is this key?
Because Google takes into account signals related to usability and content structure, both of which are closely linked to accessibility.
Ideal if…
You manage a website and want to improve accessibility without losing sight of search engine optimization.
3. axe DevTools – For technical teams that want to get serious
Axe is one of the most robust tools for developers. It integrates with browsers and development environments and detects issues according to WCAG 2.1.
What sets it apart is that it explains why something is a problem and how to solve it, which is fundamental for long-term improvement.
Ideal if…
You have a technical team or agency and want to integrate accessibility from the code.
4. WebAIM Contrast Checker – When design also excludes
Insufficient contrast can make text illegible for people with low vision or color blindness.
This tool allows you to check color combinations according to WCAG standards.
Ideal if…
You design interfaces, landing pages, or visual content and want to ensure true readability.
🔄 Beware of “miracle solutions”
Before we continue, it’s important to make that clear.
Many companies offer widgets or overlays that promise to automatically “make your website accessible.” However, accessibility experts and organizations like the W3C warn that these solutions do not guarantee compliance or true accessibility.
They can even create a false sense of legal compliance.
Real accessibility is built with:
- Technical evaluation
- Structural fixes
- Real tests
- Well used tools
And now, let’s continue.
5–9. Key technical tools: evaluate and improve your website
These tools are more technical, designed to evaluate and automate accessibility. To avoid overwhelming you, here’s a quick comparison based on website type and need:
| Tools | Type | Recommended profile | Main function | Key advantage |
| TAWDIS | Web audit | Administrations, institutions | Evaluate URLs according to WCAG criteria | Technical reports aligned with European regulations |
| SortSite | Comprehensive audit | Large and corporate websites | Evaluate accessibility + broken links + SEO | Continuous web quality control |
| BrowseAloud | End use tool | Sites with a lot of educational or informational content | Convert text to speech | It facilitates reading and navigation for users with reading or visual difficulties. |
| Tenon.io | Automation for development | Continuous development teams | Accessibility test using API | Avoid errors before publishing, integrateable in CI/CD |
| Pa11y | Open source / flexible | Developers with monitoring needs | Automated tests and tracking over time | Flexible, customizable, historical tracking |
10. End-user tools: where Acctua comes in
So far we’ve seen tools that analyze, evaluate, or help detect errors. But web accessibility doesn’t end with a report or an audit: it ends when people can use your website without barriers.
Acctua, the tool developed by Accesit Inclusivo, was created precisely with that objective.
It’s not a generic widget or a makeshift solution.
It’s an accessibility tool designed by specialized technicians and tested by people with various disabilities without technical complications.
What makes Acctua different?
- 🔧 It doesn’t modify your website’s code, so it’s safe and easy to install.
- 🧑🦽It is validated by people with different disabilities, not just by automated tests
- 📈 It’s a living solution, incorporating improvements and adjustments over time
- 🌍 It allows each person to adapt the web to their real needs: reading, navigation, comprehension
Which accessibility tool do you need? Quick guide 👇
- Small business without a technical team:
Lighthouse + WAVE + a solution like Acctua - Institutional or educational website:
TAWDIS + Acctua + axe + user support tools - Ecommerce or growing project:
axe + Tenon + Acctua + contrast review + accessibility in use
Conclusion: accessibility is not about compliance, it’s about inclusion
Think about the last time someone left your website without buying, reading, or completing a step.
Maybe it wasn’t a lack of interest.
Maybe it was an invisible barrier.
At Accesit Inclusivo, we approach accessibility from a technical perspective, drawing on the real-world experiences of people with disabilities and adopting a long-term vision. With our Acctua tool, we strive to ensure that accessibility is not just about regulations, but about making it real, usable, and human.
If you want to take that step, we’re here to help.
