Free Accessibility Testing Tools
Make your digital content more accessible & inclusive
Whether you’re just getting started or looking to enhance your current accessibility practices, these free tools can help you spot potential issues and improve inclusivity in your digital content. Below are some of our top recommendations.
Siteimprove Accessibility Toolkit
All-in-one toolkit for quick accessibility checks and learning
The Siteimprove Accessibility Toolkit offers a range of free, easy-to-use tools to help you understand and fix common website accessibility issues. It includes browser extensions, quick scans, and downloadable guides designed for marketers, developers, and content creators alike. Great for getting an overview of your site's compliance with WCAG standards.
PAC – PDF Accessibility Checker
Desktop tool for verifying PDF accessibility compliance
PAC (PDF Accessibility Checker) is a free, downloadable tool designed specifically to evaluate the accessibility of PDF documents against the PDF/UA (Universal Accessibility) standard. It provides both visual and technical reports, making it easier to spot structural issues like missing tags, reading order problems, or unlabeled images.
WCAG Color Contrast Checker (Chrome Extension)
Quickly test color contrast for text on any web page
This Chrome plugin helps you ensure your text meets WCAG 2.1 color contrast requirements. Simply install it and click on any text element in your browser to instantly check whether the foreground and background colors meet accessibility standards. Perfect for designers and content editors working on inclusive visual design.
Disclaimer
The tools listed above are provided by third-party developers and organizations. DEMA Solutions is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of these providers. These tools are shared for informational purposes only and are subject to their own terms of use and privacy policies. We encourage users to review those terms before using the tools.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Are these tools enough to make my website or documents fully accessible?
No, these tools are a great starting point, but they can’t catch everything. Automated tools typically detect around 20–30% of accessibility issues. Manual checks by accessibility experts are still essential to ensure full compliance and usability for all users.
2. Do I need technical knowledge to use these tools?
It depends on the tool. Some, like the WCAG Color Contrast Checker, are simple browser extensions anyone can use. Others, like the PAC PDF Accessibility Checker, require a bit more familiarity with PDF tagging and accessibility standards. Most tools we feature come with documentation or user guides to help you get started.
3. What’s the difference between WCAG and PDF/UA?
Both WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and PDF/UA (PDF/Universal Accessibility) aim to make digital content usable by people with disabilities. WCAG provides general accessibility principles that apply to all digital content, including PDFs. PDF/UA, on the other hand, is a dedicated technical standard that outlines how to properly structure PDFs to be fully accessible, ensuring compatibility with assistive technologies like screen readers.
4. Can I use these tools to prove compliance with the European Accessibility Act?
These tools can help you identify and fix accessibility issues, but on their own, they do not guarantee compliance. The European Accessibility Act requires a broader, holistic approach that includes testing, remediation, and documentation. We recommend combining tool results with expert audits for a complete picture.
5. What should I do after running these tools?
Start by reviewing the reports and making any basic fixes. If you’re unsure how to interpret the results or need help implementing changes, we are here to support you. Whether it’s remediating PDFs, recommending tools to audit your website, or guiding your next steps, our team is here to help. Get in touch to learn more.
How can we help?
Tell us what you need and we’ll get back to you with the solutions.
