You want to make your website easy for everyone. but is it free?
Your business website needs to be WCAG compliant. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines basically mean your website should work for everyone. There should be easy access for people with poor eyesight, people who use screen readers, or even users who cannot use a mouse.
But the big question is, can you test your site with a WCAG compliance checker without paying a lot of money? The answer is yes and no. keep on reading to find out.
Why WCAG test matters
Some people won’t be able to use a website that does not follow WCAG rules. In countries like the U.S., UK, and even Australia, it is also illegal.
Many companies even small ones have gotten legal notices or lawsuits because their websites were not accessible.
So yes, this is serious. But you must be thinking that you do not have budget for it.
Free WCAG Accessibility Checker tools are out there
There are many free WCAG testing tools online. You type in your website URL, click a button, and they show you a list of problems. A few free tools you might have heard about are WAVE Accessibility Tool, AXE Chrome Extension or Lighthouse.
These tools can help you find basic issues, like
- Missing image alt text
- Low color contrast
- Heading order problems
But these tools cannot check everything because they do not think like a human. They cannot understand if your content makes sense to a screen reader or if your navigation is easy to use. In short, these tools only do half the job.
Why a hybrid approach works best for WCAG testing
A smart way to save money and still stay safe is to use a hybrid approach. That means:
- Start with a free tool to find the easy-to-fix stuff.
- Then do a manual check (or ask a professional to do it) for deeper problems.
For example you can use WAVE to scan your homepage. You fix the issues it finds.
Then, you check things like keyboard navigation, labels on forms, and screen reader behavior manually with the help of audit experts.
Free does not mean risk-free
If you are running a small business then paying for audits or tools might feel too much right now. But you should also know that one small lawsuit can cost you thousands.
So, do it smartly and hire the audit experts. Hiring an expert for a manual audit can be a great investment. It helps you sleep better, knowing you are not missing something that could get you in trouble.
You need thorough domain knowledge to run the tests on your own. So it is best to leave it to the experts.
Remember, if your website brings in customers or leads, it is worth getting it right. Consider spending money on accessibility testing if you are about to launch a new site or have an eCommerce store.
Conclusion
So, can you test WCAG compliance for free? Yes, free tools can help you find the easy stuff. But they miss the deeper problems. If you really want your website to be safe, legal, and helpful to everyone, mix free scans with manual checks. Call the WCAG test experts at ADACP. They use the most advanced WCAG accessibility checker tools and combine manual edits for efficient compliance.