How to Test Website Accessibility for Free: A 2025 Guide
Making sure your website is available isn’t just the law; it’s also about being open to everyone. Websites that are accessible make it easy for people of all types to move around and connect with material, even those who have trouble seeing, hearing, or moving. Luckily, it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money to test a website’s accessibility. There are many strong free tools that can make it easy to find and fix accessibility problems.
1. WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool):
Offered by WebAIM, WAVE is a browser extension that visually identifies accessibility errors right on the webpage. It highlights contrast issues, missing alt text, incorrect heading structures, and more.
2. Lighthouse (by Google):
Lighthouse is a free and open-source tool that checks your site for speed, SEO, and usability. It is part of Chrome DevTools. It gives marks and ideas for how to make things more accessible.
3. AXE DevTools:
From Deque Systems, AXE is a Chrome and Firefox extension that integrates with browser DevTools. It performs fast, accurate scans and highlights WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) violations.
4. Screen Readers (NVDA or VoiceOver):
You can learn how people who are blind or have low vision use your site by testing it with free screen readers like NVDA (for Windows) or VoiceOver (for macOS). It’s important to find problems that automatic tools might miss.
5. Keyboard Navigation Testing:
Manually using your site with just a keyboard helps ensure it’s accessible to users who can’t use a mouse. Focus indicators, logical tab order, and skip navigation links are key elements to review.
Developers and site owners can start making the web a better place for everyone by using these free tools. Testing and updating your site on a regular basis will make sure it is not only legal but also friendly to everyone.
Disclaimer
The information presented in this blog is derived from publicly available sources for general use, including any cited references. While we strive to mention credible sources whenever possible, Web Techneeq –Seo Company in Mumbai does not guarantee the accuracy of the information provided in any way. This article is intended solely for general informational purposes. It should be understood that it does not constitute legal advice and does not aim to serve as such. If any individual(s) make decisions based on the information in this article without verifying the facts, we explicitly reject any liability that may arise as a result. We recommend that readers seek separate guidance regarding any specific information provided here.