Ramps, automatic doors, railings. These are all tools that help make public areas accessible to all people. For years there have been federal and state requirements in place to ensure accessibility to disabled members of the community. But more recently, government entities, businesses, and community members have found the need to make our online storefronts and digital public spaces just as accessible. This is known as website accessibility. The federal requirements regarding website accessibility are much looser than physical accessibility. We won't get into those details in this blog, but for background information on website accessibility and legislation, read our blog, "Website Accessibility: What Your Business Needs to Know."
Top Website Accessibility Tools
If you understand the concept of website accessibility and why it is important, you may now be considering whether it is necessary to make your website accessible. While we believe it is in everyone's best interest to begin moving in the "accessible direction", most non-government businesses have time. But if you are looking into accessibility, we have reviewed three popular tools which will help you audit your site and make changes over time.
SiteImprove
SiteImprove is a robust, automated website accessibility platform offering SEO, usability, analytics, and quality assurance checks as well.
Key Features
- Automated crawls every 5 days
- Manual audits available
- Google Chrome extension
- Handles WCAG and 508 Compliance
- Able to check private, intranet pages
- User-friendly dashboard
Drawbacks
- Comprehensive manual checks are billed separately
- More expensive option - custom estimate required
Deque
Deque is a powerful, manual website accessibility solution focused on comprehensive remediation via SMEs.
Key Features
- One-time site audit conducted by SMEs with disability on staff
- Page by page solution
- Training and guidance on fixing issues included
- Ongoing managed monitoring available
Drawbacks
- Not meant to crawl every page - meant for templates and high-traffic pages
- Can become expensive at $725 per page
Monsido
Monsido is a full-service, automated website accessibility tool with SEO, quality assurance, and analytics capabilities.
Key Features
- Comprehensive weekly crawls
- Scans for 180 issues for WCAG 2.1 A, AA, AAA
- PDF accessibility scanning
- Unlimited training and support
- Google Chrome extension
- Less expensive option - custom estimate required
Drawbacks
- Less-friendly user interface
- PDF accessibility scanning is an add-on
Which is Right For You?
We scoured the web for all the best options in website accessibility and landed on the three above. In the end, the tool that will work best for you depends on your goals, budget, and desired outcomes. If you are seeking a comprehensive deep dive into several key pages, Deque may be the platform for you. For regular automated crawls, both Monsido and SiteImprove are great options, though it may depend on your budget and which features you require.
If you have questions about website accessibility, need help making your site accessible, or would like to learn more about a specific tool, we can help! Contact Informatics today and our team of experts will gladly assist.
