A11yProof vs accessiBe: Real Scanning vs Overlay Widget

The Core Difference

This comparison comes down to one architectural choice: do you fix the problems or cover them up?

A11yProof scans your site’s actual HTML, CSS, and ARIA attributes against WCAG 2.1 AA criteria. When it finds a violation — a missing alt attribute, a form input without a label, insufficient color contrast — it generates a specific code fix you can apply to your source. The fix is permanent. Remove A11yProof and the fix stays.

accessiBe takes the opposite approach. It adds a JavaScript widget to your site that intercepts how the page renders. The widget can adjust font sizes, color contrast, and cursor behavior for users who interact with it. The underlying code remains unchanged. Remove the accessiBe script and everything reverts.

Why This Matters for Compliance

ADA and WCAG compliance is ultimately about your site’s HTML meeting specific technical criteria. Overlay widgets have faced legal challenges because they address the user-facing symptoms without resolving the underlying code violations. Several courts have ruled that overlay presence does not constitute compliance.

We built A11yProof because we saw too many SMBs install an overlay, assume they were compliant, and then face legal exposure when the overlay’s limitations were tested. A scan-and-fix approach creates a defensible compliance record tied to actual code changes.

Pricing Comparison

For a single site, A11yProof starts at $29/month versus accessiBe at $49/month. That $20/month gap widens at scale: A11yProof’s Pro plan covers 5 sites for $79/month, while accessiBe charges per-domain.

The real cost difference is implementation time. accessiBe is a 2-minute install. A11yProof requires someone to apply the fixes it generates, which could mean hours or days of developer time depending on how many violations exist. For sites with clean HTML and few issues, that cost is minimal. For sites with hundreds of violations, budget for developer time.

Who Should Choose What

Choose A11yProof if: you want code-level fixes that create real compliance, you have developer access to implement changes, and you need compliance documentation that maps to specific WCAG criteria.

Choose accessiBe if: you need something live immediately with zero developer involvement, you understand the limitations of overlay-based compliance, and you accept the risk that courts may not consider overlay widgets sufficient.

Verdict

A11yProof wins on actual remediation and compliance proof. accessiBe is faster to install but doesn't fix source code. For SMBs that need defensible WCAG compliance, A11yProof provides the scanning depth and fix guidance that overlays cannot.