TLDR
UserWay and accessiBe are the two highest-visibility overlay products in the accessibility market. They compete on marketing and pricing structure, not on fundamental product approach. For agencies, the more important question is whether overlay products meet the standard clients expect when they purchase accessible website development.
| Feature | UserWay | accessiBe | A11yProof |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $49-$199/mo | $49-$199/site/mo | from $29/month |
| Approach | Overlay/Enterprise | Overlay/Enterprise | AI scanning + code fixes |
| Feature | UserWay | accessiBe | A11yProof |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $49/mo per site | $49/mo per site | $29/mo (Agency $199/mo for 25 sites) |
| Product type | AI overlay widget | AI overlay widget | Source-level scanner + AI code fixes |
| User-adjustable preferences | Yes (core feature) | Yes | No (fixes source code directly) |
| WCAG source-level remediation | No | No | Yes (AI-generated code fixes) |
| Developer issue reports | No | No | Yes |
| White-label agency reports | No | No | Yes (Pro and Agency plans) |
| Agency partner/reseller program | Yes | Yes | Agency plan with multi-client management |
| Accessibility widget icon | Yes | Yes | No (no overlay) |
The Overlay Market at a Glance
UserWay and accessiBe dominate the accessibility overlay market by marketing spend and name recognition. Both raised substantial venture capital and spent heavily on advertising and partner programs. For agencies researching accessibility tools, both names appear prominently.
They are effectively the same product sold under different brands.
What Both Products Do
Both products install via a single JavaScript snippet. Both display a floating icon on the site that users click to access accessibility preferences (text size, contrast, cursor adjustments). Both use AI to analyze the page and apply automated remediation at render time. Both charge per site, per month.
The marketing languages differ. UserWay emphasizes user personalization and AI-powered adaptation. accessiBe emphasizes ADA compliance and litigation defense. The underlying mechanism — JavaScript patching on top of unchanged HTML — is the same.
The Agency Decision Point
Agencies recommending either product to clients face the same set of questions:
Does the client understand the product is an overlay widget, not source code remediation? If a client purchases “WCAG-compliant website development,” does installing an overlay satisfy that purchase? If the client’s site is audited by an automated scanner, will the overlay prevent reported failures?
The honest answers are: probably not, probably not, and no. Automated accessibility scanners test source HTML, not overlay-modified DOM. The source code remains unchanged.
When Overlays Work for Agency Clients
Overlays serve a specific use case well: a client with an existing site that has accessibility problems, who wants to reduce barriers for users immediately while a longer-term remediation project is scoped and budgeted. In that context, an overlay is a reasonable interim measure.
The miscommunication happens when overlays are presented as a compliance solution rather than an interim tool. Agencies that understand this distinction can use overlays appropriately and recommend source-level scanning for projects where code conformance is the actual requirement.
A Source-Level Alternative for Agencies
A11yProof takes the opposite approach from both UserWay and accessiBe. Instead of a JavaScript widget that patches the rendered page, A11yProof runs 3-pass AI scanning against your actual HTML, identifies WCAG violations, and generates production-ready code fixes. The Agency plan covers up to 25 client sites for $199/month with white-label PDF reports and API access. No overlay icon on your clients’ sites, no per-site pricing that compounds as you grow your book of business.
Neither option feel right?
Most small businesses pay for accessibility features they don't need. A11yProof starts at from $29/month.
See plans & pricingVerdict
UserWay and accessiBe are the same product category — JavaScript overlays — at similar prices. The choice between them matters less than the choice between overlays and source-level scanning. For agencies delivering WCAG compliance as a service, neither overlay approach produces the deliverables clients expect. A11yProof takes the opposite approach: 3-pass AI scanning of your actual source code, production-ready fixes, and WCAG compliance documentation — starting at $29/month with no overlay widget involved.
PROS & CONS
UserWay
Pros
- User-controlled widget preferences (contrast, text size, cursor)
- AI-powered adjustments that adapt to user behavior
- Reseller program available
Cons
- Same overlay limitations as all overlay products
- Per-site pricing compounds at portfolio scale
- No source-level remediation or developer reports
PROS & CONS
accessiBe
Pros
- Established brand with ADA compliance documentation emphasis
- Large customer base and active reseller program
- Ongoing remediation claims (contested by accessibility community)
Cons
- Overlay model — does not fix source code
- Per-site pricing — $49-$199/site/month
- Involved in accessibility litigation despite overlay installation claims
Q&A
Are UserWay and accessiBe the same product?
They are the same product category — JavaScript overlays — with different marketing. Both install via a script tag, both display a floating accessibility widget, both apply AI-assisted runtime modifications, and both are priced per site. The primary differentiators are brand positioning and minor feature emphasis. Neither produces source-level remediation documentation.
Q&A
Can agencies resell UserWay or accessiBe profitably?
Both offer reseller programs. The economics depend on markup. The more fundamental question for agencies is whether reselling overlay installations aligns with how clients understand the word 'accessibility' in their contracts. Agencies that resell overlays should communicate explicitly that overlays are a separate category from WCAG-conformant code. A11yProof's Agency plan ($199/month for up to 25 sites) offers white-label reports and source-level fixes — deliverables that match what clients expect when they pay for accessibility work.
Frequently asked