AccessScore vs WAVE — Free ADA Compliance Checker
WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) by WebAIM is one of the most popular accessibility checkers. It's excellent at identifying violations — but it doesn't tell you what those violations mean for your business. AccessScore fills that gap by connecting accessibility issues to real ADA lawsuit risk.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | WAVE | AccessScore |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free (Pro Report $14.99) |
| Accessibility scanning | Yes (comprehensive) | Yes (16 key checks) |
| Legal risk assessment | No | Yes — dollar exposure estimate |
| Prioritized fix plan | No | Yes — ranked by legal risk |
| Before/after code examples | No | Yes |
| WCAG criterion references | Yes | Yes |
| Overall score | No (just issue counts) | Yes (0-100 + letter grade) |
| Browser extension required | Yes | No — web-based |
| Shareable results | No | Yes — shareable URL + badge |
| Badge embed | No | Yes — dynamic SVG |
| Color contrast checking | Yes | No (planned) |
| Detailed element highlighting | Yes (in-page) | Element list in report |
When to Use WAVE vs AccessScore
Use WAVE When...
- • You're a developer debugging specific accessibility issues
- • You need in-page visual highlighting of problem elements
- • You want the most comprehensive automated check count
- • Color contrast is your primary concern
Use AccessScore When...
- • You need to understand your legal risk exposure
- • You want a prioritized remediation plan (what to fix first)
- • You need to present results to stakeholders or clients
- • You want shareable results and embeddable badges
- • You don't want to install a browser extension
- • You need before/after code examples for fixes
The Legal Risk Gap
WAVE tells you “47 images are missing alt text.” That's useful for a developer, but it doesn't answer the question a business owner is actually asking: “Am I going to get sued, and how much will it cost?”
AccessScore answers that question. We connect your violations to real ADA lawsuit data: how many lawsuits were filed (4,000+ in 2024), what violations are most commonly cited, what settlements typically cost ($5,000–$75,000), and what your specific violation profile means for your risk level. That's the information that gets budgets approved and fixes prioritized.
Use Both Together
The tools complement each other. Start with AccessScore to understand your overall risk profile and get a prioritized fix plan. Use WAVE for detailed, element-level debugging when implementing fixes. Re-scan with AccessScore to verify your score improves and your risk tier drops.
See what WAVE can't show you: your legal exposure.