What are the most effective WCAG testing tools for Internet services?

1 Manual testing

Manual testing is the process of checking your web content manually, using different browsers, devices, and assistive technologies, such as screen readers, magnifiers, or keyboards. Manual testing is essential for evaluating the usability and functionality of your Internet service from the perspective of different users, especially those with disabilities. Manual testing can help you discover issues that automated tools may miss, such as logical order, color contrast, keyboard navigation, or alternative text.

However, manual testing can also be time-consuming, costly, and prone to human error. You may not have access to all the possible combinations of browsers, devices, and assistive technologies that your users may use. You may also need to involve people with disabilities or experts in accessibility testing to get reliable feedback.

2 Automated testing

Automated testing is the process of using software tools to scan your web content and detect accessibility errors or violations of the WCAG criteria. Automated testing can help you save time, money, and resources, by identifying common and obvious issues, such as missing labels, broken links, or invalid code. Automated testing can also help you monitor and measure your web accessibility performance over time.

However, automated testing cannot replace manual testing, as it cannot evaluate the subjective or contextual aspects of web accessibility, such as clarity, readability, or user satisfaction. Automated testing can also generate false positives or negatives, depending on the quality and accuracy of the tool. You still need to verify and fix the issues manually, and test them with real users.

3 Some examples of WCAG testing tools

WCAG testing tools are available online, both free and paid, to help you test your Internet service for web accessibility. WAVE is a free web accessibility evaluation tool that provides visual feedback of your web content, highlighting accessibility errors, alerts, features, and contrast issues. You can use WAVE as a browser extension, a web service, or an API. Axe is a free and open source web accessibility testing tool that integrates with various development tools and platforms. Siteimprove is a paid web accessibility testing and monitoring tool that scans and audits your entire website for WCAG compliance, as well as SEO, quality assurance, and analytics. These tools can help you prioritize and resolve the most critical issues, and track your progress and performance.

4 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?