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Instead of Octopus Scanner (formerly A11y Scanner)

Octopus Scanner (formerly A11y Scanner) alternatives

Octopus Scanner (formerly A11y Scanner) is a free desktop tool for Windows and macOS that audits sites against WCAG 2.2, Section 508, and EN 301 549. It combines browser automation with axe-core checks, can replay authenticated user journeys, and handles dynamic interfaces, embedded frames, Shadow DOM, and linked PDFs. Scanning and reporting stay local, and each scan creates an interactive HTML report plus a CSV. Team members can share configurations, and optional update checks verify signatures and checksums.

  1. 1

    WAVE

    by WAVE
    Free plan APIExtensionLinux+3

    Browser extensions and scheduled page scans — WAVE adds a browser extension, CI/CD integration, and scheduled scans, but targets pages and has a 250-scan limit.

    7.7 Free plan · paid from $10 Visit site
  2. 2

    IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker

    Free plan Open source APIExtensionSelf-hosted+1

    Browser-based checks with API access — IBM Equal Access adds browser extensions, CI/CD integration, and API access for page checks, while Octopus Scanner supports site scans.

    9.3 Free plan Visit site
  3. 3

    Oobee

    Free plan APIMacWeb+1

    Free site scans with issue guidance — Oobee offers free page or site reports with severity, affected-element, and fix guidance, plus CI/CD and API access.

    7.6 Free plan Visit site
  4. 4

    Pa11y

    Free plan APILinuxMac+3

    Open-source command-line and daily dashboard checks — Pa11y offers CLI tests, daily dashboard scans, and trend graphs, but specifies WCAG 2.1 instead of 2.2.

    7.6 Free plan Visit site
  5. 5

    Axe DevTools

    by Axe DevTools
    Free plan Open source AndroidAPIExtension+6

    Browser and CI/CD page checks — Axe DevTools adds a browser extension, CI/CD integration, and API access for page scans; Octopus Scanner instead audits sites locally.

    9.3 Free plan Visit site
  6. 6

    Accessibility Insights for Web

    by Accessibility Insights for Web
    Free plan ExtensionWeb

    Developers fixing web app accessibility issues — Accessibility Insights for Web focuses on helping developers find and fix issues in web apps and sites through an extension.

    7.3 Free plan Visit site
  7. 7

    axe-core

    by axe-core
    Free plan APIExtensionWeb

    Free axe-core page checks with API access — axe-core provides API access, CI/CD integration, and extension support for page checks, while Octopus Scanner adds site scans and local reports.

    7.5 Free plan Visit site
  8. 8

    AccessLint

    Free plan APIExtensionMac+1
    7.6 Free plan · paid from $19/mo · 14-day trial Visit site
  9. 9

    A11yInspect

    by A11yInspect
    Free plan ExtensionLinuxMac+1
    7.5 Free plan · paid from $120/yr · 30-day trial Visit site
  10. 10

    A11y Check

    Free plan APIExtensionWeb
    7.4 Free plan Visit site
  11. 11

    AccessibilityChecker.org

    by AccessibilityChecker.org
    Free plan APIExtensionWeb
    7.4 From $69/mo (annual) · 7-day trial Visit site
  12. 12

    Stark

    Free plan WebiPhoneAndroid
    7.4 Free plan · paid from $198/user/yr Visit site
  13. 13

    GitHub Accessibility Scanner

    Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted
    7.4 Free plan Visit site
  14. 14

    Total Validator

    by Total Validator
    Free plan APIExtensionLinux+3
    7.4 Free plan Visit site
  15. 15

    Assistiv Labs

    Free plan AndroidiPhoneLinux+3
    7.4 From $19/mo · 14-day trial Visit site
  16. 16

    Tanaguru Engine

    Free plan APISelf-hostedWeb
    7.3 Open source Visit site
  17. 17

    TestParty

    by TestParty
    Free plan APIExtensionWeb
    7.3 Free plan Visit site
  18. 18

    Includa

    Free plan LinuxMacWindows
    7.3 Free plan Visit site
  19. 19

    WCAG Toolkit

    by WCAG Toolkit
    Free plan ExtensionLinuxMac+2
    7.3 Free plan · paid from €11.95/user/mo Visit site
  20. 20

    Asqatasun

    Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1
    7.3 Open source Visit site
  21. 21

    pour

    Free plan APIExtensioniPhone+4
    7.3 Free plan Visit site
  22. 22

    Accessibility Cloud

    by Accessibility Cloud
    Free plan API
    7.2 Free plan · paid from €1,980/yr Visit site
  23. 23

    Pope Tech

    by Pope Tech
    Free plan API
    7.2 Free plan · paid from $25/mo (annual) Visit site
  24. 24

    Look-see

    Free plan APIExtensionSelf-hosted+1
    7.2 Open source Visit site

Its desktop-only approach may be less suitable if you want browser-based checks or integrations into a development workflow. Alternatives include page-focused browser tools, site-wide options, and tools with APIs, CI/CD, recurring checks, or dashboards. When switching, weigh whether local scanning and authenticated journeys matter more than integrations, automated schedules, issue guidance, or monitoring changes over time. Also compare scan scope and WCAG coverage: Pa11y specifies WCAG 2.1, while the other options name WCAG 2.2.

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