Freedom251 › Website Accessibility Tools
OpenADA
What OpenADA is
OpenADA is an open-source accessibility and language-quality service for web and document workflows. It checks submitted HTML with axe-core against WCAG 2.1, and provides spelling and grammar analysis through LanguageTool-compatible endpoints. Its PDF endpoint accepts base64-encoded files and validates them against PDF/UA-1 using veraPDF; decoded files over 10 MB are rejected. Site scans can queue asynchronous crawls of up to 100 public pages on the same host. Developers can use API access, CI/CD integration, and targets such as WordPress, Drupal, or custom build pipelines. A public MCP endpoint is documented for ChatGPT, Codex, and Claude. The hosted widget accepts a public page URL and displays a score badge. OpenADA is available through the web, API, or self-hosted deployment, with Docker Compose and AWS deployment documented. The public service does not require an account, though scan data may be retained. API keys and host restrictions can control submissions. Results are engineering signals, not legal advice or certification.
Who it suits
It suits teams checking website HTML, public sites, language quality, or PDF accessibility. Developers can connect it to APIs, CI/CD pipelines, CMS platforms, or self-hosted infrastructure.
What it does well
- Free plan available
- WCAG 2.1 HTML checks
- PDF/UA-1 validation
- Crawls up to 100 pages
- API and CI/CD integration
What to know first
- PDF files over 10 MB rejected
- Scan data may be retained
- Results are not certification
- Self-hosting requires deployment work
Verdict
OpenADA combines accessibility, language, PDF, and site checks in one free service. Its API, integrations, and self-hosting options suit technical workflows, while its automated results should not be treated as legal compliance certification.
Facts from OpenADA's own pages
- Accessibility checks
- The accessibility endpoint runs axe-core WCAG checks against submitted HTML. · openada.us, 12 Oct 2026
- API access
- Public deployments may allow anonymous checks, while configured deployments can require an API key or bearer token. · openada.us, 12 Oct 2026
- CI/CD integration
- Yes · github.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Data handling
- OpenADA says it does not sell submitted scan content, and notes that language content may be sent to an upstream provider when configured. · openada.us, 12 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- The repository documents running the service locally with Docker Compose and deploying it on AWS ECS Fargate. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Developer integrations
- The API reference names WordPress, Drupal, and custom build pipelines as integration targets. · openada.us, 11 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · github.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Integrations
- The public MCP server documents connections for ChatGPT, Codex, and Claude. · openada.us, 12 Oct 2026
- Language checks
- OpenADA provides spelling and grammar analysis, including a LanguageTool-compatible endpoint for CMS integrations. · openada.us, 12 Oct 2026
- Legal limits
- OpenADA describes its automated results as engineering signals, not a legal opinion or accessibility certification. · openada.us, 11 Oct 2026
- Limit
- OpenADA describes automated results as engineering signals rather than legal advice or a compliance certification. · openada.us, 12 Oct 2026
- Limits
- The PDF endpoint rejects decoded files over 10 MB. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- PDF checks
- It validates base64-encoded PDFs against PDF/UA-1 using veraPDF. · openada.us, 11 Oct 2026
- PDF validation
- The PDF endpoint validates base64-encoded PDFs against PDF/UA-1 with veraPDF. · openada.us, 12 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- Submitted public URLs and scan metadata may be retained for scan operation and reporting, and the policy advises against submitting private or sensitive pages. · openada.us, 12 Oct 2026
- Product
- OpenADA is an open-source accessibility and language-quality service for web and document workflows. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- OpenADA checks public webpages and submitted HTML for accessibility and language issues. · openada.us, 12 Oct 2026
- Scan scope
- site · github.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Security controls
- Public scans can be disabled, restricted to allowed hosts, or protected with API keys. · openada.us, 12 Oct 2026
- Self-hosting
- The repository documents running the full local stack with Docker Compose and deploying on AWS with CloudFormation. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Site scans
- OpenADA can queue a same-host crawl of up to 100 public pages. · openada.us, 12 Oct 2026
- Support
- OpenADA is maintained in public, and its support page directs users to report issues through the GitHub repository. · openada.us, 12 Oct 2026
- WCAG version
- wcag 2.1 · github.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Widget
- A hosted widget can submit a public page URL and display a score badge. · openada.us, 11 Oct 2026
Where OpenADA stands on Freedom251
- Website Accessibility Tools#59 of 133