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QualWeb

by QualWeb

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What QualWeb is

QualWeb is a free, open-source service for automated webpage accessibility evaluation. It checks pages against WCAG 2.1 Techniques and ACT Rules, with optional experimental modules from research projects. The service is available through a website, command-line tool, browser extension, API, and JavaScript integration, with platforms including Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted use. Its core package lists ACT Rules, WCAG Techniques, Best Practices, CUI Checks, and Counter modules. Inputs can be a URL, several URLs, a URL file, a crawled domain, HTML code, or HTML files. Crawl settings include maximum depth, URL count, timeout, and parallel crawls. Users can set viewport, mobile context, language translation, and selected modules or rules. The CLI can produce EARL reports, including aggregated reports for multiple URLs. Some pages may fail or take a long time to evaluate, including unavailable, password-protected, invalid-certificate, or non-HTML pages. QualWeb is published under the ISC license.

Who it suits

QualWeb suits people evaluating webpage accessibility with online, command-line, browser-extension, or JavaScript workflows. It also fits teams that need configurable crawling, modules, and EARL reporting.

What it does well

  • Free plan with no trial required
  • Checks WCAG 2.1 Techniques and ACT Rules
  • Works online, by CLI, extension, or JavaScript
  • Supports URLs, crawls, HTML code, and files
  • Generates aggregated EARL reports

What to know first

  • Some evaluations may fail or take a long time
  • Password-protected pages may not evaluate
  • Non-HTML documents are unsupported for evaluation

Verdict

QualWeb combines several access methods with configurable accessibility checks and reporting. Its documented evaluation limits should be considered when assessing protected, unavailable, or unusual pages.

Facts from QualWeb's own pages

Audience
QualWeb is presented as a tool for evaluating the accessibility of webpages, with online use as well as command-line and JavaScript integration options. · qualweb.di.fc.ul.pt, 12 Oct 2026
Browser extension
The project provides a Chrome extension that can be loaded in Chrome through its extensions page using Developer Mode. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
CI/CD integration
Yes · qualweb.di.fc.ul.pt, 21 Sept 2026
CLI inputs
The CLI supports evaluating a URL, a file of URLs, or a crawled domain. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Contact
The QualWeb GitHub organization lists [email protected] as its contact email. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Crawling
Crawl options include maximum depth, maximum URLs, timeout, and maximum parallel crawls. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
Evaluation limits
The core documentation says evaluations may fail or take a long time for webpages that are unavailable, password protected, have invalid HTTPS certificates, or are not HTML documents. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
Evaluation modules
The core engine provides ACT Rules, WCAG Techniques, and Best Practices evaluation modules. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
Evaluation settings
Users can configure viewport, mobile context, language translation, and which evaluation modules and rules or techniques to run. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
Experimental modules
QualWeb may offer experimental modules from research projects, and users can choose to use the service without them. · qualweb.di.fc.ul.pt, 11 Oct 2026
Free plan
Yes · qualweb.di.fc.ul.pt, 21 Sept 2026
Headquarters
Lisbon · qualweb.di.fc.ul.pt, 28 Sept 2026
Inputs
The core engine accepts a URL, multiple URLs, a file of URLs, a domain to crawl, or HTML code as evaluation input. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
Integration
The JavaScript core is installed with npm as @qualweb/core. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
License
The QualWeb core repository identifies its license as ISC. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
Open source
QualWeb describes itself as open source and links to its source code on GitHub. · qualweb.di.fc.ul.pt, 12 Oct 2026
Purpose
QualWeb is an automated web accessibility evaluation service that checks webpages against WCAG 2.1 Techniques and ACT Rules. · qualweb.di.fc.ul.pt, 12 Oct 2026
Reports
QualWeb can generate Evaluation and Reporting Language (EARL) reports, including aggregated reports. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
Scan scope
page · qualweb.di.fc.ul.pt, 21 Sept 2026
Standards checks
QualWeb can automatically check webpages against WCAG 2.1 Techniques and ACT Rules. · qualweb.di.fc.ul.pt, 11 Oct 2026
Support
The QualWeb site invites users to send suggestions or accessibility problems to [email protected]. · qualweb.di.fc.ul.pt, 12 Oct 2026
Usage limits
The core documentation says some webpages may fail evaluation or take a long time, and lists invalid URLs, unavailable pages, invalid certificates, password protection, and non-HTML documents among possible causes. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Ways to use
QualWeb can be used online, from the command line, as a browser extension, or integrated into JavaScript projects. · qualweb.di.fc.ul.pt, 12 Oct 2026
WCAG version
wcag 2.1 · qualweb.di.fc.ul.pt, 21 Sept 2026

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