Side by side
Alfa vs IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker
Both stand on accessibility testing software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APILinuxMac+3
Alfa offers rule-based accessibility checks, structured reports, and a range of developer integrations. Teams should account for the experimental status of most integrations and the stated runtime requirements.
Visit Alfa
Free plan Open source APIExtensionSelf-hosted+1
The checker offers browser-based and CI/CD options for identifying accessibility issues, with scan details that can help locate them. Its automated results are not a substitute for manual and screen reader testing.
Visit IBM Equal Access Accessibility CheckerThe facts
| Alfa | IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Yes |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | API, Extension, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Maker | Alfa | Not published |
| Website | github.com | ibm.com |
| On accessibility testing software | #4 of 169 | #1 of 169 |
Alfa: what it does well
- Includes WCAG-based rules and supports pluggable ACT rules.
- Custom rules and result filters are supported.
- CLI can audit a page and save JSON results.
- Scraper and crawler integrations cover pages across a site.
- Free and released under the MIT license.
What to know first
- Most integrations are experimental and may change.
- Building from source requires Node.js 20 or later and Yarn.
- Older environments are not explicitly supported.
IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker: what it does well
- Checks against accessibility standards including WCAG 2.2
- Available for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge
- Offers Node, Cypress, and Java CI/CD packages
- Combines up to 50 scans in an Excel report
What to know first
- Automated checks cover only a subset of requirements
- Manual and screen reader testing should follow
Alternatives to Alfa Alternatives to IBM Equal Access Accessibility Checker The whole list