Running an online store is exciting. But it also comes with responsibilities. One of the most important ones? Making sure your website is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. This not only helps your audience — it also keeps you out of legal trouble and boosts conversions. Sounds like a win-win, right?
TLDR: Top 5 Tools for Accessibility & Compliance
Making your website accessible isn’t just a good thing — it’s the law in many places. Merchants use smart tools to scan, fix, and monitor accessibility issues before they become lawsuits. The best tools also improve your site’s user experience, making it easier to shop. Here are five cool and quirky tools (Testparty-style!) that can make your store both inclusive and legally safe.
1. AccessScan – Your Quick Audit Buddy
What it does: AccessScan gives you a fast, one-click accessibility report for your site. It’s like a speed test — but for compliance.
Why merchants love it: It’s easy. You just enter your URL and boom — they hand you a report showing what you’re doing right and what you need to fix. If you’ve heard of WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), but can’t recite it in your sleep, AccessScan helps make sense of it.
- Free overview: Run unlimited free scans.
- Legal clarity: Helps you stay aligned with ADA law.
- No coding needed: Anyone can use it and understand the results.
This tool is perfect for merchants just starting their accessibility journey. Think of it as your compass pointing toward compliance.
2. Equalize Digital Accessibility Checker – The WordPress Guru
What it does: This plugin checks your WordPress site for accessibility issues — in real time — as you build pages.
Why it’s niche but powerful: Merchants who live inside WordPress love how this plugin helps them fix problems before they publish. It’s like spell-check, but for accessibility.
- Live check: As you edit, it highlights issues.
- Detailed guidance: Tells you exactly what to fix and where.
- No guesswork: Built specifically for WordPress users.
This one is ultra helpful if you’re a small business owner designing and posting your own content. You see errors before your customers ever do — or before lawyers come calling.
3. UserWay – The Widget Wizard
What it does: UserWay adds an accessibility widget to your website. It lets users adjust things like text size, contrast, voice navigation, and more.
Why it’s a customer favorite: It literally gives control to your shoppers. They can make the site work for them, their way. And trust us — when users feel comfortable, they stay longer and buy more.
- Zero effort setup: Paste one line of code into your site.
- 14+ features: From screen reader support to smart navigation tools.
- Compliance help: Meets WCAG, ADA, and more.
Bonus? It works with practically every platform — Shopify, Wix, WordPress, Magento, even vanilla HTML. If your audience is diverse, UserWay helps you reach them effortlessly.
4. Silktide – The Nerdy Genius for Agencies & Brands
What it does: Silktide goes deep into every corner of your site, checking not just for accessibility issues, but also SEO, mobile usability, and content clarity.
Why it’s niche: It’s ideal for merchants who operate large websites or run multiple stores. It shows you what’s broken and even breaks down techy solutions in plain English.
- Multifunction tool: Not just accessibility — it checks other web health factors too.
- Big picture view: Great system overview for large ecommerce teams.
- Reports you can share: Beautiful visual dashboards and data tracking.
Silktide gives you actionable insights and helps you build a more user-friendly site — fast. It’s like having a data analyst, web developer, and compliance lawyer in your pocket… but way cheaper.
5. Testparty – The Test Automation Rockstar
What it does: Testparty mimics how real customers use your website — including those with disabilities. It adds accessibility checks to regular test flows, helping catch real issues before launch.
Why it’s a game-changer: Most tools check static pages. Testparty checks real user journeys. Think: adding an item to the cart, checking out, logging in, etc.
- Smart testing: Automates entire customer journeys for accessibility & functionality.
- No slowdowns: Finds issues while you’re still in staging or development.
- Prevents lawsuits: Identifies legal risks like missing aria-labels or bad keyboard nav before they go live.
It’s perfect for dev teams and tech-savvy entrepreneurs who want clean code and better user flows — and fewer fines.
Why Merchants Should Care — Today
Accessibility lawsuits are rising every year. In fact, thousands of ecommerce sites are sued annually for breaking accessibility laws. Even if you don’t get sued, you might be missing out on millions of customers.
Over 1 billion people worldwide have a disability. That’s 1 in 7 shoppers. Accessible websites make everyone feel welcome — and that creates trust (and more sales).
Key Benefits of These Tools:
- Legal protection: Stay ahead of ADA, WCAG, Section 508, and other global laws.
- Better UX: Accessible sites are easier to navigate for everyone.
- SEO perks: Alt tags, clean code, and better structure help with search rankings.
- Happier users: More convenience, better experiences, more conversions.
Final Thoughts: Choose Tools That Fit Your Style
Each of these tools brings something special to the table. Whether you’re a solo-preneur or running a large ecommerce brand, accessibility doesn’t have to be daunting or expensive.
Start small, start smart:
- Use AccessScan for free audits.
- Add UserWay for quick wins.
- Dive into Testparty for automated testing as your site grows.
Don’t wait for a lawsuit or a terrible user review to start caring about accessibility. Build websites that welcome everyone — and watch your conversions climb.
Because inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do…
It’s one of the smartest business moves you can make.
