How we test
People test your site against WCAG 2.2 Level AA with a keyboard and screen readers, alongside automated scans. Here's what we use, who does the work, and what you get at each step.
Five steps, from snapshot to monitoring
Snapshot
- What we do
- We run an automated check of up to 10 key pages on your site.
- What you get
- A plain-English summary of what we found and a 20 to 30 minute call to walk through it.
- How long it takes
- Within 2 business days of your testing authorization.
- What happens next
- If you want to go further, we scope an audit together.
Audit
- What we do
- People test your key journeys with a keyboard and screen readers, plus automated scans of every page template.
- What you get
- A dated report, a spreadsheet issue log with an owner for each issue, a walkthrough call and a draft accessibility statement.
- How long it takes
- About 2, 3 or 4 weeks for up to 10, 20 or 30 page templates, counted from kickoff.
- What happens next
- We give you a fixed quote to fix what we found, or your own developers can work from the issue log.
Fix
- What we do
- We fix the issues in your site's own code, on a copy of your site first. Nothing goes live until you approve it.
- What you get
- A dated fix log that says what we changed and where.
- How long it takes
- Set in your quote, before any work starts.
- What happens next
- We retest every fix before we close the issue.
Retest
- What we do
- A person tests each fixed issue again. We retest every fix we make, and every audit includes one retest round within 90 days.
- What you get
- An updated issue log with the retest date and result for each issue.
- How long it takes
- About 5 business days after you tell us the fixes are ready.
- What happens next
- We recommend monitoring, so new issues get caught early.
Monitor
- What we do
- Automated scans of up to 100 pages every week, with every alert reviewed by a person, and a weekly keyboard check of your home page and top journey. Managed plans add screen-reader testing of 2 key journeys every quarter.
- What you get
- Alerts a person has checked, and a monthly summary. Managed plans add a dated quarterly test report.
- How long it takes
- Month to month. Cancel with 30 days' notice.
- What happens next
- We flag new issues as they come up. On Managed testing + fixes, small ones get fixed as part of the plan.
The standard
We test against WCAG 2.2 Level AA, the current version of the international web accessibility standard.
We pick pages the way the W3C's evaluation method (WCAG-EM) describes:
- Every page template you buy. A fix in a template fixes every page built from it.
- Your key journeys, like booking or checkout, from the first page to the confirmation.
- Shared parts like the header, footer and navigation, tested once, because they appear on every page.
- A few random pages on top, so we catch what a fixed list would miss.
What we test with
Screen readers
| Screen reader | Browser | Device |
|---|---|---|
| JAWS | Chrome | Windows |
| NVDA | Firefox | Windows |
| VoiceOver | Safari | Mac |
| VoiceOver | Safari | iPhone |
| TalkBack | Chrome | Android |
JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver are the most used desktop screen readers, and VoiceOver and TalkBack the most used on phones, in WebAIM's Screen Reader User Survey (2024). Together our pairings cover all three browser engines.
Every key journey is tested with a keyboard only, then with JAWS or NVDA on Windows, and VoiceOver on iPhone. Across the audit we also check with VoiceOver on Mac and TalkBack on Android.
Other checks
- Keyboard only, with no mouse.
- Zoom to 400% and a screen 320 pixels wide.
- Color contrast.
- Motion and animation.
- Forms, error messages and time limits.
- Automated scans: axe-core on every page we scan, plus IBM Equal Access on the pages we test by hand.
Who does the work
Accessibility tester
Runs the manual tests with a keyboard, screen readers and zoom, and writes up each issue.
Senior accessibility reviewer
Checks every finding before it reaches you. Items a tool flags as needing review stay with our team until a person checks them, so your issue log holds only confirmed, reproducible problems.
Front-end developer
Makes the fixes in your site's code, on a copy of your site first.
Project lead
Your contact from scoping to retest. Replies the next business day.
How we rate issues
Must fix
It stops a person from finishing a task, or it clearly doesn't meet WCAG 2.2 AA on a key journey.
Good to fix
It makes the site harder to use, but a person can still finish the task.
Needs review
Something a tool flagged that a person needs to check. These items stay with our team: a person checks each one, and only confirmed problems go into your issue log.
We don't turn results into a number. You get a list of issues with dates, owners and fixes.
What we don't do
Overlays or widgets
We don't add an overlay or a widget on top of your site. We change your site's code, and the changes stay if you stop working with us.
Anything that says you're done
We don't hand out anything that says your site is done. We give you dated reports and logs.
Native mobile apps
We test your website at phone sizes, not apps from an app store.
Sessions with daily assistive technology users
We don't yet run paid testing sessions with people who use assistive technology every day.
Legal advice
We provide technical accessibility services. Your attorney decides legal questions.
What testing can't tell you
- Automated tools catch only some issues. That's why people test your key journeys.
- A test shows your site as it was on the date we tested it.
- New content and site updates can add new barriers.
- Third-party tools, like booking widgets, chat and Shopify's checkout, are controlled by the companies that make them. We test them, but we can't change their code. If a problem is in another company's tool, we write it up for you to send to them. If it makes sense, we can also build you an accessible replacement.
Start with a free snapshot.
Tell us your website. We'll run an automated check of up to 10 key pages and walk you through what we found. It's an automated check that finds only some issues, not an audit.
Get a free snapshot