accessiBe alternative: Accessonaut compared factually

accessiBe describes accessWidget as an AI-based solution that scans a website after installation, fixes issues automatically and repeats this every 24 hours. It also offers a tool for development teams (accessFlow) and services. Accessonaut works differently: you find barriers with their location, fix them in your website and document the status. In 2025, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) prohibited accessiBe from claiming, without substantiation, that its AI can make any website WCAG compliant.

According to accessiBe’s public pages, the offer includes:

• accessWidget: AI-based solution that, according to the vendor, scans the website, fixes issues automatically, adds ARIA attributes and alt text and re-scans every 24 hours. Visitors can also choose profiles. Source: accessWidget at accessiBe
• accessScan: Free website check with eleven checks according to the vendor. Source: accessScan at accessiBe
• accessFlow: AI-based platform for development teams with connections to code repositories, CI/CD and ticket systems. Source: accessFlow at accessiBe
• accessServices: Expert audit, testing with users with disabilities, VPAT reports, document remediation and litigation support, each on request. Source: accessServices at accessiBe
• Statement and reports: According to the vendor, accessWidget includes a personalised accessibility statement and audit reports. Source: Statement and reports at accessiBe

accessWidget is added to the website as a script and, according to the vendor, adjusts the page automatically. The vendor names limits itself: there are some accessibility errors the widget cannot fix, such as captions for videos, and PDFs must be handled separately.

Accessonaut does not repair the source code automatically. You see findings with their location, WCAG reference and priority, fix them in the CMS or code and check again. The optional widget offers personal reading aids and does not replace this work.

The contract terms define what is actually promised. accessiBe states there that its services are intended to assist in, rather than guarantee, compliance. Accessonaut does not promise legal conformance either.

The table summarises both vendors’ public information as of 14 November 2026. It rates neither quality nor legal effectiveness. The vendors’ current information and contracts are authoritative.

accessiBe

accessiBe publishes accessWidget prices in US dollars, without a note on sales tax. The tiers depend on website visits per month; according to the vendor, subdomains require additional plans: Source: Prices according to the vendors at accessiBe

• Micro: $59 per month or $490 per year, up to 5,000 visits
• Growth: $179 per month or $1,490 per year, up to 30,000 visits
• Scale: $479 per month or $3,990 per year, up to 100,000 visits
• Enterprise: on request

Accessonaut

Free €0, Standard €9, Pro €19, Business €49 per month. All prices are final prices in euros. As a small business under § 19 of the German VAT Act (UStG), we do not charge VAT.

The pricing models differ: page views, visits, domains, projects or scans. Compare the price for your actual needs. Prices can change; the vendors’ own information is authoritative.

• You are looking for an automated solution that, according to the vendor, checks and adjusts daily, and you accept that the vendor does not guarantee conformance.
• Your development team wants to work on accessibility in the repository, CI/CD and ticket system (accessFlow).
• You need services such as an expert audit, a VPAT report or testing with users with disabilities from a vendor focused on the US market.

• You want to fix barriers at the cause and prove progress with re-checks.
• You need an accessibility statement with a documented review status for Germany, Austria or Switzerland.
• You want to start for free and see final prices in euros directly on the pricing page.
• A reading-aid widget should stay optional and not promise any repair.

On 22 April 2025, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a final order against accessiBe Inc. and accessiBe Ltd. (docket C-4817). accessiBe must pay 1 million US dollars.

The FTC alleged that, despite the company’s claims, accessWidget did not make all customer websites WCAG compliant. It also alleged that third-party articles and reviews were formatted to appear as independent opinions. Among other things, the order prohibits claiming that the automated products can make any website WCAG compliant unless the claim is substantiated.

According to the order, accessiBe neither admits nor denies the allegations. On its own website, accessiBe calls the agreement a non-admission settlement and says the claims were largely based on outdated information from 2019 to 2022.

• FTC: press release of 22 April 2025
• FTC: press release of 3 January 2025
• FTC: Decision and Order, docket C-4817 (PDF)
• accessiBe: statement on the FTC

• The German federal and state monitoring bodies write in their joint assessment (March 2025): Ein nicht barrierefreier Webauftritt wird durch den Einsatz eines Overlay-Tools nicht zwingend barrierefrei gemäß den gesetzlichen Anforderungen. (An inaccessible website does not necessarily become accessible under the legal requirements by using an overlay tool.) Source: BFIT-Bund: assessment of the monitoring bodies on overlay tools (March 2025, German)
• The German Federal Accessibility Agency (Bundesfachstelle Barrierefreiheit) states that an online shop cannot meet its digital accessibility obligations under the BFSG with an overlay tool. Source: Bundesfachstelle Barrierefreiheit: e-commerce and the BFSG (German)
• In 2023, the European Disability Forum (EDF) and the IAAP stated that overlays do not make a website accessible or compliant with European legislation and are no substitute for fixing the website itself. Source: EDF and IAAP: Accessibility overlays don’t guarantee compliance with European legislation (2023)
• The W3C points out that evaluation tools cannot determine accessibility, they can only assist. This also applies to automated scans like ours. Source: W3C WAI: Selecting Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools
• The Overlay Fact Sheet, a statement signed by more than a thousand accessibility practitioners and organisations, advises against using overlays as a long-term solution. Source: Overlay Fact Sheet

These assessments concern overlay and widget solutions in general, including the Accessonaut reading-aid widget. That is why our widget is optional and does not replace fixes in the source code.

We opened the public pages listed here on 14 November 2026 and summarised the information. Quotes are verbatim. We have not tested the vendors’ software ourselves. Accessonaut is itself a provider and the publisher of this comparison.

Information from accessiBe

• accessiBe: home page
• accessiBe: German page
• accessiBe: imprint (German)
• accessiBe: terms of service
• accessiBe: accessWidget
• accessiBe: accessScan
• accessiBe: accessFlow
• accessiBe: accessServices
• accessiBe: accessWidget pricing
• accessiBe: integrations
• accessiBe: statement on the FTC
• FTC: press release of 3 January 2025
• FTC: press release of 22 April 2025
• FTC: Decision and Order, docket C-4817 (PDF)

Independent sources

• BFIT-Bund: assessment of the monitoring bodies on overlay tools (March 2025, German)
• Bundesfachstelle Barrierefreiheit: e-commerce and the BFSG (German)
• EDF and IAAP: Accessibility overlays don’t guarantee compliance with European legislation (2023)
• W3C WAI: Selecting Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools
• Overlay Fact Sheet

accessiBe is a trademark of its respective owner. Accessonaut is not affiliated with accessiBe; we do not use the vendor’s logos.

Has something changed? Write to us at info@accessonaut.com and we will check and correct it.

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