SiteArmor vs accessiBe: A Fair Comparison

accessiBe

$490/month

starting price

SiteArmor

$99 one-time scan

starting price

Overlay limitations

Overlays cannot fix underlying accessibility issues—they apply visual or behavioral modifications that don't solve the root cause. Many keyboard navigation problems, screen reader issues, and semantic HTML problems remain unfixed.

W3C and disability community opposition

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), WebAIM, and major disability advocacy organizations (National Federation of the Blind, American Foundation for the Blind) have published statements opposing overlays. They argue overlays create a false sense of compliance without meaningful accessibility.

Limited effectiveness with assistive technology

Overlays often break screen reader functionality, keyboard navigation, and other assistive technologies. Testing has shown overlays sometimes create new accessibility barriers rather than solve existing ones.

No legal protection

Courts have found overlays insufficient for ADA compliance. relying solely on an overlay may not defend against accessibility lawsuits. Many recent settlements require actual code remediation, not overlay application.

Privacy concerns

Overlays require loading third-party JavaScript on every page, creating privacy and performance risks. User data may be collected and processed by the overlay vendor.

False compliance sense

Website owners may believe their sites are accessible after deploying an overlay, when in reality the underlying code is still inaccessible. This creates long-term legal liability.

True accessibility scanning

SiteArmor identifies real accessibility issues in your code: missing alt text, poor color contrast, inaccessible forms, missing ARIA labels, semantic HTML problems. You get actionable remediation steps, not band-aid solutions.

Privacy-first design

SiteArmor doesn't require third-party JavaScript on your site. You maintain complete control of your data. We don't track user behavior or create privacy/performance risks.

Comprehensive scanning includes privacy

SiteArmor scans for accessibility, privacy (CCPA, GDPR, BIPA, VCDPA), and security issues in one pass. No need for multiple tools.

WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance focus

SiteArmor guides you toward genuine WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance—the standard courts expect. This provides actual legal protection, not false compliance.

Cost-effective for SMBs

SiteArmor's instant scan reports cost significantly less than accessiBe's ongoing overlay subscription. You pay for results, not monthly overlay fees.

Legal protection support

SiteArmor's detailed reports and remediation guidance help you defend against accessibility lawsuits by demonstrating good-faith compliance efforts.

Choose accessiBe if...

accessiBe might appeal to companies seeking a quick visual fix without code changes, but this comes with serious legal and ethical tradeoffs. We don't recommend overlays for any serious accessibility compliance effort.

Choose SiteArmor if...

SiteArmor is ideal for businesses genuinely committed to accessibility compliance. If you want real legal protection, true WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance, privacy protection, and cost-effective scanning, SiteArmor is the clear choice.