Compare
Choose the approach
that suits your work.
See for each approach what happens after a release, and who fixes the problem.
- TestingFind what needs attention
- FixGive your developer a task
- RetestCheck the result
- Keep evidenceRecord the outcome
A change or a release? The cycle starts again.
Six questions to base a choice on.
None of these four alternatives is wrong. The question is which one fits how much time, money and repetition you want.
| Item | Overlay widget | A one-off agency audit | A standalone free scanner | Do it yourself | WexloOur offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costs | Often a fixed amount per month, regardless of how often you test | One-off project fee per audit | Often free or for a low fee | No direct cost, but your own time | €15 per domain per month for an agency, from €99 per month for a business |
| Stays current after a release | No, an overlay changes nothing in the code at a new release | No, unless you purchase a new audit | Only if you run it again yourself | Only if you repeat it yourself | Yes, with automatic re-checking on your plan's schedule |
| Where the problem gets fixed | In a layer on top of the site; the underlying code stays unchanged | In the code, via the auditor's recommendations | Nothing happens automatically; you fix it yourself based on the outcome | In the code, if you have the time and knowledge | In the code, as a task for your developer |
| Human assessment | Usually none | Usually yes, that is the core of an audit | Usually none | Only if you have that knowledge yourself or bring it in | Available as standalone verification, and included from Growth |
| Evidence you can show | No audit trail, and no history you can show externally | One report at the time of the audit | Usually no history kept | It's up to you to keep track | Scans, tasks and retests recorded in an audit trail, with date and time |
| What it's strong at | Quick to install, no developer needed for the first step | In-depth human assessment in one go | A free or cheap first impression | Full control and no extra cost | A fixed rhythm and repeatable evidence, release after release |
| Item | Overlay widget | WexloOur offer |
|---|---|---|
| Costs (differs) | Often a fixed amount per month, regardless of how often you test | €15 per domain per month for an agency, from €99 per month for a business |
| Stays current after a release (differs) | No, an overlay changes nothing in the code at a new release | Yes, with automatic re-checking on your plan's schedule |
| Where the problem gets fixed (differs) | In a layer on top of the site; the underlying code stays unchanged | In the code, as a task for your developer |
| Human assessment (differs) | Usually none | Available as standalone verification, and included from Growth |
| Evidence you can show (differs) | No audit trail, and no history you can show externally | Scans, tasks and retests recorded in an audit trail, with date and time |
| What it's strong at (differs) | Quick to install, no developer needed for the first step | A fixed rhythm and repeatable evidence, release after release |
Wexlo does not fix things itself: every finding becomes a task for your developer. The same applies to an agency audit and to doing it yourself.
When does which alternative fit best?
An overlay doesn't automatically make your site accessible
An overlay shows that you're doing something, but it doesn't count as proof that your website complies: WCAG and EN 301 549 test the page itself, and a layer on top doesn't change that page. In 2025, the US regulator FTC banned a provider of such widgets from claiming its product can make a website compliant, unless it can prove that. See the sources at the bottom of this page.
When a one-off agency audit fits
If you need a thorough, human review just once. After the next release, you are dependent on a new order again.
When a free standalone scanner fits
If you only want a first, quick impression of the machine-checkable criteria. You get no repeat testing and no audit trail with it, so afterwards you cannot show when you measured and fixed what.
When doing it yourself fits
If you have the knowledge, time and discipline yourself to test and fix again after every release.
Sources
- European Commission, web accessibility page, updated 23 June 2026
- The Commission writes about overlays: "Overlays, or any other tools which do not ensure the website itself meets the detailed criteria of the standard, are not an appropriate solution. It is best to fix accessibility issues at their source." The passage appears in the context of the European rules for public sector websites.https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/web-accessibility
- FTC, final order, 22 April 2025
- The US Federal Trade Commission fined accessiBe 1 million dollars and barred the company from claiming that its automated products can make a website WCAG-conformant or keep it conformant, unless it has evidence for that. Case number 2223156.https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/cases-proceedings/2223156-accessibe-inc
- European Disability Forum and IAAP, 17 May 2023
- Joint statement from the European umbrella organisation for disability organisations and the professional association for accessibility specialists: overlays do not make a website accessible or compliant with European legislation, and are no substitute for fixing the site itself. These are not market surveillance authorities; this is a position taken by the sector and by the people it concerns.https://www.edf-feph.org/publications/joint-statement-on-accessibility-overlays/
We only mention cases we have checked ourselves against the source. There are also civil lawsuits under way about overlays, but they are not included here: a claimant alleging something is not the same as a court establishing it.
Test one page of your own site.
Free and without an account. Rather ask a question first? Use the contact form.