Pa11y
UnclaimedFree and open-source tools to help designers and developers make web pages more accessible.
Visit WebsiteFreemiumVisit Website
Tracked since2026
0 reviews trackedThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Free plan available, paid tiers above
Biggest pro
Completely free and open-source
Biggest con
Requires some technical knowledge for CLI and Webservice tools
TL;DR - Pa11y
- Provides free and open-source web accessibility testing tools.
- Offers CLI tools for developers and a dashboard for non-developers.
- Helps identify and track accessibility issues on web pages over time.
Pricing: Free plan available
Best for: Growing teams
What is Pa11y?
Pa11y provides a suite of free and open-source tools designed to improve web accessibility for everyone. It offers various solutions for designers and developers to identify and track accessibility issues on their websites.
The core offerings include a command-line interface (Pa11y) for one-off accessibility tests, a web dashboard (Pa11y Dashboard) for daily automated testing and trend tracking, a JSON-based webservice (Pa11y Webservice) for custom integrations, and a CI-focused command-line tool (Pa11y CI) for iterating over multiple web pages. These tools cater to both technical users who want to integrate accessibility testing into their development workflows and non-technical users who need to monitor accessibility performance over time.
Available on: Web, macOS, Linux
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Completely free and open-source
- Offers multiple tools for different use cases (CLI, Dashboard, Webservice, CI)
- Helps track accessibility trends over time with graphs
- Supports integration into continuous integration workflows
Cons
- Requires some technical knowledge for CLI and Webservice tools
- Dashboard might require setup and hosting by the user
Key Features
Command-line interface for one-off accessibility tests (Pa11y)Web dashboard for daily automated accessibility testing (Pa11y Dashboard)Graphs to track accessibility improvements and regressions over timeJSON-based webservice for custom integrations (Pa11y Webservice)Command-line tool for iterating over multiple web pages, suitable for CI (Pa11y CI)
Pricing Plans
Pricing checked Jun 16, 2026
Pa11y
Free
- Command-line interface
- Loads web pages and highlights accessibility issues
- Useful for one-off tests
Pa11y Dashboard
Free
- Web dashboard
- Automatically tests web pages for accessibility issues daily
- Graphs help track improvements and regressions
- Useful for non-developers
Pa11y Webservice
Free
- JSON-based webservice
- Backs Pa11y Dashboard
- Useful for building custom dashboards or repurposing data
Pa11y CI
Free
- Command-line tool
- Iterates over a list of web pages
- Highlights accessibility issues
- Geared towards use in CI
Reviews
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Pa11y FAQ
How does Pa11y help with continuous integration workflows?
Pa11y includes a specific command-line tool, Pa11y CI, designed for iterating over multiple web pages. This allows developers to integrate accessibility testing directly into their continuous integration pipelines, ensuring accessibility is checked with each new build.
Which teams benefit most from using Pa11y?
Pa11y is ideal for development teams, QA teams, and UI/UX designers who need to ensure their web pages are accessible. It provides tools for both technical users integrating tests into workflows and non-technical users monitoring performance.
What kind of accessibility issues can Pa11y help identify?
Pa11y helps identify and track various accessibility issues on websites. It provides solutions for designers and developers to pinpoint problems and monitor accessibility performance over time through its suite of tools.
How is Pa11y priced?
Pa11y offers a free tier, providing access to its core open-source tools. For users requiring more extensive usage or additional features, paid plans are available.
Can Pa11y be used for automated daily accessibility testing?
Yes, Pa11y Dashboard is specifically designed for daily automated testing and tracking accessibility trends. It allows users to monitor the accessibility performance of their websites over time with graphical representations.
How does Pa11y compare to SonarQube for web accessibility testing?
Pa11y focuses specifically on web accessibility, offering a suite of free and open-source tools for identifying and tracking accessibility issues. SonarQube, while also a code quality tool, has a broader scope that includes various aspects of code analysis beyond just accessibility.
What are the main trade-offs when using Pa11y?
Using Pa11y's CLI and Webservice tools requires some technical knowledge for effective implementation. Additionally, setting up and hosting the Pa11y Dashboard might require user effort.
Source: pa11y.org