WordPress accessibility checker plugin: what to use and what it cannot see
A WordPress accessibility checker plugin scans your posts and pages for errors from inside the dashboard, so you see problems while you write. The ones worth knowing are Accessibility Checker from Equalize Digital, Editoria11y from Princeton University, and WP Accessibility, which fixes a few theme problems rather than checking. All three have free versions. None can tell you your site is compliant, and most check page content better than the theme around it. This guide compares them, says when a browser extension is the better tool, and gives an order of work.
WordPress accessibility checker plugins compared
| Plugin | What it does | Free version | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accessibility Checker (Equalize Digital) | Scans each post or page when you save it and lists issues with explanations and a link to fix | Yes; paid tiers add wider scans and reports | Editors and site owners who publish often |
| Editoria11y Accessibility Checker (Princeton) | Highlights content issues on the page as you view it, aimed at writers | Yes | Content problems: headings, links, alt text, tables |
| WP Accessibility (Joe Dolson) | Adds fixes such as a skip link, outline restoration and language tags; some tools to find issues | Yes | Patching common theme gaps while you plan a real fix |
| Widget plugins (UserWay, accessiBe and similar) | Add a visitor toolbar and runtime patches | Limited or paid | Not a checker: see plugin vs fixing the theme |
Based on each plugin's WordPress.org listing and documentation, checked 2026-11-15. Features change between versions; read the listing before installing.
What a checker plugin can see
A plugin that runs in the editor tests the content you enter: heading levels, images without alt text, links such as "click here", tables without headers, and embedded media. This is where many small-site errors start, since every new post can add one. Catching it while you write is cheaper than finding it in an audit, and it teaches whoever writes the posts what to do.
What it cannot see
- Your theme's templates. The header, menu, footer, search form and cookie banner come from the theme, and a plugin focused on post content may not test them.
- Colour contrast of your design. Brand colours sit in theme settings or custom CSS; check them with a contrast tool (see WCAG color contrast checker).
- Other plugins' output. Forms, sliders, popups, booking and shop plugins generate their own markup on the front end.
- Keyboard and screen reader use. It cannot press Tab through your menu.
- Pages built outside the editor. Some page builders render in ways a checker reads differently; test one page first.
For those, use a browser extension on the live page. Our website accessibility checker Chrome extension guide covers WAVE, axe DevTools and Lighthouse. Use both: the plugin for content as you publish, an extension for the full rendered page.
Choosing between Accessibility Checker and Editoria11y
Both aim at the people who write and edit content, and both are free to try, so the choice comes down to how your team works. Accessibility Checker reports issues in a panel when you save or update a post and keeps a record per page, which helps if you want to show someone what you scanned and when. Editoria11y marks problems on the page as an editor views it, with short explanations next to the element, which suits people who want to see the problem where it is. If you have one person publishing, try the one whose notices you find easiest to read for a week. If several people publish, pick the one that fits how they already work, and write a one-page rule: every image gets alt text or an empty alt on purpose, every link says where it goes, every page has one heading 1 and no skipped levels.
Page builders and checker plugins
Sites built with a page builder such as Elementor, Divi or Beaver Builder often put layout in the builder's own widgets, and a plugin that reads the saved post text may see less of it than the front end shows. If a scan comes back suspiciously clean on a design-heavy page, scan the live page with a browser extension to compare. Builders also let editors choose heading tags by look, which is how skipped heading levels and a second heading 1 appear. Set heading levels by structure, and use the style controls for size. We cover builders separately as the platform cluster grows; for now treat any builder page as one that needs a human check as well as a plugin scan.
Plugin or browser extension: which first?
| Question | Plugin | Browser extension |
|---|---|---|
| Runs where | Inside WordPress | In your browser on any page |
| Sees theme and plugin output | Partly | Yes, the rendered page |
| Catches errors before publishing | Yes | Only after the page is live or in preview |
| Adds weight to your site | A plugin to maintain; some checks run on your server | None |
| Works for other platforms | No | Yes |
If you have never scanned, start with an extension: it is quicker and shows the whole page. Add a plugin when several people publish and you want errors caught at the source.
How to use a checker plugin in a week
- Back up the site and install one plugin on a staging copy if you have one.
- Scan your ten most visited pages and your contact page. Note the count for each.
- Fix content errors first: alt text, empty links, heading order, "click here" links.
- Run an extension on the home page and one template to see what the plugin missed.
- List the theme errors (contrast, focus outline, menu keyboard access, unlabelled search) and send them to your developer in one batch.
- Turn on the checks for new posts so every publish is scanned.
- Write down what you did with the date, for your accessibility statement.
Does a WordPress accessibility plugin make my site compliant?
No plugin makes a site compliant. A checker finds errors; a fixer plugin patches a few of them; a widget adds a toolbar. Compliance, as courts and settlements usually read it, means a person using a keyboard or a screen reader can use the site, measured against WCAG 2.1 AA. That takes fixes in your theme, plugins and content. We are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice. For what a full review costs, see WordPress accessibility audit.
Plugin risks to weigh
- Another plugin to update. Every plugin is code that needs patches; install only what you will use.
- Performance. Checkers that scan on your server can slow the dashboard on large sites. Try it with your real pages.
- False confidence. A green tick on a post does not mean the page works for a keyboard user.
- Overlay plugins are a different thing. They change the page for visitors and are covered in our accessiBe alternatives and UserWay pricing guides.
A worked example: a plumbing company on WordPress
A plumber has a 25-page WordPress site on a purchased theme. She installs a checker plugin and scans eight pages. It reports 14 content errors: nine photos with no alt text, three links reading "read more", and two skipped heading levels. Her assistant fixes them in an hour. An extension scan of the home page then finds 16 more errors the plugin never listed: a pale orange call button that fails contrast, a search icon with no name, and a footer form with placeholder-only fields. These belong to the theme, so she sends them to the freelancer as three line items. Two weeks later a second scan shows four errors, all in a booking plugin she reports to its maker. The plugin caught the content problems; the extension caught the design ones.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free WordPress accessibility checker plugin?
Accessibility Checker by Equalize Digital and Editoria11y both have free versions aimed at content. Pick one, not both, to avoid duplicate notices.
Can a plugin fix accessibility issues automatically?
WP Accessibility fixes a few common gaps. Widget plugins patch the page in the browser. Most errors need a change to your content or theme.
Does the checker scan my whole site?
Free versions usually scan the post or page you are editing. Site-wide scans are often in paid tiers; check the listing.
Will an accessibility plugin slow my site?
A checker that only runs in the editor does not affect visitors. A widget loads a script on every page, which can.
Do I still need a manual test?
Yes. Automated checkers find part of the issues; a keyboard test and a screen reader check find the rest.
Is a plugin enough to avoid a lawsuit?
No tool prevents a demand letter. Fixing real errors, keeping dated scan records and publishing an honest statement are sensible steps. Speak to an attorney if you receive a letter.
Sources
- WordPress.org plugin directory: Accessibility Checker, Editoria11y Accessibility Checker, WP Accessibility (checked 2026-11-15).
- Equalize Digital, Accessibility Checker documentation.
- Princeton University, Editoria11y project page.
- W3C, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1.