Comparison
ScanAble vs WAVE API
WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) by WebAIM has been the go-to accessibility checker for years. ScanAble is a modern alternative with richer data output, a compliance scoring system, and significantly lower API pricing. Here's how they compare.
Feature comparison
| Feature | ScanAble | WAVE |
|---|---|---|
| WCAG version | WCAG 2.2 AA (latest) | WCAG 2.0/2.1 |
| Compliance score (0-100) | Yes, weighted by severity | No score — pass/fail only |
| Fix suggestions | Detailed per violation with code context | Limited descriptions |
| Severity weighting | Critical/Serious/Moderate/Minor with weighted scoring | Basic error/alert/contrast categories |
| HTML snippets | Full HTML + CSS selectors | HTML snippets only |
| PDF report | $19 per report with branded layout | No PDF generation |
| API response format | Structured JSON + OpenAPI spec | JSON/XML |
| Browser extension | No (API-first) | Yes (free Chrome extension) |
| Visual overlay | No | Yes (highlights issues on page) |
| Powered by | axe-core (Deque, used by Microsoft/Google) | Proprietary engine |
Pricing comparison
| Tier | ScanAble | WAVE |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 100 scans/mo | Unlimited (extension only) |
| 1,000 scans | $19/mo | $25-40/mo |
| 5,000 scans | $49/mo | $125/mo |
| 10,000 scans | $99/mo (coming) | $250/mo |
| Per-scan cost at scale | $0.006-0.019 | $0.025-0.12 |
Verdict
Choose ScanAble if you need structured compliance scores, modern WCAG 2.2 coverage, and lower API pricing. Choose WAVE if you need a free browser extension for visual debugging during development. For CI/CD integration and bulk scanning, ScanAble offers better value.
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