Axeazy vs WAVE: Free Checker vs Fix Workflow

Opening answer

WAVE is the right first check when you want to see accessibility issues on the page itself, for free, with no account in the way. Axeazy is the right next step when you want those findings turned into code changes and checked again each week. WAVE shows errors, alerts, features, structure and contrast problems in place, so a content editor can point at the exact element. Axeazy then fixes code in 14 categories and gives a dated record. Use both in sequence, and judge each by the job it does.

What WAVE does well

WAVE comes from WebAIM, Web Accessibility in Mind, a respected name in accessibility guidance. Its homepage describes WAVE as a suite of evaluation tools that helps authors make web content more accessible to people with disabilities, identifies many WCAG errors, and facilitates human evaluation. That last phrase matters. WAVE is built to help a person judge a page, not to hand over a final verdict on its own.

Run it two ways. Enter a public page address at WAVE, or use the browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge, which help with password protected, local or highly dynamic pages. The result overlays icons on the page itself. Red icons mark errors. Yellow icons mark alerts that need a human look. Green icons mark features that help accessibility. Purple marks structure such as headings and landmarks. Blue marks contrast errors. A separate contrast panel lists text color, background color and ratio, so you can test a new color pair before you change the stylesheet. Try the contrast quiz after a WAVE run to build a habit of checking text against its background, not just trusting a color pair that looks fine on one screen.

WAVE also offers a subscription API and a stand-alone API and testing engine for testing many pages, including intranet and secure pages, and for use in continuous integration. Those paid WAVE products are separate from the free checker most people mean when they say WAVE. If you only need a single page check, the free checker and the free extensions are the relevant part. If you need many pages checked on a schedule, compare the paid WAVE engine, Axeazy monitoring, and other sitewide tools on page count and on who applies the fixes.

What happens after the scan

Here is where the two paths split. A WAVE report ends with a list. The list is clear, visual and easy to discuss, but someone still has to edit the code, test the change with a keyboard, and run WAVE again to confirm the fix. That workflow suits a team with developer time, a content editor who can fix alt text and headings, and a release process that already includes a check before publish.

Axeazy moves from list to change. It scans with axe-core rules, checks against WCAG 2.0, 2.1 and 2.2 AA plus best practices with 98 automated checks, and then fixes code in 14 categories: alt text, skip navigation, language attributes, form labels, link names, button names, ARIA labels on custom widgets, ARIA attribute validity, keyboard tab order, pinch to zoom restrictions, iframe titles, table header structure, landmark structure and heading structure. For a site with a GitHub repo, the fix arrives as a real pull request with a visible diff for the owner or developer to review and merge. For WordPress, a free plugin applies 3 instant render time fixes: a skip navigation link, a page language attribute and an alt text fallback, with no account needed. Paid plans monitor weekly, so a new fault on a new page is caught on the next weekly scan rather than waiting for the next manual WAVE run.

The point is not that a report is useless. A report is the evidence. The question is how much of the follow-up work you want a service to carry. If the answer is none, WAVE alone is enough. If the answer is the code change and the repeat check, a fix workflow earns its price.

Quick comparison

• Cost to start: WAVE free checker and extensions are free, with no account stated for the basic check. Axeazy free scan is $0, homepage only, 60 seconds, no signup and no card.
• Scope of one run: WAVE checks one page at a time in the free checker. Axeazy paid plans cover a site by site count and page caps, with weekly monitoring on paid plans.
• View of findings: WAVE marks findings on the live page, by category. Axeazy gives a scan report plus code changes and dated reports on paid plans.
• Fix step: WAVE leaves edits to the site owner or developer. Axeazy delivers code level fixes, with pull request review for GitHub repo sites.
• Contrast help: WAVE has a contrast panel with ratios and a checker for new pairs. Axeazy scans for contrast issues and calculates a correct colour for review.
• Record over time: WAVE results are per run, unless you use a paid WAVE engine or a separate tracking step. Axeazy paid plans give timestamped scan history and dated PDF reports.

How to choose

Start with the page you care about most, usually the homepage, a key landing page or a checkout page. Run WAVE on that page and note the error count, the alert count and the contrast errors. Then ask three plain questions. First, can someone on the team fix the errors this week, and test each fix with a keyboard? If yes, WAVE plus a fix list may be all you need for that page. Second, will the same faults return when new content is published? If yes, weekly monitoring and a repeat scan matter more than a single clean run. Third, do you need a dated record to show a client or an attorney later? If yes, keep the WAVE results and the fix record together, with dates, and use a service that dates each scan and fix.

For a small site with one owner and no developer, the free Axeazy scan is a useful second check after WAVE. The free website accessibility scan in 60 seconds guide explains what that homepage scan covers and what it leaves for human review. Compare the two result sets on your homepage, not on a demo site. The overlap will show the clear faults both tools catch. The differences will show how each tool groups findings, and that grouping often decides which report your team will actually act on.

Axeazy in this comparison

Axeazy fits a reader who has run WAVE, seen the icons, and now wants the fixes applied in code and checked again next week. Start with the free scan on Axeazy homepage, which takes about 60 seconds. Then look at plans on the pricing page, remembering that paid prices are shown at checkout and that annual billing saves 20 to 25 percent. The capabilities page lists Starter at $29 a month, Pro at $79 a month and Agency at $199 a month, so use those listed figures only as a starting point and confirm the checkout total. For WordPress, try the free plugin first for the 3 instant render time fixes, then weigh paid plans for weekly scans, alt text saved to the media library and auto captioning.

FAQ

Is WAVE enough on its own?

WAVE is enough for a single page check and for learning where faults sit on a page. It is not a sitewide monitor, and it does not edit code. Pair it with a fix step, whether that step is developer time, a fix workflow such as Axeazy, or a scheduled recheck, when you need changes applied and confirmed over time.

Does WAVE change my website?

No. WAVE evaluates a page and shows findings on that page for human review. It does not edit the live site. That is a strength for learning and for safe checks on staging pages, and it is also the reason a separate fix step is needed after the check.

What should I fix first after a WAVE run?

Fix errors before alerts, and fix the items that block keyboard use and screen reader use first: missing alt text on meaningful images, missing form labels, empty links and buttons, and broken skip navigation. Then work through contrast errors and heading order. Keep the WAVE result and the fix list together with dates, so the next check can show what changed.

Can a high WAVE result or a clean scan prove a site works for everyone?

No. Automated checks help you find and fix clear faults, and WCAG 2.2 sets the criteria those checks test against. Meaning, reading order and real keyboard and screen reader use still need human review. ADA guidance on web accessibility notes the same limit for automated reports. This is general information, not legal advice. If you received a demand letter or were sued, talk to a qualified attorney.

Last checked and sources

Last checked: October 31, 2026.

Sources: WAVE homepage from WebAIM, Syracuse University guide to the WAVE evaluation tool, WebAIM background summary, WCAG 2.2 from the World Wide Web Consortium, ADA guidance on web accessibility from the Department of Justice, Axeazy pricing page, Axeazy capabilities page.

For a fix step after a free check, read the plan scope on Axeazy pricing before you pay, and confirm the checkout total.

Related reading

• WAVE Alternatives for Fixes, Not Just Reports