Questions to Ask an Accessibility Vendor

A sales call for an accessibility tool moves fast. Slow it down with a short list of questions, asked in the same order to every vendor, with answers written down.

Fix method

1. What exactly changes: source code, or the page at run time?

Good answer: one sentence naming the change, such as "The tool sends fixes as a pull request that changes HTML, and you review and merge it," or "The tool adds a script that adjusts the page in the browser, and the source code stays the same." Weak answer: talk about a score or a panel, with no named change.

2. What happens when a script fails to load, is blocked, or is switched off?

Good answer: an honest gap statement. Merged code fixes stay in place, while run-time patches end when the script ends. Weak answer: the question does not matter, or the script always loads.

3. Can you show a sample fix, with old code and new code?

Good answer: a sample diff, a sample checklist item, or a sample report page with real markup. Weak answer: a screenshot of a score going up. Scores count checks, not the experience of a person using a keyboard or a screen reader.

Testing and proof

4. What standard do you test against, and which level?

Good answer: WCAG 2.2 AA, the current W3C Recommendation, with the pages and paths tested named. Weak answer: "the latest standard" with no version and no level.

5. What does testing include beyond an automated scan?

Good answer: keyboard testing, screen reader testing, and visual checks, with who does them named. ADA.gov guidance backs this up: automated checkers can help, but a clean report does not mean everything is accessible, so pair a manual check with automated checks. Weak answer: the scan covers everything.

6. What does a retest after fixes include, and what does it cost?

Good answer: whether retesting is included, how many pages it covers, and how soon after fixes it runs. Weak answer: a vague "ongoing" promise with no page count and no date.

7. Can I see a sample report, with dates?

Good answer: a dated sample showing findings, severity, fix steps, and the date of each scan. Weak answer: a blank template or a report with no dates. Dates matter because a report without a date cannot sit beside a demand letter or a site update.

Coverage and limits

8. Which pages and paths are covered: homepage only, or the whole site?

Good answer: the page limit, the template count, and whether forms, product pages, and checkout or booking paths are included. Weak answer: "your whole site" while the plan covers only the homepage. Many barriers live on forms and checkout steps.

9. What does the product not cover?

Good answer: limits named in writing. For Axeazy, two limits are stated plainly: Axeazy does not scan PDFs, and its Shopify path is a scan plus a guided checklist, not automatic template changes. Weak answer: no limits named at all.

10. How do you handle colour contrast, and who approves a colour change?

Good answer: contrast is detected, a correct colour is calculated, and a visible change waits for owner approval. Axeazy works that way, because a colour change touches brand and design. Weak answer: colours change automatically with no approval step.

Price and contract

11. What is the full price for my site, for a year?

Good answer: a yearly total for your page count, traffic, and site count. Axeazy lists Starter at about $29 a month, Pro at about $79 a month, and Agency at about $199 a month or $1,799 a year, with paid prices shown at checkout and an annual saving of 20 to 25 percent. Check those figures on the pricing page on the day you buy. Weak answer: only a monthly figure, with tiers and fees left for later.

12. What moves the price up: traffic, pages, sites, or templates?

Good answer: the driver named. Accessible.org prices manual audits at $100 to $250 per primary page and $25 to $100 per light page, with most audits at $1,250 to $2,750. Weak answer: the price is fixed, then fees appear when the site grows.

13. What is the contract length, and what happens if I leave?

Good answer: the term, the renewal date, what happens to reports and records, and whether code fixes stay in your code after you cancel. Merged code fixes stay, because they are your code. A script product stops when the subscription stops. Weak answer: the exit question avoided.

14. What is included in support, and who answers?

Good answer: response times, whether support covers fix questions or only billing, and whether a developer can speak to a person who knows the code. Weak answer: "priority support" with no times and no scope.

Evidence and claims

15. What evidence backs the main claim about what the product does?

Good answer: a sample report, a sample diff, or a retest report. Weak answer: a review, a badge, or a sales page. The FTC record shows why this matters: in January 2025 the FTC announced a proposed $1 million order settling allegations that accessiBe misrepresented its tool's ability to make any website conform to WCAG, and that third-party articles and reviews were formatted to look impartial without disclosing material connections. The final order was approved in April 2025.

16. Are reviews from paying customers, partners, or staff?

Good answer: the connection disclosed in plain words on the page itself. Weak answer: every review called an outside opinion with no disclosure.

Fit for your site

17. How does the product work on my platform: WordPress, Shopify, or a custom repo?

Good answer: platform-specific detail. For WordPress, Axeazy's free plugin applies three render-time fixes: a skip navigation link, a page language attribute, and an alt text fallback. For Shopify, Axeazy scans and gives a guided checklist. For a repo site, Axeazy sends a pull request with a visible diff. Weak answer: "it works everywhere" with no platform detail.

18. Who on my team needs to do what, and how much time each week?

Good answer: hours, roles, and a first-month timetable. Weak answer: "no time needed" for a product needing developer review.

19. How do you monitor the site after the first fixes, and who sees alerts?

Good answer: check frequency, pages covered, how old reports are kept, and who gets alerts. Axeazy runs weekly monitoring on paid plans. Weak answer: monitoring included with no frequency, no page list, and no alert owner.

20. What will you show me after 30 days that proves progress?

Good answer: a dated second report, a list of fixes merged, and a list of open items with dates. Weak answer: a better score with no report and no open list. Progress is a list of real changes with dates, not a single number moving up.

How to use the answers

Score each vendor on the same sheet: fix method, testing, coverage, price for a year, contract exit, evidence, and fit for your platform. Vague answers mark where cost or work will appear later. Compare the plans on Axeazy's pricing page and read the full method on Axeazy's capabilities page as one worked example of clear answers, then run the same questions past every other vendor on your shortlist.

Related reading

For the ten checks behind these questions, read how to choose an accessibility tool, and for consulting rates beside software prices, read accessibility consulting cost: what to expect.

• How to Evaluate an Accessibility Vendor's Claims

FAQ

How many vendors should I ask these questions?

Three is enough for most small sites: one code fix tool, one audit firm, and one other route you are seriously considering. More than three makes comparison slow, and fewer than two leaves no check on the first pitch.

What is the single most telling question?

Ask what changes: source code, or the page at run time. That answer separates code fixes from script products, and it predicts what a retest can prove, what lasts when a subscription ends, and what a dated record can show.

Do these questions replace legal advice?

No. These questions help you buy a tool well. If you have received a demand letter or been sued, talk to a qualified attorney about the letter itself, and use the tool answers to give that attorney facts about what will be fixed and when.

Last checked: October 31, 2026 Sources: FTC January 2025 press release; W3C WCAG 2.2; ADA.gov web guidance; Accessible.org pricing page; Axeazy capabilities and pricing pages.

Start with a dated first read from Axeazy's free scan before you take these questions into a sales call.