Alternatives · accessiBe
Certvo vs accessiBe: which actually makes you compliant?
accessiBe is the best-known accessibility overlay; it adds a widget to your site that claims to apply fixes via JavaScript. Certvo takes a different approach: we audit the underlying HTML and return code patches you can review and ship. Here is the honest comparison, including where accessiBe is the better choice.
- Their pricing
- Starts at $49/mo per domain.
- Their approach
- JavaScript overlay that modifies the live DOM after the page loads.
- Our approach
- AI audit + code patches in your repo
- Our pricing
- Free public scan; from $29/mo for monitoring
What accessiBe does well
Quick to install (one script tag)
Adds visible widget UI for end users
Where accessiBe falls short
Every accessibility vendor has a target customer and a target solution. accessiBe's shape works for some teams and badly for others. The points below come up most often when buyers move off accessiBe and what they wish they had asked sooner.
US courts have ruled overlays do not produce ADA compliance
accessiBe itself has been a defendant in lawsuits
Does not modify your source HTML — issues remain for crawlers, AI, and many AT users
Charges per-domain, indefinitely
Why teams pick Certvo instead
Audits and produces fixable code; you fix the source, not paper over it
AI-generated patches reviewable in PR
EAA, WCAG 2.1 AA, EN 301 549 mapped per-issue
Free public scan, no install
Try a free public scan on the same URL you would test with accessiBe. Compare what each tool says is wrong and how each proposes to fix it.
When you should still pick the other tool
Bluntly: if the only thing you need is a visible widget on your site (e.g. as part of a settlement consent decree that names a specific overlay product), an overlay vendor is the path of least resistance. Certvo does not ship a widget. We give you patches; the widget is only a UI for the audit.
If you have an enterprise procurement process that already has a long-running contract with a competitor and the buying motion would take six months to switch, you can use Certvo alongside as the audit-and-fix tool while the widget keeps sitting on the page.
Frequently asked questions
Does accessiBe make me ADA compliant?
No US federal court has accepted an overlay as ADA compliance. In multiple lawsuits against sites using accessiBe, plaintiffs' counsel have successfully argued that the underlying HTML barriers remain. The Robles v. Domino's (9th Cir. 2019) precedent established that websites are covered by the ADA — it did not validate any specific remediation approach. Overlay vendors' own marketing claims have been used as evidence against defendants in subsequent cases.
What do accessibility experts say about overlays like accessiBe?
The accessibility community has largely rejected overlays. Over 1,000 accessibility professionals signed the Overlay Fact Sheet (overlayfactsheet.com) stating that overlays do not make websites fully accessible and cannot substitute for manual remediation. The National Federation of the Blind, Haben Girma, and other prominent advocates have publicly opposed overlay products. This consensus is not marketing by competitors — it reflects the technical reality that JavaScript cannot fix structural HTML problems.
What is the real price difference between accessiBe and Certvo?
accessiBe starts at $49/month per domain, billed annually — $588/year minimum per site. If you have three domains, that is $1,764/year for the overlay, which still leaves your source code broken. Certvo's public scan is free; paid monitoring plans start at $29/month. More importantly, Certvo produces code patches that fix the underlying HTML permanently — so your accessibility investment does not renew indefinitely.
Can I use Certvo if I already have accessiBe installed?
Yes. Certvo scans the live rendered page and reports issues regardless of what other tools are running. If accessiBe is active, Certvo will report what is still broken after the overlay runs — which is typically the majority of structural issues. You can use the Certvo report to prioritise source-level fixes and eventually remove the overlay entirely.
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Certvo vs AudioEye
AudioEye combines an overlay widget with a paid manual remediation service.
Certvo vs EqualWeb
EqualWeb sells an overlay plus an "AI Accessibility Plus" manual review.
Certvo vs Level Access
Level Access combines an enterprise SaaS, manual auditing services, and a legal-defense practice for
All accessibility tool comparisons
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