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Why overlay widgets don't work

A11y Scan vs. UserWayReal Fixes vs. Overlay Widgets

UserWay adds a JavaScript widget that tries to patch accessibility problems after the fact. A11y Scan finds the exact broken code and gives you the fix — permanently, with zero JavaScript overhead.

No credit card required

See the Difference

Take a missing alt text issue — the most common WCAG violation

UserWay Overlay Approach

Your page (broken HTML stays):
<img src="product.jpg">
AI Accessibility Widget Active
  • ⚠️Screen reader still reads: "[Image]" — the overlay can't generate meaningful context
  • ⚠️Tab order and keyboard navigation often still broken
  • ⚠️+150KB JavaScript added to every page load
  • ⚠️Underlying HTML code is unchanged — not truly fixed

A11y Scan Code Fix

Your page (fixed HTML):
<img src="product.jpg"
    alt="Blue running shoes, size 10">
  • Screen reader reads: "Blue running shoes, size 10"
  • Fix applied once — works forever, for every user
  • Zero JavaScript added — no performance impact
  • Permanent solution — no ongoing subscription needed to stay fixed

Feature Comparison

Feature
A11y Scan
UserWay
Approach
Code-level fixes — permanent
JavaScript overlay widget
Works for screen reader users
Yes — fixes actual HTML
Often no — overlay may be ignored
Performance impact
Zero — no JS added
+50–200KB JavaScript on every page
Legal protection
Code fixes address root cause
Courts have questioned overlay effectiveness
Educational value
Plain-English explanations + copy-paste fixes
No — black box approach
Developer tools
API, CI/CD integration (coming)
None
Multi-page scanning
Yes — up to unlimited pages
Widget only (no scanning)
PDF reports
Yes — professional & white-label
Basic compliance certificate
Transparent pricing
Public pricing, no sales calls
Contact sales for most tiers
Free trial
14 days full Pro — no credit card
Limited demo

What Accessibility Experts Say

The accessibility community has spoken clearly about overlay widgets

"

Overlay widgets are a band-aid, not a solution. They don't fix the underlying HTML — screen readers still struggle with the original issues.

WebAIM Research

"

Accessibility overlays can create more barriers than they solve. Users of assistive technologies often turn them off entirely.

Adrian Roselli, Accessibility Expert

"

The only real solution to accessibility is to fix the code. Overlays don't do that — they layer complexity on top of broken HTML.

Léonie Watson, WCAG co-author

Same price. Better results.

UserWay Starter

$49/mo
  • • AI overlay widget (questionable effectiveness)
  • • No code-level fixes
  • • No developer tools
  • • No multi-page scanning
  • • Performance overhead added to site

A11y Scan Pro

$49/mo
  • • Actual code-level fixes (permanent)
  • • AI explanations for every issue
  • • Multi-page scanning (up to 20 pages)
  • • API access for CI/CD
  • • Zero performance impact

Already using UserWay? Get 50% off your first year with code SWITCH50