AlleviatorAlleviator vs WAVE
WAVE and Alleviator both find accessibility problems. WAVE checks the page in front of you; Alleviator checks your whole website and explains each fix in plain words.
WAVE is a free accessibility checker from WebAIM, a long-standing accessibility organisation at Utah State University. You enter a page address, or use its browser extension, and it marks problems with icons on the page itself.
Side by side
| Feature | Alleviator | WAVE |
|---|---|---|
| Price to start | Free for one page. Whole-site plans from $49.99 a month. | Free online tool and browser extensions. |
| Checking a whole website | Built in: up to 50 pages per scan on Pro and 1,000 on Max, found by following links and your sitemap. | One page at a time. For many pages, WebAIM offers a paid API (about 2.5 to 4 cents a page) or points to Pope Tech, a separate product built on WAVE. |
| Phone layouts | Every page is checked at desktop and phone sizes, and phone-only problems are labelled. | Checks the page as your browser shows it. |
| Keyboard testing | Presses Tab through each page to check that focus is visible, not hidden behind sticky headers, and never trapped. | Checks the page's code and styles, and shows the tab order for you to review. |
| How fixes are explained | A plain-language fix guide with numbered steps and before-and-after examples, tailored to 20+ website builders like WordPress, Shopify and Wix. | A reference panel explaining each issue and the WCAG guidance behind it. |
| Pages behind a login | Public pages only. | The browser extension checks any page you can open, including private and local ones. |
| Weekly monitoring | Rescans every week and emails you what changed (Pro and Max). | Through Pope Tech, a separate product. |
| Compliance documents | Accessibility statement, draft VPAT and dated evidence history, built from your scans and manual checks. | Not part of WAVE. WebAIM sells expert audits. |
Which is right for you?
WAVE may suit you if
- You're a developer who wants to inspect one page closely, with problems marked right on it.
- You need to check pages behind a login, or on your own computer.
- You need it free, for any number of pages, one at a time.
Alleviator may suit you if
- You want every page on your site checked in one go, at phone size too.
- You or your team aren't accessibility experts and want steps you can follow in your own editor.
- You need to keep checking every week, and show progress with reports and compliance documents.
You don't have to choose. Many people use WAVE to look closely at one page, and Alleviator to keep the whole site on track. Both were tested in the UK Government Digital Service's audit of accessibility tools; see the results on our benchmarks page.
Sources
WAVE is a trademark of its owner, and this page isn't endorsed by them. Facts about WAVE were checked in October 2026 from the sources above. Spotted something out of date? Email us and we'll fix it.
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