For stores running an accessibility widget

More than one in four ADA digital accessibility lawsuits in 2024, and about one in four in September 2026, involved a site that already had a widget installed. Accessrank fixes the cause in your theme code, then hands you the paperwork to prove it.

Free. We tell you which widget your store runs and what it leaves unfixed. US stores only.

Watch the slide overview →

Your store today

Widget script

Adds a toolbar and tries to patch problems on the fly.

Screen readers work from what's underneath.

Your theme code

Images with no description
Form fields with no labels
Menus keyboard users can't reach

This is the layer Accessrank fixes.

The widget didn't stop the lawsuits.

Plaintiff firms don't check whether you installed something. They check whether blind shoppers can buy from you.

About 1 in 4

September 2026 lawsuits involving sites already running a widget.

91 of 360 lawsuits tracked. UsableNet monthly lawsuit tracker

More than 1 in 4

2024 lawsuits against widget sites.

Over 1,000 businesses, more than 25% of cases. UsableNet 2024 lawsuit report

~6,176

Lawsuits projected for 2026, after more than 5,000 in 2025.

UsableNet 2026 Midyear Report

$30K+

What the average ADA claim costs in settlement and legal fees.

Lawsuit figures are as reported by UsableNet, in the sources listed at the bottom of this page. The 2026 figure is a projection, not a count.

Why a widget can't protect you

A widget is a script added on top of your pages. The problems live in the code beneath them.

Screen readers read your code.

Blind shoppers use screen readers that work from the page's underlying code. A widget tries to patch that code on the fly, and it can't catch everything.

Lawyers test the real thing.

Plaintiff firms run screen readers and keyboards against your store. If the barrier is there, the claim stands, whatever is installed.

Some fixes need a person.

Writing a useful image description or labeling a control takes judgment. Software can't make that call for every product on your store.

Settlements ask for real fixes.

Settlement agreements in these cases often require actual remediation in the code, and some require the widget to come out.

What the FTC said about accessiBe

The widget industry's central promise is that one line of code makes a site compliant. A federal regulator looked at that promise.

accessiBe settled without admitting wrongdoing. The order binds accessiBe only. Other widget vendors were not part of it.

  1. January 3, 2025

    The FTC announces a $1 million settlement. It says accessiBe's claim that its widget could make any website WCAG-compliant was false, misleading or unsubstantiated.

  2. April 2025

    The FTC approves the final order. accessiBe may not claim its automated products make a site WCAG-compliant without evidence, and must disclose its connections to paid endorsers.

  3. Through 2025

    Lawsuits against sites running widgets keep arriving, month after month.

Cover the surface, or fix the cause.

Same store. Two very different answers to a demand letter.

Swipe sideways to compare both columns.

Accessibility widget Accessrank
Where it works A script added on top of your pages Your theme code, where the problems start
Image descriptions and labels Guessed by software, live on the page Fixed in the code. Our staff write or review the ones that need judgment.
What you can show a lawyer A vendor's compliance badge A dated Accessibility Compliance Record
When you add a product or app The script runs on whatever you publish Monitoring catches it when something breaks, and we fix it

How Accessrank works

Four steps. You never have to touch the code.

  1. Run the free check

    Paste your store's address. You get your Accessrank score, the widget we found on your store, and what it leaves unfixed.

  2. We fix the cause

    Fixes go into a copy of your theme, not straight onto your live store. Our tools handle what they can. Our staff handle what needs judgment. You approve any visual change.

  3. You get the paperwork

    A dated Accessibility Compliance Record, ready to hand to your lawyer if a demand letter arrives.

  4. We keep watching

    When a new product or app breaks something, we catch it and fix it. That's what the monthly fee pays for.

And your rankings

Accessibility fixes lift your SEO and AI readiness. Product data decides whether assistants recommend you. We do both.

A paper trail, not a badge.

The Accessibility Compliance Record is a dated packet that shows good-faith work. It is evidence, not a guarantee.

  • Baseline auditWhere your store stood before any fixes
  • Remediation logWhat was fixed, and when
  • Conformance reportIn the standard VPAT format
  • Accessibility statementWritten for your own website
  • Monitoring certificatesProof your fixes are still holding

Already been served?

Adding another widget won't answer a demand letter. Fixing the code and documenting the work gives your lawyer something real to respond with.

Accessrank is not a law firm. Talk to an attorney about the claim itself.

Run the free check

FAQs

Can I still be sued after Accessrank fixes my site?

Yes. No vendor can promise you won't be sued, and anyone who does is promising something they can't deliver. Fixing the code removes the barriers that complaints are built on, and the Compliance Record documents the work.

Do I have to remove my widget?

No. But once the code is fixed, the widget has little left to patch, and some settlements require its removal. The free check names the widget your store runs, so you can decide.

Isn't a widget cheaper?

The subscription is cheaper. The expense comes if you're sued anyway: legal fees, a settlement, and fixing the code you'd have had to fix regardless.

What does Accessrank cost?

There are four plans. The free check places your store on one, based on your theme and how many apps you run. You see it before you commit to anything.

Will the fixes change how my store looks?

Most fixes happen in the code underneath, where shoppers never see them. Anything visual needs your approval first.

Does this help my search and AI rankings?

Yes. The same fixes make your store easier for Google and AI assistants to read. Accessrank then rebuilds the product data they rank on, and tracks how often AI assistants mention you.

Is there a tax credit for this?

Some small businesses can claim the IRS Disabled Access Credit (Form 8826) for accessibility work. Ask your tax advisor whether your store qualifies.

Do you work with stores outside the US?

No. Accessrank covers US stores only, and works to the ADA.

See what your widget isn't fixing.

Run the free check. You'll see your Accessrank score, which widget your store runs, and what's left in the code.

WCAG 2.2 A/AA · axe-core

Free accessibility check

We load your page in a real browser and test it against all applicable WCAG 2.2 Level A and AA success criteria. Takes under a minute.

See which success criteria you currently meet.

Sources