Free European Accessibility Act checker
Is your website ready for the European Accessibility Act?
Since 28 June 2025, online shops and many digital services selling to people in the EU must be accessible. We test your live website for the most common failures, so you know where you stand before paying for a full audit.
What we test
Text is easy to read
We measure the contrast between text and its background on your live pages.
EAA Annex I · WCAG 2.1 SC 1.4.3
Form fields have labels
Every search box, sign-up and checkout field needs a name that screen readers can announce.
EAA Annex I · WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / 4.1.2
Images are described
Meaningful images need a text description (alt text) so blind visitors know what they show.
EAA Annex I · WCAG 2.1 SC 1.1.1
Keyboard users can see where they are
We check links and buttons show a visible outline when someone moves through the page with a keyboard.
EAA Annex I · WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.7
What your free report shows
Free
- Your Risk Score and risk band
- Pass or fail on each accessibility test
- The WCAG rule and law behind each test
- Full detail and fix for 1 lower-risk issue
Paid plans
- Exactly which text, fields and images fail
- Full detail on serious issues
- Step-by-step fixes for your developer
- Screenshot evidence and PDF export
An accessibility check that knows the law
| Halvus | Typical free checker | |
|---|---|---|
| Tests your live site in a real browser | Yes | Sometimes |
| Links each failure to the EAA and WCAG rule | Yes | WCAG only |
| Checks UK, US, Canada and Australia rules too | Yes | No |
| Cookies, consumer law, AI labels and security too | Yes | No |
Questions
What is the European Accessibility Act?
The European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) requires many products and services sold to people in the EU, including online shops and e-commerce services, to be accessible to people with disabilities. Its rules have applied since 28 June 2025.
Which accessibility standard does the EAA use?
Websites are generally measured against the European standard EN 301 549, which uses the WCAG 2.1 Level AA success criteria. Our tests are mapped to those WCAG criteria.
Does the EAA apply to UK or US businesses?
Yes, if you sell to consumers in the EU. The Act applies to services offered in the EU market, wherever the business is based.
Does the EAA apply to e-commerce websites?
Yes. E-commerce services selling to consumers in the EU are explicitly covered by Directive (EU) 2019/882, including online shops run by businesses outside the EU.
What is the difference between WCAG 2.1 and the EAA?
WCAG 2.1 is a technical standard written by the W3C. The European Accessibility Act is EU law; websites are generally measured against EN 301 549, which uses the WCAG 2.1 Level AA criteria.
Are small businesses exempt?
Microenterprises providing services, meaning fewer than 10 staff and annual turnover or balance sheet of no more than €2 million, are exempt from the service requirements. Most other businesses selling online to EU consumers are covered.
What are the penalties for not complying?
Each EU country sets its own penalties. They can include fines (for example up to €100,000 in Germany) and orders to stop offering the service until it is fixed.
Is this a full accessibility audit?
No. Automated tests catch common, measurable failures. A full audit also needs a person testing with a keyboard and screen reader. Use this free check to find the obvious problems first.
Is this legal advice?
No. Halvus reports risks it finds with evidence. It is not legal advice and never certifies a website as compliant.
Halvus reports risks found, not legal advice.