AccessEval vs UserWay: Why Overlays Are Not Enough for ADA Compliance

UserWay is one of the most visible accessibility companies on the web. If you have seen a small wheelchair icon in the corner of a website that opens a panel with font size adjustments, contrast toggles, and screen reader options — that is likely a UserWay widget (or one of its competitors like accessiBe or EqualWeb). These are called accessibility overlays.

Many school districts and municipalities have adopted overlay widgets because they are easy to install and appear to solve the compliance problem quickly. But there is a fundamental difference between what overlays do and what ADA Title II actually requires.

What UserWay does

UserWay provides a JavaScript widget that sits on top of your website and offers users adjustable settings — larger text, higher contrast, dyslexia-friendly fonts, keyboard navigation aids, and more. Some plans also include AI-powered remediation that attempts to fix underlying code issues automatically (for example, generating alt text for images or adding ARIA labels).

The appeal is obvious: install one script tag and get instant accessibility improvements without changing your website code. Pricing for the remediation product (UserWay’s “AI-Powered Accessibility”) typically starts around $490 per month for small sites, though pricing varies.

Why overlays are not enough for ADA compliance

The accessibility community — including the leading disability rights organizations — has been vocal about the limitations of overlay widgets. Here is why:

• They do not fix the source code — Overlays attempt to patch accessibility issues at runtime using JavaScript. If the overlay fails to load, encounters a conflict, or if a user has JavaScript disabled, the underlying accessibility barriers remain.
• Screen reader users often disable them — Many users who rely on assistive technology already have their preferred settings configured. An overlay that changes page behavior can actually interfere with their tools.
• They cannot fix structural problems — Issues like missing form labels, broken heading hierarchy, inaccessible PDFs, and keyboard traps in third-party widgets cannot be reliably fixed by a JavaScript overlay.
• They do not satisfy legal requirements — Multiple court cases and DOJ settlement agreements have found that overlay widgets alone do not constitute ADA compliance. The DOJ’s Title II rule specifically requires conformance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA — not the presence of a remediation widget.
• They have been named in lawsuits — Companies using overlay products have been sued specifically because the overlay failed to make the site accessible. Having an overlay installed does not provide legal protection.

How AccessEval approaches the problem differently

AccessEval does not add a widget to your site. Instead, it scans your actual website code to identify specific WCAG 2.1 AA violations, then tells you exactly what needs to be fixed and how:

• Real scanning, real issues — AccessEval crawls your site with Playwright and tests every page with axe-core. You get a list of actual code-level issues, not a cosmetic layer on top of broken code.
• Fix the source — Reports include plain-English descriptions of each issue and, on the Fix plan, CMS-specific instructions for how to resolve them in WordPress, Finalsite, Squarespace, and other platforms.
• Documentation that holds up — AccessEval generates accessibility statements and compliance reports based on your actual scan results — evidence that you are actively working toward compliance, not just installing a widget.
• Ongoing monitoring — Weekly or monthly automated scans catch new issues as your site content changes, rather than relying on a JavaScript layer to mask them.

What about AI-generated fixes?

UserWay’s AI remediation can help with some issues — automatically generating alt text, for example. But AI-generated alt text is often generic or inaccurate, and relying on automated fixes for critical accessibility issues creates risk. The DOJ expects organizations to actually fix their web content, not to rely on third-party tools that may or may not work correctly for every user.

Pricing comparison

• UserWay Widget (free tier): Basic toolbar with user-side adjustments. Does not fix code issues.
• UserWay AI Remediation: Approximately $490+/month ($5,880+/year) for automated code fixes. Effectiveness varies.
• AccessEval: $99 to $599/year. Identifies real issues, provides fix guidance, generates compliance documentation.

The bottom line

Overlay widgets are appealing because they promise a quick fix. But ADA Title II requires your website to actually conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA — not to have a JavaScript widget attempting to paper over the issues. For school districts and municipalities facing compliance deadlines (April 2026 for 50,000+ populations, April 2027 for smaller entities), the path to real compliance starts with understanding what is actually wrong with your site.

Run a free AccessEval scan to see the real accessibility issues on your website — and get a clear roadmap for fixing them.