Short answer
No overlay widget, including accessiBe, UserWay or any similar plugin, can make your website AODA compliant by itself. Overlays run a script on top of your site without changing the code underneath, and automated tools can only detect a portion of WCAG issues in the first place. The fix that works is repairing the code and testing it by hand.
The pitch is hard to resist. Paste in one line of code, pay a small monthly fee, and your website is accessible by tomorrow. We understand why so many Ontario businesses signed up. Here is what they were not told.
What is an accessibility overlay?
An overlay is a piece of JavaScript from a third party. After your page loads, it tries to detect accessibility problems and adjust the page on the fly. It usually also adds a floating icon that opens a menu of options like bigger text or higher contrast.
What it does not do is touch your actual website. Your HTML, CSS and JavaScript stay exactly as they were.
Why do overlays fall short?
- They can only fix what they can detect. Automated testing catches a portion of WCAG issues. Estimates vary, but a large share needs human judgment. A script cannot know whether your alt text is accurate, whether your tab order makes sense, or whether an error message is helpful.
- They often get in the way. People who use screen readers already have their tools set up the way they like. An overlay that tries to take over can make a site harder to use, not easier.
- The fixes are not permanent. If the script is slow, blocked by a browser extension, or your subscription ends, every adjustment vanishes.
- They do not help with your report. Your accessibility compliance report asks whether your website meets WCAG 2.0 Level AA. A vendor badge is not evidence that it does.
What did the FTC say about accessiBe?
In April 2025 the U.S. Federal Trade Commission approved a final order against accessiBe. The company had claimed its AI-powered plug-in could make any website compliant with WCAG. The order requires accessiBe to pay $1 million and bars it from making misleading claims. You can read the FTC's announcement (opens in a new tab) for yourself.
That is a U.S. regulator, not an Ontario one, but the product sold here is the same product.
What do accessibility professionals think?
More than 800 accessibility practitioners, many of them people with disabilities, have signed the Overlay Fact Sheet (opens in a new tab), an open statement advising against overlays as a route to compliance. The National Federation of the Blind has also publicly criticized misleading claims made by overlay providers.
Overlay vs. real fix at a glance
| Question | Overlay | Code-level fix |
|---|---|---|
| Does it change my code? | No | Yes |
| Is it tested by a person? | No | Yes, every fix |
| Does it keep working without a subscription? | No | Yes |
| Do I get documentation? | A badge | A written report |
I already have an overlay. Now what?
Do not panic, and do not just switch it off. The sensible path is:
- Have the site tested properly, with the overlay turned off, so you can see what is really there.
- Fix the issues in the code.
- Re-test every fix.
- Remove the overlay and cancel the subscription.
In most cases the money you stop spending on the widget goes a long way toward paying for the real fix.
So what does work?
The unglamorous answer: scan with trusted tools like WAVE and axe, test by hand with a keyboard and a screen reader, repair the code, and check the work. That is what we do, and it is the only approach that leaves you with a site that is actually accessible. See how our process works.
Want to know where your site stands?
Send us your web address. We will test it by hand and reply with a fixed quote for real, code-level fixes. No overlay, no subscription.
This article is general information for Ontario organizations, not legal advice. For advice on your specific obligations, speak with a lawyer.