Short answer
There are five ways an AODA compliance company can sell you "compliance": an overlay widget, a scanning subscription, an audit-only report, a full website rebuild, or an audit plus code-level fixes plus re-testing. Only the last one reliably leaves you with a website that meets WCAG 2.0 AA and the proof to back it up.
The AODA reporting deadline brings out a lot of offers. They're not all selling the same thing, even when the landing pages sound identical. Here's an honest look at each approach, including what it's good for, because some of them do have a place.
1. The overlay widget
What you get: A line of JavaScript and an accessibility icon in the corner of your site, billed monthly or yearly.
The problem: Your code doesn't change. Automated detection only finds part of what WCAG covers, and the "fixes" vanish when the script fails or the subscription ends. The FTC ordered the best-known vendor, accessiBe, to pay $1 million over its compliance claims.
Good for: Nothing you can put on a compliance report. Full breakdown here.
2. The scanning subscription
What you get: A dashboard that crawls your site and scores it, often with weekly emails about new errors.
The problem: It tells you what's wrong, but only the part a machine can detect, and it doesn't fix anything. Teams often end up paying monthly to watch the same red numbers.
Good for: Monitoring a site after it has been fixed. What scanners can and can't tell you.
3. The audit-only report
What you get: A thorough manual audit from an accessibility consultancy, delivered as a long report.
The problem: It's half the job. Someone still has to fix the code, usually your developer on a second invoice, and the re-test that proves it worked often never happens. Large firms also price in a lot of overhead.
Good for: Organizations with a strong in-house development team that only need direction.
4. The "you need a new website" pitch
What you get: A redesign quote from a web agency, framed as the only way to become compliant.
The problem: Most sites don't need rebuilding. Targeted fixes to templates, styles and scripts usually get you there faster and for far less. A new site can also come with its own accessibility problems if nobody tests it.
Good for: Sites that genuinely need replacing for other reasons. If that's you, make accessibility testing part of the contract.
5. Audit, fix in code, re-test
What you get: Automated and manual testing of every template, the fixes made directly in your site's code, every fix re-tested by hand, and a written sign-off report.
Why it works: It's the only approach that changes what your visitors actually experience and gives you evidence for your report. It's what we do, at one fixed price.
| Approach | Fixes the code? | Tested by a person? | Proof for your report? | Ongoing fee? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overlay widget | No | No | No | Yes |
| Scanning subscription | No | No | Partial | Yes |
| Audit-only report | No | Yes | Partial | No |
| Full rebuild | Sometimes | Sometimes | Sometimes | No |
| Audit + code fixes + re-test | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
7 questions to ask any AODA compliance company
- Will you fix the issues, or only report them?
- Do you test with a keyboard and a screen reader, or only with automated tools?
- Will every fix be re-tested before you sign off?
- Do I get a written record I can keep for my compliance report?
- Is this a one-time price or a subscription?
- Do the fixes live in my website's code, or in your script?
- Can you show me a real before-and-after? Here's ours.
Want a real answer about your site?
Send us your web address. We will test it by hand and reply with one 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.