The First Thing People Do When They Hear About the EAA (And Why It’s a Trap)
When businesses first hear about the European Accessibility Act, the reaction is often the same. They panic, search online, and find vendors promising instant accessibility.
Overlay tools like UserWay, AccessiBe, and Recite Me appear at the top of search results. These tools offer a quick fix with a line of code and no redesign required. This sounds ideal. If I did not know any better, I would be tempted too.
This is not real compliance. These tools do not fix structural issues such as broken focus states, missing form labels, or screen reader barriers. These are surface-level solutions. Some of them even create additional problems for disabled users.
People often come to me needing an accessibility audit. During testing, I show them exactly how these toolbars are failing. The underlying issues become clear.
These tools do not make your website compliant.
These tools do not protect you from legal action.
These tools do not help your disabled users.
A proper accessibility audit is the right approach. It should be tested by disabled people, supported by a compliant Accessibility Statement, and followed by a realistic plan toward WCAG compliance.
There are 25 days left before the European Accessibility Act comes into force.
Anyone who is unsure about their website's accessibility status should book a free consultation today.