AccessGuard vs axe DevTools for agency audits
axe DevTools from Deque is built for developers testing code. AccessGuard uses the open source axe-core engine inside audits that produce client reports.
Which one fits
Use axe in your development workflow and tests. Use AccessGuard to audit live client sites and hand clients a report.
- Choose axe DevTools if
- Your developers want accessibility checks in browser DevTools and automated tests.
- You want to catch issues in CI before code ships.
- You need Deque's guided manual testing tools and support.
- Choose AccessGuard if
- You audit live client sites and report results to people who don't read code.
- You want every client site and its trend in one list.
- You want reports under your agency's name.
Side by side
| What you need | AccessGuard | axe DevTools |
|---|---|---|
| axe-core rules AccessGuard runs axe-core plus its own WCAG 2.2 checks | Yes | Yes |
| Browser DevTools extension | No | Yes |
| CI and unit test integration | No | Yes |
| Audit a live page without installing anything axe needs the extension or an integration | Yes | Partly |
| Every client site in one list Deque sells site monitoring as a separate product | Yes | Partly |
| PDF report under your agency's name | Yes | No |
| Suggested code fix per finding axe explains how to fix each rule; AccessGuard writes a fix for the element | Yes | Partly |
Where axe DevTools is better
- The standard engine
- axe-core is open source and used by many tools, including AccessGuard. Its rules aim for few false positives.
- Built into development
- axe runs in DevTools, test frameworks and CI pipelines, so problems can be caught before release.
- Guided manual testing
- Paid axe DevTools plans add guided tests for criteria automation can't decide.
Pricing
Prices change. Check each vendor's page before you decide.
- AccessGuard
- Free audit of any page without an account, and 3 free credits when you sign up. Plans from €14.99 a month. See pricing
- axe DevTools
- The axe DevTools browser extension has a free version. The Pro extension and bundles are paid, and Deque's pricing page listed no prices on 13 September 2026. Source (axe DevTools pricing, opens in new tab)
Questions
Does AccessGuard use axe?
Yes. Every audit runs axe-core in a real browser, then adds AccessGuard's own WCAG 2.2 checks, reports and fixes on top.
Should developers use axe if the agency uses AccessGuard?
Yes, if it suits their workflow. Catching issues in development with axe and auditing live sites with AccessGuard work well together.
Is AccessGuard a replacement for manual testing?
No. Like axe, it finds what automation can find and marks what needs a person. The WCAG checklist shows which criteria need manual testing.
Related
- AccessGuard vs Siteimprove
Siteimprove suits large organisations that monitor big sites continuously. AccessGuard suits agencies auditing the key pages of many client sites.
- AccessGuard vs accessiBe
An overlay changes how a page behaves in the browser. An audit tells you what to fix in the site itself. Agencies that build and maintain client sites usually need the second.
- ARIA checker
A page's URL in, every ARIA problem out, with the element and what is wrong with it.
- Keyboard and focus checker
Finds controls people can't reach by keyboard, controls a keyboard reaches but nobody can see, focus styles that were removed, and focused elements hidden behind sticky headers.
- Form labels checker
Finds inputs without labels, placeholders used as the only label, and fields that don't say what they collect.
Try AccessGuard on a client page
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