Can I use this as a PDF ADA or Section 508 compliance checker?

Yes. It checks against the WCAG and PDF/UA standards that underpin the ADA and Section 508 and flags issues that affect compliance, but some checks still need to be done manually to determine whether a PDF is fully compliant.

Does a clean scan mean my PDF is fully compliant?

No. A clean scan means your PDF passed every machine-verifiable check. Some checks can only be done manually, and those must also pass before a PDF is considered fully compliant. WebYes's expert audit covers that manual testing.

Does it fix the issues, or just find them?

It finds and explains them, with plain-language descriptions and fix guidance. You or your team apply the fixes in your document; alternatively, WebYes offers full PDF remediation as a paid service.

What happens to my uploaded PDF?

Your PDF is not stored by the checker.

Free PDF Accessibility Checker — Check PDF accessibility against WCAG & PDF/UA for free

WebYes offers a free, browser-based PDF accessibility checker that scans PDF documents against WCAG (Level A and AA) and PDF/UA (ISO 14289) machine-verifiable criteria. It lists every issue ranked by severity — from critical to minor — with plain-language explanations and fix guidance mapped to the relevant WCAG or PDF/UA rule, and pinpoints each problem element directly on the PDF. No sign-up, email, or software installation is required, and uploaded PDFs are not stored. It is aimed at teams and individuals who need to address accessibility obligations under the ADA, Section 508, and the European Accessibility Act (EAA). Beyond the free checker, WebYes sells expert PDF audits, PDF remediation services, and a broader WebYes Suite covering website accessibility, SEO, performance, quality, and uptime monitoring.

Key Features

WCAG and PDF/UA scanning

Checks every machine-verifiable success criterion of WCAG (Levels A and AA) and every machine-verifiable test in PDF/UA (ISO 14289).

Issues ranked worst-first

Every issue is ranked from critical to minor, with severity filtering, so the most important fixes can be prioritised.

Exact issue location

Clicking any issue jumps straight to the problem element, highlighted on the PDF itself.

Fix guidance per issue

Each issue includes a plain-language explanation of what is wrong and how to fix it, mapped to the related WCAG or PDF/UA rule.

Structure checks

Verifies reading order, heading level nesting, list structure, and whether tables have associated headers.

Content checks

Checks font embedding and Unicode mapping, image alt text, document language, and presence of a title and bookmarks.

Presentation and interaction checks

Tests text contrast against WCAG minimums, form field labels and tags, link tagging and descriptions, and tab order.

Privacy-friendly and frictionless

Fully online with no sign-up, no email required, uploaded files not stored, and no software to install — upload a PDF or paste a public link.

How It Works

Upload or link your PDF

Upload a PDF file or paste a public link to it — the tool runs entirely in your browser with nothing to download or install.

Automated scan against WCAG and PDF/UA

The checker runs all machine-verifiable WCAG (A and AA) success criteria and PDF/UA (ISO 14289) tests on the document.

Review ranked findings

Results are grouped into issues, needs-review items, and manual checks, with each issue listed worst-first and filterable by severity.

Fix using the included guidance

Each issue explains what is wrong and how to fix it; you or your team apply the fixes, or hand the document to WebYes's paid remediation service.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Completely free with no sign-up, no email required, and no software installation
Uploaded PDFs are not stored, which matters for confidential documents
Checks both WCAG (A/AA) and PDF/UA (ISO 14289), covering the standards behind ADA, Section 508, and EAA
Issues are ranked by severity and mapped to the specific rule violated, with concrete fix guidance
Click-through navigation to the exact problem element highlighted on the PDF
Clear about its limits: a clean scan does not mean full compliance, since some checks require manual testing

Who It's For

Best for

Individuals, teams, and organisations that publish PDFs and need to check them for ADA, Section 508, or EAA accessibility
Organisations starting a document accessibility program who want a zero-cost, no-signup first pass
Agencies and compliance teams that need issue severity ranking and rule mappings to plan PDF fixes
Anyone who prefers a browser-based tool and does not want uploaded files retained

Not ideal for

Teams needing fully automated, hands-off PDF remediation — fixes must be applied by you or via the paid service
Organisations requiring a guaranteed compliance certificate from a scan alone, since manual checks are still required

Use Cases

Checking that published PDFs (reports, forms, brochures) are accessible before release

Working toward ADA, Section 508, or European Accessibility Act (EAA) compliance for document content

Finding missing alt text, broken reading order, missing tags, or contrast failures in PDFs

Supporting screen reader and keyboard users who depend on properly tagged PDFs

Deciding whether a PDF needs manual expert auditing or full remediation

Pricing

The PDF accessibility checker itself is free to use with no sign-up. The broader WebYes Suite (website accessibility, SEO, performance, quality, and uptime) is priced at Free ($0), Pro ($59/month), Enterprise ($99/month), and a custom Scale-up plan; paid plans come with a 3-day trial and can be cancelled anytime. Local taxes (VAT, GST, etc.) are charged in addition to listed prices.

Free (WebYes Suite)

Always free, no expiry: 10 scan credits/month, single domain, single user, single scanning mode, uptime monitoring, role-based issue categorisation (up to 5 issues), WCAG A and AA checks, medium-priority support.

Pro (WebYes Suite)

$59

For small agencies, businesses, and freelancers: 700 scan credits/month, unlimited domains and multiple users, Jira integration, Real User Monitoring, Page Inspector tool, live issue verification, AI-generated solutions, WCAG A/AA/AAA check

Enterprise (WebYes Suite)

$99

For agencies with large client bases and big businesses: 2000 scan credits/month, everything in Pro — unlimited domains, multiple users, Jira integration, Real User Monitoring, Page Inspector, AI solutions, WCAG A/AA/AAA, scheduled scanning

Scale-up (WebYes Suite)

Custom

Tailored plan with everything in Enterprise plus scan credits based on requirements and dedicated support; contact sales.

FAQ

Is this PDF accessibility checker really free?

Yes, completely free. No sign-up, no email, and no files are stored.

Is it an online tool or a download?

It is a fully online tool with no software to download or install. You upload a PDF or paste a public link and check it right in your browser.

How do I check a PDF for accessibility?

Upload your PDF or paste a public link. The checker scans it against WCAG and PDF/UA, then lists every issue by severity with guidance on how to fix each one.

What standards does it check against?

Every machine-verifiable success criterion of WCAG (Level A and AA), and every machine-verifiable test in PDF/UA (ISO 14289).

Free PDF Accessibility Checker