pour: a free accessibility checker for your website
pour scans a web page and flags things that make it hard for some visitors to use, such as low-contrast buttons, missing image descriptions or menus that don't work with a keyboard. For each problem it shows the affected element, why it fails and how to fix it, measured against WCAG 2.2, the standard accessibility laws point to. It also includes 55+ simulations, like clouded vision or tunnel vision, so you can see your page the way some visitors might. The maker says its automated checks assist on 51 of WCAG's 86 criteria. The rest still need a person, and pour supplies that checklist.
- For
- If you run your own business with a website, this checks your booking, menu or order pages. If you're getting into tech, it's a hands-on way to learn web accessibility by auditing real pages. No experience is needed to run an audit.
- Cost
- Free, per the maker: no accounts, no subscriptions, no paid tiers. Donations are optional. Audits run locally in your browser. The bookmarklet can be blocked on sites with strict security settings, but the extension doesn't have that limit. Some findings are marked for review because they need a person to judge them.
- Access
- Open to anyone. It's available as a browser extension for Chrome, Edge and Firefox, or as a bookmarklet you drag to your bookmarks bar with nothing to install. It also works as a Safari share-sheet shortcut on iPhone and iPad. Optional command-line and VS Code versions are available for people who write code.
Worth a few minutes for anyone with a business website, since it's free with no sign-up and explains problems in plain language. The catch is that finding issues is the easy part: making the fixes means editing your site or its builder settings, and some checks still need a human eye.
Your moveInstall the free pour extension for your browser, or drag the bookmarklet to your bookmarks bar. Then run an audit on your homepage and on your booking or order page, and write down any findings marked for review.
Start here