The secret every company should know about accessibility software is simple: you still need an accessibility audit. Most platforms rely on automated scans that provide skewed results, while only audit-based platforms accurately track all WCAG issues for true conformance.
| Key Point | What It Means for You |
|---|---|
| Issue Detection Rate | Scans flag only 25% of WCAG 2.1 AA issues while audits identify 100% through manual evaluation |
| False Positives | Scan results contain both false positives and false negatives requiring manual review |
| Compliance Tracking | Audit-based platforms track real progress toward WCAG conformance, not just scan scores |
| Legal Requirements | ADA and European Accessibility Act (EAA) standards require full WCAG conformance, not scan scores |
| Project Management | Audit reports provide the complete issue list needed for remediation workflow and compliance monitoring |
Table of Contents
Why Scan-Based Platforms Create False Confidence
Organizations invest in accessibility software expecting to track their path to WCAG conformance. The dashboard shows progress bars, the scoring system displays improvements, and the monitoring tools flag new issues. Everything looks professional and thorough.
The problem is that scan-based platforms only flag about 25% of WCAG success criteria. When your platform shows a 100% score, you might still have hundreds of accessibility issues that violate ADA requirements and European Accessibility Act standards.
This happens because automated scans can only detect technical patterns. They flag missing alt text but cannot evaluate if existing alt text actually describes the image. They detect color contrast ratios but miss contrast issues over background images. They identify missing form labels but cannot determine if instructions make sense to users.
Your compliance tracking becomes meaningless when the platform misses 75% of issues. Your workflow manages only a fraction of the work needed. Your dashboard displays progress that doesn’t reflect reality.
How Audit-Based Platforms Deliver Real Compliance
The Accessibility Tracker platform takes a different approach. You upload your accessibility audit report and track every issue identified through comprehensive manual evaluation. The platform manages issues found through screen reader testing, keyboard testing, visual inspection, and code review.
This audit-based approach means your analytics reflect actual WCAG conformance. When the dashboard shows 60% completion, you know 60% of all accessibility issues have been remediated and validated, not just 60% of what a scan could detect.
The Tracker AI tools help your team understand and remediate each issue faster. Unlike generic AI like ChatGPT, the platform pre-loads your audit data so developers get specific guidance for each issue without crafting prompts or providing context.
Your project workflow tracks real issues that impact users with disabilities. The scoring reflects progress toward legal compliance under ADA and EAA requirements. The monitoring shows when new issues appear in subsequent audits, not just what automated tools can detect.
Why Companies Still Buy Scan-Based Software
Marketing messages from scan-based platforms sound convincing. They promise automation, instant detection, and continuous monitoring. They showcase impressive dashboards and enterprise features. They mention combining automated and manual testing as if scans and audits exist on equal footing.
The reality is that scans are tools for practitioners who understand their limitations. Audits are comprehensive evaluations that identify all WCAG issues. You cannot combine them like puzzle pieces because audit reports already include everything scans can detect plus the 75% of issues they miss.
Many companies discover this after purchasing expensive scan-based software. They run the scans, work through the flagged issues, achieve high scores on the platform, then fail an accessibility audit or face legal action because hundreds of issues went undetected.
The software works exactly as designed. It scans for technical patterns and displays the results. The problem is that companies need WCAG conformance for legal compliance, not scan scores for internal metrics.
Making the Right Platform Choice
When evaluating accessibility software and tools, ask one question first: does this platform track issues from an actual audit or from automated scans? If the answer is scans, understand that you will still need an audit to identify all issues and achieve WCAG conformance.
The Tracker platform was built specifically for organizations that want accurate compliance tracking. You upload audit reports from any provider, not just Accessible.org. The platform extracts all issue data and creates a complete project management workflow around real accessibility barriers.
Priority formulas help you decide which issues to remediate first based on legal risk or user impact. Team members can be assigned specific issues matching their skills. The dashboard displays true progress toward WCAG conformance that would satisfy ADA requirements and European Accessibility Act standards.
For companies using e-commerce platforms like Shopify or developing new products, tracking real accessibility issues becomes even more critical. You cannot afford to miss issues that impact customers or create legal exposure.
The Cost of Getting It Wrong
Organizations that rely on scan-based platforms often go through this cycle: purchase software, run scans, fix flagged issues, celebrate high scores, get audited for compliance, discover hundreds of missed issues, start over with an audit-based approach.
This wastes time and money while leaving your organization exposed to legal risk. The European Accessibility Act deadline approaches in 2025. ADA website lawsuits continue increasing. Waiting to discover that your platform missed most issues could be costly.
Some companies try to supplement scan-based platforms with additional tools and manual reviews. They add browser extensions, hire consultants, and create complex workflows trying to catch what scans miss. The effort required often exceeds just starting with an audit-based platform.
The Tracker AI features reduce the technical support needed during remediation. Instead of scheduling meetings with consultants or searching for answers, your team gets immediate guidance specific to each issue. The artificial intelligence understands your audit data and provides targeted recommendations without generic responses.
Starting with the Right Foundation
Accessibility management starts with knowing all the issues you need to track. Scan-based platforms cannot provide this foundation because automated detection has fundamental limitations. Even with AI enhancements, scans cannot evaluate meaning, context, or user experience.
The Accessibility Tracker platform provides the foundation you need. Upload your audit report and immediately see all issues organized by WCAG criterion, page location, and severity. Use priority formulas to sort issues by legal risk or user impact. Assign issues to team members based on their expertise.
Track remediation progress through status updates from “not started” through “validated.” Add notes to maintain project history. Generate compliance documentation showing your commitment to accessibility.
The platform works with audit reports from any provider because the goal is accurate tracking regardless of who conducted your evaluation. Whether you need to meet ADA requirements, prepare for the European Accessibility Act, or improve accessibility for your users, you need to track real issues, not scan results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can scan-based platforms be useful for anything?
Scan-based tools can help practitioners who understand their limitations catch obvious technical issues during development. However, for compliance tracking and project management, you need an audit-based platform that tracks all WCAG issues.
How does Tracker AI differ from using ChatGPT directly?
The Tracker platform pre-loads your audit data into AI tools so developers don’t need to copy issue details or craft prompts. Five specialized tools provide targeted guidance for simplifying issues, technical implementation, alternative approaches, WCAG standards, and custom questions.
Will we still need technical support with an audit-based platform?
The Tracker AI significantly reduces technical support needs by providing immediate answers within your workflow. Your team gets code examples, plain English explanations, and implementation guidance without scheduling consultations.
Can we use Tracker if we already have scan-based software?
Of course, your organization can use the Tracker platform to manage their actual audit issues (the full WCAG conformance) while keeping scan-based tools for developers to make quick technical checks. The audit-based approach ensures accurate compliance tracking and scans can be reserved for practitioners.
How quickly can we start tracking with an audit-based platform?
Upload your audit spreadsheet to the Tracker platform and start tracking immediately. The software extracts all issue data, applies priority formulas, and creates your project dashboard without complex setup or configuration.
Get Started
Sign up for a free plan at AccessibilityTracker.com.
