After the FTC's $1 million fine for deceptive marketing claims, businesses are moving from accessiBe's JavaScript overlay to source-level WCAG remediation. Compliapoint fixes your website's actual HTML, CSS, and templates — producing documented compliance that holds up in court.
accessiBe markets an AI-powered JavaScript overlay that claims to automatically make websites WCAG compliant. In practice, the approach has three fundamental problems that no amount of AI can overcome:
Screen readers interact with your DOM structure — the underlying HTML. An overlay that runs after page load cannot repair incorrect heading hierarchies, missing form labels, broken ARIA attributes, or inaccessible PDF documents. The violations remain in your source code.
In 2025, the FTC reached a $1 million settlement with accessiBe for misleading businesses into believing their widget would make websites ADA compliant. The enforcement action stated that accessiBe's marketing claims were deceptive.
In H1 2025, 456 lawsuits (22.6% of all filings) targeted websites with accessibility widgets installed. Monthly filings against widget-equipped sites increased every month compared to 2024, peaking above 150 in a single month.
Some 2025 ADA complaints explicitly reference installed accessibility widgets, alleging that the overlays interfere with screen readers or introduce additional barriers. Installing a widget can now be used as evidence against you — demonstrating awareness of accessibility obligations while choosing a solution that doesn't actually fix the problems.
The fundamental difference is approach. accessiBe applies a JavaScript layer on top of your broken code. Compliapoint fixes the code itself.
| Feature | accessiBe (Overlay) | Compliapoint (Source Remediation) |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | JavaScript injected at page load attempts to modify rendered output | Fixes made directly in HTML, CSS, and template source files |
| Fixes survive updates | No — requires active subscription; remove script = lose "fixes" | Yes — permanent changes to source code survive CMS and theme updates |
| PDF remediation | No — overlay cannot fix downloadable documents | Yes — every document tagged for screen reader navigation |
| Video captions | No — overlay cannot add captions to video content | Yes — WCAG 1.2 compliant captioning in standard formats |
| Works with all assistive tech | Conflicts reported with screen readers (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver) | Yes — native HTML fixes work with every assistive technology |
| Compliance certificate | Widget "statement" — not an independent audit certificate | Dated, signed certificate documenting WCAG 2.1 AA conformance |
| VPAT / ACR | Not provided | Yes — for government and enterprise procurement |
| Detailed audit report | Automated scan results only | Complete documentation of every finding and remediation action |
| Legal defensibility | FTC ruled marketing claims deceptive; 22.6% of lawsuits target widget sites | Full audit trail, compliance certificate, and remediation documentation |
| Pricing model | $490–$3,990+/year recurring subscription | One-time project cost with fixed pricing — no forced subscription |
| FTC enforcement | $1M fine for deceptive marketing (2025) | N/A — we fix code, we don't make compliance claims about overlays |
A complete, documented compliance engagement — not a subscription that disappears when you stop paying.
accessiBe charges $490–$3,990+ per year — forever. Over 3 years, that's $1,470–$11,970+ with no permanent compliance and documented legal risk.
Compliapoint charges a one-time project fee with permanent source-level fixes. Add optional monthly monitoring if you want ongoing protection. When you factor in that a single ADA settlement costs $5,000–$75,000, source remediation is the cheaper path by every measure.
Complete our 3-minute assessment. We review your site and scope the engagement — including any damage the overlay may have introduced.
We conduct a full WCAG 2.1 AA audit and remediate every violation at the source code level. Standard 7–10 days; rush 1–3.
Once source remediation is complete and verified, remove the accessiBe script. Your site is now natively accessible.
Receive your compliance certificate, audit report, and complete deliverable package. Real documentation, not a widget badge.
Our assessment takes 3 minutes. We review your site and respond with a fixed-price proposal — no subscription, no obligation.
Start Your AssessmentEligible small businesses can recover up to $5,000 via IRS Form 8826 (Disabled Access Credit)