SortSite vs UserWay 2026: Find It vs Float Over It
SortSite crawls your entire website and surfaces every WCAG violation for your team to fix in source code. UserWay installs a JavaScript widget that modifies the DOM at runtime — leaving the source code violations untouched. Here's what that difference means for your compliance program, your legal exposure, and the users you're trying to serve.
⚠️ The Overlay Category Is Under Regulatory Pressure
The FTC reached a consent order with accessiBe — UserWay's main competitor — in November 2025, requiring a $1 million payment for deceptive compliance claims about its AI overlay. UserWay operates in the same overlay category with similar marketing claims. Federal courts have repeatedly found that overlay widgets do not constitute ADA compliance. Organizations evaluating UserWay should factor this regulatory and legal context into their decision.
TL;DR
- SortSite: Automated WCAG scanner/crawler. Finds real violations across your entire site for developers to fix. Desktop from ~$299 one-time; cloud/team plans available.
- UserWay: AI overlay widget. Layers JavaScript on your site at render time without fixing source code. Courts and regulators have rejected overlays as compliance evidence. Starts at ~$490/yr.
- SMB alternative: RatedWithAI at $29/month — axe-core scanning with prioritized fix lists, designed for teams that need real violation data without a desktop application or enterprise contract.
Quick Comparison: At a Glance
SortSite
Automated WCAG crawler and accessibility scanner
- 💰 Pricing: Desktop ~$299 one-time / Cloud plans available
- 🎯 Approach: Crawl entire site and report WCAG violations
- 📋 Engine: Multi-standard checker (WCAG, Section 508)
- 🔧 Target: Developers, QA teams, accessibility consultants
- ✅ Compliance: Finds real violations for source-code remediation
UserWay
AI overlay widget — regulatory/legal risk
- 💰 Pricing: $490–$1,490+/yr depending on page count
- 🎯 Approach: JavaScript widget injected at render time
- 📋 Engine: AI overlay (proprietary)
- 🔧 Target: Non-technical site owners seeking quick fix
- ⚠️ Compliance: Does not fix source code violations
The Fundamental Difference: Diagnosis vs Runtime Patch
The clearest way to understand this comparison is to trace what happens to a WCAG violation on your site after you use each tool.
With SortSite
- SortSite crawls your site and identifies every WCAG violation
- Developer receives a violation report with element, criterion, and severity
- Developer fixes the violation in source code
- The fixed HTML ships to all users — screen reader users, keyboard users, everyone
- Violation no longer exists in the code
- Compliance improvement is permanent and in the source
With UserWay
- UserWay script tag added to the site
- When the page loads in a browser, UserWay's JS runs and modifies the DOM
- Source HTML is unchanged — violations still exist in the code
- Screen readers may process the page before JS modifications complete
- Script-blockers, slow connections, or AT configurations can bypass UserWay
- Stop paying → widget removed → site reverts to original violations
SortSite finds violations so they can be fixed permanently. UserWay installs a perpetual runtime patch over violations that remain in your code. These are not equivalent approaches to accessibility compliance — they produce fundamentally different outcomes for users, auditors, and courts.
Pricing Comparison 2026
⚠️ The UserWay Recurring Cost Problem
UserWay's pricing is annual and recurring. The moment you stop paying, the widget is removed and your site reverts to its pre-widget state with all original violations exposed. SortSite's desktop version is a one-time purchase — you own it, you run audits when you need them, and the violations you fix stay fixed permanently without any subscription keeping a mask in place.
Feature Comparison
Legal Risk: Overlays vs Scanners in Court
The legal landscape around accessibility overlays has become increasingly hostile since 2022. Multiple federal courts have found that overlay widget installation does not constitute ADA compliance. Courts evaluate whether people with disabilities can actually access and use a website — not whether a widget script is present.
Scanner + Remediation (SortSite approach)
- Violations are identified and documented
- Developers fix violations in source code
- Fixed source code = reduced ADA exposure
- Audit history shows ongoing compliance program
- Evidence-based defense: "we found and fixed these issues"
Overlay (UserWay approach)
- Violations remain in source code
- Widget attempts to mask them at render time
- Plaintiff attorney disables JavaScript → violations exposed
- Courts: overlay presence ≠ ADA compliance defense
- FTC precedent (2025): accessiBe's compliance claims were deceptive
The practical litigation risk is also asymmetric. Plaintiff attorneys have developed standard workflows for auditing overlay-protected sites: disable JavaScript, run the accessibility scanner, document every violation. The overlay was never seeing what the scanner sees. This approach has succeeded repeatedly in court.
Who Should Choose Which?
Choose SortSite if…
- You need to audit your entire site for WCAG violations before a launch or compliance review
- You have a developer who can act on violation reports and fix issues in source code
- You want Section 508 compliance checking alongside WCAG
- You prefer a one-time purchase model over recurring subscriptions
- You're an accessibility consultant or agency auditing client sites
Be cautious with UserWay if…
- You need documented evidence of compliance remediation — not just widget presence
- You've received an ADA demand letter (overlay presence won't protect you)
- You're in a regulated sector where compliance evidence will face scrutiny
- You want your users with disabilities to have a reliable, consistent experience
- You want accessibility to persist if you stop paying for a tool
Consider RatedWithAI if…
- You want real axe-core WCAG violation detection with a prioritized fix list
- You need a non-technical interface for reviewing violations and tracking remediation
- You want compliance documentation at $29/month — not a desktop tool or enterprise contract
- You want continuous scanning, not just one-time audits
Better Alternatives to UserWay
1. RatedWithAI — axe-core Scanning at $29/month
Starts at $29/month
For non-developers who want real WCAG violation data without a desktop tool, RatedWithAI provides axe-core scanning with a prioritized fix list at $29/month. Continuous monitoring, compliance documentation, and a non-technical interface for tracking remediation. Substantially less than UserWay's annual fee for an overlay that doesn't fix violations.
Start Free Scan →2. SortSite — Full-Site WCAG Scanner
~$299 one-time desktop / cloud plans available
SortSite is exactly what UserWay isn't: a scanner that identifies real WCAG violations across your entire site so a developer can fix them. The desktop application is a one-time purchase, making it cost-effective for teams that do periodic audits. Supports WCAG 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, Section 508, and other standards in a single tool.
3. Deque axe DevTools — Developer-Integrated WCAG Testing
Free extension / $79+/mo Pro
Deque's axe DevTools integrates WCAG testing directly into the development workflow via browser extension, CI/CD pipelines, and testing frameworks. The free browser extension alone is more valuable for genuine compliance than UserWay's paid widget — it shows developers exactly what's broken and how to fix it in source code.
4. Google Lighthouse — Free Built-In axe-core Scanning
Free
Google Lighthouse is built into Chrome DevTools and uses axe-core for accessibility scanning. Zero cost, zero setup — open DevTools, run Lighthouse, get real WCAG violation data. For any team evaluating UserWay's $490/yr overlay, Lighthouse is the obvious first step: it's free, finds real violations, and gives you data your developer can actually act on.
Get real WCAG violation data — not an overlay
axe-core scanning with a prioritized fix list your developer can act on. Real compliance documentation. No JavaScript widget, no recurring fee for a mask over your violations.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is SortSite and how does it work?
SortSite is an automated web accessibility checker that crawls your entire website and reports violations against WCAG 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, Section 508, and other accessibility standards. You provide a URL (or list of URLs), SortSite crawls all linked pages, and returns a report listing every violation — the element affected, the WCAG criterion violated, severity, and remediation guidance. It's available as a Windows desktop application (one-time purchase) and cloud-based service for teams. Unlike UserWay, SortSite is a diagnostic tool — it finds violations so your team can fix them in source code.
Why should I not use UserWay?
UserWay is an overlay widget that modifies the DOM at runtime using JavaScript. It does not fix the underlying HTML source code violations — it applies a runtime mask over them. The problems with this approach: overlays fail when JavaScript is blocked or slow; screen readers may process the page before the overlay runs; courts have rejected overlays as ADA compliance defenses; and the FTC fined UserWay's main competitor $1 million in 2025 for deceptive compliance claims. You're paying an annual fee for a widget that doesn't fix your violations and doesn't protect you from lawsuits.
Is SortSite good for accessibility audits?
SortSite is a solid choice for comprehensive site audits, particularly for teams that need to check all pages (not just a sample) and need multi-standard coverage (WCAG + Section 508). It's popular with accessibility consultants and agencies because the desktop version's one-time purchase model is cost-effective for client audits. For continuous monitoring and ongoing compliance tracking, cloud-based tools or SaaS platforms like RatedWithAI may be more practical. For developer-integrated testing in CI/CD pipelines, axe DevTools is generally the better fit.
Can UserWay get you sued?
Yes. Using UserWay does not protect you from ADA accessibility lawsuits — and may make you a more attractive target. Plaintiff attorneys routinely disable JavaScript to expose the violations that overlays attempt to hide, then document those violations for their complaint. Courts have repeatedly found that overlay widget presence does not constitute a compliance defense. In some cases, companies using overlays have been sued precisely because overlays signal awareness of accessibility obligations without genuine remediation — a weaker legal position than either full compliance or documented ongoing remediation effort.
What does SortSite cost?
SortSite's desktop application is approximately $299 as a one-time purchase for individual use. Cloud and team plans are available at higher price points for organizations that need multi-user access, scheduled crawls, or API integrations. SortSite also offers a free online checker that can scan a limited number of pages without purchasing the full product. Compare this to UserWay's $490+/year annual subscription for a widget that doesn't actually fix your violations.
Is there a free alternative to both SortSite and UserWay?
Yes — Google Lighthouse (built into Chrome DevTools) provides free axe-core WCAG scanning for any URL. WAVE (WebAIM's browser extension) is also free. Both find real violations in source code — which is more valuable than UserWay's paid overlay. SortSite's free online checker allows limited page scanning for evaluation. For an ongoing compliance program with continuous scanning and compliance documentation, RatedWithAI ($29/month) provides the best value between the free tools and expensive enterprise platforms.