How the score works
What the number counts, what it leaves out, and what the words beside it mean.
What the score is
One number out of 100 for one page, measured against one standard. The free check uses WCAG 2.1 AA, the version ADA cases point to. We also check WCAG 2.2: problems that only a newer or stricter version asks about are listed as suggestions and don’t change the score.
What lowers it
Each kind of problem that breaks a criterion in the standard. Worse problems cost more: critical most, then serious, moderate and minor. The first problem of each kind costs the most and each repeat costs less, so one problem repeated across a page can’t take the score to zero on its own.
Short pages
The score compares the problems with how much of the page was checked: headings, links, buttons, form fields, images and page sections. A page with very little on it is counted as if it had at least 50 of these, so one problem on a short page doesn’t read as zero.
What doesn’t count
Suggestions beyond the standard; checks that need a person, which are listed separately; and pages that couldn’t be checked — blocked by a firewall, or answering “page not found”. Those show no score instead of a low one.
What the words mean
“Needs work” means at least one problem that counts was found. “Passed our checks” means none was: some criteria can only be checked by a person, so it isn’t a pass of the standard.
What it isn’t
A score covers the page that was checked; other pages of the site can have different problems. It isn’t a legal finding.
Which criteria our checks test, fully or partly, is listed on What we test.