WAVE Evaluation Tool vs axe DevTools
Both are accessibility checkers that work on Chrome's Manifest V3, and neither can tell you a page is accessible. Pick WAVE if you want icons drawn on the page itself, from a free community service. Pick axe DevTools if you want automated scans in DevTools from the axe-core engine. We ran no tests.
Key takeaways
- WAVE draws icons and indicators on the page. axe DevTools shows scan results with fix guidance.
- Neither extension is open source. axe DevTools is built on axe-core, which is open source (MPL 2.0).
- Both work on Manifest V3, and both say a tool alone cannot prove a page is accessible.
- axe DevTools has a free version (one page at a time) and a paid Pro version. WebAIM calls WAVE a free community service.
WAVE vs axe DevTools at a glance
| Feature | WAVE Evaluation Tool | axe DevTools |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | WebAIM, Utah State University. "Developed and made available as a free community service". Launched 2001 (S4) | Deque Systems Inc (S7) |
| What it checks | The rendered page in the browser, including styles and script-generated content. "Many accessibility and WCAG errors", plus issues beyond the guidelines that WebAIM says affect users (S2, S3) | Automated accessibility tests run by the axe-core engine, page by page (S7) |
| How results are shown | Icons and indicators on the page, with a sidebar: red for errors, green for accessibility features, yellow for alerts to review. Panels for Summary/Details, Reference, Order, Structure and Contrast, plus a Code tab. You can turn off page styles (S1, S3) | Scan results with in-product remediation guidance. Saving, sharing and collaboration tools are part of Pro (S8) |
| Standards covered | Errors "align with WCAG 2.2 failures". Many checks for Section 508 and WCAG 2.2. WebAIM publishes a mapping of WAVE items to WCAG 2 success criteria. It cannot check everything in them (S1, S3) | WCAG 2.0, 2.1 and 2.2 at levels A, AA and AAA. Can be set to Section 508 and EN 301 549 (S8) |
| Price | WebAIM describes WAVE as a free community service. The store shows no price. Paid API credits exist for the WAVE API, which is separate from the extension (S1, S4, S6) | A free extension (automated testing, one page at a time), plus a paid Pro extension and a bundle. Deque's page publishes no prices, so we quote none (S8) |
| Open source | No. The extension and its code are copyright WebAIM. The terms forbid modifying, copying or creating derivative works, and reverse engineering (S2, S5) | No for the extension: the free-extension licence forbids decompiling, reverse engineering and creating derivative works. Its engine, axe-core, is open source under MPL 2.0 (S9, S11) |
| Manifest V3 | Yes. Store changelog: version 3.2.7.0 (August 2024) "adds compatibility with Manifest v3" (S1) | Yes. Deque: 4.80.1 is the official MV3 release, on Edge 7 May 2024, then Chrome 14 May 2024, with no change to functionality (S10) |
| Version when we checked | 3.3.1.0, May 2026 (S1) | 4.138.0, updated 29 September 2026 (S7) |
| Browsers | Chrome, Firefox and Edge extensions, plus an online tool at wave.webaim.org where you enter a URL (S2, S6) | Chrome, Edge and Firefox. Saving and exporting results and guided tests work only in Chrome and Edge (S8) |
| Privacy | Runs in the browser. "No information is sent to the WAVE server" from the extension (S2) | The store lists data handled as personally identifiable information, location and website content, and says it is not sold outside approved uses. Under the free-extension licence you let Deque capture and use your uploaded "Developer Test Data" (test results, site metrics) for its internal business purposes and product development. Pro gives more control over what is collected (S5, S7, S8, S9) |
| Manual testing help | Shows underlying information, such as the alt text itself, so a person can judge it. Has a Reference panel. "WAVE helps its users evaluate what automatic tools cannot" (S3) | The free version is automated only. Pro adds Intelligent Guided Testing. Deque's FAQ says a "Remaining Testing" checklist and manual-issue flagging exist after automated and guided tests (S8) |
| Honest limit | "WAVE cannot tell you if your web content is accessible. Only a human can." No errors does not mean accessible. WebAIM never says a page "passed" and offers no badge. The terms say reports are not conclusive, not for legal use without permission, and no bots or automated use (API excepted) (S3, S5) | The free version only does automated testing, one page at a time. Deque's FAQ says automated tests alone "might miss" complex issues. axe-core returns elements it is unsure about as "incomplete", for manual review (S8, S11) |
| Who it's for | Anyone. "Most effective when used by someone knowledgeable", but non-experts "can also benefit" (S3) | Developers, testers and designers, per the store title line. Deque says no accessibility expertise is needed (S7, S8) |
Which is better, WAVE or axe DevTools?
Neither wins on everything. WAVE is the better fit if you want to see problems drawn on the page and you are learning or editing content. axe DevTools is the better fit if you work in DevTools and want automated scans from the axe-core engine. Both say a tool cannot prove a page is accessible. We did not run tests.
Is WAVE free, and is axe DevTools free?
WebAIM describes WAVE as "a free community service", and the store shows no price. axe DevTools has a free extension that does automated testing, one page at a time. Deque also sells a paid Pro extension and a bundle. We quote no prices, because Deque's page publishes none. Paid API credits for WAVE are for the WAVE API, not the extension.
Is WAVE or axe DevTools open source?
Neither extension is. WAVE's terms forbid modifying, copying or creating derivative works, and reverse engineering. axe DevTools' free-extension licence forbids decompiling, reverse engineering and creating derivative works. The axe-core engine that powers axe DevTools is open source under MPL 2.0. For an open-source checker built on that engine, see Accessibility Insights for Web.
Do both work with Manifest V3?
Yes. WAVE's store changelog says version 3.2.7.0, from August 2024, added compatibility with Manifest V3. Deque says version 4.80.1 is the official Manifest V3 release of axe DevTools, out on Edge on 7 May 2024 and on Chrome on 14 May 2024, with no change to functionality.
What data does each one handle?
WAVE's extension page says no information is sent to the WAVE server from the extension. For axe DevTools, the store lists personally identifiable information, location and website content. Under the free-extension licence you let Deque capture and use your uploaded test data for its internal business purposes and product development. Pro gives more control. These are the companies' own statements.
Can either one tell me my page is accessible?
No. WebAIM says WAVE cannot tell you if your content is accessible and that only a human can, and it never says a page "passed". Deque's FAQ says automated tests alone "might miss" complex issues. A clean scan is a start, not a pass mark. Add a keyboard-only check by hand.
FAQ
Can I use both?
Yes. They draw on different checks and show results differently, so some people run both on the same page. We did not test how their results differ.
Does either one work in Firefox?
Both list Firefox. WAVE also has an online tool where you enter a URL. For axe DevTools, saving or exporting results and guided tests work only in Chrome and Edge.
Which has a free version?
WAVE is described as a free community service. axe DevTools has a free version with a paid Pro plan.
Good to know
Limit of this page: we compare what each company publishes. We ran no tests of how many issues either tool finds, and store versions change often, so the version row says when we checked. For a third option built on axe-core, read about Accessibility Insights for Web. For one narrow check, try Colour Contrast Checker.
Read more
- WAVE Evaluation Tool: full review
- axe DevTools: full review
- Best accessibility tools for Chrome
- Accessibility Insights for Web: full review
- More comparisons
- How we choose extensions
Sources
Last checked 12 October 2026.
- S1: WAVE Chrome Web Store listing
- S2: WAVE extension page
- S3: WAVE help
- S4: WAVE about
- S5: WAVE terms and privacy notice
- S6: WAVE home
- S7: axe DevTools Chrome Web Store listing
- S8: Deque extension page (free vs Pro, FAQ)
- S9: Deque free extension licence terms
- S10: Deque Manifest V3 page and release notes
- S11: axe-core README and licence (Mozilla Public License 2.0)
Both are third-party extensions, not built by Xplorekit. We link to the official Chrome Web Store listings. We don't show ratings or user counts because we can't verify them.