Alfa review
A developer-focused, open-source choice for automated WCAG 2.2 web audits.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Alfa is an open-source accessibility conformance testing engine from Siteimprove A/S. It evaluates HTML, CSS, and JavaScript websites against accessibility rules, including WCAG-based rules implemented with the Accessibility Conformance Testing format. Developers and teams can use it in content development, testing, and publication workflows through npm packages, command-line tools, scrapers, crawlers, and browser-automation integrations. The free, open-source model makes Alfa a practical fit for teams that want to add automated accessibility checks to their own development processes.
Its strongest area is workflow flexibility. Alfa can audit individual pages from the command line, scrape web pages, and crawl linked pages across a site. Teams can filter WCAG 2.2 rules and outcomes, define custom rules, and produce EARL reports encoded as JSON-LD. Integrations with Playwright, Puppeteer, Selenium, and Cypress support automated checks within established browser-testing workflows, making the product a natural match for developer-led testing and CI/CD processes.
Alfa is narrower than a complete accessibility program. The product focuses on automated web conformance testing and does not provide manual review or mobile testing. Its self-hosted and command-line-oriented delivery also suits technical teams more than buyers seeking a guided interface or a broader accessibility platform. Choose Alfa when open-source control, customizable rules, crawling, and browser-automation integration are priorities. Consider an alternative when manual assessment, mobile coverage, or a less developer-centric workflow is required.
Alfa pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free and open source with WCAG 2.2 rule filtering
- Crawls linked pages and audits through a command-line interface
- Integrates with Playwright, Puppeteer, Selenium, and Cypress
- Where it doesn't
- Does not provide manual accessibility review
- Focused on web pages rather than mobile testing
- Its self-hosted, developer-oriented workflow requires technical setup
Alfa fact sheet, pricing and score →
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