Octopus Scanner (formerly A11y Scanner) review
A free desktop scanner for detailed local audits of complex websites.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Octopus Scanner, formerly A11y Scanner, is a desktop application for automated website accessibility auditing. It is aimed at accessibility specialists, developers, and designers who need to examine more than a set of manually selected pages. The tool can crawl a full domain, take sitemap input, or scan targeted URLs. Its local scanning and reporting make it a fit for auditors who want to inspect complex sites on Windows or macOS without sending scan work to a hosted service.
Its breadth is the main distinction: users can record and replay authenticated journeys, scan dynamic content, Shadow DOM and embedded frames, and audit linked PDFs. Checks use axe-core and cover WCAG 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2; scans can include mobile, tablet, and desktop viewports. Interactive HTML and CSV reports include screenshots and remediation guidance, giving teams material to review and share. This is a strong match for detailed audits across varied page states, rather than a lightweight browser-extension workflow.
The pricing is straightforward: the “Name your own price” plan is a free download with an optional one-time contribution to support the developer. The product is closed source, and support is offered by email. Its scope is centered on local desktop auditing; a CI/CD workflow and recurring scheduled monitoring are not part of the described offering. Teams that need those capabilities as part of a continuous testing pipeline should look elsewhere. For auditors who value broad scan coverage and report detail in a free local tool, Octopus Scanner is a practical candidate.
Octopus Scanner (formerly A11y Scanner) pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Crawls full domains, accepts sitemaps, and targets specific URLs
- Replays authenticated journeys and scans dynamic content, frames, and PDFs
- Creates interactive HTML and CSV reports with screenshots and guidance
- Where it doesn't
- Desktop-only, with support limited to Windows and macOS
- No browser extension or CI/CD workflow is described
- No recurring scan schedule or scan/results API is described
Octopus Scanner (formerly A11y Scanner) fact sheet, pricing and score →
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