WCAG Color Contrast Checker review
A free Chrome extension for checking rendered page colors and manually entered pairs.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
For Chrome users who need to check text and graphics against WCAG 2.2, WCAG Color Contrast Checker examines foreground and background colors on a web page. It reads the elements’ computed CSS color and background-color values, accounting for opacity in RGBA colors. The extension also supports manual color entry and picking colors directly from the page, so it can check specific pairs as well as colors already rendered in the browser. Its focus is practical contrast checking rather than a broader accessibility workflow.
A notable capability is color-blindness simulation: the extension can simulate color blindness and reevaluate contrast in those simulations. Results refresh when the page DOM changes, and users can disable that refresh behavior if frequent page changes are an issue. This makes the checker relevant for reviewing pages whose rendered styles or content change, while keeping control over when results update. It is a Chrome extension, so its workflow is tied to checking pages in Chrome rather than working across multiple platforms.
The product is free, and its published capabilities include contrast checks for text and graphics. It does not provide color suggestions, so teams looking for recommended replacements for failing color pairs will need another tool or process. Solo users and small teams who want direct checks on rendered page colors, manual testing, and simulation are a good fit; those who need suggested fixes or a wider platform footprint should look elsewhere. Its narrow scope suits focused browser-based contrast reviews, not a complete accessibility testing suite.
WCAG Color Contrast Checker pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Evaluates computed CSS colors, including RGBA opacity.
- Picks colors from a page or tests manually entered colors.
- Simulates color blindness and reevaluates contrast.
- Where it doesn't
- Chrome extension only.
- Does not suggest alternative colors.
- Results refresh with DOM changes unless refresh is disabled.
WCAG Color Contrast Checker fact sheet, pricing and score →
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
Last updated · How we research and update