Accessibility TestingChrome Toolkit
Toolkit vs Web App
When to use the Chrome Toolkit and when to use the Website Scanner in the web app.
Both use the same version of axe-core, the widely used open-source checking engine, so a page checked with the same settings gives the same results in both. Both save results to the same workspace, and the Website Scanner list shows both kinds of scans together. They differ in what they can reach and what they can do.
Quick comparison
| Capability | Chrome Toolkit | Web App (Website Scanner) |
|---|---|---|
| Pages per report | Multiple — accumulated as you navigate, up to 50 pages per saved report | Up to 10 URLs submitted up front |
| Authenticated scanning | Uses your current browser session | Configurable: cookies / login form / HTTP headers |
| Multi-page workflow capture | ✅ yes — detects navigation and rolls up results | ❌ not available — the Workflow Analyzer runs in the toolkit only; the web app views the reports it saves |
| WCAG version / rule pack configuration | Set in the toolkit's own Settings screen, stored in your browser. Six values — WCAG 2.0/2.1/2.2 at A or AA, no AAA. Advanced rules default off. | Per-scan. All nine values, including AAA. Advanced rules default on. |
| Element inspection | Native Chrome DevTools | Page snapshot viewer |
| Report export | CSV summary (in the web app) | PDF report + CSV summary (in the web app) |
| Fix plan | ✅ yes | ✅ yes |
| Run history & version compare | ❌ each saved report is a one-off — Summary and All Issues tabs only | ✅ every re-run is a new version, with a History tab, a per-run score delta and a two-version comparison |
| Consolidating several reports | ❌ not available | ✅ combine two or more completed scans into one report |
| Scheduled / recurring scans | ❌ you drive every scan by hand | ✅ recurring schedules (needs an Automate plan) |
| Team sharing | In-panel or the web app | In the web app |
| Best for… | Walking real user flows during development | Batch audits, compliance reports |
Pick the toolkit when…
- You want to walk through a real user flow and collect issues from every page in one pass.
- You want to scan pages behind a login you're already signed into, without configuring separate auth.
- You want to inspect a failing element with the native Chrome picker, not a snapshot.
Pick the web app when…
- You have a fixed list of URLs to audit and want to submit them all at once.
- You need configurable authentication (cookies / login form / headers) for scans that run without you driving the browser.
- You need formal WCAG conformance reporting, AAA levels, or a PDF export.
- You want to track a score over time, compare two runs, or roll several scans into one report.
- You want the full report and export experience in one place.
Can I use both?
Yes — they share the same workspace. A common pattern is:
- Use the toolkit during development to catch issues as you code.
- Use the web app in CI or for periodic audits to produce shareable reports against a bigger URL list.