There are plenty of PDF accessibility checkers, and the good news is that the most authoritative validation is free. The question isn't usually "free vs paid" — it's "checking vs fixing." Here's how to think about it.
The free checkers (validation)
The tools that actually validate against the PDF/UA-1 standard are free:
- veraPDF — the open-source reference validator, maintained by the Open Preservation Foundation and the PDF Association. The engine compliance reports cite. Available desktop or, via EasyAccessPDF, online.
- PAC 2024 — the PDF Association's free desktop checker with a screen reader preview. See our checker comparison.
- Our free checker — runs the veraPDF engine in the browser, report in ~30 seconds, three checks free, no account.
These tell you exactly what's broken. What they don't do is fix it.
What you pay for (remediation and workflow)
Paid tools are about fixing and managing, not checking:
- Adobe Acrobat Pro — subscription; manual remediation tools (tag tree editing, alt text, reading order).
- axesPDF, CommonLook — desktop/enterprise software for professional remediation teams.
- Remediation services (CommonLook/Allyant, GrackleDocs) — done-for-you, priced per page or per contract.
- Automated remediation — like ours: fixes the deterministic ~90% of PDF/UA failures programmatically for a flat $2.99 per document, or unlimited with membership.
The smart split
Don't pay to check — use a free validator. Pay to fix, and pick the fixing approach that matches your volume:
- A few documents, complex content — manual remediation (Acrobat Pro or a service).
- Standard documents at volume — automated remediation (fastest, cheapest per document).
- Whole-library enterprise program — enterprise software + services.
Start free
Run your PDF through the free checker first. The report tells you what needs fixing — then you decide whether to fix manually, automatically, or via a service. For the details behind the report, see how to read a PDF/UA report and our 2026 checker comparison.