The case at a glance
FTC v. accessiBe, from the FTC's documents
- Case
- In the Matter of accessiBe Inc. and accessiBe Ltd.
- Numbers
- FTC Docket No. C-4817, File No. 222-3156
- What it was about
- Deceptive advertising under Section 5 of the FTC Act
- Payment
- $1,000,000 to the FTC, which may fund customer refunds
- Final order issued
- April 21, 2025 (announced April 22, vote 3-0)
- How long it lasts
- 20 years from issue
- Admission
- None. accessiBe neither admits nor denies the allegations.
Timeline of the accessiBe FTC case
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 2019 | accessiBe starts selling accessWidget, per the FTC complaint. |
| November 2022 | The FTC tells accessiBe what its investigation is about, per the complaint. |
| January 3, 2025 | The FTC announces the complaint and proposed order. The vote is 5-0. |
| January 6 to February 5, 2025 | Public comment period, after notice in the Federal Register (90 FR 647). |
| April 21, 2025 | The FTC issues the final Decision and Order. |
| April 22, 2025 | The FTC announces the final order. The vote is 3-0. |
| April 23, 2025 | The FTC publishes a business guidance post on lessons from the case. |
What the FTC alleged
The complaint has three counts. Each is an allegation that accessiBe settled, not a finding by a court.
- False or unsupported performance claims. The FTC said accessiBe claimed accessWidget makes any website WCAG compliant and keeps it compliant as the site changes, and that those claims were false, misleading or not backed by evidence.
- Ads dressed up as reviews. The FTC said accessiBe paid for reviews and articles on other websites that looked like independent opinions.
- Hidden ties to reviewers. The FTC said accessiBe did not disclose that it paid for those reviews or helped draft, edit or approve them.
The marketing the complaint quotes is specific. accessiBe said its “one line of code” made a site compliant with 30% of WCAG right away and the other 70% within 48 hours. One video said businesses could “meet ADA and WCAG compliance in 48 hours for only $490 per year.” The complaint also says accessiBe paid $1,900 for a 2020 “review” on Webdesigner Depot and $850 for one on uxplanet.org.
The complaint also says accessiBe did not clearly tell buyers what the widget does not cover unless they pay for more, such as PDFs, video, embedded content and pages on other domains. For many stores that includes third-party checkout or booking pages.
The barriers the FTC found on sites using the widget
The complaint lists problems found by manual testing on sites with accessWidget installed, including e-commerce sites. Several are things a Shopify owner should check on their own store, widget or not:
The complaint also says accessiBe's own testers found errors on nearly all the sites they checked by hand. A script cannot reliably write accurate product descriptions or repair a theme's cart code from the outside.
What the final order says
The Decision and Order applies to accessiBe and anyone acting for it. In plain words, here is what each main part requires.
| Part | What it requires |
|---|---|
| I. WCAG claims | No claims that its automated products can make any website WCAG compliant, keep it compliant as content changes, or about their benefits and performance, unless backed by competent and reliable evidence. |
| II. Misrepresentations | No misleading claims about any product's cost, limits, features or performance. |
| III. Endorsements | No pretending that paid reviews are independent, or that an endorser is an ordinary user or an independent organization. |
| IV. Material connections | Clear disclosure, right next to the endorsement, of any unexpected connection with a reviewer. |
| V. Other domains | Before a customer pays, a clear notice that the product will not fix barriers on third-party domains or subdomains unless they also use it. |
| VI to VIII. Money | Pay $1,000,000 within 8 days. The FTC may use it for customer refunds, and accessiBe must provide customer details. |
| IX to XII. Oversight | Sworn compliance reports, records created for 10 years, and FTC monitoring. |
| XIII. Length | The order ends 20 years after it was issued, or later if the government sues over a violation. |
“Competent and reliable evidence” has a set meaning in the order: tests, analyses or studies by qualified people, done objectively, and generally accepted in the profession as accurate. Any accessiBe claim about WCAG compliance now needs that kind of proof behind it.
What accessiBe says about it
accessiBe settled without admitting the charges. On its own page about the settlement, it calls the deal a “non-admission settlement”, says the claims were “largely based on outdated information from 2019-2022”, raises “significant concerns with the testing methodologies” it believes the FTC used, and calls settling “a strategic choice to avoid a lengthy legal process.”
Both things can be read side by side. The FTC's complaint is a set of allegations. The order is binding either way, and its limits on claims apply to what accessiBe says today, not only to what it said before 2022.
Other accessiBe lawsuits
People searching for an “accessiBe lawsuit” often mean one of these.
- The customer class action (2024). In June 2024 a New York dermatology practice, Sherwin K. Parikh MD, P.C., filed a proposed class action against accessiBe in federal court in New York (case 1:24-cv-04848). It says the practice paid $490 a year for accessWidget and was then sued by a blind user. The claims include breach of contract and New York consumer law. These are allegations. As of October 17, 2026, the public docket showed no closing date.
- AudioEye and accessiBe (2020 to 2022). Competitor AudioEye sued accessiBe, mainly over patents, and accessiBe sued back. The companies settled all their disputes in October 2022 and the cases were dismissed. Our page on AudioEye pricing and alternatives has the details.
- Lawsuits against stores that use a widget. These are the ones that matter most to you. EcomBack counted 3,948 ADA website suits in 2025, and 24.9% named sites that already had an accessibility widget. Our guide to whether accessibility overlays work covers that data.
What the FTC order means for your store
The order binds accessiBe, not you. Using accessiBe, or any widget, is legal. But the case teaches three things a store owner can act on.
- Your own claims count too. Section 5 of the FTC Act covers businesses that advertise to US consumers. The FTC's guidance post on this case tells businesses to make sure a product does what they say before they say it. In Canada, section 74.01 of the Competition Act covers false or misleading claims to the public. A footer line that says your store is “ADA compliant” is a claim.
- The barriers are still in the theme. The FTC's list of problems on widget sites is a good checklist for any store.
- Vendor promises are not protection. A badge, a score or a legal pledge does not change the store a shopper uses. If you get a letter, read our guide on what to do after an ADA demand letter.
Here is a short way to check your store this week.
Find every compliance claim on your store
In Shopify admin, open Online Store, Pages and read your accessibility statement. Then open the theme editor (Online Store, Themes, Edit theme) and check the footer, announcement bar and any trust badges. Search your product descriptions and FAQ page for words like compliant, certified and ADA.Rewrite claims you cannot prove
Replace "ADA compliant" or "fully accessible" with what is true: the standard you aim for (WCAG 2.2 AA), what you have fixed, what you are still working on, and how shoppers can reach you for help.Remove widget badges that make a promise
Some widgets show a badge or statement that says the site is compliant. Turn it off in the app settings, or remove the app embed in the theme editor (App embeds in the left sidebar).Test what the widget is covering
On a copy of your theme with the widget turned off, shop with only the keyboard, try a screen reader on one product page and run a free scan. That is the store a plaintiff or a disabled shopper sees if the script fails.Keep a dated record
Write down what you checked, what you fixed and when. A record of real work is more useful than a badge if anyone asks.
For the full list of checks, use our free ADA website checklist for online stores. To write an honest statement, our accessibility statement generator avoids compliance claims by design.
Common mistakes after reading about the order
- Thinking the order made widgets illegal. It did not. It limits what accessiBe may claim.
- Switching to another widget and stopping there. The order names accessiBe, but the technical limits it describes apply to any script that runs on top of a store.
- Deleting the widget before fixing anything. Some shoppers may use its toolbar. Fix the main problems first, then remove it.
- Keeping a statement that promises compliance. Rewrite it to say what you have done and how to get help.
- Reading a review without checking who paid for it. The case is a reminder to look for a sponsored or partner note on any review of an accessibility tool, including ours.
Questions about the accessiBe FTC order
What was the FTC settlement with accessiBe?
In January 2025 the FTC charged accessiBe with deceptive advertising: claiming its accessWidget tool could make any website WCAG compliant, and passing off paid reviews as independent. accessiBe settled without admitting or denying the charges. The final order, issued April 21, 2025, requires it to pay $1 million and bars those claims unless it has reliable evidence.
How much was accessiBe fined?
The order requires accessiBe to pay the FTC $1,000,000. The FTC may use the money for refunds to customers. Strictly, it is a payment under a consent order, not a court fine. Future violations of the order can bring civil penalties.
Did accessiBe admit wrongdoing?
No. The order says accessiBe neither admits nor denies the allegations. accessiBe calls it a non-admission settlement, says the claims were based on outdated information from 2019 to 2022, and says it settled to avoid a long legal process.
Is accessiBe still allowed to sell its widget?
Yes. The order does not ban the product. It controls what accessiBe may claim about it for 20 years. It must have competent and reliable evidence for claims about WCAG compliance and performance, must disclose paid ties to reviewers, and must say that it does not fix third-party domains.
Can I get a refund if I bought accessiBe?
The order lets the FTC use the $1 million for customer refunds, and requires accessiBe to hand over customer details for that purpose. We found no accessiBe refund program announced on ftc.gov as of October 17, 2026. If one opens, the FTC lists it on its refunds page.
Does the FTC order apply to other overlay companies?
No. The order binds accessiBe Inc. and accessiBe Ltd. only. But the law behind it, Section 5 of the FTC Act, applies to every business that advertises in the US, so any vendor that makes the same kind of claim takes the same risk.
Does the FTC order affect my store if I use accessiBe?
Not directly. Using accessiBe is legal. The risk for your store is twofold: the barriers in your theme are still there, and any claim on your site that the store is compliant could be your own misleading claim. Check your accessibility statement and badges.
What to do next
This page explains the law in general terms. It is not legal advice. For advice about your business, speak with a lawyer.