Overview
One of the initial reasons the Web Accessibility Survey was created was to compare with the WebAIM survey findings. Sentiment in the online communities was that the findings of WebAIM do not fully align with their experiences. The following content provides a comparison with the active results of the Screen Reader Survey #9, which did not include r/blind involvement.
In early 2024, a new version Screen Reader Survey #10 from WebAIM was released that did include reach out to the reddit communities. To align with original goals of the Web Accessibility Survey, the following comparisons are still for version #9. In time we will incorporate the latest version #10 to see if numbers start to more closely align due to more online participation. In the meantime, visit the Screen Reader Survey #10 for latest WebAIM findings.
If you are interested in determining question results for certain user types, the Data page and downloadable Excel file can be filtered by demographics. For example, data can be filtered to show results for only those who identified as having a specific disability.
There are other pages that provide comparisons and extrapolated information. We are continuing to organize and provide overarching findings based on our own review of the data in the Key Findings page.
Related Pages
Do you have a Disability?
In the Webaim #9 Survey, a significant number of respondents affirmed having disabilities, whereas in the Web Accessibility Survey, responses were more evenly split between those affirming and those denying disabilities. This may be due to region, survey reach, and disability communities that felt the need to respond to each survey.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 758 | 58.9% |
| No | 528 | 41.1% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 1435 | 92.3% |
| No | 120 | 7.7% |
What screen readers do you commonly use?
In the Web Accessibility Survey, NVDA emerges as the choice among respondents for screen readers, followed by JAWS, whereas in the WebAIM Survey #9, JAWS is notably more prevalent, with NVDA ranking as the second most commonly used screen reader. Depending on the communities and screen reader comfortability, these results may be more or less than the other.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| NVDA | 225 | 66.8% |
| JAWS | 144 | 42.7% |
| VoiceOver | 140 | 41.5% |
| Narrator | 117 | 34.7% |
| Zoom Text | 38 | 11.3% |
| Orca | 31 | 9.2% |
| Other | 16 | 4.7% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| JAWS | 1097 | 70.0% |
| NVDA | 922 | 58.8% |
| VoiceOver | 648 | 41.3% |
| Narrator | 577 | 36.8% |
| ZoomText | 140 | 8.9% |
| Other | 99 | 6.3% |
| ChromeVox | 73 | 4.7% |
| System Access or System Access to Go | 47 | 3.0% |
| Window Eyes | 24 | 1.5% |
What would you rate your proficiency using the Internet?
In the Web Accessibility Survey, despite fewer users with disabilities, a greater proportion of respondents rate themselves as experts in using the Internet, indicating a higher level of proficiency within the community. In the WebAIM Survey #9, despite a higher number of users with disabilities, there is a greater prevalence of respondents rating themselves as experts in using the Internet, suggesting a similar trend of proficiency within the community.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Professional / Expert | 609 | 47.4% |
| Advanced | 538 | 41.8% |
| Intermediate | 131 | 10.2% |
| Beginner | 8 | 0.6% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced | 1045 | 67.5% |
| Intermediate | 477 | 30.8% |
| Beginner | 26 | 1.7% |
What types of disabilities do you have?
In the Web Accessibility Survey, there is a higher representation of users reporting cognitive/learning disabilities among respondents, whereas in the WebAIM Survey #9, there is a greater number of respondents identifying as blind, indicating a difference in the types of disabilities reported between the two surveys.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive / Learning | 303 | 40% |
| Low Vision / Visually Impaired | 283 | 37.3% |
| Blindness | 181 | 23.9% |
| Motor | 133 | 17.5% |
| Other | 129 | 17% |
| Deafness / Hard of Hearing | 106 | 14% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Blindness | 1246 | 79.5% |
| Low Vision / Visually Impaired | 344 | 21.9% |
| Deafness / Hard of Hearing | 114 | 7.3% |
| Other | 57 | 3.6% |
| Cognitive / Learning | 50 | 3.2% |
| Motor | 37 | 2.4% |
Where are you currently located?
In the Web Accessibility Survey, respondents are relatively even between North America and Europe, while there are fewer users reported in Central America and the Caribbean. In contrast, the WebAIM Survey #9 has a similar distribution of respondents in North America and Europe, and a lower concentration in Central America and the Caribbean compared to the Web Accessibility Survey.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| North America | 773 | 60.1% |
| Europe | 338 | 26.3% |
| Oceana | 71 | 5.5% |
| Asia | 63 | 4.9% |
| South America | 21 | 1.6% |
| Middle East | 9 | 0.5% |
| Africa | 7 | 0.2% |
| Middle East | 3 | 0.1% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| North America | 888 | 57.7% |
| Europe | 362 | 23.5% |
| Asia | 126 | 8.2% |
| Australia & Oceana | 58 | 3.8% |
| Africa / Middle East | 52 | 3.4% |
| South America | 42 | 2.7% |
| Central America & Carribean | 12 | 0.8% |
How would you rate the accessibility of web content in the past year?
In the Web Accessibility Survey, a lower percentage of users report that web content accessibility has improved compared to the WebAIM Survey #9, where a higher proportion indicates increased accessibility. However, both surveys align in indicating that nearly half of the respondents perceive no change in the accessibility of web content over the past year.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Has Not Changed | 620 | 48.2% |
| More Accessible | 353 | 27.4% |
| Less Accessible | 313 | 24.3% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Has Not Changed | 650 | 42.3% |
| More Accessible | 604 | 39.3% |
| Less Accessible | 284 | 18.5% |
How useful are heading levels?
Both the Web Accessibility Survey and the WebAIM Survey #9 reveal a consensus among respondents regarding the usefulness of heading levels, with a majority rating them as very useful. Only a small fraction of respondents in both surveys indicate that heading levels are not at all useful.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Very useful | 227 | 62.7% |
| Somewhat useful | 101 | 27.9% |
| Indifferent | 29 | 8% |
| Not very useful | 4 | 1.1% |
| Not useful at all | 1 | 0.3% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Very useful | 813 | 52.8% |
| Somewhat useful | 507 | 32.9% |
| Not very useful | 147 | 9.6% |
| I don't know | 44 | 2.9% |
| Not at all useful | 28 | 1.8% |
What is your age?
In the Web Accessibility Survey, the highest concentration of users falls within the 21-40 age range, mirroring similar findings in the WebAIM Survey #9. However, the WebAIM Survey #9 displays a broader distribution across various age groups compared to the Web Accessibility Survey, indicating a more evenly spread representation across different age demographics.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| 30-34 | 228 | 17.7% |
| Below 20 | 150 | 11.7% |
| 25-29 | 202 | 15.7% |
| 20-24 | 197 | 15.3% |
| 35-39 | 183 | 14.2% |
| 40-44 | 129 | 10% |
| 45-49 | 81 | 6.3% |
| 50-54 | 59 | 4.6% |
| 55-59 | 30 | 2.3% |
| 60-64 | 13 | 1% |
| 65-69 | 6 | 0.5% |
| 70-74 | 7 | 0.5% |
| 75-79 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 80-84 | 0 | 0% |
| 85+ | 0 | 0% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| 21-40 | 600 | 38.3% |
| 41-60 | 491 | 31.4% |
| 60+ | 360 | 23.0% |
| Below 20 | 114 | 7.3% |
What is your screen-reader proficiency?
In the Web Accessibility Survey, respondents demonstrate a wider distribution of proficiency levels across Advanced through Professional/Expert categories in screen-reader proficiency. Conversely, the WebAIM Survey #9 primarily clusters its respondents between the Advanced and Intermediate proficiency levels, indicating a narrower spread in screen-reader proficiency among participants.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced | 111 | 30.7% |
| Intermediate | 103 | 28.5% |
| Beginner | 80 | 22.1% |
| Professional / Expert | 68 | 18.8% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced | 887 | 57.5% |
| Intermediate | 577 | 37.4% |
| Beginner | 78 | 5.1% |
What is your current level of employment?
Both the Web Accessibility Survey and the WebAIM Survey #9 reveal comparable results in terms of employment status, with a notable majority of respondents falling into the Employed Full Time category.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Employed full time | 690 | 53.7% |
| Not employed | 219 | 17% |
| Student or too young | 211 | 16.4% |
| Employed part time | 131 | 10.2% |
| Retired | 35 | 2.7% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Employed full time | 634 | 41.2% |
| Not employed | 275 | 17.9% |
| Retired | 272 | 17.7% |
| Employed part time | 191 | 12.4% |
| Student or too young | 167 | 10.9% |
What is your primary screen reader on a desktop/laptop?
In the Web Accessibility Survey, NVDA is most common the primary screen reader for desktop/laptop use, surpassing JAWS users by more than 25%, which aligns with the trend observed in the “What screen readers do you commonly use” question. Conversely, in the WebAIM Survey #9, JAWS users outnumber NVDA users by nearly 25% as the primary screen reader on desktop/laptop, differing from the Web Accessibility Survey.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| NVDA | 181 | 53.7% |
| JAWS | 84 | 24.9% |
| VoiceOver | 78 | 23.1% |
| Narrator | 42 | 12.5% |
| Zoom Text | 20 | 5.9% |
| Orca | 18 | 5.3% |
| Other | 12 | 3.6% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| JAWS | 832 | 53.7% |
| NVDA | 476 | 30.7% |
| VoiceOver | 100 | 6.5% |
| Zoom Text / Fusion | 72 | 4.7% |
| Other | 43 | 2.8% |
| System Access or System Access to Go | 12 | 0.8% |
| Narrator | 8 | 0.5% |
| ChromeVox | 5 | 0.3% |
Which is your primary desktop browser?
In the Web Accessibility Survey, Chrome and Firefox emerge as the top choices for respondents’ primary desktop browsers, whereas in the WebAIM Survey #9, Chrome and Microsoft Edge surpass Firefox in popularity. Notably, there’s a major difference in the number of Edge users between the two surveys, with the Web Accessibility Survey showing fewer Edge users as compared to the WebAIM Survey #9.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome | 532 | 43.1% |
| Firefox | 450 | 36.5% |
| Edge | 82 | 6.7% |
| Safari | 72 | 5.8% |
| Other | 65 | 5.3% |
| Opera | 32 | 2.6% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome | 833 | 53.6% |
| Microsoft Edge | 286 | 18.4% |
| Firefox | 257 | 16.5% |
| Safari | 79 | 5.1% |
| Internet Explorer | 52 | 3.3% |
| Other | 47 | 3.0% |
What is your primary operating system you use on desktops/laptops?
In the Web Accessibility Survey, Windows is the primary operating system used on desktops/laptops, with significantly more users than Mac. The WebAIM Survey #9 yields similar findings, indicating an even higher distribution between Windows and Mac users as the primary operating system, with Windows also being the primary operating system.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | 856 | 69.4% |
| Mac | 235 | 19.1% |
| Linux | 107 | 8.7% |
| Chrome OS | 30 | 2.4% |
| Other | 5 | 0.4% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | 1412 | 91.1% |
| Mac | 101 | 6.5% |
| Linux | 22 | 1.4% |
| Other | 15 | 1.0% |
Which is your primary mobile operating system?
In the Web Accessibility Survey, there is a balanced distribution between Android and iOS users as the primary mobile operating system. However, in the WebAIM Survey #9, iOS has a significantly higher number of respondents compared to Android, with almost 50% more participants favoring iOS.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Android | 667 | 52.6% |
| iOS | 584 | 46% |
| Other | 6 | 0.5% |
| Chrome OS | 12 | 0.3% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Apple iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch | 1038 | 71.9% |
| Andriod | 388 | 25.8% |
| Other | 30 | 2.0% |
| Chrome OS | 4 | 0.3% |
What screen readers do you commonly use on mobile?
Both the Web Accessibility Survey and the WebAIM Survey #9 show that VoiceOver and TalkBack are the most commonly used screen readers on mobile devices among respondents. This similarity suggests a preference for these screen readers across different surveys, highlighting their popularity among users.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| VoiceOver | 209 | 58.4% |
| Talkback | 110 | 30.7% |
| Voice Assistant | 53 | 14.8% |
| Mobile Accessibility for Android | 52 | 14.5% |
| Other | 19 | 5.3% |
| Commentary/Jieshuo | 14 | 3.9% |
| VoiceView | 12 | 3.4% |
| Mobile Speak | 11 | 3.1% |
| IDEAL | 8 | 2.2% |
| Nuance Talks | 7 | 2% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|
| VoiceOver | 71.5% |
| Talkback | 29.1% |
| Voice Assistant | 7.6% |
| Commentary/Jieshuo | 6.6% |
| VoiceView | 6.1% |
| Mobile Accessibility for Android | 3.4% |
| Other | 3.4% |
| Nuance Talks | 1.0% |
| Mobile Speak | 0.5% |
| IDEAL | 0.4% |
Which is your primary mobile browser?
In the Web Accessibility Survey, Chrome and Safari are nearly evenly split as the primary mobile browsers among respondents. However, in the WebAIM Survey #9, there’s a significant difference, with Safari being the primary mobile browser for 61.5% of users, representing a substantial lead over Chrome, which is the next most common browser, sitting at around 24%.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome | 459 | 36.2% |
| Safari | 400 | 31.5% |
| Firefox | 259 | 20.4% |
| Other | 113 | 8.9% |
| Edge | 19 | 1.5% |
| Opera | 19 | 1.5% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Safari | 897 | 61.5% |
| Chrome | 353 | 24.2% |
| Other | 68 | 4.6% |
| Firefox | 62 | 4.3% |
| IE or Edge Mobile | 38 | 2.6% |
| Samsung Browser | 23 | 1.6% |
| Android Browser | 16 | 1.1% |
How would you rate the accessibility of web content in the past year?
In both the Web Accessibility Survey and the WebAIM Survey #9, the majority of respondents rate the accessibility of web content over the past year as unchanged. This indicates a shared perception among respondents across both surveys regarding the stability of web content accessibility within the year, despite potential differences in the sample sizes or demographics of the respondents.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Web content accessibility has not changed | 620 | 48.2% |
| Web content has become more accessible | 353 | 27.4% |
| Web content has become less accessible | 313 | 24.3% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Web content accessibility has not changed | 650 | 42.3% |
| Web content has become more accessible | 604 | 39.3% |
| Web content has become less accessible | 284 | 18.5% |
How would you rate the accessibility of social media platforms in the past year?
In the Web Accessibility Survey, the majority of responses tend to fall within either the “has not changed” or “less accessible” categories when rating the accessibility of social media platforms over the past year. In the WebAIM Survey #9, most responses are clustered around the “somewhat accessible” or “not very accessible” categories. The two surveys are similar, but worded differently as the WebAIM survey has different option to choose from.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Social media accessibility has not changed | 548 | 42.6% |
| Social media has become less accessible | 520 | 40.4% |
| Social media has become more accessible | 218 | 17% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Somewhat accessible | 793 | 53.2% |
| Not very accessible | 251 | 16.8% |
| Very accessible | 218 | 14.6% |
| I don't know | 206 | 13.8% |
| Not at all accessible | 25 | 1.7% |
For longer pages, which of the following do you use most to find information?
In both the Web Accessibility Survey and the WebAIM Survey #9, the majority of respondents indicate using the “Navigate by headings” option most frequently when accessing longer pages to find information. However, there is a notable difference in the usage of the “Use a keyword find/search feature” option between the two surveys. While the Web Accessibility Survey reports over 47% of respondents using this feature, the WebAIM Survey #9 reveals a lower percentage, with only 13.9% of respondents opting for it. This suggests a discrepancy in the reliance on the search feature for navigating longer pages between the two survey samples.
Web Accessibility Survey
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Navigate by headings | 239 | 66% |
| Use a keyword find/search feature | 172 | 47.5% |
| Read through the page | 93 | 25.7% |
| Navigate by landmarks | 55 | 15.2% |
| Navigate by links | 55 | 15.2% |
| Other | 4 | 1.1% |
WebAIM Survey #9
| Response | # of Respondents | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Navigate through the headings on the page | 1047 | 67.7% |
| Use the Find feature | 215 | 13.9% |
| Read through the page | 126 | 8.1% |
| Navigate through the links of the page | 110 | 7.1% |
| Navigate through the landmarks.regions of the page | 49 | 3.2% |