accessFlow uses a standardized scoring model to reflect the current accessibility of each page and your site overall. Scores are based on issue severity and how dense those issues are relative to page size. This score gives you a consistent way to compare pages, prioritize fixes, and track improvements across your website.
How page scoring works
accessFlow uses a density-based model to measure accessibility. The system evaluates how many accessibility issues exist relative to the number of elements on the page.
Each page receives a score from 15-100 based on these factors:
- The issues currently found on the page
- The severity of those issues
- Extreme and high issues have the strongest impact
- Medium and low issues reduce the score more gradually
- How dense those issues are compared to the size of the page
A page with severe blockers will have a lower score, even if the rest of the page looks good.
A score of 15 represents a page that is fundamentally inaccessible due to a high concentration of accessibility issues.
Issue severity levels
Each issue type is categorized by severity:
- Extreme
- High
- Medium
- Low
These levels reflect how much the issue impacts accessibility. Higher-severity issues carry more weight in the final score.
How the site score is calculated
The site score is also measured on a scale from 0-100 and is based on the current page scores across your website.
It starts from the average page score, then adjusts based on how many pages are performing poorly. A page is considered ‘poor’ if its score is below 70. Pages without a score, such as failed scans or pages not yet scored, are excluded from the calculation.
This ensures the site score reflects overall accessibility, not just averages.
- If most pages are healthy, the site score stays close to the average page score
- If many pages score below 70, the site score drops more sharply
- The site score won’t drop below the lowest page score
- Strong pages cannot fully offset weaker ones
FAQs
Why can a page with only one issue score below 70?
Because severity matters. A single extreme or high issue can create a major accessibility barrier, so the score is intentionally capped even if the rest of the page looks good.
Why can two pages with the same issues have different scores?
Because density matters. Five issues on a small page affect a larger share of the user experience than five issues on a larger page with many accessible elements.
Why can the site score be lower than the simple average?
Because the site score accounts for how many pages score below 70. This ensures the score reflects overall accessibility coverage, not just averages.
Why are failed pages excluded from the site score?
The score is based on page accessibility results. If a page failed to scan, there is no reliable page score to include.
What does 100 mean before any scored pages exist?
It means there are no scored pages available to calculate from yet. This is a neutral starting value, not a confirmation that the site is accessible.