In April 2025 the U.S. FTC finalised a $1 million settlement with overlay vendor accessiBe. It covered claims that the widget could make websites automatically meet WCAG 2.1 AA — plus reviews formatted to look independent when they weren't. A regulator sanctioned the exact promise the whole category sells.

UsableNet's 2025 count found that 983 of 3,948 sites hit with digital accessibility lawsuits were already running an overlay when they were sued — that's 24.9%. Whatever an overlay does, the data doesn't back up “protects you from legal action.”

The Overlay Fact Sheet — an open letter from the accessibility field — carries 1,031 signatures advising against overlays. In WebAIM's survey of practitioners, 67% rated overlay products not effective; among people with disabilities, the folks overlays claim to help, that rises to 72%.

AudioEye — itself an overlay vendor — acknowledges automation handles roughly 50% of accessibility issues, and sells expert services on top. Keep that number in mind any time a widget is marketed as complete compliance.

Automatic scanning, ours included, covers about 57% of issues by volume (Deque, 2021), and we don't claim otherwise — and we don't inject anything into your site. The difference is what happens next: an overlay leaves your code broken and layers a widget on top; we find the real problems in your markup and fix the code, or hand your web person a clear list. Fixed code works for everyone — no script tag, no renewal.

Don't rip it out in a hurry. Scan your site first — with the overlay still running — and look at what's failing underneath. That gap is the difference between what you were sold and what you actually have. Then decide where that monthly fee should really go.