PACT

If you’ve ever tried to make sure your website is “compliant” and ended up in a rabbit hole of acronyms – ADA, GDPR, WCAG – you’re not alone. It’s one of those things that sounds straightforward until you start digging into the details. That’s where PACT comes in. It’s a web-based tool that scans your site and gives you a quick, detailed look at how well it holds up against accessibility and privacy standards. You don’t need to be a legal expert or a front-end wizard. You just plug in your URL and let it do the heavy lifting.

I found PACT while helping a friend update their small business website. They’d heard they needed to be “ADA compliant” but didn’t really know what that meant. I ran their site through PACT, and within minutes we had a breakdown of what was working and what wasn’t. It flagged missing alt text, poor color contrast, and a few navigation issues that would make things harder for screen reader users. It also checked for things like secure data transmission and password policy compliance, which I hadn’t even thought to look at. The report didn’t just list problems – it explained why they mattered and how to fix them.

The interface is simple. You enter a URL, hit scan, and wait a few seconds. The results are organized into categories like accessibility, security, and privacy. Each section includes a checklist of items, with clear indicators for what passed and what needs attention. It’s not overwhelming, and it doesn’t bury you in technical jargon. I appreciated that it didn’t just say “fail” or “pass” – it gave context. For example, it didn’t just say “missing alt text.” It showed which images were missing it and why that’s a problem for users relying on screen readers.

One thing I liked is how it handles accessibility. A lot of tools focus on visual design or SEO, but PACT actually checks things like keyboard navigation and screen reader compatibility. I tested it on a few personal projects and realized I’d been overlooking basic things like focus indicators and skip links. It’s easy to forget that not everyone uses a mouse or sees the screen the same way. PACT gently reminds you of that without making you feel guilty or overwhelmed.

It also checks for GDPR compliance, which is helpful if you’re collecting user data or running forms. It looks at things like SSL implementation, form security, and whether your site encrypts sensitive information. I ran a few client sites through it and found some gaps that were easy to fix once I knew they existed. It’s the kind of tool that helps you catch things before they become problems.

You can try it out at PACT’s website. Whether you’re building a new site, maintaining an old one, or just curious about how your site holds up, it’s a quick way to get clarity. It doesn’t try to scare you into compliance or sell you a bunch of extras. It just gives you a clear, honest look at where you stand – and that’s surprisingly rare.