axes4
Swiss PDF accessibility specialist: the PAC checker, axesCheck and Word/PDF tools for PDF/UA and WCAG
Quick Overview
| Company | axes4 GmbH |
|---|---|
| Category | Web Accessibility |
| Headquarters | Zurich, Switzerland |
| Founded | 2015 |
| EU Presence | Switzerland (adequacy decision, outside the EEA) |
| Open Source | No |
| Compliance | ISO 27001 (stated on axes4.com) |
| Pricing | PAC (PDF Accessibility Checker) and axesCheck (web checker) are free of charge. Desktop add-ins are sold as subscriptions in the axes4 shop, shown in EUR, USD or CHF for 1 user, Team licence: axesWord €329 per year or €629 for 2 years; axesWord & axesSlide €399 per year; axesPDF €549 per year or €1,049 for 2 years; axesWord & axesPDF €839 per year; axesWord & axesSlide & axesPDF €949 per year. Larger user numbers by custom quote. The axesPAC API (automated PDF checks via REST) is offered through a demo request, no public price. |
| Free Option | PAC and axesCheck are free to use; axesWord shows a 'Try now for free' offer and a download page (trial terms not verified) |
| Replaces | Adobe Acrobat Pro accessibility checker, CommonLook, Equidox |
Detailed Review
axes4 is a Zurich-based software company that has focused on PDF accessibility since 2015. Its best-known product is PAC, the free PDF Accessibility Checker that tests PDFs against PDF/UA and WCAG, with a web version called axesCheck.
PAC is funded in part by the German Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, and the 2026 release adds AI-assisted checks that cut down manual testing. This puts axes4 in a different corner of web accessibility than most tools on this page: documents rather than web pages.
Around the checkers sits a paid toolset. axesWord and axesSlide add accessible PDF export to Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, axesPDF finds and fixes issues in existing PDFs, and axesPAC exposes the PAC engine as a REST API that returns JSON for batch checks.
Compared with PDFix, which also automates PDF tagging, axes4 leans on Office add-ins and a validator that is widely used by public bodies. Compared with SensusAccess, it is a tool you run yourself rather than a conversion service.
The limits are clear. axes4 does not scan live websites, does not monitor a domain over time and has no visitor-facing widget, so it cannot stand in for Eye-Able, Silktide, Siteimprove, AccessiWay or Web Accessibility Checker. Its desktop add-ins target Microsoft Office on Windows, PAC runs on Windows only, and pricing for the API is on request. It is best viewed as the document layer next to a website scanner, not a replacement for one.
What axes4 does well
- PAC and axesCheck are free to use and cover PDF/UA and WCAG
- Swiss GmbH with a German sister entity, ISO 27001 stated
- Office add-ins (axesWord, axesSlide) fix problems at the source
- axesPAC API gives machine-readable JSON for large PDF volumes
- Transparent euro subscription prices in the online shop
Where axes4 falls short
- PDF and document accessibility only, no website scanning or monitoring
- PAC desktop checker is Windows only
- No visitor-facing widget or overlay features
- API pricing and data hosting details are not public
Standout feature. A specialist PDF accessibility vendor whose free PAC checker is a common reference tool, with Word, PowerPoint and API products around it.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- PAC and axesCheck are free to use and cover PDF/UA and WCAG
- Swiss GmbH with a German sister entity, ISO 27001 stated
- Office add-ins (axesWord, axesSlide) fix problems at the source
- axesPAC API gives machine-readable JSON for large PDF volumes
- Transparent euro subscription prices in the online shop
Cons
- PDF and document accessibility only, no website scanning or monitoring
- PAC desktop checker is Windows only
- No visitor-facing widget or overlay features
- API pricing and data hosting details are not public
Alternatives to axes4
Frequently Asked Questions
What is axes4?
axes4 is a Zurich-based software company that has focused on PDF accessibility since 2015. Its best-known product is PAC, the free PDF Accessibility Checker that tests PDFs against PDF/UA and WCAG, with a web version called axesCheck.
PAC is funded in part by the German Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, and the 2026 release adds AI-assisted checks that cut down manual testing. This puts axes4 in a different corner of web accessibility than most tools on this page: documents rather than web pages.
Where is axes4 based?
axes4 operates from Zurich, Switzerland, which places it under Switzerland (adequacy decision, outside the EEA). Compliance: ISO 27001 (stated on axes4.com).
What does axes4 cost?
PAC (PDF Accessibility Checker) and axesCheck (web checker) are free of charge.
Desktop add-ins are sold as subscriptions in the axes4 shop, shown in EUR, USD or CHF for 1 user, Team licence: axesWord €329 per year or €629 for 2 years; axesWord & axesSlide €399 per year; axesPDF €549 per year or €1,049 for 2 years; axesWord & axesPDF €839 per year; axesWord & axesSlide & axesPDF €949 per year.
Larger user numbers by custom quote. The axesPAC API (automated PDF checks via REST) is offered through a demo request, no public price.. PAC and axesCheck are free to use; axesWord shows a 'Try now for free' offer and a download page (trial terms not verified).
Who is axes4 best for?
Teams that must publish accessible PDF documents. A specialist PDF accessibility vendor whose free PAC checker is a common reference tool, with Word, PowerPoint and API products around it.
What are the drawbacks of axes4?
PDF and document accessibility only, no website scanning or monitoring. PAC desktop checker is Windows only. No visitor-facing widget or overlay features. API pricing and data hosting details are not public.
Is axes4 a good alternative to Adobe Acrobat Pro accessibility checker?
axes4 is built as a European alternative to Adobe Acrobat Pro accessibility checker: Swiss PDF accessibility specialist: the PAC checker, axesCheck and Word/PDF tools for PDF/UA and WCAG. It will not be a like-for-like feature match in every respect, so check the review above for where the two genuinely differ before switching.
How does axes4 compare to other Web Accessibility tools?
axes4 is one of several European Web Accessibility tools we cover. It is most often compared with Adobe Acrobat Pro accessibility checker, CommonLook, Equidox.