Website owners and developers worldwide are starting to realize the value of accessible websites.
Experts estimate that 16% of the world’s total population has a disability; however, only around 3% of websites are fully accessible to them.
As a website owner, you need to ensure everyone can access your website. You also need to run a website accessibility checker to check for potential ADA accessibility violations.
Fortunately, WordPress offers a wide range of accessible themes to help you create an inclusive browsing experience.
In this article, we will discuss four accessible WordPress themes and what makes them ideal for your website.
1.) Astra
Astra is the only non-default WordPress theme to go past the one million install count and boasts an impeccable 5-star rating on WordPress.org.
It bills itself as an accessibility-ready theme that complies with WCAG 2.0 level AA, including a high-contrast mode, keyboard navigation, and support for screen readers.
The latest version of Astra, version 3.5, builds on what is already a favorite theme for accessibility-oriented developers worldwide.
The new version features increased contrast ratios for background and foreground colors, a fully-accessible search form button, and aria-label attributes on builder social icons.
Aside from being accessible, Astra is also lightweight. It is optimized for speed, which means your website will load quickly.
It also offers a range of customization options, allowing you to change the theme to suit your needs. Astra is a good choice for anyone looking for accessibility and flexibility.
Benefits of using Astra Themes
Lightweight And Fast
Astra is designed to be lightweight and optimized for speed, which means that your website will load quickly and perform well.
Customizable
Astra provides a range of customization options, including pre-designed templates, customizable headers and footers, and various color schemes.
Responsive
Astra is fully responsive, which means that your website will look great and work seamlessly on any device, whether it’s a desktop, tablet, or mobile phone.
SEO-friendly
Astra is designed with SEO in mind, with features such as schema.org integration, optimized code, and built-in compatibility with popular SEO plugins.
Free And Premium Options
Astra offers both free and premium versions of its themes, which means that you can choose the option that best suits your needs and budget.
2.) GeneratePress
The GeneratePress theme is best described as “simple”. Despite – or because of – its simplicity, it complies with WCAG 2.0 standards.
GeneratePress offers a range of accessibility features, including a high contrast mode, skip links, and keyboard navigation.
It also supports assistive technologies such as screen readers and voice recognition software.
However, GeneratePress is currently not tagged as an accessible theme on WordPress.org mostly because its creators don’t wish to underline links by default.
That being said, it is highly recommended for developers looking for an accessible theme.
Benefits Of Using GeneratePress Themes
Speed
GeneratePress is designed to be lightweight, so it loads quickly and doesn’t slow down your website. This can improve user experience and SEO rankings.
Customization
GeneratePress offers a range of customization options, including layout options, typography, colors, and more.
Accessibility
GeneratePress is built with accessibility in mind, with features such as a skip-to-content link, support for screen readers, and more.
Support And Documentation
GeneratePress offers a range of documentation and support options, including a knowledge base, forums, and email support.
Compatibility
GeneratePress works well with various plugins, including popular ones like WooCommerce, Yoast SEO, and Elementor.
3.) Eimear
While there are many accessible themes available for WordPress, it’s hard to find one designed specifically for ecommerce.
The Eimear theme, developed by WebMan Design, combines accessibility with aesthetics. It offers a fully-accessible experience that complies with WCAG 2.1 AA.
The main selling point of this theme is that it doesn’t need a page builder. Instead, it uses the WordPress block editor, which helps web designers make their websites accessible easily.
Do check out this theme if you’re an ecommerce developer who wants to reach people with disabilities.
Benefits of using Eimear Themes
Easy Customization:
Eimear WordPress Themes are highly customizable and come with various colors, fonts, and layout options.
Responsive Design
Eimear WordPress Themes are designed to be responsive, meaning they will look great on any device, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Friendly
Eimear WordPress Themes are designed with SEO best practices in mind, ensuring that websites built with these themes have a higher chance of ranking well in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Built-in Features
Eimear WordPress Themes have several built-in features, such as customizable widgets, contact forms, and social media integration.
Regular Updates And Support
Eimear WordPress Themes are regularly updated to ensure compatibility with the latest version of WordPress and to fix any bugs or issues.
4.) Period
If you maintain a website for a small business or institution, Period might be the ideal WordPress theme for you.
It’s free, responsive, simple to implement, and has aesthetics that age well. However, we’re more excited about its accessibility features, which include full keyboard navigation and built-in text contrast levels that exceed the 4.5:1 ratio.
With these accessibility features, Period complies with WCAG 2.0 AA. It is also marked as “accessibility-ready” in WordPress.org, which means that all you need to do is to make your content accessible to complement the theme’s accessible design elements.
Benefits Of Using Period Themes
Professional Design
Period themes are designed by experienced developers who understand website design well.
Responsive Design
The themes are designed to be responsive, meaning they can adapt to different screen sizes and devices, including mobile devices.
Customization Options
Period WordPress themes offer various customization options that allow you to personalize your website to your liking.
Support And Updates
Most Period themes come with ongoing support and updates from the developers, which can help ensure your website remains up-to-date and secure.
Time-saving
Since Period WordPress themes come with pre-designed templates, you can save a lot of time and effort in designing and building your website.
Choosing An Accessible WordPress Theme
Achieving website accessibility should now be standard across the websites you build and maintain.
Choosing an accessible website theme will make the job a lot easier.
Hopefully, this list of accessible WordPress themes will help you achieve your goal of complying with accessibility standards and making your website accessible to everyone.
