ADA Compliance for HostGator Websites
HostGator customers typically run a cPanel account with a one-click WordPress install or a template site from its website builder. Those quick starts mean the first version of the site often goes live untested, and small mistakes in templates and plugins then repeat on every page.
This HostGator ADA compliance checker runs the same engine as the HostGator accessibility checker with the ADA preset selected, so the results are measured against WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Paste a page address above to see the issues on your own site.
HostGator ADA Compliance Risks to Check First
These are the barriers most often behind accessibility complaints on HostGator sites. Each one maps to a WCAG success criterion that the scan reports.
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Template images and logos
Template and logo images that never get a description.
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Pages with no real structure
Headings picked for size, and layouts where nothing is marked up as a list, table or landmark.
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Pale template palettes
Light gray text and thin fonts that look clean in a template but fail contrast.
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Plugin forms and newsletter boxes
Sign-up and contact forms that use placeholders only.
How the ADA Applies to Your HostGator Site
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires businesses open to the public to give people with disabilities equal access to their goods and services. The Department of Justice states that this covers a business's web content as well as its physical locations ({ADA.gov web guidance (opens in a new tab)}). The law does not name a technical standard for private websites, so courts, settlements and demand letters tend to point to WCAG 2.1 Level AA, which is why this checker uses it.
- 3,117 website accessibility lawsuits filed in U.S. federal court in 2025, up 27% from 2024 Seyfarth Shaw, ADA Title III blog (opens in a new tab)
- 5,000+ digital accessibility lawsuits filed across federal and state courts in 2025 UsableNet 2025 year-end report (opens in a new tab)
- 1,427 of those 2025 lawsuits were against companies that had already been sued UsableNet 2025 year-end report (opens in a new tab)
- 64% of companies sued in the first half of 2025 had annual revenue under $25 million UsableNet 2025 midyear report (opens in a new tab)
None of this depends on which platform you use: a claim names the barrier on the page, not the software behind it. Read more in our ADA website compliance guide and the general ADA compliance checker.
HostGator ADA Compliance Steps
- Run the ADA check above on your homepage, and then on a page of each type you publish.
- After a one-click install, change the demo content and run the scan before you promote the site.
- Check heading order on every page you add, with one h1 and then h2 and h3 in sequence.
- Fix colors and form labels in the theme, then rescan to confirm they cleared.
- Rescan to confirm each fix, and keep dated records. AccessBell Pro monitors up to 500 URLs per domain every day and emails you when something new fails.
What an Automated HostGator ADA Check Can and Cannot Do
Automated testing finds a large share of the machine-detectable WCAG failures, such as missing alt text, unlabeled fields, low contrast and broken ARIA. It cannot judge whether alt text is accurate, whether a keyboard path makes sense or whether a screen reader user can complete a purchase. Test your key journeys by hand as well, and read our methodology for exactly what runs.
No tool, including this one, can certify that a HostGator site is ADA compliant or protect you from a claim. Treat a scan as evidence of ongoing effort, and speak to a lawyer if you receive a demand letter.
Free scan and 3-day free trial
- Free, with no account: every issue found on the page, ranked by severity, with the WCAG criteria each one fails.
- With the trial: the failing HTML, how to fix each issue, scans of up to 500 pages per domain, daily monitoring and a dated record of your fixes.
Publishing an Accessibility Statement on HostGator
Publish an accessibility statement page and link it from the footer menu, with a contact method for visitors who hit a barrier. Our free accessibility statement generator writes the text, and it should name the standard you follow, any known gaps and a way to contact you.
HostGator ADA Compliance: Frequently Asked Questions
Is a HostGator site ADA compliant by default?
No. The default site from any installer is a starting point, and the theme, plugins and content you add decide the result.
How do I check my HostGator website for ADA issues?
Run the ADA scan on your homepage and an inner page, and fix critical issues first. Then add the rest of your key pages.
Does ADA compliance cost a lot?
Fixing the most common issues, such as alt text, labels and contrast, is mostly time rather than money. A flat-price monitoring tool keeps the cost predictable.
What standard does the HostGator ADA compliance check use?
WCAG 2.1 Level AA, the technical standard the Department of Justice has adopted for state and local government websites and the one courts and settlements most often cite for businesses. The ADA itself does not name a technical standard for private business websites.
Sources
- ADA.gov: Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA (opens in a new tab)
- W3C: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 (opens in a new tab)
- Seyfarth Shaw, ADA Title III blog (opens in a new tab)
- UsableNet 2025 year-end report (opens in a new tab)
- UsableNet 2025 midyear report (opens in a new tab)
This page explains general ADA and accessibility patterns for HostGator sites and is not legal advice. AccessBell is not affiliated with HostGator. HostGator and its logo are trademarks of their owners and are used only to identify the platform. See our disclaimer.
