Accessible Shopify Theme
Ariade for Shopify: Accessible & ADA Compliance Theme
Ariade for Shopify is a ready, WCAG 2.2 AA compliant Shopify theme, built for real accessibility in code, not bolted on with an overlay. Every page is tested by hand with JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver and TalkBack, so your online store works for every customer. It comes with a full accessibility statement and pairs with our accessibility services when you need more help. For any question about the theme, please contact us.
On this pageJump to any part of this page9 sections
Watch: Ariade for Shopify in 90 seconds
Passwordananyoo
The demo store is password protected. Enter this password to see it.
Read the video transcript
Ariade, the accessible Shopify theme, explained by Shivaji Mitra. Captions are built into the video, and the full transcript follows.
Hello, I am Shivaji Mitra. I have been building websites since 2003, and for the last many years I have worked only on accessibility. I test sites with a keyboard and with screen readers, and I fix what I find. Here is the problem I keep seeing. Most online stores look fine, but the moment you use a keyboard or a screen reader, things break. The menu traps you. The filters do not read out. The cart drawer opens and you cannot get back.
Shop owners do not know, because nobody tests this way. So I built Ariade, a Shopify theme made accessible from the first line of code, not patched after. It is for any store that needs to meet ADA, AODA, the European Accessibility Act, or WCAG 2.2 AA, and for any owner who simply wants every customer to be able to buy. Three things it does differently. One, every page is tested by hand with JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver and TalkBack before release, not only by scanners.
Two, the common store features, reviews, cart drawer, filters, events, are built into the theme, so there is nothing to install and nothing to break. Three, a built-in accessibility toolbar for your shoppers: dyslexia font, larger text, reduced motion, high contrast. If you have a store and want to know where it stands, send me the address. I reply within one working day, in writing, with what I found. Thank you.
Accessibility tour
Take a look inside
What each page does for keyboard, screen reader and low-vision shoppers. Pick a page, read its accessibility points, then try it live.
Accessibility
- Pick colour and size with big, named buttons, not tiny dropdowns
- Product videos have captions, a written transcript and audio description
- Change an option and screen readers say the new price and stock
- “In short”: an easy-read summary at the top, and an optional sign language video
Accessibility
- Shop by your need: low vision, hearing, mobility and more
- After each filter, screen readers say how many products are left
- On phones, filters open in their own panel that is easy to use by keyboard
Accessibility
- Keyboard users stay inside the cart, then return to where they were
- Removed something by mistake? Press Undo remove, there is no time limit
- Every button says which product it is for, like “Remove: Magnifier”
Accessibility
- Move through suggestions with the arrow keys; the chosen one is clearly outlined
- Screen readers say how many results there are as you type
- Press Escape once to close the suggestions, twice to close search
Accessibility
- Screen readers say “Rated 4 out of 5”, not a row of star symbols
- Filter reviews by need; screen readers say how many are shown
- Each review has its own heading, so you can jump from one to the next
Accessibility
- Dyslexia-friendly font, bigger text, more space between lines, underlined links
- High contrast, dark mode, less movement, and one switch to pause every video
- Reading guide, image descriptions on pictures and a simple one-column mode
- Uses the contrast and motion settings already set on your device
Accessibility
- Order progress shown as clear steps: done, or still to come
- See and change your accessibility settings in one place
- Orders and addresses work fully with a keyboard
Accessibility
- Clear headings and an “On this page” list to jump to any topic
- Each answer opens with a standard button that says if it is open or closed
- Short answers in plain language
Accessibility
- Errors are listed at the top; each one takes you to the field to fix
- Your cursor jumps to the first error, and each error clears once fixed
- Get a reply by phone, text relay, WhatsApp or sign language video
Accessibility
- Each store shows its access: step-free, hearing loop, quiet room, ASL staff
- Opening hours and directions written as plain text
- Every store is listed as text, not only as a pin on a map
Accessibility
- Listen reads this page or any article aloud, with Pause and Stop
- Long articles start with an “On this page” list, so you can jump to any section
- Only 4 topic buttons, the rest under “+ More”: fewer Tab presses, less clutter
Accessibility
- Each event shows its access: captions, ASL, hearing loop, step-free
- The calendar works with screen readers, with full day names like “Monday”
- Book a seat with clear error messages, then add it to your calendar
Accessibility
- While you edit, it flags images without a description, skipped headings and unclear links
- A red count when something needs fixing, a green “All clear” when it is fine
- Each problem in plain words, with the fix and a Show button
- Only you see it, in the theme editor; shoppers never do
Accessibility
- axe DevTools: 0 issues, with best practices switched on
- WAVE: 0 errors, 0 contrast errors, AIM score 10 out of 10
- Lighthouse: Accessibility 100, Best Practices 100, SEO 100, Performance 99
- External WCAG 2.2 AA audit (October 2026): every finding fixed, re-test passed. Screen readers tested: NVDA, VoiceOver and TalkBack
Launch price, first 30 days
Ariade for Shopify
One price, no monthly fee. Licence for one live store, with 12 months of updates and support.
Buy Theme onlyLicence for 1 store, 12 months of updates$149- PayPal or card
- Instant download
- WCAG 2.2 AA
- Human support
The package
What you get
What is built into Ariade, and how it is tested.
What is included in Ariade
Ariade is a ready, accessible Shopify theme: already built, externally audited and fixed. Install it from the Shopify Theme Store, then add your own logo, colours and products in the theme editor, with no code. This is what is included.
- Built to WCAG 2.2 AA in the code, not with an overlay
- Colour settings checked for contrast
- Built-in accessibility settings for your shoppers
- Clear, consistent navigation and page layouts
- Reviews, filters, events, store locator and cart drawer built in, no apps needed
- Tested by hand with JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver and TalkBack
- Keyboard-only testing, and zoom testing at 200% and 400%
- Automated scans with Deque AXE, WebAIM Wave and Google Lighthouse
- Externally audited (October 2026): every finding fixed and re-tested
- SEO basics: meta tags and structured data
- Mobile-friendly, fast-loading pages
- Documentation and support from the team that built it, with replies within 2 working days
Accessibility standards we follow: WordPress, Shopify and BigCommerce accessibility coding standards.
Accessibility Health Score
The accessibility health score indicates how well a page meets the tested accessibility rules, on a scale of 0-100. Because automated scans catch only 25-30% of potential issues, every release is also audited by hand.
Google Lighthouse
Lighthouse is Google's open-source tool for automated website audits - performance, PWA, accessibility, best practices and SEO. Our themes pass its accessibility audit with a near-perfect score.
WebAIM Wave
WAVE, by WebAIM.org, gives visual feedback on accessibility by injecting icons and indicators into the page. Our themes return no WAVE errors or contrast failures.
Deque AXE-Core
AXE-Core, by Deque, is an industry-standard automated accessibility testing engine. Our themes return a clean AXE run with no violations.
Manual Audit
Automated tools catch only a fraction of real barriers, so every release gets a full manual audit with JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver and TalkBack to confirm genuine WCAG 2.2 AA conformance.
Proven work
Shopify accessibility case studies
See how other store owners made their online stores accessible, with the real issues we found and how we fixed them.
Every store below runs on our Shopify Accessible Theme and was delivered by our Shopify accessibility consultancy. Real stores, real screen reader testing, and a written record of what changed.
Timepieces International Accessibility Audit
This Timepieces International accessibility audit and WCAG 2.1 AA remediation covered the online store of a…
View case study: Timepieces International Accessibility Audit
Odin Parker Accessibility Audit
This Odin Parker accessibility audit and WCAG 2.1 AA remediation covered a family-run online shop that…
View case study: Odin Parker Accessibility Audit
The Black Art Depot Accessibility Audit
This The Black Art Depot accessibility audit and WCAG 2.1 AA remediation covered the online store…
View case study: The Black Art Depot Accessibility Audit
Brio Product Group Accessibility Audit
This Brio Product Group accessibility audit and WCAG 2.1 AA remediation covered the online store of…
View case study: Brio Product Group Accessibility Audit
The Learning Journey International Accessibility Audit
This The Learning Journey International accessibility audit and WCAG 2.1 AA remediation covered the website of…
View case study: The Learning Journey International Accessibility Audit
Pro Sound and Stage Lighting Accessibility Audit
This Pro Sound and Stage Lighting accessibility audit and WCAG 2.1 AA remediation covered the online…
View case study: Pro Sound and Stage Lighting Accessibility Audit
Before you buy
Proof and answers
The questions store owners ask us most.
FAQ
Shopify accessibility - frequently asked questions
Is Shopify accessible out of the box?
No platform is accessible out of the box, and Shopify is no exception. The platform gives you sound HTML to start from, but the theme, the apps and the content decide whether a shopper who uses a screen reader can actually buy. Themes from the Shopify Theme Store vary widely, and quick view, faceted search and cart drawers are the usual failure points. That is what a website accessibility audit measures.
Will an accessibility overlay or widget fix my store?
No. An overlay sits on top of the page and cannot repair a quick view that traps focus, a swatch that is not a button, or a checkout field with no label. Overlays are why many stores still receive demand letters after paying for “compliance”. Real remediation changes the theme code, which is what we do.
How long does it take to make a Shopify store accessible?
It depends on how many unique templates and journeys the store has, and on how many third-party apps are involved. A small catalogue on a clean Shopify theme is a matter of weeks; a large store with custom apps takes longer. You get a written scope, a delivery date and a price before anything starts.
Do you replace my theme or fix the one I have?
Either. If your design is working, we remediate the theme you have. If the theme is fighting you at every turn, our accessibility-ready Shopify theme is faster and cheaper than repairing it, and your brand design is applied on top of foundations that already pass.
What do I receive at the end?
The remediated store, a written report of what was found and fixed, a re-test confirming the result, and the documents your legal and procurement teams ask for: an accessibility statement and, where needed, a VPAT accessibility report.
Already a customer
Documentation and support
Everything you need after you install Ariade on your Shopify store: step-by-step documentation, and a direct line to the team that built the theme. We reply within 2 working days, Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 9 pm India Standard Time (IST).
Theme documentation
Self-help first
Every setting, step by step.
Plain-language guides for store owners, with an FAQ that answers most questions before you need to ask.
Demo store passwordananyoo
Needed until Ariade is live on the Shopify Theme Store.