RemeDocs vs CommonLook: PDF Accessibility Software Compared
No Adobe Acrobat required. No training needed.
By the RemeDocs Team · Updated
About CommonLook
CommonLook is a legacy PDF accessibility software suite originally developed by NetCentric Technologies in 1996. Now owned by Allyant (formed from the 2022 merger of CommonLook, T-Base Communications, and Accessible360), CommonLook offers the industry's longest-established pdf accessibility software tools. Their flagship product, CommonLook PDF, is an Adobe Acrobat Pro DC plugin that provides a guided remediation workflow for trained accessibility specialists. A browser-based version launched in July 2025. CommonLook targets government agencies, higher education, and enterprises with dedicated compliance teams.
The Key Difference
CommonLook (now owned by Allyant) is the industry's legacy PDF remediation tool — a desktop plugin for Adobe Acrobat Pro DC that's been around since the late 1990s. A new web-based version launched in July 2025. It provides a guided remediation workflow where trained operators manually tag and validate each page.
"Automation alone is not advanced enough to make variable or complex content accessible." — CommonLook
RemeDocs takes the opposite approach: fully automated AI remediation that handles tagging, alt text, reading order, and metadata — no human operator needed.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | RemeDocs | CommonLook |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Fully automated AI | Manual guided remediation with AI assists |
| Adobe Acrobat required | No | Yes (desktop version) |
| Operator required | No | Yes — trained accessibility specialist |
| Time to remediate | Minutes | Hours per document |
| Learning curve | None | High — multi-hour training, certification available |
| Standards | WCAG 2.1 AA, Section 508, PDF/UA | WCAG 2.0/2.1, Section 508, PDF/UA, HHS |
| Pricing | Transparent (Free / $29.99 / $99.99 mo) | ~$900+/yr per seat + Acrobat license, contact sales |
| Platform | Any browser, any OS | Windows-only (desktop); web version new (July 2025) |
| Self-service | Yes — upload and download | No — requires trained operator |
| Target user | Anyone | Professional remediators, compliance teams |
The Product Suite
CommonLook offers multiple products: CommonLook PDF (the core editor), CommonLook Office (Word/PowerPoint plugin), CommonLook Clarity (compliance monitoring), CommonLook Dynamic (template-based batch processing), and CommonLook AI (bulk auto-tagging). These are separately licensed and serve different purposes.
RemeDocs consolidates all of this into a single automated pipeline. Upload a PDF, get a fully remediated document back — tagging, alt text, reading order, metadata, and validation handled in one step.
Cost Comparison
CommonLook costs: ~$900/year per software license + Adobe Acrobat Pro DC subscription (~$23/month) + operator training time + staff costs for manual remediation. For organizations without dedicated accessibility teams, the staffing requirement is the biggest hidden cost.
RemeDocs: starts free (1 PDF/month), $29.99/month for Starter, $99.99/month for Growth. No additional software or training needed.
When CommonLook Might Be Right
- If you have dedicated accessibility professionals who need granular control over every tag
- If you require compliance with HHS-specific standards beyond WCAG/508
- If you need a compliance monitoring tool (CommonLook Clarity) for ongoing website scanning
- If you have 28+ years of institutional trust and procurement requirements that favor established vendors
Frequently Asked Questions
Does CommonLook require Adobe Acrobat?
The desktop version of CommonLook PDF is an Adobe Acrobat Pro DC plugin, so yes — it requires an active Acrobat subscription (~$23/month). Their newer web-based version launched in July 2025 does not require Acrobat. RemeDocs is fully browser-based and requires no additional software.
How much does CommonLook cost compared to RemeDocs?
CommonLook licenses start at approximately $900 per year per seat, plus Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and trained operator costs. RemeDocs starts free with paid plans at $29.99/month (Starter) and $99.99/month (Growth). No additional software or training is required.
Is CommonLook the same as Allyant?
CommonLook is now a product within Allyant. In 2022, Thompson Street Capital Partners merged CommonLook, T-Base Communications, and Accessible360 to form Allyant. The CommonLook software products continue under the Allyant brand. If you are conducting a CommonLook review, note that commonlook.com now redirects to allyant.com.
Can CommonLook process PDFs automatically?
CommonLook offers separate products for batch processing: CommonLook Dynamic for template-based documents and CommonLook AI for bulk auto-tagging. These are separately licensed from the main CommonLook PDF editor. RemeDocs includes automated processing for any PDF type in its standard upload-and-download workflow.
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