Aelira Review 2025: The Good & The Bad
Transparent review written by the Aelira team. We'll tell you what works, what doesn't, and who should (and shouldn't) use our tool.
Why we're writing this: You deserve an honest assessment, not a sales pitch.
Overall Verdict: Best for Universities That Need Actual Remediation
TL;DR: We Fix Problems. Competitors Just Find Them.
Aelira is the only accessibility tool that generates AI-powered working code fixes AND supports LaTeX/MathML. YuJa and Ally identify problems—we solve them.
However, we're a newer vendor (not as established as YuJa/Ally), and our LMS integration is coming in Q1 2026 (not available yet).
Bottom line: Choose Aelira if you need bulk remediation and STEM support. Choose YuJa/Ally if you need deep LMS integration today.
Choose Aelira If:
- You need AI-generated fixes (not just reports)
- You have STEM courses (LaTeX/MathML required)
- You have 10+ courses to remediate
- April 2026 deadline is approaching
- You want transparent pricing ($999/mo)
Don't Choose Aelira If:
- You need LMS integration today (coming Q1 2026)
- You prefer established vendors only
- You have <5 courses (manual is fine)
- Your budget is <$500/mo (try accessiBe for websites)
What Aelira Does Well (Our Strengths)
1. AI-Generated Working Code Fixes (Not Just Reports)
Our biggest differentiator: We don't just tell you "this image is missing alt text." We generate contextual alt text that you can approve or edit. Same for contrast fixes, heading structure, ARIA labels, etc.
Example:
Before: "Image missing alt text" (YuJa/Ally output)
After: Generated alt text: "Bar chart showing enrollment trends from 2020-2024, with a 15% increase in online students"
(You can approve, edit, or regenerate)
Time savings: 90-95% reduction in manual work vs. doing it yourself
2. LaTeX/MathML Support (ONLY Tool with This Feature)
Unmatched capability: We're the ONLY accessibility tool that parses LaTeX equations and converts them to accessible MathML with ARIA labels.
What we support:
- amsmath package
- Inline & display equations
- Matrices & tables
- Chemical equations (chemfig)
Why it matters:
95-99% of mathematicians use LaTeX. Without this feature, STEM departments have ZERO solution for accessible math content.
If you have STEM courses, Aelira is your only option. YuJa, Ally, and accessiBe don't support LaTeX.
3. Bulk Processing (CLI + Web Interface)
Process 1,000+ files in minutes using our command-line tool or web interface. Perfect for entire department shared drives, not just LMS-uploaded files.
$ aelira scan /path/to/department-files/
Processing 1,247 files... Done in 8m 32s
4. Privacy-First Architecture (Self-Hosted AI)
We run self-hosted Ollama AI models—your course content never goes to OpenAI, Google, or third-party APIs. Data stays on your infrastructure or our SOC 2-compliant cloud.
Perfect for: FERPA-sensitive content, HIPAA requirements, data sovereignty regulations
5. Transparent Pricing ($999/mo per Department)
No enterprise sales cycles, no "contact us for pricing." $999/month gets you:
- Unlimited faculty accounts
- Unlimited file processing
- All features (LaTeX, bulk processing, AI fixes)
- Email support + quarterly training webinars
vs. YuJa ($10K-$50K/year) or Ally (bundled with Anthology suite)
What Aelira Doesn't Do (Yet) - Our Honest Limitations
Full Transparency: We're Not Perfect
We believe in honest reviews—even of ourselves. Here's what we're still working on:
1. LMS Integration (Coming Q1 2026)
Current state: You need to upload files to Aelira (via web or CLI), process them, then re-upload to your LMS.
Planned: Canvas LTI integration in Q1 2026 will let you scan/fix files directly within Canvas.
Workaround: Use bulk CLI processing to scan entire directories at once, then batch re-upload.
2. Brand Recognition (Newer Vendor)
Reality: YuJa and Ally have been around since 2016 and are used by hundreds of universities. Aelira launched in 2025—we're the new kid on the block.
What this means: You won't find as many case studies or peer references (yet). But we're offering 30-day free trials to let you evaluate risk-free.
3. SOC 2 Certification (In Progress)
Current state: We're FERPA-compliant (self-hosted AI + encrypted storage), but SOC 2 Type II certification is in progress (expected Q2 2026).
If SOC 2 is a hard requirement, YuJa and Ally are already certified. We're catching up.
4. AI Fixes Require Review (Not 100% Automated)
Reality: Our AI generates fixes with 90-95% accuracy, but you should review them before applying. This takes 10-20% of the time vs. manual work, but it's not zero-touch.
Why: AI can misinterpret image context or suggest suboptimal alt text. Human review ensures quality.
Pricing: $999/mo vs Competitors
| Tool | Annual Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Aelira | $11,988 | AI fixes + LaTeX + bulk processing |
| YuJa Panorama | $10K-$50K | Scanning only (no fixes) |
| Blackboard Ally | Bundled | Alt formats (no source fixes) |
| accessiBe | $490-$990 | Website overlay (not course content) |
| Manual (2 FTEs) | $208K | Full manual remediation |
ROI: Aelira saves $149K-$221K vs hiring staff (for 50-course department)
Break-even after 1 course remediated (vs. $3K-$6K manual cost per course)
Who Should Use Aelira (Honest Assessment)
Aelira is Perfect For:
- STEM institutions - LaTeX/MathML support is unmatched
- Departments with 10+ courses - Bulk processing saves massive time
- April 2026 deadline - Manual remediation won't meet timeline
- Privacy-conscious universities - Self-hosted AI, FERPA compliant
- Budget-conscious institutions - 10x cheaper than YuJa
Aelira May Not Be Ideal If:
- You need LMS integration today - Wait for Q1 2026 Canvas LTI
- Only 1-5 courses - Manual work might be faster
- Established vendor required - YuJa/Ally have longer track records
- SOC 2 required immediately - Ours is in progress (Q2 2026)
The Hybrid Approach: YuJa/Ally + Aelira
Use YuJa for awareness, Ally for alternative formats, and Aelira for actual remediation. You don't have to choose—many universities use all three for complete coverage.
Final Verdict: Transparent & Honest
What We're Best At:
- AI-powered remediation (only tool with working code fixes)
- LaTeX/MathML support (only tool for STEM courses)
- Bulk processing (1,000+ files in minutes)
- Transparent pricing ($999/mo vs $10K-$50K competitors)
Where We're Still Improving:
- LMS integration (coming Q1 2026)
- Brand recognition (newer vendor)
- SOC 2 certification (in progress)
Our promise: We'll keep being honest about what works and what doesn't.
Try us free for 30 days. No credit card required. Cancel anytime.
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