Comparison

AI Alt Text
Generator vs
Writing Manually

Speed, SEO quality, WCAG 2.1 compliance, and cost — a straight comparison so you can decide which approach is right for your workflow.

Speed

AI Wins

SEO Quality

AI Wins

WCAG Compliance

AI Wins

Brand Nuance

Manual Wins

Head to Head

The Full Breakdown

Category

AI Generator

Writing Manually

Time per image

How long does it take?

~5 seconds

Upload, done, delivered

2–5 minutes

Open, think, write, check

SEO keyword inclusion

Naturally descriptive terms

✓Consistent, natural, trained on SEO best practice

—Varies by writer skill and fatigue

WCAG 2.1 compliance

Accessibility standards

✓Built into every output — stays under 125 chars, no redundant phrases

—Requires WCAG knowledge and consistent discipline

Scale

100+ images at once

✓Process up to 50 images per submission on Agency plan

—Linear time cost — 100 images = hours of work

Cost

Real cost to produce

Free to start

5 free/day, Pro from £29/mo

Your time

At £25–50/hr, 100 images = £80+

Brand nuance

Deep product context

—Works from image alone — no product history or brand knowledge

✓A human who knows the brand adds context AI can't see

Verdict

When to Use Each

Use AI when:

  • ✓ You have more than 10 images to process
  • ✓ You're running an ecommerce store with a large catalogue
  • ✓ You need WCAG 2.1 compliance without a dedicated accessibility expert
  • ✓ Your team is spending hours on repetitive image descriptions
  • ✓ You want consistent SEO quality across every image on the site

Write manually when:

  • ✓ You have 1–5 hero images that need precise brand-specific descriptions
  • ✓ The image contains product details only you know (materials, measurements)
  • ✓ You're a writer who enjoys crafting copy and have the time

Try the AI Alt Text
Generator Free

Upload up to 5 images at once. SEO-optimised, WCAG 2.1 compliant alt text delivered to your inbox within minutes. No account needed.

Generate Alt Text Free