What’s the difference between a fieldset and a radio group?

A significant difference between a fieldset and a radio group is that a fieldset is a native HTML element (<fieldset>), whereas a radio group is a custom element with a WAI-ARIA role (role="radiogroup").

The fieldset HTML element is used to group related elements and labels in a form. A fieldset can group radio buttons, but is flexible for grouping other types of elements as well.

A radio group contains a set of radio buttons. Radio buttons present options, and no more than one radio button within a radio group can be selected at a time.

Using native elements for their intended purpose is always recommended, so if possible use native <input type="radio"> elements. If you are creating a set of radio buttons, these can be grouped with each other and with the corresponding question using <fieldset> and <legend> elements, or by using a custom element with the radiogroup role.

For step-by-step support reviewing the accessibility of forms and other interactive web content, explore the Guided Manual WCAG Audit Tool from Accessible Web.