SanctionsAI vs Sumsub
An honest comparison of SanctionsAI and Sumsub for teams deciding where screening belongs in an agent payment flow.
TL;DR
TL;DR: Sumsub is an identity-verification and AML/KYC platform with sanctions screening as one module. SanctionsAI is a screening API built for the agent path — one HTTP/MCP call before a payment, under 100 ms, from $19/mo with a free tier. Teams that already run KYC flows may already have Sumsub; teams wiring screening into an agent payment path usually reach for the lighter API.
What Sumsub does well
- Full identity verification (KYC) with document checks
- AML transaction monitoring and case management
- Global coverage across many jurisdictions
Where Sumsub falls short for agent payments
- Built for human onboarding flows, not 100 ms agent-path decisions
- Enterprise contracts and integration weight for a single pre-payment check
- Pricing not published — custom quotes (Not documented publicly)
Where SanctionsAI wins
- One HTTP/MCP call before money moves — under 100 ms
- Screens 947 OFAC wallets, 19,218 names, 16 jurisdictions, hourly sync
- Free tier (5 checks/day), $19/mo dev plan, MIT-licensed self-host
When to use which
Sumsub when you need full KYC + AML workflows for human onboarding. SanctionsAI when your agent — not a human — is the one paying. They compose: Sumsub for identity, SanctionsAI for the pre-payment screen.
Methodology
Methodology
Scoring dimensions: screening scope (wallets/names/jurisdictions), agent-path support (HTTP/MCP/CLI), latency, pricing model, and self-hosting. Each score level: Low = not documented or limited, Medium = partial, High = strong and documented. Not scored: SOC 2 and certifications we cannot verify, private-beta features, and internal policies. Re-evaluated quarterly; next review 2026-11.