SanctionsAI vs World-Check
An honest comparison of SanctionsAI and Refinitiv World-Check for teams wiring compliance into agent payments.
TL;DR
TL;DR: World-Check is the enterprise name-screening data platform (PEPs, adverse media, sanctions lists) for compliance teams. SanctionsAI is the sub-100 ms screening API for the agent payment path. They are different layers - many teams run both.
What World-Check does well
- Deep global name-screening datasets (PEP, adverse media, ownership)
- Enterprise compliance workflows and case management
- Established trust in regulated institutions
Where it falls short for agents
- Not built for sub-100 ms pre-payment decisions at agent volume
- Enterprise contracts - no free tier, no $19/mo developer plan
- Integration path for autonomous agents: verify current docs
Where SanctionsAI wins
- One HTTP/MCP/CLI call before money moves - under 100 ms
- 947 OFAC wallets, 19,218 names, 16 jurisdictions, hourly sync
- Free tier (5 checks/day), $19/mo dev plan, MIT self-host
When to use which
World-Check when you need enterprise-grade name data for onboarding and investigations. SanctionsAI when an agent - not a human - is paying. They compose.
Methodology
Scoring dimensions: screening scope, agent-path support, latency, pricing, self-hosting. Verify current capabilities with each vendor; re-evaluated quarterly.
Related resources
Disclaimer: this page is a technical research dataset, not legal advice, and does not certify any platform as OFAC-compliant. Verify current capabilities with each vendor.