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Iris vs legacy screening platforms
A plain comparison of how Iris works against what buyers commonly report from older screening tools, and the questions that help you tell the difference in any vendor demo.
Right now Iris tracks 6 active sanctions lists and 46,139 entities. See live status.
Side by side
What differs in practice
| Area | Iris | Typical legacy platform |
|---|---|---|
| List update frequency | Sanctions lists are fetched and indexed daily, with change detection recording additions, deletions, and amendments. | Often daily, but update cadence and visibility into it varies. |
| Matching transparency | Six matching algorithms vote together on each result, and an Explainability Engine (three modes, Iris Pro) shows why a score was given. | Often a single scoring method or a score with limited explanation. |
| API access | Token-authenticated REST API and webhooks on Iris Pro. Manual dashboard use on Core and Essential. | Typically available, often as a separate integration project or higher tier. |
| Data residency and sovereign deployment | A Sovereign Compliance model with local settlement in ZiG or USD. Contact us about specific residency requirements. | Varies. Hosting location and local payment options are not always offered. |
| Pricing transparency | Published prices: $1.10 per search pay-as-you-go, $149 per month Essential, $250 per month Pro. $0 signup fee, no setup costs, no contracts. | Often quote-based, and may include setup fees or annual commitments. |
| Onboarding time | Sign up and start searching from the dashboard immediately, with no onboarding fee. | Typically involves sales, contracting, and implementation steps. Timelines vary. |
| Ongoing monitoring cost | Delta-matching monitors your records and alerts when a status changes. Pro includes 1,000 monitored entities, then $0.08 per entity per month. | Varies. Some tools charge for a full re-screen each cycle. |
Legacy platform descriptions are general and hedged on purpose. Products differ, so confirm any claim with the vendor you are evaluating. Iris prices and features are as published on the pricing section and may change.
Buyer checklist
Questions to ask any screening vendor
Useful whether you are considering Iris or anyone else.
- How often is each list refreshed, and can I see when?Ask for per-list last-updated times, not a blanket claim.
- Can you explain why a specific name matched?Your auditors will ask. A bare score may not be enough.
- What is the full cost for my volume?Include setup, per-search fees, monitoring, API access, and renewal terms.
- Is there an API, and does it return personal data?Check authentication, rate limits, and what appears in responses and logs.
- Where is my data hosted, and how is it separated from other customers?Ask how tenant isolation is enforced and tested.
- Is the audit trail tamper-evident and exportable?Ask how you would prove records were not altered.
- How long until my team is live?Get a concrete timeline and who does the work.
- What certifications do you hold, and can I see the reports?Ask for documents, not badges.
Our own answers to the security questions are on the Security and trust page.
See Iris on your own names
Start with pay-as-you-go screening and no contract, or ask us for a walkthrough.