Certivus vs Sumsub: which fits your practice?
Sumsub is a global KYC/KYB platform for fintech and crypto, priced per verification in USD with a $149/mo minimum. Certivus is a UK accountancy compliance workspace from £49/mo, with a free tier and AML plus monitoring included.
Answer-first summary
How does Certivus compare with Sumsub?
Sumsub is a strong global KYC/KYB platform built for fintech and crypto, with broad worldwide document coverage and configurable verification flows, priced per verification in USD — Basic at $1.35/ver ($149/mo min) and Compliance at $1.85/ver ($299/mo min), where AML, monitoring, and address checks live. Certivus is purpose-built for UK accountancy and law practices: it includes the standard identity and AML check plus ongoing monitoring in a GBP workspace from a free tier and £49/mo, with onboarding, SAR prep, an evidence vault, and one-click HMRC-ready audit exports. Choose on whether you need global high-volume verification or a UK-accountancy-native compliance workflow.
- Choose Certivus for a UK-accountancy-native compliance workspace, a £49 entry (or free), AML and monitoring included, and HMRC-ready audit.
- Consider Sumsub for global, high-volume KYC/KYB across fintech and crypto with broad worldwide coverage.
- Sumsub prices per verification in USD with a $149/mo minimum, and gates AML + monitoring behind its $299/mo Compliance tier.
TL;DR — Quick Summary
- •Certivus is £49/mo flat for 30 checks (from a free £0/5-check tier), GBP, with identity + AML + monitoring included; Sumsub prices per verification in USD — Basic $1.35/ver ($149/mo min), Compliance $1.85/ver ($299/mo min).
- •Sumsub gates AML screening, monitoring, and address checks on its $299/mo Compliance tier; Certivus includes AML and monitoring on every plan.
- •Certivus has a permanent, self-serve free tier of 5 checks; Sumsub offers a 14-day trial plus 50 free checks.
- •Sumsub is global KYC/KYB for fintech and crypto with broad worldwide document coverage; Certivus is a UK accountancy compliance workspace with SAR prep, evidence vault, and HMRC-ready audit.
Feature
Certivus
Sumsub
Pricing
Transparent, public — Free £0/5 checks, then £49/mo for 30 checks. Standard identity + AML check included.
Published USD per-verification plans — Basic $1.35/ver ($149/mo min), Compliance $1.85/ver ($299/mo min); Enterprise custom.
Entry minimum
£49/mo (Starter) — or a permanent free tier before that.
$149/mo minimum on Basic (USD); $299/mo minimum on Compliance.
AML + monitoring
Standard AML check and ongoing monitoring included on every plan.
AML, monitoring, and address checks sit on the Compliance tier ($1.85/ver, $299/mo min, USD).
Free tier
Permanent free tier — 5 free verifications, no card.
14-day trial plus 50 free checks — a trial, not a permanent free tier.
Primary sector
Built for UK accountancy and AML-supervised practices.
Global KYC/KYB for fintech and crypto.
Coverage
UK-focused identity and AML, HMRC-supervised accountancy workflow.
Broad worldwide document coverage and configurable verification flows.
Audit export
1-click PDF — timestamped, HMRC-ready.
Verification and compliance reporting — global, not HMRC-specific.
Currency
GBP — priced for UK firms.
USD — plans and per-verification rates are billed in US dollars.
Entry cost, side by side
Sumsub's entry is a $149/mo minimum on Basic ($1.35/ver, USD), and AML plus monitoring sit on the $299/mo Compliance tier. Certivus Starter is £49/mo for 30 checks with the standard identity and AML check and ongoing monitoring included — and there's a permanent free tier before that. Sumsub is the stronger pick for global, high-volume KYC/KYB; Certivus is the UK-accountancy-native workspace. See Certivus pricing.
When to choose each platform
Choose Certivus if...
- You run a UK accountancy or law practice and want a native HMRC-supervised compliance workflow, not a global fintech platform.
- A low entry point matters — £49/mo, or a permanent free tier, rather than a $149/mo minimum.
- You want the standard AML check and ongoing monitoring included, not gated behind a higher Compliance tier.
- One-click HMRC-ready audit exports and an evidence vault are the deciding factors for your practice.
Consider Sumsub if...
- You are a global fintech or crypto business running high-volume KYC/KYB across many countries.
- Broad worldwide document coverage and highly configurable verification flows are your priority.
- You're comfortable with USD billing and a higher monthly minimum ($149 on Basic, $299 on Compliance).
- Global scale and breadth matter more than a UK-accountancy-native compliance workspace.
Who should compare Certivus with Sumsub?
The best AML software choice changes depending on who carries the risk, who controls the budget, and who has to run the work every week.
Managing partner
Compare predictable cost, inspection exposure, client acceptance risk, and whether the tool will be adopted across the firm.
ContinueMLRO / MLCO
Compare evidence quality, risk decisions, escalation routes, sanctions audit trail, and SAR-ready record keeping.
ContinueOperations lead
Compare setup time, client friction, staff training load, exports, and how cleanly the workflow fits day-to-day onboarding.
ContinueDecision checklist before choosing Certivus or Sumsub
- Ask for the current pricing model in writing, including checks, screening, users, exports, and support.
- Run one realistic client file through each workflow: individual, company, higher-risk client, and evidence export.
- Check whether the AML record would satisfy HMRC, SRA, or professional-body inspection without manual reconstruction.
- Use Sumsub where global, high-volume KYC/KYB for fintech and crypto, with broad worldwide document coverage and configurable verification flows; use Certivus where UK-accountancy workflow, transparent pricing, and audit-ready evidence are the deciding factors.
Certivus vs Sumsub — common questions
Is Certivus or Sumsub better for UK accountants?
Certivus is purpose-built for UK HMRC-supervised accountancy practices: a GBP compliance workspace that includes the standard identity and AML check and ongoing monitoring, plus onboarding, SAR prep, an evidence vault, and one-click HMRC-ready audit exports, from a free tier and £49/mo. Sumsub is a global KYC/KYB platform built for fintech and crypto, with broad worldwide document coverage and configurable flows — powerful at scale, but priced per verification in USD with a $149/mo minimum, and AML plus monitoring sit on its higher Compliance tier. For a UK accountancy practice, Certivus is the closer fit; for global high-volume verification, Sumsub is strong.
How does Sumsub pricing work?
Sumsub publishes USD per-verification plans: Basic at $1.35 per verification with a $149/mo minimum, and Compliance at $1.85 per verification with a $299/mo minimum (the Compliance tier adds AML screening, ongoing monitoring, and address checks), plus a custom Enterprise tier. There's a 14-day trial with 50 free checks. All figures are in US dollars. Certivus, by contrast, includes the standard identity and AML check and ongoing monitoring in a GBP plan from £49/mo, with a permanent free tier.
Does Sumsub include AML and monitoring?
Sumsub offers AML screening, ongoing monitoring, and address verification on its Compliance tier — $1.85 per verification with a $299/mo minimum (USD). They aren't part of the entry-level Basic plan. Certivus includes the standard AML (PEP and sanctions) check and ongoing monitoring on every plan, including the free tier, so for AML-supervised UK practices there's no higher tier to reach before AML and monitoring are available.
Does Sumsub have a free tier?
Sumsub offers a 14-day trial with 50 free checks — good for evaluation, but a time-limited trial rather than a permanent free tier. Certivus has a permanent free tier of 5 verifications with no card required, so a UK firm can run real checks and keep an account open indefinitely before moving to a paid plan.