Certivus vs Thirdfort: which AML software fits your practice?
Certivus is purpose-built for UK accountants; transparent pricing, a structured AML checklist, and HMRC-ready audit exports. Thirdfort is a mobile-first KYC and AML platform primarily designed for law firms and property transaction compliance.
Answer-first summary
How does Certivus compare with Thirdfort?
Certivus is purpose-built for UK HMRC-supervised accounting practices with transparent, public pricing; £10 of free credit (4 full checks) and no subscription, just £0.99 to £2.49 per check; plus a structured AML checklist, evidence vault, and one-click HMRC-ready PDF audit exports. Thirdfort is a strong UK AML and KYC platform known for its mobile-first client verification flow and open banking source of funds integration, and it leads the conveyancing market; but it is primarily designed for law firms and property transactions, with a platform fee plus per-check credits and demo-only pricing that Thirdfort doesn't publish. The right choice depends on whether your primary compliance context is accountancy or legal/property.
- Choose Certivus for accountancy-specific AML workflows, transparent published pricing, and HMRC-ready audit exports.
- Consider Thirdfort if you run a law firm with high-volume conveyancing or need open banking source of funds checks; it leads that market.
- Thirdfort doesn't publish pricing; it's a platform fee plus per-check credits, demo-only; contact their team for a quote.
TL;DR: Quick Summary
- •Certivus is £2.49 for a full KYC and AML check with no subscription at all (and £10 of free credit to start), falling to £1.13 on a retainer; Thirdfort charges a platform fee plus per-check credits but doesn't publish rates (demo-only).
- •Certivus has a public, self-serve £10 of free credit (4 full checks); Thirdfort is demo-only with no public free credit.
- •ongoing monitoring is £0.99 per client per year with Certivus (billable to your clients ~£15/client/yr); Thirdfort prices monitoring via credits and doesn't publish a rate (industry estimates put it around £5/entity/yr).
- •Thirdfort has open banking source of funds checks and leads the conveyancing market; Certivus supports manual evidence capture and is accountancy-native.
Feature
Certivus
Thirdfort
Pricing
Transparent, public; £10 of free credit, then £0.99 to £2.49 per check with no subscription. Standard identity and AML check included.
Quote-only; Thirdfort doesn't publish pricing. Confirmed model is a monthly platform fee plus per-check credits (credits valid 24 months); any £/mo figure is an industry estimate, not a Thirdfort rate.
Ongoing monitoring
£0.99 per client per year, billable back to your clients (recommended ~£15/client/yr).
Not published; any per-entity figure (e.g. ~£5/entity/yr) is an industry estimate, not a Thirdfort rate.
Primary sector
Built for accountancy and AML-supervised practices.
Primarily law firms and conveyancing; property transaction focus.
Free to start
£10 of free credit to get started.
Demo available; no public free credit.
Source of funds
Manual evidence capture and review workflow.
Open banking integration for automated source of funds.
AML checklist
Structured AML checklist with evidence trail.
Verification-focused; AML workflow depends on use case.
Audit export
1-click PDF; timestamped, HMRC-ready.
Reports available; verify HMRC suitability for accountancy use.
UK-specific
HMRC-supervised accountancy workflows built in.
UK platform; legal sector compliance focus.
Mobile app
Web-based; works on all devices.
Dedicated mobile app for client-facing verification.
Entry cost, side by side
Thirdfort's platform fee alone is around £2,000 a year before you run a single check (indicative; verify current pricing). The top Certivus retainer is £1.13 per full check, with ongoing monitoring at £0.99 a client a year. Thirdfort leads for conveyancing source-of-funds and property onboarding; Certivus is accountancy-native and cheaper to start. See Certivus pricing.
When to choose each platform
Choose Certivus if...
- You run an accountancy practice and need AML-specific workflows built around HMRC supervision requirements.
- Transparent flat pricing matters; you want to budget without a subscription plus per-check cost model.
- HMRC supervision is your primary compliance concern and you need a structured AML checklist with evidence vault.
- You want an HMRC-ready audit trail exportable with a single click, without needing to verify format suitability.
Consider Thirdfort if...
- You run a law firm with high-volume conveyancing where property transaction compliance is your main use case.
- Open banking source of funds checks are a priority for your client due diligence process.
- Your clients prefer completing verification through a dedicated mobile app rather than a web-based flow.
- Property transaction compliance and legal sector workflows are more important than accountancy-specific features.
Who should compare Certivus with Thirdfort?
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 Thirdfort
- 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 Thirdfort where property, conveyancing, probate, source-of-funds, and app-led legal-sector onboarding are the core use cases; use Certivus where UK-accountancy workflow, transparent pricing, and audit-ready evidence are the deciding factors.
Certivus vs Thirdfort: common questions
Is Certivus or Thirdfort better for accountants?
Certivus is purpose-built for UK HMRC-supervised accountancy practices. Its AML checklist, evidence vault, and one-click HMRC-ready audit export are designed around the exact compliance tasks UK accountants carry out daily. Thirdfort is primarily designed for law firms and conveyancing; it is a strong platform in the legal sector but the workflows and feature set are oriented towards property transactions rather than accountancy AML compliance.
Does Thirdfort work for accountancy AML?
Thirdfort can be used by accountants for ID verification and KYC checks, but the platform is primarily designed for law firms with a strong focus on property transactions and conveyancing. Its open banking source of funds feature is useful in that context. For HMRC-supervised accountancy practices that need a structured AML checklist, evidence trail, and HMRC-ready audit reports, Certivus is the more focused fit.
Can Certivus handle source of funds checks?
Certivus supports manual source of funds evidence capture; you can record, upload, and review supporting documentation as part of the client due diligence workflow. Thirdfort has an automated open banking integration that pulls source of funds data directly, which is a stronger option if automated bank-level verification is a priority for your practice. If your source of funds process is primarily document-based, Certivus handles it well.
How does Certivus pricing compare with Thirdfort?
Certivus publishes its pricing openly; £10 of free credit (4 full checks) and no subscription, just £0.99 to £2.49 per check with AML screening included in that price, and additional checks charged at a fixed overage rate. Thirdfort doesn't publish pricing: its confirmed model is a monthly platform fee plus per-check credits (with credits valid for 24 months), and it is demo-only, so you request a quote rather than seeing public rates. Any specific monthly figure quoted online is a third-party industry estimate, not a Thirdfort rate; verify directly with Thirdfort for your firm size. Thirdfort has no public self-serve free credit equivalent to Certivus.