Sayari is powerful. Government agencies trust it. Fortune 100 compliance teams use it. And it costs a minimum of £94,815 per year for five users.

For most commercial compliance teams, that price tag is a deal-breaker. Even where budget exists, Sayari is built for investigators — not automated KYB pipelines. If you need registry-sourced data at scale, a modern API, or pricing that doesn't require an enterprise contract just to get a number, you need to look elsewhere.

This guide covers seven alternatives. We go through what each one does well, where it falls short, how it prices, and exactly how it stacks up against Sayari head-to-head.

What Is Sayari?

Sayari is a commercial risk intelligence platform founded in 2015 in Washington, D.C. It was built by financial crime and counter-threat finance analysts — and it shows. The platform combines corporate ownership data, trade records, and maritime data with graph analytics to map entity relationships and surface hidden risk.

Its flagship product, Sayari Graph, connects 36 billion global records across 11 billion entities. It was originally designed for government agencies, regulators, and law enforcement. Today it serves global banks, multinationals, and supply chain compliance teams too.

Sayari ranked #160 on Deloitte's 2026 Technology Fast 500 — strong growth. But growth has pushed pricing into enterprise-only territory, and the product remains investigation-first, not pipeline-native.

What Sayari Does

  • Corporate ownership mapping across 455M+ companies in 200+ jurisdictions
  • Graph-based entity relationship visualisation
  • Embedded sanctions, OFAC, UK, and EU watchlist screening
  • Supply chain mapping and sub-tier supplier risk (Sayari Map)
  • Full source provenance — every record traceable to official documents
  • Risk factors including ownership by sanctioned individuals (4 levels deep)
  • REST API and bulk Global Data File delivery

Pros & Cons

✓ Strengths

  • Best-in-class graph UI for manual investigations
  • Deep hard-target jurisdiction coverage (Middle East, Africa, CIS)
  • Pre-built risk factors including sanctioned ownership chains
  • Dedicated supply chain module (Sayari Map)
  • Full source provenance — court-admissible evidence chains
  • ISO/IEC 27001, Cyber Essentials Plus, UK G-Cloud 14
  • 99% SLA uptime with 24/7 support

✗ Weaknesses

  • Extremely expensive — £18,963/seat/year minimum
  • No public pricing — contract required before any numbers
  • Not designed for automated KYB pipelines
  • API credits are expensive — 50K calls costs £100,000
  • Removes discounts aggressively at renewal
  • No mobile app; no free trial on commercial plans
  • No customisation on standard tiers

Sayari Pricing (Verified 2024–2026)

Sayari doesn't publish pricing publicly. But UK government procurement documents (G-Cloud 14, framework ID 979830906460919) reveal its full rate card. These are real list prices.

Graph Analyst Application — Named User Licences

UsersPer Seat / Year (GBP)Annual Contract (GBP)
5 users£18,963£94,815
10 users£17,861£178,609
25 users£16,074£401,856
50 users£14,467£723,366
100 users£13,020£1,302,000

Sayari Map — Supply Chain Platform

ProductVolumeAnnual (GBP)
Map Platform LicenceUp to 10 users£80,000
Tier 1 Supplier MappingUp to 1,500 suppliers£60,000 (£40/supplier)
Tier 1 Supplier MappingUp to 5,000 suppliers£88,000 (£18/supplier)
Tier 1 Supplier MappingUp to 10,000 suppliers£120,000 (£12/supplier)

REST API & Data Licences

ProductVolumeAnnual (GBP)
API Annual LicenceSingle client£24,000
API Credits50,000 calls£100,000
API Credits100,000 calls£100,000
API Credits500,000 calls£400,000
API Credits1,000,000 calls£680,000
Global Data FileEnterprise division£1,200,000
⚠️

Renewal warning: Verified buyer reports confirm Sayari removed a 50% discount at renewal when a client descoped their usage — and declined to negotiate. Budget total cost of ownership, not just year-one contract value.


1. Zavia.ai

AI-Powered UBO Discovery & KYB Compliance Intelligence

Best for: UBO & KYB Teams

Zavia.ai is a purpose-built UBO discovery and corporate ownership intelligence platform. It connects directly to government registries in 100+ countries and applies proprietary AI algorithms to trace complex ownership chains automatically — including parent companies, subsidiaries, nominee arrangements, and offshore structures.

Where other platforms treat beneficial ownership as a secondary feature, Zavia.ai makes it the entire product. Every data point is sourced from official government registries with full provenance. Every ownership map is built for AML, FATF, and KYB compliance workflows — with audit-ready evidence trails included.

Key Features

  • AI-driven UBO mapping — machine learning traces shareholding layers, nominee structures, and offshore linkages automatically
  • Direct registry connections — 100+ countries, no third-party aggregation
  • Real-time ownership monitoring — alerts when ownership structures change
  • Customisable UBO thresholds — 25%, 10%, or any percentage to match jurisdiction
  • Multi-language support — local-language filing translation for global teams
  • Sanctions & PEP flagging — automatic detection of entities in sanctioned networks
  • LLM chatbot — on-demand ownership queries in natural language
  • API-first architecture — integrates into existing compliance stacks

Pricing

PlanPrice / MonthUBO ChecksAPI Calls / Min
Starter$9920030
Growth$199600100
Corporate$4993,0001,000
EnterpriseCustomUnlimitedCustom

Free trial available. No credit card required.

✓ Pros

  • AI-native from the ground up — not bolted onto legacy data
  • Direct registry connections = verifiable, timestamped data
  • Transparent, self-serve pricing from $99/month
  • Customisable UBO thresholds for different regulatory frameworks
  • Real-time ownership change alerts

✗ Cons

  • Smaller brand recognition vs legacy players
  • Coverage in some frontier markets still expanding
  • No standalone supply chain mapping module

Sayari vs Zavia.ai

DimensionSayariZavia.ai
Data SourceOfficial source-cited recordsDirect registry connections
AI CapabilityGraph analytics + risk factorsPurpose-built AI/LLM for UBO
UBO ThresholdsFixed logicFully customisable
Entry Price£94,815/year (5 users)$99/month
Real-Time MonitoringBiweekly updatesReal-time ownership alerts
Supply ChainSayari Map (dedicated)Not core
Govt/LE PedigreeStrong — built for govtCommercial focus
Free TrialGov marketplace onlyYes — no credit card
Verdict: For compliance teams needing AI-powered UBO mapping at a fraction of Sayari's cost, Zavia.ai is the strongest modern alternative. It wins on pricing, AI capability, customisability, and self-serve onboarding. Sayari remains superior for deep government investigations, evidentiary chains, and dedicated supply chain risk at enterprise scale.

2. Global Database

600M+ Companies from 400 Government Registries Worldwide

Best for: Data Licensing & KYB at Scale

Global Database is a full-stack B2B intelligence platform that sources company records directly from 400 government registries across 200+ countries — covering 600M+ company profiles. Every record originates from an official registry filing, with full timestamps and data provenance. There is no third-party intermediation in the data chain.

Enterprise clients include Uber, AWS, SAP, LSEG, Experian, Mastercard, and Trustpair. The platform covers registry information, financials, ownership/UBO data, corporate linkage, directors/shareholders, and KYB verification services. Full reseller rights and a published MCP server (22 tools covering KYB, financials, and ownership) make it a strong choice for platforms and data teams building intelligence products on top of the data.

Key Features

  • 600M+ company profiles from 400 official government registries
  • UBO & beneficial ownership data with full corporate hierarchy mapping for 378M entities
  • Digitised financials — P&L, balance sheets, credit metrics for private companies (20+ years of data)
  • KYB verification — real-time entity verification and status checks
  • Full reseller rights — data can be redistributed within licensed products
  • MCP server — 22 tools ready for AI agent integration
  • Salesforce, HubSpot, Snowflake integrations
  • API throughput up to 6,000 calls per minute

Pricing

Usage-based pricing from $1 per company verification. Enterprise API and bulk data licensing available. Contact sales for custom volume pricing.

✓ Pros

  • Widest registry coverage: 400 sources, 200+ countries
  • Full reseller rights — rare in this category
  • Transparent data provenance with timestamps
  • Deepest private company financials after Orbis
  • MCP server ready for AI agent workflows
  • Trusted by global Tier-1 enterprises

✗ Cons

  • Less investigation-focused UI vs Sayari Graph
  • Supply chain mapping not a dedicated module
  • Sanctions screening via partner integrations, not built-in

Sayari vs Global Database

DimensionSayariGlobal Database
Company Coverage455M+600M+
Registry Sources200+ countries400 registries, 200+ countries
Financial DataLimitedP&L, balance sheets, 20yr history
Reseller RightsNot availableFull reseller rights available
API ThroughputCredit-based (expensive)Up to 6,000 calls/minute
Investigation Graph UIBest-in-classData platform focus
Supply Chain ModuleDedicated Sayari MapVia linkage data
AI/MCP IntegrationLimited22-tool MCP server
Verdict: Global Database outperforms Sayari on raw data breadth, financial depth, licensing flexibility, and API throughput. Sayari wins on investigation UI and purpose-built supply chain tooling. For data teams, compliance platforms, and enterprises building data products, Global Database is the more cost-effective infrastructure choice.

3. Moody's Orbis (Bureau van Dijk)

The Global Standard for Private Company Financials & Ownership

Best for: Financial Due Diligence & M&A

Moody's Orbis (formerly Bureau van Dijk) is the world's most established private company database — acquired by Moody's in 2017 for €3 billion. It covers 600M+ entities with data from 170+ providers, standardised for comparability across countries and accounting standards. Named KYC data category leader by Chartis Research in 2026.

Orbis is the default choice for financial institutions, M&A teams, academic researchers, and compliance functions that need deep standardised financial data alongside ownership intelligence. It's not built for investigation-style workflows, but for systematic financial due diligence at scale.

Key Features

  • 600M+ entities with standardised financial data from 170+ providers
  • Deep ownership trees and corporate hierarchy data across 200+ jurisdictions
  • Orbis for Compliance — KYC/AML module with Maxsight™ dashboard
  • Named Chartis KYC Data Category Leader (2026)
  • Integrated M&A deals database (Zephyr)
  • Salesforce integration via AppExchange
  • Free trials available (excluding export function)

Pricing

Enterprise only. Annual contracts typically start above $25,000 and can exceed $100,000 depending on scope and user count. Contact Moody's for a quote. No public rate card.

✓ Pros

  • Deepest private company financial data globally
  • Chartis-recognised KYC data category leader 2026
  • 30+ year institutional trust with banks and regulators
  • Strong data standardisation — comparable across 200+ countries
  • Training included in licence cost

✗ Cons

  • Expensive — contracts typically $25K–$100K+/year
  • Data from 170+ mixed providers — not all government-direct
  • Weak on hard-target jurisdictions vs Sayari
  • No redistribution of data in most licence terms
  • Complex onboarding — slow for smaller teams

Sayari vs Moody's Orbis

DimensionSayariMoody's Orbis
Financial DataLimitedIndustry-leading private co financials
Hard-Target MarketsCore strengthLimited coverage
M&A IntelligenceBasicZephyr M&A database integrated
Brand / Regulatory TrustGrowing30+ year global standard
Investigation Graph UIPurpose-built for investigatorsAnalytics/search focus
Reseller RightsNot availableTypically restricted
Entry Price£94,815/year$25,000+/year
Verdict: Moody's Orbis is the go-to for financial analysis and credit risk. Sayari wins on investigation tooling and hard-target jurisdictions. For teams needing both, Global Database and Orbis are often combined — Orbis for financial depth, Global Database for registry breadth and provenance.

4. Dun & Bradstreet (D&B)

The Oldest Name in Business Intelligence — Now with AI

Best for: Credit Risk & Master Data

Founded in 1841, Dun & Bradstreet is one of the oldest and largest business information companies in the world. Its D-U-N-S® Number is the global standard business identifier, recommended by 240+ commercial, trade, and government organisations. D&B covers 580M+ entities across 250+ markets.

In October 2026, D&B launched D&B.AI — a suite of enterprise AI capabilities including purpose-built agents for credit risk, supplier evaluation, compliance, sales, and marketing. These agents run on MCP servers and Google's open-source Agent-to-Agent (A2A) protocol. One of the more genuinely innovative enterprise data AI launches of the year.

Key Features

  • D-U-N-S® Number — universal business identifier in 250+ markets
  • 580M+ entities with credit scores, risk ratings, and financial models
  • D&B.AI — generative AI agents for credit, compliance, and sales workflows
  • ChatD&B™ — unified natural language interface to D&B data
  • D&B Risk Analytics — AI-powered supplier and third-party risk screening
  • D&B Hoovers — sales intelligence, 330M+ company profiles
  • D&B Connect — master data management and CRM enrichment

Pricing

D&B Hoovers Essentials: $49/month (150 credits) or $529/year (1,800 credits). Enterprise products — custom quote only. Negotiation leverage: competitors and multi-year deals can yield 30–50% discounts at contract time. Redline threshold estimated at $50K.

✓ Pros

  • D-U-N-S Number embedded in thousands of enterprise systems globally
  • Best-in-class credit risk and master data management
  • D&B.AI — genuine enterprise AI innovation with MCP + A2A (2026)
  • Affordable entry point via D&B Hoovers ($49/month)
  • 180+ years of business data history

✗ Cons

  • Outdated contact data — recurring complaint in user reviews
  • Aggressive auto-renewal terms; complex to exit
  • Hard-target jurisdiction coverage very limited vs Sayari
  • UBO bundled into broader products — not standalone
  • Restrictive licensing; no redistribution rights

Sayari vs D&B

DimensionSayariDun & Bradstreet
Business IdentifierProprietaryD-U-N-S® — global standard
Credit RiskLimitedIndustry-leading credit models
Hard-Target MarketsCore capabilityLimited
AI Features (2026)Graph analyticsD&B.AI agents, MCP, A2A
Sales IntelligenceN/AD&B Hoovers, 330M+ profiles
Investigation Graph UIPurpose-builtNot available
Entry Price£94,815/year$49/month (Hoovers)
Verdict: D&B is the right choice for credit intelligence, master data management, and sales prospecting at scale. For investigators, AML teams, or anyone needing hard-target UBO data, Sayari and Zavia.ai are more purpose-fit. D&B's 2026 AI launch is impressive — worth watching for data-heavy enterprises.

5. OpenCorporates

World's Largest Open Registry Database

Best for: Journalists & Open-Source Research

OpenCorporates is the world's largest open database of companies, covering 220M+ company records from 140+ jurisdictions. It democratised access to corporate registry data for journalists, NGOs, academics, and OSINT analysts. For enterprise compliance teams, it functions as a supplementary data layer — not a standalone platform.

It lacks UBO intelligence, financial data, risk scoring, and sanctions screening. Approximately half of its data sources are currently labelled offline and no longer receive updates.

✓ Pros

  • Free tier for basic company lookups
  • 140+ jurisdictions with basic registration data
  • Strong data provenance and source transparency
  • Good for journalism and open-source investigation

✗ Cons

  • No UBO or beneficial ownership intelligence
  • No sanctions, PEP, or adverse media screening
  • ~50% of data sources offline / no longer updated
  • API limited to 500 calls/month on standard plans

Sayari vs OpenCorporates

DimensionSayariOpenCorporates
UBO IntelligenceCore capabilityNot available
Sanctions ScreeningEmbedded watchlistsNot available
Entry Price£94,815/yearFree tier available
Data FreshnessBiweekly updates~50% sources offline
Enterprise CompliancePurpose-builtNot designed for it
Verdict: OpenCorporates is not a real Sayari alternative for enterprise compliance. It's a starting point for research — not a compliance platform. If cost is the constraint, Zavia.ai starts at $99/month with actual UBO intelligence, sanctions flags, and an API.

6. AsiaVerify

APAC-Specialist KYB & Compliance Verification

Best for: Asia-Pacific Compliance

AsiaVerify is a regional specialist for KYB and compliance verification across Asia-Pacific. It connects directly to government registries in China, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, and other APAC markets — providing real-time registry data with native multi-language processing. It excels in a region where Sayari's coverage is often limited or less localised.

✓ Pros

  • Unmatched depth in APAC — China, SEA, India registries
  • Native translation of local-language filings into English
  • Real-time registry connections in key APAC markets
  • UBO mapping for complex cross-border APAC structures

✗ Cons

  • APAC-only — needs a global platform for non-Asian jurisdictions
  • No global graph analytics vs Sayari
  • Smaller ecosystem and integration library

Sayari vs AsiaVerify

DimensionSayariAsiaVerify
APAC Registry CoverageLimited localisationDeep, real-time APAC registries
Global Coverage200+ countriesAPAC only
Local Language ProcessingTranslation toolsNative multi-language processing
Graph AnalyticsFull financial crime graphBasic
Verdict: Use AsiaVerify alongside Global Database or Zavia.ai for complete coverage. It's the specialist tool for China and Southeast Asia — not a full Sayari replacement, but fills a critical gap for APAC-heavy portfolios.

7. The KYB

Automated Business Verification & Perpetual Risk Monitoring

Best for: Automated KYB Onboarding

The KYB is an AI-assisted business verification platform designed for compliance teams running high-volume automated KYB checks. It connects to regulatory authorities in 250+ jurisdictions, provides AI-assisted UBO identification, and includes perpetual risk monitoring with real-time alert triggers for sanctions, PEP changes, ownership shifts, and adverse media.

✓ Pros

  • 250+ jurisdictions for business verification
  • Perpetual monitoring with real-time risk alerts
  • Sanctions, PEP, and adverse media in one platform
  • API and dashboard — flexible deployment
  • More competitive pricing than Sayari

✗ Cons

  • No deep graph visualisation like Sayari
  • Less financial data vs Orbis or D&B
  • Hard-target jurisdictions less comprehensive

Sayari vs The KYB

DimensionSayariThe KYB
KYB AutomationInvestigation-first, not pipeline-nativePurpose-built for automated KYB
Perpetual MonitoringBiweekly updatesReal-time alerts
Hard-Target JurisdictionsCore strengthSelective coverage
Investigation GraphBest-in-classBasic
Pricing£94,815/year minimumMore competitive
Verdict: The KYB wins for teams running high-volume automated onboarding pipelines. Sayari wins for deep manual investigation. For most commercial compliance teams, The KYB combined with Global Database or Zavia.ai delivers stronger ROI than a standalone Sayari contract.

Full Platform Comparison Table

All seven platforms compared across the dimensions that matter most for enterprise compliance, risk intelligence, and due diligence teams.

Feature Sayari Zavia.ai Global Database Moody's Orbis D&B OpenCorporates The KYB
Primary Use Case Financial crime investigation UBO discovery & KYB Data licensing & KYB Financial DD & M&A Credit risk & MDM Open company lookup KYB automation
Company Coverage 455M+ 100+ countries 600M+ 600M+ 580M+ 220M+ 250+ jurisdictions
Data Source Official source-cited Direct registries 400 govt registries 170+ providers (mixed) Multi-source Open registry data Regulatory authorities
UBO Mapping ✓ Advanced ✓ AI-powered ✓ 378M entities ✓ Comprehensive ~ Bundled ✓ AI-assisted
Graph Visualisation ✓ Best-in-class ✓ Interactive ~ Hierarchy ~ Basic ~ Basic
Financial Data ✓ P&L / B/S ✓ Industry-leading ✓ Credit scores
Sanctions / PEP ✓ Embedded ✓ Auto-flagging ~ Via partners ✓ KYC module ✓ Risk Analytics ✓ Included
Supply Chain ✓ Sayari Map ~ Linkage data ~ Basic ✓ Risk Analytics
API Access ~ Credit-based ✓ Full API ✓ 6K calls/min ✓ Available ✓ D&B Direct ~ Limited ✓ API + dashboard
Reseller Rights ✓ Available ~ Limited
Real-Time Monitoring ~ Biweekly ✓ Real-time ✓ Monitoring ~ Periodic ✓ Alerts ✓ Real-time
Hard-Target Countries ✓ Core strength ✓ Growing ✓ 200+ countries ~ Limited ~ Selective
Entry Price £94,815/year $99/month $1/check $25K+/year $49/month Free tier Custom
Free Trial ~ Gov marketplace ✓ No CC required ✓ Yes ✓ Limited ✓ 7-day ✓ Free tier ✓ Yes

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Sayari used for?
Sayari is a commercial risk intelligence platform used primarily for financial crime investigations, sanctions screening, corporate due diligence, and supply chain risk management. It combines corporate ownership data, trade records, and maritime data with graph analytics to map entity relationships across 200+ countries. It's trusted by government agencies, law enforcement, global banks, and multinationals.
How much does Sayari cost?
Sayari does not publish pricing publicly. UK government procurement documents (G-Cloud 14) reveal: £18,963 per named user per year, with a minimum of 5 users (£94,815/year). Volume discounts apply at 10, 25, 50, and 100 seats. The REST API licence starts at £24,000/year plus credit-based per-call fees (50,000 calls = £100,000). A Global Data File licence is £1,200,000/year. Buyer reports confirm discounts are removed at renewal if usage descopes.
What is the best Sayari alternative for small compliance teams?
Zavia.ai is the strongest alternative for small compliance teams. It starts at $99/month with 200 UBO checks and 30 API calls per minute — no enterprise contract needed. It connects directly to government registries in 100+ countries, uses AI to trace UBO structures, and includes real-time monitoring. Global Database is also strong if you need broader data — starting at $1 per company check with no mandatory subscription.
What is UBO discovery and why does it matter?
UBO (Ultimate Beneficial Owner) discovery is the process of identifying the natural persons who ultimately own or control a legal entity — often hidden behind layers of corporate structures, nominees, or offshore vehicles. Regulators in 149+ countries including the EU, UK, and US require financial institutions to identify UBOs as part of KYC/KYB onboarding under AML laws. The Danske Bank scandal — where €200B+ in suspicious transactions went undetected — is the most cited example of what happens when beneficial ownership controls fail.
How does Zavia.ai compare to Sayari for UBO mapping?
Zavia.ai uses proprietary AI and LLMs to automatically trace UBO chains from direct government registry connections. It allows customisable thresholds (25%, 10%, or custom) and provides real-time ownership change alerts. Sayari offers stronger depth for hard-target jurisdictions (Middle East, Africa, CIS) and is purpose-built for evidentiary investigation workflows with court-admissible audit trails. Zavia.ai is generally more cost-effective for commercial KYB pipelines at scale.
Can I replace Sayari with Global Database?
For many enterprise use cases — particularly data licensing, KYB pipelines, financial data, and ownership intelligence — yes. Global Database covers 600M+ companies from 400 government registries with full provenance, including UBO data, digitised financials, and corporate linkage. Where Sayari holds a clear advantage is its purpose-built investigation UI, graph analytics, and supply chain mapping for financial crime workflows. If you need data infrastructure rather than an investigation tool, Global Database is typically more cost-effective and offers full reseller rights that Sayari doesn't.
Is Moody's Orbis better than Sayari?
It depends on use case. Moody's Orbis is superior for financial due diligence, M&A research, and credit risk analysis — it holds the deepest private company financial data globally and is the established standard for investment banks and academics. Sayari is superior for financial crime investigations, sanctions enforcement, and hard-target jurisdictions. Many large institutions combine both, or use Global Database (registry breadth + provenance) alongside Orbis (financial depth).
What is the difference between KYB and KYC?
KYC (Know Your Customer) verifies the identity of individual consumers. KYB (Know Your Business) verifies the legitimacy of corporate entities — including company registration, ownership structure, directors, UBOs, and risk factors. KYB is required during business onboarding in regulated industries and must include beneficial ownership identification under AML regulations in the EU, UK, and US. KYB is more complex than KYC because corporate structures can span multiple jurisdictions and involve offshore vehicles.
Does Sayari connect directly to government registries?
Sayari's primary data model relies on open-source public records and official source documents — it does not connect to registries in real time the way Zavia.ai, Global Database, or Kyckr do. Every record is source-cited and evidentiary, but the underlying data pipeline is document-based rather than live registry API. For real-time registry access with timestamp provenance, Zavia.ai or Global Database are better choices.
What should I look for when choosing a Sayari alternative?
Five questions to ask: (1) Do I need investigation-style graph UX, or a data API for automated pipelines? (2) Which jurisdictions matter most — global, APAC-heavy, or hard-target? (3) Do I need financial data alongside ownership data? (4) What are the API throughput and pricing model requirements? (5) Do I need reseller or redistribution rights? Your answers largely determine whether you need Sayari (investigation-first), Zavia.ai (AI-driven KYB at scale), Global Database (data infrastructure), or a combination.