Buyer guide
Sanctions Screening Software and What to Compare Before You Buy
Sanctions screening software checks your customers, vendors and payments against official sanctions lists such as the OFAC SDN list, scores possible matches and keeps proof of every check. This guide shows what to compare so you pick a tool that fits your risk and budget.
What is sanctions screening software
Sanctions screening software is a tool that compares names against government sanctions lists and tells you how close each name comes to a listed party. Good tools do more than search. They keep the lists current, handle spelling and alphabet differences, record every check and help your team work through possible matches.
You need one when screening becomes routine. A one-off search on a government website is fine for a single name. Once you onboard customers every week, pay vendors abroad or hold a payment partner agreement that requires sanctions controls, a search box without memory stops being enough.
Eight things to compare in any screening tool
Ask every vendor the same questions. The answers show quickly whether a tool fits a small team or only a large bank.
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List coverage
Which lists are included on your plan. OFAC SDN and consolidated lists at minimum, plus UN, EU, UK, Canada and Australia if you trade abroad.
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Update speed
How often the official files are checked and whether each result shows the list version used.
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Matching quality
Fuzzy scoring, aliases, transliteration of Cyrillic, Arabic or Chinese names, and use of date of birth and country.
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Threshold control
Whether you can tune sensitivity to your risk appetite instead of living with a fixed setting.
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Evidence
What is saved per check and whether you can export it as a PDF or file for an examiner.
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Monitoring
Automatic re-screening of saved records after each list update, with alerts only for new hits.
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Workflow
Case handling, roles and reasons for clearing a false positive, so decisions are consistent.
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Pricing
Whether the price is published, what the monthly check limit is and what happens when you reach it.
Common screening options side by side
Most teams start with one of these four approaches. Each fits a different stage.
| Treasury search | Spreadsheets and manual search | Enterprise suites with quote-only pricing | OfacScanner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | No cost | Staff time | Quoted per contract | Published, from $49 a month |
| Setup | None | Templates and habits | Project with the vendor | Sign up and screen the same day |
| Lists | OFAC lists | Whatever is searched | Broad | OFAC on every plan, global lists on Growth and higher |
| Saved evidence | None | Screenshots | Yes | Evidence record and PDF per check |
| Re-screening after updates | Manual | Manual | Yes | Monitoring on Growth and higher |
| API | No | No | Usually | REST API on Scale |
For a closer look at the government tool, see OfacScanner compared with Treasury search.
Where OfacScanner fits
Built for teams that need real screening without an enterprise project.
Scored matching
Spelling, word order and sound blend into a 0 to 100 score, with boosts for date of birth, nationality and identifiers.
Your threshold
Pick Strict 95, Balanced 85 or Broad 75, or set your own workspace threshold.
Batch files
Upload a CSV of up to 100,000 rows with batch sanctions screening on Growth and higher.
Monitoring
Up to 50,000 records on Growth and 500,000 on Scale, re-screened after every list update.
Case management
Assign, comment, decide and close each possible match with a reason.
API when you grow
The sanctions screening API on Scale screens from your own systems.
How to roll out a new screening tool
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01
Map where money and goods move
List the points where you onboard, pay, ship or release funds. Those are your screening points.
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02
Choose lists and threshold
Match list coverage to the countries you deal with and pick a sensitivity that fits your risk assessment.
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03
Screen your existing file
Run every current customer and vendor once, so you start from a known, documented baseline.
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04
Turn on monitoring
Add saved records to monitoring so list changes reach you without manual re-checks.
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05
Write down how you decide
Agree on what clears a match, who escalates and how reasons are recorded, then train the team on it.
Software supports the decision, your team makes it
No screening tool decides for you. OfacScanner shows what the lists say, how close a name is and why, and keeps the record. Whether to proceed, block or report stays with your compliance team. Ownership checks under the OFAC 50 percent rule also need your own due diligence. OfacScanner is not affiliated with OFAC or the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Sanctions screening software questions
Another question? Write to [email protected].
Do small businesses need sanctions screening software?
How much does a sanctions screening tool cost?
What happens when I reach my monthly check limit?
Does OfacScanner screen for PEPs or adverse media?
Can I try the software before I buy?
Keep exploring
Screen your first name in seconds
Type a person or company name, see the risk rating and top candidates from the current OFAC list, and keep the evidence when you sign up.
Results support your compliance decisions, and the final decision stays with your team. OfacScanner is not affiliated with OFAC or the U.S. Department of the Treasury.