OpenSanctions is a structured database of sanctions, politically exposed persons, and other public-interest information gathered from hundreds of sources. It connects records across sources by resolving duplicate entities and modeling relationships such as ownership, family ties, political positions, and sanctions designations. Its hosted API supports entity matching, full-text search, and retrieval of complete entity records. The /match endpoint returns ranked candidates based on screening details such as names, dates of birth, nationality, or tax identifiers. The full dataset can be downloaded, and commercial license customers can run the matching API on their own infrastructure. OpenSanctions says data points are traceable to their sources and its data pipeline is open source. The API plan is listed at €0.10 per query, with a 30-day trial; screening and reseller licenses are quoted. It provides data and matching technology, rather than an end-user compliance application with alert review, case management, and approval workflows. The collection is licensed as a whole, not in selected parts.

Who it is for

Its data and matching tools may suit compliance platforms, fintechs, government agencies, investigators, research institutions, journalists, and researchers. Organizations seeking ready-made CRM or ERP integrations, or a complete compliance application, should note those are not provided.

What is good

API supports matching, search, and full-record retrieval.
Full dataset is available for download.
Commercial customers can self-host the matching API.
Records are traceable to sources, according to OpenSanctions.
Free plan and a 30-day API trial are listed.

What to know first

The data collection is licensed only as a complete set.
It does not provide an end-user compliance application.
No ready-made CRM or ERP integrations are provided.

Verdict

OpenSanctions offers a database and matching technology for building screening and research workflows. Its whole-collection licensing and lack of case-management features matter when assessing fit.

OpenSanctions plans and pricing

All plans

Screening API €0.10 once €0.10 per query; search is €0.10 per request. The API page lists €0.10/query; API FAQ lists metered endpoint costs. New prepaid credit bundles are available, but bundle prices are shown during booking. 30 day API trial · /entities and /statements are free · matching and search API opensanctions.org · 30 Sept 2026

Screening license Not published Quote during first conversation; flat-rate pricing. Full dataset · in-house screening · transaction monitoring · internal use only opensanctions.org · 30 Sept 2026

Reseller license Not published Quote during first conversation. Wholesale license · redistribute data inside products you sell · reseller API available opensanctions.org · 30 Sept 2026

Compared on sanctions screening software

Free plan: Yes
PEP screening: Yes
Ongoing monitoring: Yes
Transaction screening: Yes
API access: Yes
Batch screening: Yes
List management: selectable

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The record

What it provides

OpenSanctions builds a structured, continuously updated database of sanctions, politically exposed persons, and other public-interest information from hundreds of sources.

Data provenance

The company says every data point can be traced back to its source and that its data pipeline is open source.

Entity resolution

OpenSanctions deduplicates entities across sources and models links such as ownership, family ties, political positions, and sanctions designations.

Hosted API features

The API provides entity matching, full-text search, and retrieval of complete entity records.

Matching

The /match endpoint returns ranked candidates and supports screening queries using details such as names, dates of birth, nationality, or tax identifiers.

Integrations

The Python yente-client package provides a typed SDK, a command-line tool, and an MCP server; OpenSanctions also documents an OpenRefine Reconciliation API.

Bulk data and self-hosting

The full dataset is available for download, and commercial license customers can run the matching API on their own infrastructure.

Privacy

OpenSanctions says on-premise matching lets customers keep customer personally identifiable information within their own environment.

Security and availability

OpenSanctions says it holds ISO 27001:2022 certification and operates under a 99.8% uptime SLA.

Not a complete screening application

OpenSanctions provides database and matching technology, but does not provide an end-user compliance application with alert review, case management, and approval workflows.

Licensing limit

OpenSanctions licenses its data collection as a complete collection rather than licensing selected parts alone.

CRM and ERP integrations

OpenSanctions says it does not provide ready-made integrations for specific CRM or ERP products.

Support

The licensing page says the support team helps customers evaluate and integrate the data before signing a license.

Intended users

The company describes compliance platforms, fintechs, investigation tools, government agencies, research institutions, journalists, and researchers as users of its data.