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Cybersecurity · head to head

BigID vs IDnow

BigID logo

BigID

Cybersecurity

Data discovery and classification across cloud, on-premise and unstructured stores

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IDnow logo

IDnow

Cybersecurity

Identity verification and qualified electronic signature for regulated European markets

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: BigID pricing scales with data sources and volume, so the cost rises exactly as the estate you need to scan grows, and the modules shown in a demo, including AI security posture and headless deployment, are frequently separate licences that appear only in the final quote.; IDnow agent-led video identification costs several times an automated check and depends on agent availability, so peak-time queues push abandonment up at exactly the moment conversion matters.
  • They diverge on capability: BigID covers Structured and unstructured scanning, IDnow covers VideoIdent.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BigID and IDnow actually diverge.

Attributes where BigID and IDnow differ
AttributeBigIDIDnow
PlatformsWeb, API, Self-hostedWeb, iOS, Android, API

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in BigID

  • Structured and unstructured scanning
  • Identity correlation
  • Data security posture management
  • Access intelligence
  • Privacy request support
  • Retention and minimisation
  • AI data controls
  • Policy and remediation workflow

Only in IDnow

  • VideoIdent
  • AutoIdent
  • eSign
  • eID and NFC
  • Bank identification
  • EU data processing

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

BigID

  • A bank that has to prove which of thirty year old file shares contain customer identifiers before a data centre migrationnot IDnow
  • A privacy team that cannot fulfil deletion requests because nobody knows which unstructured stores hold a given customer’s recordsnot IDnow
  • A security team wanting to find sensitive data sitting in publicly readable object storage buckets before an attacker doesnot IDnow
  • A company building retrieval augmented AI that must exclude regulated personal data from the index it feeds to a modelnot IDnow

IDnow

  • A German bank opening regulated accounts where BaFin requires a recognised identification methodnot BigID
  • An insurer needing a qualified electronic signature that will survive challenge in a European courtnot BigID
  • A telecom operator meeting national SIM registration identity rules across several EU statesnot BigID
  • A lender wanting automated checks for low-risk applicants and video identification only for high-value casesnot BigID

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

BigID

  • Pricing scales with data sources and volume, so the cost rises exactly as the estate you need to scan grows, and the modules shown in a demo, including AI security posture and headless deployment, are frequently separate licences that appear only in the final quote.
  • Scanning large unstructured estates is slow and computationally expensive, so most organisations sample rather than scan everything, which reintroduces uncertainty into the very question they bought the tool to settle.
  • Classification accuracy on messy unstructured content requires tuning, and out of the box false positives on things like reference numbers create a large triage backlog that a small governance team cannot clear.
  • It discovers and reports but does not remediate, so realising value requires a separate process and often separate tooling to actually delete, restrict or move the data it flags.
  • It is built for large enterprises and both the price and the administrative overhead are disproportionate below a few thousand employees, where a lighter DSPM tool covers the security use case for far less.

IDnow

  • Agent-led video identification costs several times an automated check and depends on agent availability, so peak-time queues push abandonment up at exactly the moment conversion matters.
  • Pricing is quoted with an annual volume commitment, so the accreditation advantage comes with a floor you pay whether or not you use it.
  • The product is optimised for European regulatory regimes, so buyers verifying users in North America, Asia or Africa will find coverage and cost less competitive than global specialists.
  • Qualified electronic signature is a separate licence from identity verification, which surprises buyers who assumed the accredited identity check made the signature capability included.
  • Integration for the regulated flows is heavier than a simple SDK drop-in because the compliant journey, including consent and recording requirements, constrains the user experience you can build.

Pricing, plan by plan

BigID

On request
  • BigID Platform$undefined/year
    • Priced by number of data sources and data volume
    • Discovery and classification core
    • Optional DSPM, access intelligence and AI security modules licensed separately

IDnow

On request
  • IDnow Platform$undefined/year
    • Per-identification pricing that differs sharply between automated and agent-led methods
    • Annual volume commitment typically required
    • Qualified electronic signature licensed separately

Which should you pick?

Choose BigID if

  • You need structured and unstructured scanning.
  • You work on Web, API, Self-hosted.
  • You also want identity correlation.
BigID review

Choose IDnow if

  • You need videoident.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
  • You also want autoident.
IDnow review

Questions people ask

Is BigID or IDnow better?
Neither clearly leads. BigID starts at On request and IDnow at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BigID or IDnow?
BigID starts at On request and IDnow at On request.
Does BigID or IDnow run on more platforms?
BigID runs on Web, API, Self-hosted. IDnow runs on Web, iOS, Android, API.
What is BigID best used for?
BigID is most often used for a bank that has to prove which of thirty year old file shares contain customer identifiers before a data centre migration, a privacy team that cannot fulfil deletion requests because nobody knows which unstructured stores hold a given customer’s records, a security team wanting to find sensitive data sitting in publicly readable object storage buckets before an attacker does, a company building retrieval augmented ai that must exclude regulated personal data from the index it feeds to a model. Of those, a bank that has to prove which of thirty year old file shares contain customer identifiers before a data centre migration and a privacy team that cannot fulfil deletion requests because nobody knows which unstructured stores hold a given customer’s records are not what IDnow is typically brought in for.
What can BigID do that IDnow cannot?
BigID covers Structured and unstructured scanning, Identity correlation, Data security posture management, Access intelligence. IDnow covers VideoIdent, AutoIdent, eSign, eID and NFC.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

BigID: What does BigID cost?

It is quoted by data source count and volume. Reported contracts run from roughly 15,000 to 175,000 US dollars a year, and add-on modules such as AI security posture are licensed on top.

IDnow: Why choose it over a cheaper automated vendor?

Because in some European regimes the cheaper vendor is not legally permitted for the transaction. This is an eligibility question, not a quality one.

BigID: Does it handle unstructured data?

Yes, and that is its main advantage. It classifies data in files and shares and correlates findings back to individuals, not just to data types.

IDnow: Is the electronic signature included?

No. Qualified electronic signature under eIDAS is licensed separately from identity verification.

BigID: Will it delete the data it finds?

Not by itself in most deployments. It identifies and routes findings; deletion and remediation happen through your own processes or connected systems.

IDnow: Where is the data processed?

In European data centres, which is a requirement rather than a preference for many of its regulated customers.

BigID: Is it a privacy tool or a security tool?

Both are sold from the same discovery core. Buyers increasingly come from security wanting data security posture management rather than from legal wanting privacy.

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