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Government · head to head

Citizen vs Diligent

Citizen logo

Citizen

Government

Real-time Safety Alerts

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Diligent logo

Diligent

Cybersecurity

Board management and enterprise GRC platform assembled from Galvanize, Steele and Diligent Boards

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Citizen has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Citizen no premium or paid features mentioned; Diligent the platform is an assembly of acquisitions, with the analytics engine from ACL, risk from Rsam, ethics and third-party diligence from Steele and the board portal from Diligent itself, so cross-module reporting and consistent user experience should be tested in a proof of concept rather than assumed.
  • They diverge on capability: Citizen covers Real-time Alerts, Diligent covers Diligent Boards.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Citizen and Diligent actually diverge.

Attributes where Citizen and Diligent differ
AttributeCitizenDiligent
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsIos, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android, Windows
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded2016Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Citizen

  • Real-time Alerts
  • 911 Monitoring
  • Live Video
  • Safety Map
  • Personal Safety
  • Emergency Services
  • Social Media
  • Location Services

Only in Diligent

  • Diligent Boards
  • Entity management
  • Audit and analytics
  • Risk management
  • Third-party risk
  • Ethics and compliance
  • ESG and sustainability
  • Market intelligence

What people use each for

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

Citizen

  • Citizen Servicesnot Diligent
  • Records Managementnot Diligent
  • Public Safetynot Diligent
  • Civic Engagementnot Diligent

Diligent

  • A listed company that wants board papers, entity records and the audit committee reporting pack produced from one governance systemnot Citizen
  • An internal audit function moving from sampling to full-population transaction testing using the ACL heritage analytics enginenot Citizen
  • A regulated firm consolidating a whistleblower hotline, third-party due diligence and policy attestation after an enforcement findingnot Citizen
  • A group needing sustainability disclosure data collected with the same audit trail and controls as financial reportingnot Citizen

Where each one falls short

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

Citizen

  • No premium or paid features mentioned
  • App is completely free with no monetization model disclosed
  • No in-app purchases or premium tier mentioned
  • Subscription or paid features may exist but not disclosed

Diligent

  • The platform is an assembly of acquisitions, with the analytics engine from ACL, risk from Rsam, ethics and third-party diligence from Steele and the board portal from Diligent itself, so cross-module reporting and consistent user experience should be tested in a proof of concept rather than assumed.
  • Pricing is unpublished and consistently at the top of the market, and organisations that need only one capability, a board portal or an audit analytics tool, generally pay less and get more from a specialist.
  • Renewal leverage is weak once the board portal is embedded, because directors are the least willing user group to be migrated and that dependency is well understood by the vendor at renewal time.
  • The analytics engine expects real data skills, and audit teams without an analytics-capable member typically use a fraction of what they licensed while paying for all of it.
  • Module-by-module implementation means the promised single view of governance and risk usually arrives years after the first purchase, if the later modules are ever funded.

Pricing, plan by plan

Citizen

Free
  • BasicFree
    • Real-time Alerts
    • Incident Feed
    • Safety Map

Diligent

On request
  • Diligent One Platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted by module and user count
    • Board portal seats priced separately from GRC modules
    • Annual subscription, commonly multi-year

Which should you pick?

Choose Citizen if

  • You need real-time alerts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android.
  • You also want 911 monitoring.
Citizen review

Choose Diligent if

  • You need diligent boards.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want entity management.
Diligent review

Questions people ask

Is Citizen or Diligent better?
Neither clearly leads. Citizen starts at Free and Diligent at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Citizen or Diligent?
Citizen has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Citizen and On request for Diligent.
Does Citizen or Diligent run on more platforms?
Citizen runs on Ios, Android. Diligent runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
Can I use Citizen for free?
Yes. Citizen has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Diligent starts at On request.
What is Citizen best used for?
Citizen is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement. Of those, citizen services and records management are not what Diligent is typically brought in for.
What can Citizen do that Diligent cannot?
Citizen covers Real-time Alerts, 911 Monitoring, Live Video, Safety Map. Diligent covers Diligent Boards, Entity management, Audit and analytics, Risk management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Citizen: How much does Citizen cost?

Citizen is available as a free app download for iOS and Android. The app includes core safety and alert features at no cost.

Source
Diligent: Is Diligent One the same product as Galvanize?

It contains it. Diligent bought Galvanize, the ACL and Rsam merger, for around one billion dollars in April 2021, and its audit analytics and risk modules are that heritage rebranded into Diligent One.

Citizen: Are there paid features or premium subscriptions in Citizen?

Citizen's website does not mention paid features, premium subscriptions, or in-app purchases. All advertised features appear to be included in the free app.

Source
Diligent: What does Diligent cost?

Not published. It is quoted by module and user, and board portal seats are priced differently from GRC seats. Expect an annual or multi-year enterprise agreement.

Diligent: Can you buy just the board portal?

Yes, Diligent Boards is sold on its own and is the most common entry point. The GRC modules are separate purchases.

Diligent: Does it replace a SOC 2 automation tool?

No. Diligent is aimed at enterprise audit, risk and governance, not at automated evidence collection for security certifications.

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