Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Diligent vs OnBase

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
OnBase logo

OnBase

Government

Enterprise Information Platform

From
$400/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; OnBase pricing starts at 2,000 USD per month, making it expensive for small agencies
  • They diverge on capability: Diligent covers Diligent Boards, OnBase covers Content Management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Diligent and OnBase actually diverge.

Attributes where Diligent and OnBase differ
AttributeDiligentOnBase
Starting priceOn request$400/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsWeb, Mobile
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
FoundedUnknown1991

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Diligent

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

Only in OnBase

  • Content Management
  • Workflow Automation
  • Case Management
  • Records Management
  • Intelligent Capture
  • Microsoft 365
  • Salesforce
  • Epic

What people use each for

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

Diligent

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

OnBase

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

Where each one falls short

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

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.

OnBase

  • Pricing starts at 2,000 USD per month, making it expensive for small agencies
  • Complex implementation and configuration required for government-specific workflows
  • Requires significant IT resources for deployment and ongoing management

Pricing, plan by plan

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

OnBase

$400/month
  • Government$400/month
    • Content Management
    • Process Automation
    • Case Management

Which should you pick?

Choose Diligent if

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

Choose OnBase if

  • You need content management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want workflow automation.
OnBase review

Questions people ask

Is Diligent or OnBase better?
Neither clearly leads. Diligent starts at On request and OnBase at $400/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Diligent or OnBase?
Diligent starts at On request and OnBase at $400/month.
Does Diligent or OnBase run on more platforms?
Diligent runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows. OnBase runs on Web, Mobile.
What is Diligent best used for?
Diligent is most often used for a listed company that wants board papers, entity records and the audit committee reporting pack produced from one governance system, an internal audit function moving from sampling to full-population transaction testing using the acl heritage analytics engine, a regulated firm consolidating a whistleblower hotline, third-party due diligence and policy attestation after an enforcement finding, a group needing sustainability disclosure data collected with the same audit trail and controls as financial reporting. Of those, a listed company that wants board papers, entity records and the audit committee reporting pack produced from one governance system and an internal audit function moving from sampling to full-population transaction testing using the acl heritage analytics engine are not what OnBase is typically brought in for.
What can Diligent do that OnBase cannot?
Diligent covers Diligent Boards, Entity management, Audit and analytics, Risk management. OnBase covers Content Management, Workflow Automation, Case Management, Records Management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

OnBase: What is OnBase used for in government?

OnBase is used for digital permitting, inspections, and plan review processes. Government agencies use it to streamline workflows, enable online forms, automate approvals, and provide citizen access to application status.

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.

OnBase: Does OnBase support mobile access?

Yes. Mobile access is a key feature of OnBase, allowing users to manage documents and cases on the go.

Source
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.

OnBase: What document management capabilities does OnBase provide?

OnBase provides centralized document storage with version control, search and retrieval tools, records management across physical and electronic lifecycles, and compliance with policies and regulations.

Source
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.

OnBase: Can OnBase workflows be customized?

Yes. OnBase is flexible and configurable with user-defined workflows for case management, streamlining processes like accounts payable, employee onboarding, and contract management.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Diligent

More on OnBase

Keep looking

Other head to heads