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Cybersecurity · head to head

Diligent vs OpenCities

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
OpenCities logo

OpenCities

Government

Digital Government Experience Platform

From
$500/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.; OpenCities population-based pricing model limits scalability for growing municipalities
  • They diverge on capability: Diligent covers Diligent Boards, OpenCities covers Website Management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Diligent and OpenCities actually diverge.

Attributes where Diligent and OpenCities differ
AttributeDiligentOpenCities
Starting priceOn request$500/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsWeb, Mobile
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
FoundedUnknown2008

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 OpenCities

  • Website Management
  • Digital Forms
  • Search Optimization
  • Accessibility Compliance
  • Analytics
  • Salesforce
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Analytics

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 OpenCities
  • An internal audit function moving from sampling to full-population transaction testing using the ACL heritage analytics enginenot OpenCities
  • A regulated firm consolidating a whistleblower hotline, third-party due diligence and policy attestation after an enforcement findingnot OpenCities
  • A group needing sustainability disclosure data collected with the same audit trail and controls as financial reportingnot OpenCities

OpenCities

  • 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.

OpenCities

  • Population-based pricing model limits scalability for growing municipalities
  • No self-hosted or on-premises deployment option
  • Limited code customization without vendor support

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

OpenCities

$500/month
  • Government Platform$500/month
    • Website CMS
    • Digital Forms
    • Accessibility

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 OpenCities if

  • You need website management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want digital forms.
OpenCities review

Questions people ask

Is Diligent or OpenCities better?
Neither clearly leads. Diligent starts at On request and OpenCities at $500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Diligent or OpenCities?
Diligent starts at On request and OpenCities at $500/month.
Does Diligent or OpenCities run on more platforms?
Diligent runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows. OpenCities 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 OpenCities is typically brought in for.
What can Diligent do that OpenCities cannot?
Diligent covers Diligent Boards, Entity management, Audit and analytics, Risk management. OpenCities covers Website Management, Digital Forms, Search Optimization, Accessibility Compliance.

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.

OpenCities: Does OpenCities work offline?

No, OpenCities is a cloud-based SaaS platform that requires an internet connection. All editing and management is done through web browsers.

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.

OpenCities: What accessibility standards does OpenCities meet?

OpenCities is maintained to comply with WCAG AA requirements, ensuring equitable access to government services and information for all residents.

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.

OpenCities: Can I integrate OpenCities with other government systems?

Yes. OpenCities integrates with Google Analytics, govDelivery for notifications, EngagementHQ for feedback collection, Legistar for meeting management, and Active Directory for intranet workflows.

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.

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