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Cloud · head to head

IBM Cloud vs Silent Eight

IBM Cloud logo

IBM Cloud

Cloud

Enterprise cloud solutions from a trusted partner

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Silent Eight logo

Silent Eight

Cybersecurity

AI adjudication of sanctions screening and AML alerts

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only IBM Cloud has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: IBM Cloud the USD 200 starter cloud credit is valid for 30 days only; Silent Eight automated disposition has to clear model risk governance and a regulator, and the shadow running period before auto-close is permitted can consume most of the first year of the contract.
  • They diverge on capability: IBM Cloud covers Virtual Servers, Silent Eight covers Alert adjudication.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IBM Cloud and Silent Eight actually diverge.

Attributes where IBM Cloud and Silent Eight differ
AttributeIBM CloudSilent Eight
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelusage-basedquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Api, CliWeb, Linux
CategoryCloudCybersecurity
Founded2013Unknown

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 IBM Cloud

  • Virtual Servers
  • Bare Metal
  • Cloud Foundry
  • Kubernetes
  • Watson AI
  • Blockchain
  • Databases
  • API Gateway

Only in Silent Eight

  • Alert adjudication
  • Narrative generation
  • Name screening automation
  • Quality assurance
  • Shadow mode
  • Model transparency reporting

What people use each for

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

IBM Cloud

  • Running containerized and VM workloads on IBM's public cloudnot Silent Eight
  • Building on Watson APIs and IBM middleware as managed servicesnot Silent Eight

Silent Eight

  • A bank whose level one screening team spends most of its time closing obvious false name matchesnot IBM Cloud
  • A payments institution with alert volumes growing faster than it can recruit and train analystsnot IBM Cloud
  • A compliance function asked by a regulator to demonstrate consistency of alert decisions across offshore teamsnot IBM Cloud
  • An institution that has just tightened screening thresholds after an enforcement action and cannot staff the resulting alert increasenot IBM Cloud

Where each one falls short

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

IBM Cloud

  • The USD 200 starter cloud credit is valid for 30 days only
  • The larger promotional credits are time boxed: USD 1,000 for Bare Metal Servers for VPC over 120 days, USD 2,500 for Power Virtual Server over 90 days, and USD 5,000 for Backup and Recovery over 90 days
  • The USD 5,000 Backup and Recovery promotion is valid for new clients only and requires a checkout promo code
  • The listed promotions carry an expiry date of 31 December 2026
  • Beyond the free tier the account is pay as you go, so cost tracks usage with no published cap

Silent Eight

  • Automated disposition has to clear model risk governance and a regulator, and the shadow running period before auto-close is permitted can consume most of the first year of the contract.
  • It does not improve detection, so an institution with a poorly tuned monitoring system automates the handling of bad alerts rather than fixing why they exist.
  • Pricing is tied to alert volume, which means efficiency gains elsewhere that reduce alerts also reduce the vendor bill in a way sales teams structure minimums against.
  • The headcount saving is only realised if the institution actually reduces the analyst pool, and many banks redeploy rather than cut, leaving the business case unrealised on paper.
  • As a mid-sized private vendor serving tier one banks, concentration risk cuts both ways; the loss of one large client materially affects the company, and buyers should ask about financial stability during diligence.

Pricing, plan by plan

IBM Cloud

Free
  • Lite PlanFree
    • Free services
    • Limited resources
    • 30-day trial
  • Standard PlanFree
    • Pay-as-you-go
    • Enterprise support
    • Advanced services

Silent Eight

On request
  • Iris$undefined/year
    • Priced by alert volume adjudicated
    • Deploys against existing screening and monitoring systems
    • Shadow mode evaluation period

Which should you pick?

Choose IBM Cloud if

  • You need virtual servers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli.
  • You also want bare metal.
IBM Cloud review

Choose Silent Eight if

  • You need alert adjudication.
  • You work on Web, Linux.
  • You also want narrative generation.
Silent Eight review

Questions people ask

Is IBM Cloud or Silent Eight better?
Neither clearly leads. IBM Cloud starts at Free and Silent Eight at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IBM Cloud or Silent Eight?
IBM Cloud has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for IBM Cloud and On request for Silent Eight.
Does IBM Cloud or Silent Eight run on more platforms?
IBM Cloud runs on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli. Silent Eight runs on Web, Linux.
Can I use IBM Cloud for free?
Yes. IBM Cloud has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Silent Eight starts at On request.
What is IBM Cloud best used for?
IBM Cloud is most often used for running containerized and vm workloads on ibm's public cloud, building on watson apis and ibm middleware as managed services. Of those, running containerized and vm workloads on ibm's public cloud and building on watson apis and ibm middleware as managed services are not what Silent Eight is typically brought in for.
What can IBM Cloud do that Silent Eight cannot?
IBM Cloud covers Virtual Servers, Bare Metal, Cloud Foundry, Kubernetes. Silent Eight covers Alert adjudication, Narrative generation, Name screening automation, Quality assurance.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Silent Eight: Does Silent Eight replace our screening system?

No. It consumes alerts from your existing screening and monitoring systems and decides them. The detection layer stays where it is.

Silent Eight: Will a regulator accept AI closing alerts?

It depends on your jurisdiction and your model governance evidence. Banks typically run extended shadow mode first and phase auto-closure by alert type.

Silent Eight: Where is the company based?

Singapore, with offices in New York, London and Warsaw.

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