Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

IDnow vs TrustArc

IDnow logo

IDnow

Cybersecurity

Identity verification and qualified electronic signature for regulated European markets

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TrustArc logo

TrustArc

Cybersecurity

Privacy management platform with regulatory research and the TRUSTe certification programme

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; TrustArc the software layer is generally shallower than OneTrust, particularly automated data discovery across large heterogeneous estates, so organisations with sprawling infrastructure often still need a separate discovery tool.
  • They diverge on capability: IDnow covers VideoIdent, TrustArc covers Nymity Research.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IDnow and TrustArc actually diverge.

Attributes where IDnow and TrustArc differ
AttributeIDnowTrustArc
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIWeb

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 IDnow

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

Only in TrustArc

  • Nymity Research
  • TRUSTe certification
  • Consent and preference management
  • Privacy assessments
  • Data inventory and mapping
  • Individual rights requests
  • Cookie consent manager
  • Privacy programme benchmarking

What people use each for

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

IDnow

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

TrustArc

  • A consumer brand that needs an independent privacy seal on its website because enterprise customers or app stores ask for third-party verificationnot IDnow
  • A multinational privacy team that needs a maintained answer to what a given jurisdiction requires without retaining outside counsel for every questionnot IDnow
  • An organisation running DPIAs at volume that wants templates tied to a maintained regulatory library rather than to a consultant word documentnot IDnow
  • A privacy programme being audited that needs documented maturity benchmarking against a recognised framework of programme activitiesnot IDnow

Where each one falls short

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

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.

TrustArc

  • The software layer is generally shallower than OneTrust, particularly automated data discovery across large heterogeneous estates, so organisations with sprawling infrastructure often still need a separate discovery tool.
  • The integration catalogue is smaller than the market leader, which means more of the data inventory is maintained by hand and drifts out of date between reviews.
  • Certification services are sold separately from the platform subscription, so the seal that is often the reason for choosing TrustArc is an extra line item and an extra annual renewal.
  • Reported contract values vary enormously by module mix and organisation size, and the absence of published pricing means smaller buyers have no anchor and routinely discover the entry price is higher than expected.
  • TrustArc stays inside privacy, so organisations that later want third-party risk, security compliance or ethics reporting on the same platform will be running a second vendor anyway.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

TrustArc

On request
  • TrustArc Privacy Platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted by module, entity count and data volume
    • TRUSTe certification and assessment services priced separately from platform subscription
    • Nymity Research licensed as a separate module

Which should you pick?

Choose IDnow if

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

Choose TrustArc if

  • You need nymity research.
  • You also want truste certification.
TrustArc review

Questions people ask

Is IDnow or TrustArc better?
Neither clearly leads. IDnow starts at On request and TrustArc at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IDnow or TrustArc?
IDnow starts at On request and TrustArc at On request.
Does IDnow or TrustArc run on more platforms?
IDnow runs on Web, iOS, Android, API. TrustArc runs on Web.
What is IDnow best used for?
IDnow is most often used for a german bank opening regulated accounts where bafin requires a recognised identification method, an insurer needing a qualified electronic signature that will survive challenge in a european court, a telecom operator meeting national sim registration identity rules across several eu states, a lender wanting automated checks for low-risk applicants and video identification only for high-value cases. Of those, a german bank opening regulated accounts where bafin requires a recognised identification method and an insurer needing a qualified electronic signature that will survive challenge in a european court are not what TrustArc is typically brought in for.
What can IDnow do that TrustArc cannot?
IDnow covers VideoIdent, AutoIdent, eSign, eID and NFC. TrustArc covers Nymity Research, TRUSTe certification, Consent and preference management, Privacy assessments.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

TrustArc: What does TrustArc have that OneTrust does not?

Nymity Research, a maintained regulatory intelligence library acquired in 2019, and the TRUSTe third-party certification and seal programme.

IDnow: Is the electronic signature included?

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

TrustArc: How much does TrustArc cost?

Not published. Reported enterprise agreements range widely depending on modules and organisation size, and certification services are quoted on top of the platform subscription.

IDnow: Where is the data processed?

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

TrustArc: Is TRUSTe the same company?

Yes. TrustArc is the renamed TRUSTe business and still operates the TRUSTe certification programme as a subsidiary.

TrustArc: Does it handle cookie consent for Europe?

Yes, it includes a consent manager with scanning and banner delivery, though pure-play consent vendors are cheaper if that is all you need.

Share

Related pages

More on IDnow

More on TrustArc

Keep looking

Other head to heads