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Cybersecurity · head to head

MetricStream vs OnBase

MetricStream logo

MetricStream

Cybersecurity

Enterprise GRC suite for large regulated organisations, with implementation costs that exceed the licence

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: MetricStream implementation typically costs one and a half to two and a half times the first year licence, so a one million dollar licence carries a one and a half to two and a half million dollar rollout that rarely appears in the initial business case.; OnBase pricing starts at 2,000 USD per month, making it expensive for small agencies
  • They diverge on capability: MetricStream covers Enterprise and operational risk, OnBase covers Content Management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MetricStream and OnBase actually diverge.

Attributes where MetricStream and OnBase differ
AttributeMetricStreamOnBase
Starting priceOn request$400/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, 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 MetricStream

  • Enterprise and operational risk
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Internal audit
  • Third-party risk
  • Cyber risk quantification
  • Policy and case management
  • Content libraries
  • ESG reporting

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.

MetricStream

  • A multinational bank mapping one control set against obligations from several regulators and needing to evidence the mapping to examinersnot OnBase
  • An insurer consolidating separate risk, audit and vendor systems that currently produce contradictory numbers to the boardnot OnBase
  • A pharmaceutical company that must track regulatory change across jurisdictions and show what each change affectednot OnBase
  • An organisation whose three lines of defence must share one risk taxonomy rather than three overlapping spreadsheetsnot OnBase

OnBase

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

Where each one falls short

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

MetricStream

  • Implementation typically costs one and a half to two and a half times the first year licence, so a one million dollar licence carries a one and a half to two and a half million dollar rollout that rarely appears in the initial business case.
  • Full deployment takes six to eighteen months, during which the organisation runs old and new processes in parallel and the promised efficiency gain is negative.
  • Per-user pricing in the low thousands per year per seat discourages giving access to the first line of defence, which is precisely where risk data originates, so many deployments end up with data still arriving by spreadsheet.
  • Configuration flexibility comes at the price of specialist skills, and organisations become dependent on MetricStream partners or a small internal team, making later changes slow and expensive.
  • The interface and workflow feel enterprise-heavy next to modern compliance tools, and infrequent business users find it hard, which suppresses the participation the platform is meant to enable.

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

MetricStream

On request
  • MetricStream GRC$undefined/year
    • Enterprise risk, audit, compliance and third-party modules
    • Regulatory content libraries
    • Multi-entity and multi-jurisdiction support

OnBase

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

Which should you pick?

Choose MetricStream if

  • You need enterprise and operational risk.
  • You also want regulatory compliance.
MetricStream review

Choose OnBase if

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

Questions people ask

Is MetricStream or OnBase better?
Neither clearly leads. MetricStream 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, MetricStream or OnBase?
MetricStream starts at On request and OnBase at $400/month.
Does MetricStream or OnBase run on more platforms?
MetricStream runs on Web. OnBase runs on Web, Mobile.
What is MetricStream best used for?
MetricStream is most often used for a multinational bank mapping one control set against obligations from several regulators and needing to evidence the mapping to examiners, an insurer consolidating separate risk, audit and vendor systems that currently produce contradictory numbers to the board, a pharmaceutical company that must track regulatory change across jurisdictions and show what each change affected, an organisation whose three lines of defence must share one risk taxonomy rather than three overlapping spreadsheets. Of those, a multinational bank mapping one control set against obligations from several regulators and needing to evidence the mapping to examiners and an insurer consolidating separate risk, audit and vendor systems that currently produce contradictory numbers to the board are not what OnBase is typically brought in for.
What can MetricStream do that OnBase cannot?
MetricStream covers Enterprise and operational risk, Regulatory compliance, Internal audit, Third-party risk. OnBase covers Content Management, Workflow Automation, Case Management, Records Management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MetricStream: What does MetricStream cost?

It is quoted. Market data suggests roughly 75,000 to 150,000 US dollars a year for small enterprise deployments, 250,000 to 500,000 for medium and 750,000 upwards for large.

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
MetricStream: How long is implementation?

Six to eighteen months for a full platform deployment, and the services cost usually exceeds the first year licence.

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
MetricStream: Is it right for a mid-market company?

Usually not. Its depth suits organisations with several regulators and formal three lines of defence structures.

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
MetricStream: Does it replace SOC 2 automation tools?

It can cover the framework, but it is not designed for the automated evidence collection those tools do cheaply.

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
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