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Government · head to head

PublicInput vs TrustArc

PublicInput logo

PublicInput

Government

Inclusive Community Engagement

From
$400/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
TrustArc logo

TrustArc

Cybersecurity

Privacy management platform with regulatory research and the TRUSTe certification programme

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: PublicInput all three plans, Listen, Engage and Engage Plus, are listed as Request Pricing with no published rate, minimum or cost driver; 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: PublicInput covers Virtual Public Meetings, TrustArc covers Nymity Research.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PublicInput and TrustArc actually diverge.

Attributes where PublicInput and TrustArc differ
AttributePublicInputTrustArc
Starting price$400/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded2014Unknown

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 PublicInput

  • Virtual Public Meetings
  • Online Surveys
  • Comment Management
  • Multi-language Support
  • Engagement Analytics
  • Zoom
  • Microsoft Teams
  • GovDelivery

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.

PublicInput

  • Civic engagementnot TrustArc
  • Government consultationnot TrustArc
  • Public input collectionnot 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 PublicInput
  • A multinational privacy team that needs a maintained answer to what a given jurisdiction requires without retaining outside counsel for every questionnot PublicInput
  • An organisation running DPIAs at volume that wants templates tied to a maintained regulatory library rather than to a consultant word documentnot PublicInput
  • A privacy programme being audited that needs documented maturity benchmarking against a recognised framework of programme activitiesnot PublicInput

Where each one falls short

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

PublicInput

  • All three plans, Listen, Engage and Engage Plus, are listed as Request Pricing with no published rate, minimum or cost driver
  • HTML and CSS customization, custom workflows and approvals, and external system integration with Accela and ESRI are listed as Enterprise Capabilities rather than core platform features
  • Public meetings functionality is sold under a separate Meetings plan rather than being included with the Engagement plans
  • Getting a plan requires booking a consultation and a tailored demo rather than self serve signup

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

PublicInput

$400/month
  • Enterprise$400/month
    • Virtual Meetings
    • Surveys
    • Comment Management

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 PublicInput if

  • You need virtual public meetings.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want online surveys.
PublicInput review

Choose TrustArc if

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

Questions people ask

Is PublicInput or TrustArc better?
Neither clearly leads. PublicInput starts at $400/month and TrustArc at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PublicInput or TrustArc?
PublicInput starts at $400/month and TrustArc at On request.
Does PublicInput or TrustArc run on more platforms?
PublicInput runs on Web, Ios, Android. TrustArc runs on Web.
What is PublicInput best used for?
PublicInput is most often used for civic engagement, government consultation, public input collection. Of those, civic engagement and government consultation are not what TrustArc is typically brought in for.
What can PublicInput do that TrustArc cannot?
PublicInput covers Virtual Public Meetings, Online Surveys, Comment Management, Multi-language Support. TrustArc covers Nymity Research, TRUSTe certification, Consent and preference management, Privacy assessments.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PublicInput: How much does PublicInput cost?

PublicInput does not publish pricing on their website. Customers must request a demo or book a meeting to receive a quote based on their specific needs.

Source
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.

PublicInput: What pricing plans does PublicInput offer?

PublicInput offers Engagement Plans and Meetings Plans, but specific pricing for each plan is not publicly available and requires contacting their sales team.

Source
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.

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.

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