Cybersecurity · head to head
Sardine vs TrustArc
Sardine
Cybersecurity
Device intelligence and behaviour biometrics for fraud and compliance
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
TrustArc
Cybersecurity
Privacy management platform with regulatory research and the TRUSTe certification programme
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Sardine signal quality depends on the SDK being embedded in your own web and mobile clients, so fraud improvements become dependent on your app release cycle and any coverage gap is a blind spot.; 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: Sardine covers Device intelligence, TrustArc covers Nymity Research.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Sardine and TrustArc actually diverge.
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 Sardine
- Device intelligence
- Behaviour biometrics
- Scam detection
- Onboarding risk scoring
- AML transaction monitoring
- Dispute and chargeback handling
- Rules editor
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.
Sardine
- A neobank losing money to authorised push payment scams where the customer genuinely approved the transfernot TrustArc
- A crypto exchange trying to detect accounts being operated by remote access rather than by their ownernot TrustArc
- A fintech seeing synthetic identity signups that pass document verification but share device characteristicsnot TrustArc
- A lender wanting first party fraud signals at application time that a credit bureau file does not containnot 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 Sardine
- A multinational privacy team that needs a maintained answer to what a given jurisdiction requires without retaining outside counsel for every questionnot Sardine
- An organisation running DPIAs at volume that wants templates tied to a maintained regulatory library rather than to a consultant word documentnot Sardine
- A privacy programme being audited that needs documented maturity benchmarking against a recognised framework of programme activitiesnot Sardine
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Sardine
- Signal quality depends on the SDK being embedded in your own web and mobile clients, so fraud improvements become dependent on your app release cycle and any coverage gap is a blind spot.
- Behavioural and device telemetry collection needs a documented lawful basis under GDPR, and EU privacy reviews frequently delay rollouts that were scoped as engineering work.
- Pricing is per session or per active user, so a consumer product with many low value sessions pays in proportion to traffic rather than to fraud exposure.
- As a younger private company it lacks the enforcement-tested audit history that a bank examiner expects, which makes it a harder sell inside a regulated bank than inside a fintech.
- It is strongest on session-time signals and weaker as a system of record for long horizon AML typologies, so larger institutions end up running it alongside a traditional monitoring platform rather than instead of one.
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
Sardine
On request- Sardine$undefined/year
- Priced per user session or per monthly active user
- Annual contract with volume commitment
- SDK for web, iOS and Android
TrustArc
On request- TrustArc Privacy Platform$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 Sardine if
- You need device intelligence.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want behaviour biometrics.
Questions people ask
- Is Sardine or TrustArc better?
- Neither clearly leads. Sardine 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, Sardine or TrustArc?
- Sardine starts at On request and TrustArc at On request.
- Does Sardine or TrustArc run on more platforms?
- Sardine runs on Web, iOS, Android. TrustArc runs on Web.
- What is Sardine best used for?
- Sardine is most often used for a neobank losing money to authorised push payment scams where the customer genuinely approved the transfer, a crypto exchange trying to detect accounts being operated by remote access rather than by their owner, a fintech seeing synthetic identity signups that pass document verification but share device characteristics, a lender wanting first party fraud signals at application time that a credit bureau file does not contain. Of those, a neobank losing money to authorised push payment scams where the customer genuinely approved the transfer and a crypto exchange trying to detect accounts being operated by remote access rather than by their owner are not what TrustArc is typically brought in for.
- What can Sardine do that TrustArc cannot?
- Sardine covers Device intelligence, Behaviour biometrics, Scam detection, Onboarding risk scoring. TrustArc covers Nymity Research, TRUSTe certification, Consent and preference management, Privacy assessments.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Sardine: Does Sardine do document verification?
It focuses on device, behavioural and transaction signals, and integrates identity verification providers rather than being one. Treat it as complementary to a KYC vendor.
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.
Sardine: What does it need from us to work?
An SDK in your web and mobile applications plus transaction feeds. Without the client side collector you lose the signals that differentiate it.
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.
Sardine: Is pricing published?
No. It is quoted, typically per session or per monthly active user with an annual volume commitment.
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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