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Cybersecurity · head to head

Sumsub vs Visual Studio

Sumsub logo

Sumsub

Cybersecurity

Identity verification and AML screening priced per verification

From
$1.35/verification
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Visual Studio logo

Visual Studio

Developer Tools

IDE for .NET and C++ development on Windows

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Visual Studio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Sumsub the published per-verification rate is undercut by a monthly minimum of 149 or 299 dollars, so low volume businesses pay a much higher effective rate than the headline suggests.; Visual Studio community edition is free only for individual developers, classroom use, academic research and open-source contribution, not general commercial use
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Sumsub and Visual Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where Sumsub and Visual Studio differ
AttributeSumsubVisual Studio
Starting price$1.35/verificationFree
Pricing modelPer verificationfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools

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 Sumsub

  • Document verification
  • AML screening
  • KYB verification
  • No-code flow builder
  • Transaction monitoring
  • Travel Rule
  • Fraud and duplicate detection

Only in Visual Studio

Nothing recorded that Sumsub does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Sumsub

  • A crypto exchange needing KYC plus Travel Rule handling under one contractnot Visual Studio
  • A gambling operator entering several European markets and needing document coverage without a separate vendor per countrynot Visual Studio
  • A fintech that wants a published price it can model in a business case before speaking to a salespersonnot Visual Studio
  • A marketplace verifying both individual sellers and the companies behind them without buying two productsnot Visual Studio

Visual Studio

  • Managing complex, large-scale projects across multiple platformsnot Sumsub
  • Commercial development in small businessesnot Sumsub
  • DevOps and automated deployment workflowsnot Sumsub
  • Windows/SQL Server developer and tester rolesnot Sumsub
  • Short-term or month-to-month IDE access needsnot Sumsub

Where each one falls short

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

Sumsub

  • The published per-verification rate is undercut by a monthly minimum of 149 or 299 dollars, so low volume businesses pay a much higher effective rate than the headline suggests.
  • You are billed per verification attempt in most configurations, meaning applicant drop-off and resubmissions cost money without producing a customer.
  • Pass rates and document support vary noticeably by country, and a market that works well in Europe can produce materially worse rejection rates in parts of Africa and South East Asia.
  • The AML screening tier bundles list coverage that large institutions would normally buy separately and tune, giving less control over match thresholds than a dedicated screening vendor.
  • The company originated in Russia before restructuring to a UK entity, and some financial institutions still raise that history in vendor risk review, which can slow or block procurement at conservative banks.

Visual Studio

  • Community edition is free only for individual developers, classroom use, academic research and open-source contribution, not general commercial use
  • Monthly subscriptions are $45 per user per month for Professional and $250 per user per month for Enterprise, and do not include perpetual use rights the way annual Standard subscriptions do
  • A standalone perpetually licensed Visual Studio Professional 2022 costs $499 as a one-time purchase, separate from the subscription tiers

Pricing, plan by plan

Sumsub

$1.35/verification
  • Basic$1.35/verification
    • 149 USD minimum monthly spend
    • Document verification and liveness
    • No-code flow builder
  • Compliance$1.85/verification
    • 299 USD minimum monthly spend
    • Everything in Basic
    • AML sanctions and PEP screening
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Negotiated volume rate
    • Custom jurisdictions and languages
    • Dedicated support

Visual Studio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Visual Studio review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Sumsub if

  • You need document verification.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want aml screening.
Sumsub review

Choose Visual Studio if

  • You want to start without paying.
Visual Studio review

Questions people ask

Is Sumsub or Visual Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. Sumsub starts at $1.35/verification and Visual Studio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Sumsub or Visual Studio?
Visual Studio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1.35/verification for Sumsub and Free for Visual Studio.
Does Sumsub or Visual Studio run on more platforms?
Sumsub runs on Web, iOS, Android. Visual Studio runs on Web.
Can I use Visual Studio for free?
Yes. Visual Studio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sumsub starts at $1.35/verification.
What is Sumsub best used for?
Sumsub is most often used for a crypto exchange needing kyc plus travel rule handling under one contract, a gambling operator entering several european markets and needing document coverage without a separate vendor per country, a fintech that wants a published price it can model in a business case before speaking to a salesperson, a marketplace verifying both individual sellers and the companies behind them without buying two products. Of those, a crypto exchange needing kyc plus travel rule handling under one contract and a gambling operator entering several european markets and needing document coverage without a separate vendor per country are not what Visual Studio is typically brought in for.
What can Sumsub do that Visual Studio cannot?
Sumsub covers Document verification, AML screening, KYB verification, No-code flow builder.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Sumsub: What does a verification actually cost?

1.35 USD on Basic and 1.85 USD on Compliance, but with 149 and 299 USD monthly minimums respectively. Below roughly 110 or 160 checks a month you are paying the minimum, not the rate.

Visual Studio: What are the pricing differences between subscription types?

Standard subscriptions include access to more benefits, such as Azure dev/test pricing, monthly Azure individual credit, software and download access, services, training, and support. Monthly subscriptions offer flexibility but fewer benefits.

Source
Sumsub: Do failed verifications get charged?

Attempts are generally billable, so a poor onboarding funnel raises your bill. Confirm the exact resubmission policy in your contract.

Visual Studio: Are discounts available for startups?

There aren't any discounts available to start-ups, however an unlimited number of users within an organization can use Visual Studio Community for specific scenarios like open source work.

Source
Sumsub: Does it cover business verification?

Yes, KYB with company registry lookups and beneficial owner resolution is part of the platform rather than a separate product.

Visual Studio: Who can use Visual Studio Community for free?

In non-enterprise organizations, up to five users can use it. Enterprise organizations (greater than 250 PCs or greater than $1M annual revenue) cannot use it beyond academic/open-source scenarios.

Source
Visual Studio: What's the renewal pricing structure?

Enterprise standard renews at $214.09/month (after initial $499.92); Professional at $66.59/month (after $99.99).

Source
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