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Cybersecurity · head to head

Sumsub vs Visual Studio Code

Sumsub logo

Sumsub

Cybersecurity

Identity verification and AML screening priced per verification

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

Visual Studio Code

Developer Tools

Code editing. Redefined.

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Visual Studio Code 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 Code requires extension installation for language-specific features and tooling
  • They diverge on capability: Sumsub covers Document verification, Visual Studio Code covers IntelliSense.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Sumsub and Visual Studio Code differ
AttributeSumsubVisual Studio Code
Starting price$1.35/verificationFree
Pricing modelPer verificationUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWindows, macOS, Linux, Web (via GitHub Codespaces)
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools
FoundedUnknown2015

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 Code

  • IntelliSense
  • Debugging
  • Built-in Git
  • Extensions
  • Integrated terminal
  • Syntax highlighting
  • Code refactoring
  • Snippets

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

Visual Studio Code

  • Code editingnot Sumsub
  • Web developmentnot Sumsub
  • Debuggingnot Sumsub
  • Version controlnot Sumsub
  • Remote developmentnot 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 Code

  • Requires extension installation for language-specific features and tooling
  • Performance can degrade with very large codebases (100,000+ files)
  • Git integration is basic; requires extensions for advanced version control workflows

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 Code

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Visual Studio Code 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 Code if

  • You need intellisense.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web (via GitHub Codespaces).
  • You also want debugging.
Visual Studio Code review

Questions people ask

Is Sumsub or Visual Studio Code better?
Neither clearly leads. Sumsub starts at $1.35/verification and Visual Studio Code at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Sumsub or Visual Studio Code?
Visual Studio Code has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1.35/verification for Sumsub and Free for Visual Studio Code.
Does Sumsub or Visual Studio Code run on more platforms?
Sumsub runs on Web, iOS, Android. Visual Studio Code runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web (via GitHub Codespaces).
Can I use Visual Studio Code for free?
Yes. Visual Studio Code 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 Code is typically brought in for.
What can Sumsub do that Visual Studio Code cannot?
Sumsub covers Document verification, AML screening, KYB verification, No-code flow builder. Visual Studio Code covers IntelliSense, Debugging, Built-in Git, Extensions.

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 Code: Is Visual Studio Code free?

Yes. Visual Studio Code is completely free to use under the MIT license. There are no subscription fees or paid tiers.

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 Code: Can I use VS Code for remote development?

Yes. The Remote Development extension pack allows development on remote machines via SSH, in containers, or in Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) while using the full VS Code feature set.

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 Code: How many extensions are available?

The VS Code Marketplace contains thousands of extensions from Microsoft and the community for language support, debuggers, themes, formatters, and productivity tools.

Source
Visual Studio Code: Does VS Code support debugging?

Yes. VS Code includes built-in debugging for JavaScript, TypeScript, and Node.js, and supports debugging for Python, C++, C#, Java, Ruby, Go, PHP, and other languages via extensions.

Source
Visual Studio Code: What operating systems does VS Code support?

VS Code runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux with identical features and keybindings across all platforms.

Source
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