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ZealiD vs SmartSearch
SmartSearch is a UK anti-money laundering platform built on electronic data checks, with PEP, sanctions and beneficial-ownership monitoring. Trust Circle verifies each client with an ID document and a face check, shares their files and handles qualified signatures, with no fee per check. Here is how they compare.
In short
SmartSearch wins on screening depth.It screens against Dow Jones PEP and sanctions data with daily monitoring, monitors beneficial owners and runs business checks and transaction screening. It says it serves "1 in 3 of the UK's top 200 legal firms" and "1 in 2 of the UK's top 100 accountancy firms".
SmartSearch starts with data. Trust Circle starts with the ID document.SmartSearch checks clients electronically against credit-bureau data, with a UK pass rate of "up to 97%", and offers SmartDoc for document checks with facial recognition. In Trust Circle every client verifies once with an ID document and a face check, valid for two years, with no fee per check.
Trust Circle also shares and signs.SmartSearch has no e-signature. Trust Circle gives each client a shared space for their files and a qualified signature. Firms that need screening keep their screening tool and record its result in the KYC questionnaire.
ZealiD and SmartSearch, side by side
Sources: SmartSearch homepage (its pricing page returned no page), SmartSearch on Trustpilot and ZealiD pricing. Checked November 2026. Qualified status checked on the EU Trusted List.
Where they really differ
Screening built in, or recorded from your own tool
SmartSearch goes deep on screening: PEP and sanctions with daily monitoring, beneficial owners, business checks and transaction screening. That is its real strength. Trust Circle checks identity with an ID document and a face check, and stops there. If you need screening, you run it in a tool built for it and note the result in the KYC questionnaire. What Trust Circle adds is the rest of the client file: shared documents and qualified signatures.
What each one covers
A data match, or a person verified for two years
An electronic check matches your client's details against credit-bureau data. It is fast, and SmartSearch reports a UK pass rate of up to 97%. In Trust Circle, each client verifies once in the ZealiD app with their ID document and a face check, and stays verified for two years. That works the same for clients with no UK credit history, from 50+ nationalities.
Read your contract before renewal
SmartSearch prices are not published, so your contract is the place to look. Check the price per search, whether unused fees roll over, how long the term runs and how you keep access to your AML records if you leave. Some Trustpilot reviewers say fees were non-refundable and could not be rolled over.
Then put the answers next to the Trust Circle plan for your team, where ID checks are included. Keep screening in your total, since you would still need it.
In your SmartSearch contract
What each one costs
SmartSearch does not publish prices, and its pricing page returned no page when we checked. You get a price through a demo. Trust Circle is priced per plan, billed yearly, with identity verification included and a set allowance of qualified signatures.
SmartSearch
Prices given on request, through a demo
Visit SmartSearch →Trust Circle
A month, billed yearly. ID checks included
See pricing →Which one is right for you?
Choose SmartSearch if:
- You need deep PEP and sanctions screening with daily monitoring
- You monitor beneficial owners on company clients
- You want instant electronic checks for clients with a UK credit history
- You also need transaction screening
Choose Trust Circle if:
- You want every client to show their ID document and face
- Your clients come from abroad, without a UK credit history
- You want prices you can see before you talk to sales
- You share documents with clients and they sign with a qualified signature
- You have clients in the EU as well as the UK
Use both if: you need SmartSearch's screening depth. Keep it for PEP, sanctions and beneficial owners, record the result in the KYC questionnaire, and use Trust Circle to verify each client with their ID document, share files and sign.
What Trust Circle doesn't do
Live sanctions and PEP screening, beneficial ownership checks and the risk decision stay with your firm.
It doesn't run electronic checks against credit-bureau data or transaction screening.
What our customers say
Following a challenging couple of weeks during which our previous TSP partner refused to accept the latest form of identity documents from Malta, it became crucial for us to locate a provider who could smoothly integrate it into our system. ZealiD offers a robust platform and a competitive pricing model which is among the finest in the industry.
Paper procedures are a no-go for modern businesses with complicated signing journeys and long delays. It was time for us to go digital, and ZealiD came through with a user-friendly and simple solution that cut our signing cycles from weeks to just minutes ensuring the highest level of security.
ABN AMROMicrosoftDLA PiperBird & BirdBinderrOyster HRCALIPIA
More comparisons
Verify, share and sign in one place
- Identity verification in every plan, no fee per check
- Verified once, valid for two years
- ZealiD AB is a qualified trust service provider on the EU Trusted List
- Documents stored in Stockholm, EU
Common questions
Does Trust Circle screen clients against sanctions and PEP lists?
No. Trust Circle verifies who your client is, but it doesn't run live sanctions or PEP screening. You keep a screening tool, such as SmartSearch, and record its result in the KYC questionnaire next to the client's verified identity. The KYC questionnaire is an add-on on Professional, €100 a month.
Does identity verification cost extra?
No. It's included in every Trust Circle plan, from Micro to Enterprise, with no limit on how many clients you verify and no fee per check. Your client doesn't pay either, and the verification stays valid for two years. See plans.
How much does SmartSearch cost?
SmartSearch does not publish prices. Its pricing page returned no page when we checked in November 2026, and the homepage offers a demo. SmartSearch.
What is the difference between an electronic ID check and a document check?
An electronic check matches a client's name, address and date of birth against data such as credit records. A document check looks at the client's ID document and compares it with their face. Trust Circle uses the document check for every client, which also works for people without UK records. Identity verification.
Does SmartSearch offer electronic signatures?
No. Trust Circle includes qualified electronic signatures from ZealiD, a qualified trust service provider. Qualified electronic signature.
Is ZealiD a qualified trust service provider?
Yes. ZealiD AB is on the EU Trusted List (Sweden), supervised by PTS and audited every year by TÜViT and SRC Security. Files in Trust Circle are kept in Stockholm, EU. Certifications and compliance.