Best KYB APIs for onboarding small businesses

Combined ranking

1. 1
   MMiddeskGrade ↗—10 pts

   Claude #1Gemini #1

   Purpose-built US KYB with direct Secretary of State registration data, IRS TIN matching, watchlist/adverse-media screening, and beneficial-ownership resolution; fast API, strong developer experience, and the de facto choice for fintechs onboarding US SMBs because it verifies thin-file small businesses better than generic identity vendors.

   + model takes & fixes− hide details

   Claude Purpose-built US KYB with direct Secretary of State registration data, IRS TIN matching, watchlist/adverse-media screening, and beneficial-ownership resolution; fast API, strong developer experience, and the de facto choice for fintechs onboarding US SMBs because it verifies thin-file small businesses better than generic identity vendors.

   Gemini Unmatched depth and automation for US small business verification, offering direct integrations with all 50 Secretary of State offices and the IRS for automated TIN/EIN matching, good standing checks, and continuous monitoring. Assumes the primary onboarding footprint is US-based SMBs, achieving 70%+ instant approval rates with minimal manual review. Flagged near-tie with Sumsub for top rank, but edges it out for US-centric SMB onboarding efficiency.

   Where it falls short

   per Claude US-centric — international coverage is shallow, so cross-border onboarding needs a second provider.

   per Gemini Strictly limited to US business entities and lacks native consumer identity verification (KYC), making it unfit for platforms needing international SMB coverage or a single vendor for business and founder verification.

2. 2
   SumsubGrade ↗Visit ↗—8 pts

   Claude #2Gemini #2

   Strong global KYB with company-registry checks, UBO discovery, and tightly integrated KYC of beneficial owners in one flow; broad country coverage and mature AML screening make it the best single vendor for SMBs onboarding outside the US.

   + model takes & fixes− hide details

   Claude Strong global KYB with company-registry checks, UBO discovery, and tightly integrated KYC of beneficial owners in one flow; broad country coverage and mature AML screening make it the best single vendor for SMBs onboarding outside the US.

   Gemini The strongest all-in-one global KYB and KYC platform for SMB onboarding, unifying automated registry lookups, Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) structure mapping, AML screening, and founder KYC into a single API and workflow engine. Flagged near-tie with Middesk for rank 1; ranked second because its broad international scope adds minor workflow configuration overhead when onboarding strictly domestic US SMBs.

   Where it falls short

   per Claude More configuration and workflow overhead; its US small-business data depth trails Middesk, and it's priced/oriented toward larger compliance programs.

   per Gemini Requires monthly commitment minimums and higher tier pricing structures that make low-volume or pre-revenue SMB onboarding use cases cost-inefficient compared to pure pay-as-you-go APIs.

3. 3
   PersonaGrade ↗Visit ↗—6 pts

   Claude #3Gemini #3

   Flexible orchestration that lets you compose KYB + owner KYC + document and database checks into custom, no-code-adjustable flows, with good routing and reusable verifications; excellent when your onboarding logic is non-standard or evolving.

   + model takes & fixes− hide details

   Claude Flexible orchestration that lets you compose KYB + owner KYC + document and database checks into custom, no-code-adjustable flows, with good routing and reusable verifications; excellent when your onboarding logic is non-standard or evolving.

   Gemini Industry-leading developer experience and UI/UX customization for building tailored SMB onboarding flows, combined with a modular identity infrastructure that seamlessly connects business registry lookups with applicant ID verification and document collection. Assumes user experience customization and conversion rate optimization are primary priorities for reducing onboarding drop-off.

   Where it falls short

   per Claude It's a configurable platform, not turnkey business data — you often supply or wire in the underlying data sources and do the compliance design yourself.

   per Gemini Functions primarily as an identity workflow layer rather than a direct global corporate registry aggregator, requiring third-party data vendor add-ons for deep international UBO and registry verification.

4. 4
   AlloyGrade ↗Visit ↗—4 pts

   Claude #4Gemini #4

   Identity-decisioning layer that aggregates many KYB/KYC/fraud vendors behind one API with rules, waterfalls, and case management; strong for tuning approval rates and swapping data sources as you scale.

   + model takes & fixes− hide details

   Claude Identity-decisioning layer that aggregates many KYB/KYC/fraud vendors behind one API with rules, waterfalls, and case management; strong for tuning approval rates and swapping data sources as you scale.

   Gemini Unmatched orchestration engine and decisioning rules builder for financial institutions and platforms needing complex risk scoring (combining KYB registry checks, credit data, and fraud signals) when onboarding small business accounts. Assumes the practitioner is a regulated fintech, bank, or lender with strict compliance policies.

   Where it falls short

   per Claude It's an aggregator that adds a cost and complexity layer on top of vendors you still pay for — overkill and pricey for low-volume or early-stage SMB onboarding.

   per Gemini Heavy implementation overhead and steep annual contract commitments make it an over-engineered and cost-prohibitive choice for basic SMB verification needs outside regulated financial platforms.

5. 5
   EEnigmaGrade ↗—1 pts

   Claude #5Gemini —

   Best-in-class firmographic and small-business identity data, unusually good at confirming existence and activity of tiny/thin-file merchants where registry-only checks fail; valuable as a data spine or enrichment layer.

   + model takes & fixes− hide details

   Claude Best-in-class firmographic and small-business identity data, unusually good at confirming existence and activity of tiny/thin-file merchants where registry-only checks fail; valuable as a data spine or enrichment layer.

   Where it falls short

   per Claude Data-first rather than a full compliance workflow — lighter on turnkey sanctions/watchlist screening and UBO case management, so it's often a complement, not the whole stack.

6. 6
   KKyckrGrade ↗—1 pts

   Claude —Gemini #5

   Direct, authoritative real-time access to official government business registries across 100+ countries, delivering audit-proof corporate filings and official documents for cross-border SMB due diligence. Assumes source-of-truth legal document retrieval and global registry accuracy outweigh out-of-the-box onboarding UI needs.

   + model takes & fixes− hide details

   Gemini Direct, authoritative real-time access to official government business registries across 100+ countries, delivering audit-proof corporate filings and official documents for cross-border SMB due diligence. Assumes source-of-truth legal document retrieval and global registry accuracy outweigh out-of-the-box onboarding UI needs.

   Where it falls short

   per Gemini Functions purely as a backend corporate registry data engine without built-in onboarding UI, applicant-facing workflows, or applicant identity verification (KYC), requiring developers to build all onboarding logic and front-end flows from scratch.

Just missed the top 5

By model

Common questions

Tracked by ModelsAgree · rank 1 = 5 pts … rank 5 = 1 pt · re-polled on demand