CheckFile vs Onfido — Full dossier analysis or ID-only verification?
Onfido is a UK-based identity verification specialist focused on ID documents and facial biometrics. CheckFile takes a different approach: cross-validating entire dossiers comprising identity documents, business filings, bank details, and payslips with customisable business rules. Here is how the two platforms compare.
Feature comparison
Document verification
| CheckFile | Onfido | |
|---|---|---|
| Identity document verification (ID card, passport)Onfido excels here with global coverage | ||
| Business document analysis (company filings, bank details, payslips)Onfido focuses solely on identity documents | ||
| Multi-document cross-validationCheckFile automatically detects inconsistencies across documents | ||
| Document fraud detectionComplementary approaches: visual AI (Onfido) vs data consistency (CheckFile) |
Identity document verification (ID card, passport)
Business document analysis (company filings, bank details, payslips)
Multi-document cross-validation
Document fraud detection
Identity and biometrics
| CheckFile | Onfido | |
|---|---|---|
| Facial recognition / selfie checkCore strength of Onfido | ||
| Liveness detection (proof of presence)Onfido offers advanced anti-deepfake detection | ||
| External enrichment (official registries: Pappers, INSEE, SIREN)CheckFile cross-checks data against French official sources |
Facial recognition / selfie check
Liveness detection (proof of presence)
External enrichment (official registries: Pappers, INSEE, SIREN)
Regulatory compliance
| CheckFile | Onfido | |
|---|---|---|
| EU compliance (AMLD6, ACPR, Tracfin)CheckFile is EU-native; Onfido requires adaptations | ||
| GDPR-native (EU hosting, encryption, auto-deletion)Onfido stores biometric data, a sensitive GDPR area | ||
| Complete audit trail | ||
| Custom business rules per partnerOnfido offers fixed workflows |
EU compliance (AMLD6, ACPR, Tracfin)
GDPR-native (EU hosting, encryption, auto-deletion)
Complete audit trail
Custom business rules per partner
Technology and integration
| CheckFile | Onfido | |
|---|---|---|
| REST API | ||
| Native mobile SDK (iOS/Android)Onfido offers mature mobile SDKs | ||
| Response time under 10 seconds |
REST API
Native mobile SDK (iOS/Android)
Response time under 10 seconds
Pricing
~€0.30 per file
From ~$2-3 per verification (quote-based, volume-dependent)
CheckFile is significantly cheaper for full dossier analysis. Onfido charges per individual identity check, which adds up quickly at scale.
Use cases
Client onboarding in banking or insurance
CheckFile analyses the full dossier (ID + proof of address + bank details + company filings) in a single pass with automatic cross-validation.
KYC compliance for European fintechs
Native ACPR and Tracfin compliance, enrichment via official French registries (Pappers, INSEE), guaranteed EU hosting.
Supplier dossier verification
Onfido does not handle business documents. CheckFile analyses company filings, insurance certificates, and bank details, and verifies consistency across them.
Our verdict
CheckFile and Onfido serve different needs. Onfido excels at individual identity verification with biometrics, ideal for high-volume B2C onboarding. CheckFile is built for complete dossier analysis with custom business rules, perfect for French and European regulatory KYC.
Choose CheckFile if…
- You need to analyse complete dossiers, not just identity documents
- Your compliance is governed by ACPR, Tracfin, or AMLD6
- You want customisable business rules per partner
Choose Onfido if…
- Your primary need is identity verification with facial biometrics
- You need native mobile SDKs for a consumer-facing app