Below is a practical, small-business–focused guide to AML screening solutions: recommended vendors, what they do, rough pricing/entry options, pros/cons, and a short checklist to pick and implement the right solution.

Recommended vendors for small businesses (what they offer and entry cost)

• ComplyAdvantage — Full AML data + screening, PEP/sanctions/adverse media, ongoing monitoring, transaction- and payment-screening APIs. They offer a low‑cost “Starter” plan (advertised from about $99.99/month) and a startup access program (ComplyLaunch) for eligible early-stage firms. Good if you want an API-first, scalable service with continuous monitoring. (ComplyAdvantage.com)
• Sumsub — End‑to‑end KYC + AML screening, identity verification, liveness checks and ongoing monitoring; pricing published per verification with low-volume plans and a Compliance plan (includes AML) — useful if you need identity proofing and AML in one product. Their public pricing pages show per-check tiers and minimum monthly commitments for small volumes. (Sumsub.com)
• Refinitiv World‑Check (Thomson Reuters/Refinitiv) — One of the longest‑running, widely used watchlist/PEP/adverse‑media datasets (often used by banks and compliance vendors). Pricing is custom but many small/medium businesses access it via vendors or bundled offerings. Choose this when you need broad, established dataset coverage. (Spotsaas.com)
• NameScan / RiskScreen / niche providers — Lower‑cost or specialist options for small firms that want simple PEP & sanctions screening or batch/manual checks (good for low volume / occasional checks). These can be attractive when you don’t need full automation or transaction monitoring. (PlanetCompliance.com)
• Specialized / vertical options:
  • If you onboard crypto customers: Chainalysis / Elliptic for blockchain screening and AML analytics (not covered in detail above — ask if you need crypto-specific).
  • If you need combined KYB/UBO capabilities for onboarding businesses, look for vendors that explicitly offer KYB / UBO mapping (Sumsub, ComplyAdvantage partners and some niche providers). (Sumsub.com)

Which solution to pick (short guidance)

• If you want simplest path with low monthly cost and API + monitoring: consider ComplyAdvantage Starter or Sumsub Compliance tier (both advertise low-entry options and API access). They let you start small and scale. (ComplyAdvantage.com)
• If your priority is the most comprehensive, long‑standing sanctions/PEP dataset: World‑Check (Refinitiv) or Dow Jones via a reseller — expect custom pricing and possibly higher cost. (Spotsaas.com)
• If you need identity verification plus AML checks in one flow (mobile/web onboarding): Sumsub is oriented to that integrated KYC+AML flow; ComplyAdvantage focuses on AML/watchlists and monitoring but integrates easily with KYC vendors. (Sumsub.com)
• If you have very low volume or occasional checks: consider a pay‑as‑you‑go or manual/web UI provider (NameScan, smaller SaaS) to keep costs minimal. (PlanetCompliance.com)

Key features to compare (for small business needs)

• Dataset coverage: sanctions lists, national watchlists, PEPs, adverse media, company registries, UBO data.
• Ongoing monitoring: does the vendor alert you when a screened customer becomes sanctioned/PEP/adverse‑media flagged?
• Integration options: REST API, web UI, webhooks, batch upload / SFTP.
• Onboarding features: identity verification (ID + liveness), KYB/UBO mapping if you onboard businesses.
• Transaction screening & monitoring: needed if you process payments or want automated AML alerts from flows.
• False‑positive management and case management UI (important to keep manual workload reasonable).
• Compliance evidence: audit logs, exportable decision reports for audits and SAR filings.
• Data residency, security & certifications (SOC2, ISO 27001) and contract/DPA terms.
• Pricing model: subscription with monitored-entity allowance, per-check pricing, or custom enterprise quote.

Typical price expectations (ballpark ranges)

• Low‑entry SaaS starter plans: roughly $100–300/month for small allowance (e.g., ComplyAdvantage Starter ~ $99.99/mo advertised). (ComplyAdvantage.com)
• Per‑verification vendors (KYC+AML): $1–$3 per verification in low volumes (Sumsub shows per-check tiers and minimum monthly commitments). (Sumsub.com)
• Enterprise/custom datasets (Refinitiv, Dow Jones): custom pricing — generally higher, often used through resellers or bundled with AML platforms. (Spotsaas.com) Note: exact pricing varies with checks-per-month, feature set, geographic coverage, and contract terms. Ask vendors for small‑business quotes and trial/test sandbox access.

Regulatory and operational considerations (United States)

• Use a risk‑based approach — screen higher‑risk customers more thoroughly and monitor accordingly (this is expected by regulators like FinCEN). Keep documented policies and thresholds.
• Keep auditable records of screening results, decisions, and ongoing monitoring — you’ll need these for exams or SARs.
• If you accept deposits/payments, integrate transaction monitoring; if you only take one-off payments or low volumes, a watchlist/PEP/adverse‑media solution plus KYB may be sufficient.
• Consider data privacy/consent and data residency requirements when choosing a vendor (important if you operate across jurisdictions).

Quick implementation checklist (for a small business)

1. Define risk tolerance & scope: which customers/products need screening, acceptable false‑positive rates, jurisdictions.
2. Shortlist 2–3 vendors and request sandbox/demo + small‑business pricing. (ComplyAdvantage and Sumsub both offer starter tiers or trials.) (ComplyAdvantage.com)
3. Test end‑to‑end onboarding flow (API/web UI), measure latency, false positives, and manual review workload.
4. Validate audit logging, data retention, and export formats for regulatory reporting.
5. Train staff on triage/escalation and document an AML policy and recordkeeping process.
6. Put ongoing monitoring rules in place (who reviews alerts, SLA for closure/escalation).

Suggested next steps (practical)

• If you want the quickest route: sign up for demos / free trials from ComplyAdvantage and Sumsub to compare: ComplyAdvantage advertises a Starter plan and a ComplyLaunch program for startups; Sumsub provides trial checks and explicit Compliance plan pricing. Use those sandboxes to run 50–100 real test checks to evaluate false positives & UX. (ComplyAdvantage.com)
• If you’re cost‑sensitive but need robust watchlists: ask vendors or resellers how to access Refinitiv World‑Check or Dow Jones via an affordable SMB package or a reseller integration. (Spotsaas.com)

If you’d like, I can:

• Produce a 1–2 page vendor comparison (features, pros/cons, estimated monthly cost) for 3 vendors tailored to your business size and screening volume; or
• Help draft a short RFP/template email you can send to vendors to get small‑business quotes and trial access.

Which would you prefer?