The cheapest AML check software in the UK is FigsFlow at £2.10 plus VAT per check, on a platform fee that starts at £8 plus VAT a month. Most UK providers sit between £2.00 and £6.00 per check, with annual licences, monthly minimums, and separate charges for PEP screening and ongoing monitoring layered on top.
This guide breaks down what an AML check must include, the current price across seven UK providers, why prices vary so much, and how to pick a provider without overpaying for features you will never use.
| Provider | Per Check Cost | Monthly/Annual Fees | Total cost (50 checks/year) | Total cost (100 checks/year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FigsFlow | £2.10 | £0 | £105 | £210 |
| IRIS | £2.50 | £250/year license | £375 | £500 |
| Veriphy | £6.00 | £0 | £300 | £600 |
| ClearDil | £0.29-0.59 | £29-119/month | £453-1,728 | £638-1,828 |
What is the cheapest AML check software in the UK?
FigsFlow is the cheapest AML check software in the UK at £2.10 plus VAT per check. It pairs that rate with a platform fee starting at £8 plus VAT a month, and bundles PEP screening, sanctions screening, ongoing monitoring, CDD, EDD workflows, and a Firm-Wide Risk Assessment into the same price.
Before going deep into why FigsFlow takes the top spot and how it compares to every other provider on the market, first the basics. What an AML check actually is, what a compliant check must include, and what the available options put behind their pricing. Get those right, and the comparison further down does the rest.
What is an AML check?
An AML (anti-money laundering) check is the process a regulated firm uses to verify a client’s identity and screen them for financial crime risk before providing services. For UK accountants, tax advisers, and bookkeepers, this forms the core of Customer Due Diligence under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017.
Every AML check answers the same question: can you lawfully act for this person, and what risk does taking them on create for the firm.
What does an AML check include?
A compliant AML check covers three components. Some providers bundle all three. Others charge separately for each.
Identity verification
The client’s identity document, typically a passport or driving licence, is validated against the issuing authority’s records. Biometric checks add a liveness step that matches a live selfie to the document photo to confirm the person presenting the ID is the genuine holder.
PEP and sanctions screening
The client is screened against politically exposed persons databases and UK and global sanctions lists. A match does not automatically disqualify the client, but it triggers Enhanced Due Diligence under Regulation 35 of the MLR 2017 and senior management sign-off before the engagement can proceed.
Ongoing monitoring
A check at onboarding is not enough on its own. Client circumstances change, new sanctions designations appear, and PEP status can shift. Ongoing monitoring runs automated rechecks and flags any change so the firm acts on it without rerunning checks manually. Several providers price this as a separate module.
Is an AML check mandatory for UK accountants?
Yes. Any firm providing accountancy, tax, audit, or bookkeeping services in the UK falls under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 and must conduct Customer Due Diligence on every client before regulated work begins. This applies equally to sole practitioners and large firms. Size and turnover are not relevant. The obligation is the same.
Supervisory bodies (HMRC, ICAEW, ACCA, AAT, CIOT, IFA) expect documented AML procedures and evidence that checks have been carried out and reviewed.
What happens if you do not carry out AML checks?
The consequences fall into two categories: regulatory and reputational.
HMRC and the FCA have issued substantial fines to firms that failed AML obligations. Penalties run into the tens of thousands. In serious cases firms have lost their AML registration entirely, which removes their right to provide regulated services. A failed inspection or supervisory review also creates a reportable event that follows the firm.
The reputational hit is harder to measure but often costs more in the long run. If a client onboarded without proper diligence is later linked to financial crime, the firm’s name attaches to the case.
Who is responsible for AML checks in a practice?
In a sole trader practice, the principal is personally responsible. In any firm with staff, responsibility sits with the nominated officer, commonly the Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO). The MLRO oversees compliance across the practice, reviews flagged cases, and reports suspicious activity to the National Crime Agency where required.
Software handles execution. The named officer holds oversight, sign-off, and escalation decisions.
When should an AML check be carried out?
Before any regulated work begins. Not after the first meeting. Not once the engagement letter is signed. Before.
Re-verification is required when:
- The scope or nature of services changes materially
- There is a change in beneficial ownership or control
- A transaction appears unusual given what the firm knows about the client
- The client has not been reviewed for a defined period under the firm’s own policy (typically annually)
Why AML Checks in the UK Are Getting More Expensive
Three factors are pushing compliance costs higher in 2026:
HMRC Supervision Fee Increases
The Money Laundering Regulations allow HMRC to recover supervision costs through annual fees. In 2025, those fees jumped significantly:
- Premises Fee – £300 to £400 (33% increase). This affects 94% of supervised firms and represents HMRC’s first increase since 2019. If fees had tracked CPI inflation since then, they’d already be £387 to £390, so HMRC argues this is overdue.
- Fit & Proper Test Fee – £150 to £500 for money service businesses and trust/company service providers. HMRC cites an 80% surge in retesting between 2020-2021 and 2024-2025.
- Application Fee – £300 fee reintroduced for new registrations (though small businesses may reclaim it under the Small Business Fee scheme).
These baseline costs hit before you verify a single client.
Multiple Subscriptions & Add-On Costs
Finding the cheapest AML checks in the UK becomes harder when providers split costs across multiple charges:
- Per Check Pricing – Veriphy’s AML and anti fraud check starts at £6. IRIS charges £2.50 for basic ID verification.
- Monthly Minimums – Veriff requires $49/month (about £39) minimum on its essential plan, plus $0.80 per verification. Higher tiers cost $99/month or more.
- Enterprise Tiers – Industry analyses show many AML solutions (ComplyAdvantage, NameScan, SEON, and others) start at €90 to €599 per month. Refinitiv World-Check begins around £300 monthly.
- Extra Modules – Ongoing monitoring, risk assessment templates, and integrations with practice management software often carry separate fees.
The result? A patchwork of tools costing £50 to £500+ per month, plus you still need proposal software (£30 to £70/month) and engagement letter tools.
Pay-Per-Check Inflation
Anti-money laundering checks in the UK keep getting more expensive. IRIS charges £2.50 per UK ID check. Veriphy’s premium biometric checks start at £3.50. Many providers charge separately for PEP/sanctions screening or ongoing monitoring, pushing the total cost per client verification to £6 to £10.
Multiply across dozens of clients, and your annual compliance bill rivals other major overheads like rent or software subscriptions.
Rising fees are exactly why many firms now reassess providers to secure the cheapest anti-money laundering check possible.
AML check cost comparison: UK providers in 2026
| Provider | Per check (+ VAT) | Platform fee | What is included | Total at 100 checks/year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FigsFlow | £2.10 | £8 to £10 / mo | Biometric ID, PEP and sanctions screening, ongoing monitoring, CDD and EDD workflows, Firm-Wide RA, audit trail | £306 to £330 |
| IRIS Elements | £2.50 (UK) / £3.75 (international) | ~£250 / year | Basic ID verification, supplementary modules priced separately | £500 |
| Creditserve | £2.50 to £5.00 | Bundle packages (25, 100, 250 checks) | Tiered per-check rates by volume bundle | £250 to £500 |
| AML Search | £4.00 sub / £5.00 PAYG | £20 / mo (sub) or PAYG | Individual checks; business and entity checks £8 to £10 | £640 |
| Thirdfort | Included in plan | From £83 / mo | AML plus Source of Funds via Open Banking | £996 |
| Veriphy | £2.50 to £6.00 | None | Tiered by complexity; biometric and international cost more | £600 (avg) |
| SmartSearch | Custom | From ~£399 / mo | Enterprise tier; built for high volume | £4,788+ |
All prices plus VAT. Correct as of 2026. Pricing for some providers varies by plan and is published as a range or on request. Verify directly with the provider before commitment.
Why does AML check pricing vary so much?
Wide pricing ranges are not arbitrary. They reflect four structural differences across providers.
- Volume tier discounts and minimum commitments. Some providers offer the lowest per-check rate only after the firm commits to a bundle of 100 or 250 checks. A practice running 30 checks a year still pays for the bundle.
- Bundled versus unbundled features. The headline per-check rate may exclude PEP screening, ongoing monitoring, or EDD workflows. Once these are added, total cost per client can double.
- International coverage premium. UK-only checks are cheaper than checks that cover non-UK identity documents, foreign PEP databases, or cross-border sanctions screening. A firm with mostly UK clients pays for capability it never uses.
- Per-user versus per-check pricing. Some platforms scale by user seat. Adding a junior accountant increases the AML cost even if check volume stays flat. Per-check pricing keeps cost tied to actual usage.
A useful test before signing: ask the provider for the all-in annual cost for the firm’s expected check volume, including every module needed to meet MLR 2017 obligations. If they cannot quote it, the headline rate is not the real rate.
Why FigsFlow is the cheapest AML check software in the UK
FigsFlow prices AML as one module inside a complete client onboarding platform, not as a standalone product. The result: full MLR 2017 coverage at a per-check rate most providers charge for ID verification alone.
The credentials behind the platform:
- Proposal Software of the Year 2026, SME 500 UK Awards
- AML/KYC Solution of the Year 2026, SME 500 UK Awards
- G2 rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
- Trustindex rating: 4.9 out of 5.0 (35 reviews)
What's Included in FigsFlow's £2.10 AML Check (Full Coverage)
-
Biometric ID Verification
Matches a client's photo against their passport or driving license to confirm the person presenting the ID is the real owner.
-
PEP & Sanctions Screening
Real-time searches across UK and global watchlists to flag politically exposed persons, sanctioned individuals, or high-risk entities. This is the check that many providers charge separately for, often £1.50 to £2+ per search.
-
Ongoing Monitoring
Automated alerts notify you if a client's status changes (new sanctions designation, PEP status update, adverse media). You stay compliant without manually rerunning checks. Most providers charge this as an extra module.
-
CDD & EDD Workflows
Guided customer due diligence and enhanced due diligence processes help you document evidence, assess risk levels, and maintain a complete audit trail. These templates are frequently sold separately or offered only in premium tiers.
-
Audit Ready Records
All checks generate exportable reports with timestamps and risk scores. When HMRC comes knocking, you hand over documentation in minutes instead of scrambling through scattered files.
FigsFlow vs the industry average: 100 AML checks per year
| Component | FigsFlow | UK industry average |
|---|---|---|
| Platform / licence fee | £96 to £120 | £250 to £600 |
| Per-check fee (100 checks) | £210 | £400 (at £4 average) |
| Annual total | £306 to £330 | £650 to £1,000 |
Annual saving with FigsFlow: £320 to £694.
The industry average is calculated from published pricing of the seven UK providers in the comparison table above, excluding the enterprise tier (SmartSearch) which skews the mean upward. The gap widens further once the firm replaces separate proposal and engagement letter subscriptions, which are included in the FigsFlow plan at no additional cost.
Beyond AML Checks in the UK: What FigsFlow Offers
FigsFlow is a complete client onboarding platform handling every stage of the client journey from initial proposal through ongoing compliance.
- Proposals & Engagement Letters in 9 Clicks
Generate professional proposals and engagement letters with customisable templates, consistent pricing structures, and built-in e-signature workflows. Your signature automatically populates letters before they are sent to clients.
- Automated Payment Collection
- GoCardless integration: Configure direct debit so clients can add bank details when signing engagement letters. Payments are deducted automatically from then on unless the client disengages.
- AdFin integration: Streamlined payment collection across all client services.
- Disengagement Management
Generate disengagement letters automatically for services clients want to end. Edit before sending and maintain complete audit trails of service changes.
- Company Data Import
Companies House and Irish CRO integration: Import organisation contact details and associated contacts directly into FigsFlow without manual data entry.
- Team Collaboration & Integrations
Role-based access and permissions, HubSpot, Xero, QuickBooks, and Stripe integrations.
Honestly, it’s too much to list here. Try FigsFlow free for 30 days and see for yourself.
How to choose AML check software: 6 questions to ask
Before committing to any AML provider, get a written answer to each of these:
- Is PEP and sanctions screening included in the per-check fee, or charged separately? If separately, what is the all-in cost.
- Is ongoing monitoring included, or is it priced as a monthly add-on per client? This is where annual cost balloons quietly.
- Is there a monthly minimum, a volume commitment, or a bundle that has to be purchased upfront? Pay-as-you-go protects low-volume practices.
- Are CDD and EDD workflows built into the platform, or do these have to be built manually? EDD under Regulation 33 is not optional for high-risk clients.
- Does the platform produce an audit-ready record for every check, retained for the required period and exportable on demand? Supervisors expect this.
- Does the AML module integrate with the proposal and engagement letter workflow, or does it sit in a separate platform? Integration removes manual data entry and prevents records falling out of sync.
A provider that cannot answer all six in writing is not the right provider.
Additional Resources
- Discover the top 6 AML Software for Accountants in 2025: Best 6 AML Software Every Accountant Needs – #Last Will Surprise You!
- Here’s the top 5 Features every accountant should look for in AML Software: 5 Must-Have AML Software Features for Accountants In 2025 | Figsflow
- Discover the top-notch AML Software for accounants. Spoiler! It’s within your budget. Best AML Software 2025 | Leading AML Solutions for UK Firms | FigsFlow
- Discover why FigsFlow is the top Choice for AML Compliance: Best Anti-Money Laundering Software for Accountants | FigsFlow
- HMRC’s supervision fee jumping 33%: HMRC’s anti-money laundering (AML) supervision fees: responses and next steps
Conclusion
AML compliance is not the cost centre most practices think it is. The right software puts every check, every PEP screen, every monitoring alert, and every EDD review into one auditable trail at a per-check cost lower than a coffee. The wrong software stacks subscriptions, hides screening behind add-ons, and leaves the firm scrambling at inspection.
At £2.10 plus VAT per check, FigsFlow is the cheapest AML check software in the UK, and the included Firm-Wide Risk Assessment, EDD workflow, and audit trail mean the cheapest is also the most complete.
Start a 30-day free trial at figsflow.com. No card required.
See How Much You Can Save on AML Compliance
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
FigsFlow is the cheapest AML software in the UK at £2.10 per check with an £8-£10 monthly subscription. Unlike other providers charging £50-£500 monthly plus separate per-check fees, FigsFlow includes biometric verification, PEP screening, ongoing monitoring, and risk assessments in one flat price with no hidden costs.
FigsFlow is the best AML software for UK accountants because it combines compliance with client onboarding in one platform. It handles AML checks, proposals, engagement letters, and payment collection at £2.10 per check, eliminating the need for multiple subscriptions that typically cost practices hundreds of pounds monthly.
AML compliance typically costs UK accounting practices £1,680-£2,280 annually when using traditional providers with separate software for proposals, engagement letters, and verification. FigsFlow reduces this to £234-£426 annually by bundling everything in one platform at £2.10 per check with no hidden fees or monthly minimums.
No. FigsFlow integrates AML checks with proposals, engagement letters, e-signatures, and payment collection into a single workflow. This eliminates the need to pay for multiple platforms (typically £95-£320 monthly combined) and simplifies compliance by keeping all client documentation in one place.
FigsFlow’s £2.10 AML check includes biometric ID verification, PEP and sanctions screening, ongoing monitoring with automated alerts, CDD/EDD workflows, and audit-ready reports. Most competitors charge these features separately, with PEP screening alone costing £1.50-£2+ per check as an add-on.
