Onfido vs Sanity: Full Comparison (2026)
Pricing, features, scores, and a clear verdict on which one is right for you.
The bottom line
Onfido positions itself as "real identity at global scale" while Sanity goes after "developer-first headless cms with real-time collaboration" — so the right pick depends on which problem you're actually solving. They take different commercial approaches — Onfido uses a enterprise-based model and Sanity a freemium approach, which affects how costs scale as your team grows. Sanity lets you start for free, which means you can validate the fit before committing budget. Onfido requires a paid commitment upfront, so make sure it matches your workflow before signing. Onfido (founded 2012) has had more time to build out its ecosystem and integrations, while Sanity (2017) tends to move faster on modern UX and newer workflows.
At a glance
| Onfido | Sanity | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 79/100 | 82/100 |
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Best for | Real identity at global scale | Developer-first headless CMS with real-time collaboration |
Pricing comparison
Calculate your cost
Feature comparison
core
| Feature | Onfido | Sanity |
|---|---|---|
| ID document verification | Yes | No |
| Biometric verification | Yes | No |
| Liveness detection | Yes | No |
| 160+ countries | Yes | No |
| KYC workflows | Yes | No |
| Content modeling (schema) | No | Yes |
| GROQ query language | No | Yes |
| Real-time collaboration | No | Yes |
| Custom Studio | No | Yes |
| Portable Text | No | Yes |
Ratings breakdown
What the data tells us
Key capabilities you'd miss
Choosing Onfido means going without Content modeling (schema), GROQ query language, Real-time collaboration (which Sanity offers). Choosing Sanity means losing ID document verification, Biometric verification, Liveness detection. These are the features that typically drive the final decision — check whether your workflow depends on any of them before committing.
What company size tells you
Onfido (501-1000 employees) has the engineering bench to ship features across many fronts but may iterate slower on individual requests. Sanity (201-500 employees) typically ships faster on its core product but may lag on peripheral features. Consider which matters more for your roadmap.
Choose Onfido if...
- You're ready to invest from $null/mo
- You value powerful features over simplicity
- You need enterprise-grade capabilities
Choose Sanity if...
- You want a free tier to get started
- You value powerful features over simplicity
- Getting strong value for money is a priority
Frequently asked questions
Is Onfido or Sanity better?
Sanity scores 82/100 compared to Onfido's 79/100 on VendorVS. However, the best choice depends on your needs — Onfido excels at ease of use (7/10) while Sanity scores 7/10.
How much does Onfido cost compared to Sanity?
Onfido starts at free. Sanity starts at free (free tier available). Onfido is the more affordable option.
Does Onfido or Sanity have a free plan?
Sanity offers a free tier. Onfido does not — its cheapest plan starts at $null/mo.
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