OpenSanctions API alternative for OFAC, EU, UK and UN sanctions screening

Fairquery · Updated October 24, 2026

Price per 1,000 results, side by side

One result is one name screened: one Fairquery screening row, or one OpenSanctions screening query (one credit, per its API FAQ). OpenSanctions prices are from its API page, checked 2026-10-24, in euros excluding VAT, as shown there. Beside each euro price we show an approximate dollar figure at the official European Central Bank euro reference rate of 2026-10-23 (1 EUR = 1.1193 USD; the ECB publishes no rates at weekends, so this was the latest rate on 2026-10-24), rounded down to the cent so the OpenSanctions price is never overstated. VAT, if it applies to you, is not included. Fairquery prices are the Actor's live Apify pay-per-event prices (per-event prices as listed in its live Apify pricing record), checked 2026-10-24; plan fees are from Apify pricing, checked 2026-10-24.

^† Plus a start fee of $7.00 per 1,000 runs (the Actor-start event, charged once per run however many names the run screens; one event at the default 512 MB memory). It is shown separately and is not included in any figure above.

^‡ €2,000 ÷ 30 = €66.66 per 1,000 (rounded down); the shown €66.66 × 1.1193 ≈ $74.61 (rounded down).

Result: Not like-for-like: at the published prices, the Fairquery per-1,000 figure is lower than every OpenSanctions bundle: $3.00 per 1,000 on Apify Free, against €30.00 (about $33.57 at the ECB reference rate of 2026-10-23, excluding VAT) in the largest published OpenSanctions bundle, with no prepayment and no expiring credits. Taxes may apply to Apify charges. OpenSanctions is cheaper for a first evaluation: its 2,000 free credits cover 2,000 queries, which would cost $6.00 on the Fairquery screener at the Free-plan price (more than Apify Free's $5 a month, so a paid Apify plan is needed: on Starter, $19 a month including $19 to spend, the 2,000 names use $5.40 of it), plus the start fee. It is also free for qualifying public-interest work. And its price buys far wider coverage (PEPs, 470+ sources), identifier matching and explained hits.

Who each tool fits best

The OpenSanctions points below come from its API page, licensing page, on-premise page and free-use page; the Fairquery points from the screener's Store page.

OpenSanctions API and the Fairquery screener compared

Facts about OpenSanctions come from its own public pages, checked on 2026-10-24, and use its own wording; each row names its sources, and the full list of sources with check dates is at the end of this page. Plans and prices can change, so check the OpenSanctions API page before you decide.

^† See the start-fee note under the price table.

What it costs: four example workloads

Fairquery prices are Apify pay-per-event prices on the plan named; OpenSanctions prices are bundle prices in euros, excluding VAT, checked 2026-10-24; dollar figures are approximate, at the ECB reference rate of 2026-10-23, rounded down. The Fairquery start fee ($7.00 per 1,000 runs) is listed separately in every row and never added into a total.

This is not a like-for-like comparison. An OpenSanctions credit buys a query against a much larger, deduplicated database with explanations. A Fairquery screening row buys a fuzzy match against five official sanctions lists. Each Fairquery run also loads the lists first and pays its own start fee, so put many names in one run rather than one run per name. For an occasional one-off lookup, OFAC's own Sanctions List Search tool searches the SDN List and OFAC's Non-SDN Consolidated Sanctions List with fuzzy logic.

How the Fairquery screener works

• You pass names. Use names for a plain list or queries with id, country, dateOfBirth and entityType per name.
• It loads the lists from the official sources (or a fresh cached copy in your account): OFAC SDN, OFAC Consolidated, EU, UK and UN.
• It matches token by token, screening every alias, so word order and spelling variants still match; minScore (default 85) sets the threshold.
• It writes one row per name with status, best_score, matches, lists_unavailable and list_versions.
• It is automation-friendly: Apify Schedule, Apify API, or Apify MCP.

A real row from a run on 2026-10-17, trimmed (Banco Nacional de Cuba is a public entry on the OFAC SDN List):

{
  "query": {
    "name": "Banco Nacional de Cuba",
    "id": "company:101",
    "country": "Cuba",
    "date_of_birth": null,
    "entity_type": "entity"
  },
  "status": "potential_match",
  "best_score": 100,
  "match_count": 1,
  "matches": [
    {
      "score": 100,
      "matched_name": "BANCO NACIONAL DE CUBA",
      "list": "OFAC_SDN",
      "entry_id": "306",
      "entity_type": "entity",
      "aliases": [
        "NATIONAL BANK OF CUBA"
      ],
      "programs": [
        "CUBA"
      ],
      "country_match": false,
      "source_url": "https://sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov/Details.aspx?id=306"
    }
  ],
  "lists_screened": [
    "OFAC_SDN",
    "OFAC_CONS",
    "EU",
    "UK",
    "UN"
  ],
  "lists_unavailable": [],
  "min_score": 88
}

Limits: sanctions lists only (no PEPs, adverse media or ownership and control data), name-based matching without identifier matching, batch runs rather than a per-request API, and not a certified screening service: review every potential match against the official source. Details: guide and Store page.

How to start

1. Open the screener on the Apify Store and sign in to Apify.
2. Enter names. A minimal input (the second name is a placeholder):

{
  "names": [
    "Banco Nacional de Cuba",
    "Jane Example"
  ],
  "minScore": 85
}

3. Run it and read the dataset rows (status = potential_match or no_match).
4. Optional: schedule a monthly re-screen, cap max cost per run, or call it from an agent through Apify MCP.
5. Review every potential match against the official list before you act. A no_match row is not a clearance.

FAQ

Is the Fairquery screener a drop-in replacement for the OpenSanctions API?

No. OpenSanctions describes its API as hosted sanctions and PEP screening over a deduplicated database with 470+ sources and 1.7mn+ entities, with matching by identifiers (LEI, IMO, ISIN, BIC or wallet address) and an auditable explanation behind each hit. The Fairquery screener checks names against five official sanctions lists only: OFAC SDN, OFAC Consolidated, the EU Consolidated Financial Sanctions List, the UK Sanctions List and the UN Security Council Consolidated List. It replaces OpenSanctions only if those five lists are all you need.

Does Fairquery screen politically exposed persons (PEPs)?

No. The Fairquery screener covers sanctions lists only. It also does not check adverse media or who owns or controls a company. If your process needs PEP screening or enforcement data, the OpenSanctions API covers those and Fairquery does not.

How much does it cost compared with the OpenSanctions API?

Per 1,000 names screened, Fairquery on Apify (pay per event) costs $3.00 on the Apify Free plan, $2.70 on Starter, $2.40 on Scale and $2.10 on Business, plus a start fee of $7.00 per 1,000 runs (one start fee per run, however many names the run screens). The OpenSanctions API sells prepaid credit bundles, one credit per screening query, excluding VAT: per 1,000 queries that is €100.00 (about $111.93 at the ECB reference rate of 2026-10-23) in the 500-credit bundle (€50), €80.00 (about $89.54) in the 5,000-credit bundle (€400), €66.66 (about $74.61) in the 30,000-credit bundle (€2,000), €50.00 (about $55.96) in the 100,000-credit bundle (€5,000) and €30.00 (about $33.57) in the 500,000-credit bundle (€15,000). The dollar figures are approximate conversions at the European Central Bank euro reference rate of 2026-10-23 (1 EUR = 1.1193 USD), rounded down to the cent; the euro prices exclude VAT. Credits are valid for one year and unused credits are not refunded. A sign-up with a business email starts with 2,000 free credits. Prices checked 2026-10-24.

Can I use OpenSanctions data for free?

For non-commercial use, yes: OpenSanctions publishes its bulk data under CC BY-NC 4.0 and grants free API keys to journalists, advocacy groups and nonprofits working on democratic governance or against corruption and financial crime, academic researchers, and public institutions of countries invaded by the Russian Armed Forces (Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova). OpenSanctions states that any use inside a for-profit business requires a data license and that compliance screening is a commercial use; nonprofits that screen grantees, partners or payments to meet legal obligations get discounted commercial terms rather than free access. Its hosted API can be evaluated with free credits.

How fresh are the lists?

OpenSanctions says it updates its entire collection four times per day. The Fairquery screener downloads the five lists from the official sources, reuses a copy cached in your own Apify account only while it is younger than listCacheMaxAgeHours (default 6 hours, maximum 12), and shows in every result row the date each source gives for its list (for OFAC, the file's last-modified time) and when it was downloaded. An official list can change at any time after download.

Is the Fairquery screener enough for sanctions compliance?

No. The sanctions screener is a screening aid, not a compliance programme, a certified screening service or legal advice. It fuzzy-matches the names you submit against five public lists (OFAC SDN, OFAC Consolidated, EU, UK and UN) and nothing else: it does not check other lists, politically exposed persons, adverse media or who owns or controls a company, and a company owned by a listed person may not be named on any list. A run can use list copies downloaded up to 12 hours earlier (6 by default), and an official list can change at any time. If some lists can't be downloaded, the run continues with the rest and each row names the missing ones under lists_unavailable; if none can be downloaded, the run stops with an error and screens no names. Fuzzy matching can flag the wrong person and miss a real match, so a person should review every potential match against the official source, and a "no match" result is not a clearance. You remain responsible for your own sanctions compliance, including any OFAC obligations that apply to you. Get legal advice on what those obligations are.

Is Fairquery affiliated with OpenSanctions?

No. OpenSanctions is a registered trademark of OpenSanctions Datenbanken GmbH. Fairquery is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by OpenSanctions. The name is used only to compare the two products.

Sources

1. OpenSanctions API page: credit bundles and prices (excluding VAT), 2,000 free credits, 470+ sources, 1.7mn+ entities, matching and integration features. Checked 2026-10-24.
2. OpenSanctions API FAQ: one credit per /match query, up to 100 queries per request, credits valid one year and not carried over or refunded, only successful calls counted, query data held in memory only. Checked 2026-10-24.
3. OpenSanctions data licensing page: updates four times per day, licensing options. Checked 2026-10-24.
4. OpenSanctions free and non-commercial use: CC BY-NC 4.0 bulk data, free API keys for public-interest work, compliance screening counted as commercial use, discounted terms for nonprofit compliance use. Checked 2026-10-24.
5. OpenSanctions on-premise API: self-hosted yente server and its requirements. Checked 2026-10-24.
6. Fairquery OFAC Sanctions Screening (EU, UK, UN) Name Check on the Apify Store: pay-per-event prices, input, output, limits. Checked 2026-10-24.
7. Apify pricing page: Free plan includes $5 to spend; Starter $19/month with $19 to spend and the Bronze Store discount; Scale $199/month with Silver; Business $999/month with Gold. Checked 2026-10-24.
8. OFAC Sanctions List Search tool: fuzzy-logic name search of the SDN List and the Non-SDN Consolidated Sanctions List. Checked 2026-10-24.
9. European Central Bank euro foreign exchange reference rates: US dollar: 1 EUR = 1.1193 USD on 2026-10-23, the latest published rate on 2026-10-24. Checked 2026-10-24.
10. Fairquery guide: screen names against OFAC, EU, UK and UN sanctions lists: how the screener works, with real output.

See also all Fairquery tools, all guides and tools for AI agents.