specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: sanctions.io
providerId: sanctions-io
created: '2026-07-11'
modified: '2026-07-11'
reconciled: false
tags:
- Anti-Money Laundering
- AML
- Sanctions Screening
- Compliance
- FinOps
- Cost Management
- FOCUS
description: >-
  FinOps view of sanctions.io spend. Cost is driven by screening volume:
  prepaid packages bundle a number of API calls/screenings (published tiers
  have included 5,000 for $899, 50,000 for $2,999, and 200,000 for $5,999)
  that renew after twelve months or once consumed, whichever comes first, and
  custom Enterprise plans start at 25,000+ monthly screenings. Real-time
  searches, batch screening records, and monitoring re-screens all consume
  screening volume; adverse media and database export access are scoped by
  plan. A 7-day free trial (no credit card) covers evaluation. The vendor
  states there are no hidden implementation fees, and pricing is quoted via a
  calculator based on annual volume, monitored entity counts, monitoring
  frequency, watchlist scope, and contract term.
notes: >-
  Per-unit rates beyond the published package tiers are not reconciled here;
  verify current numbers via the pricing calculator during reconciliation. The
  key cost lever is the consumption model - batch and monitoring configuration
  (screening frequency, data source scope, min_score tuning) determine how
  fast plan volume is consumed.
sources:
- https://help.sanctions.io/knowledge-base/pricing-plans
- https://www.sanctions.io/pricing-calculator
- https://api-docs.sanctions.io/
- https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
publisherName: sanctions.io
serviceCategory: Compliance and Risk Screening
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Prepaid Volume Packages
  billingFrequency: Annual (monthly credit card option via calculator plans)
  billingCurrency: USD
  chargeCategories:
  - Purchase
  - Usage
  - Adjustment
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: sanctions.io Screening API
  ServiceCategory: Compliance and Risk Screening
  ProviderName: sanctions.io
  PublisherName: sanctions.io
  InvoiceIssuerName: sanctions.io
  BillingCurrency: USD
  ChargeCategory: Purchase
  PricingCategory: Committed / Prepaid
meters:
- name: screenings
  description: API calls/screenings consumed against the prepaid package (real-time searches and batch records).
  unit: screenings
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - endpoint
  - data_source
- name: monitored_entities
  description: Entities under continuous monitoring; monitoring frequency (once, quarterly, monthly) drives re-screening volume.
  unit: entities
  aggregation: max
  dimensions:
  - account
  - review_status
- name: batch_records
  description: Records submitted in batch screenings (up to 10,000 per request), consuming screening volume in bulk.
  unit: records
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - batch
- name: adverse_media_searches
  description: Adverse media keyword searches (version 3.0 endpoint, or ADV-MEDIA data source in batch/monitoring), scoped by plan.
  unit: searches
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
principles:
- name: Visibility
  description: Track consumed screenings against package volume with GET /searches/count, and tag screenings with external_identifier so consumption maps to customers and workflows.
- name: Allocation
  description: Use external_identifier and per-team API tokens to attribute screening volume to internal cost centers and use cases (onboarding, transactions, periodic audits).
- name: Optimization
  description: Tune min_score and data_source scope to avoid re-screening noise, use batch screening for bulk jobs, right-size monitoring frequency per risk tier, and use webhooks instead of polling.
- name: Accountability
  description: Review volume consumption against the package before the twelve-month/consumption renewal triggers, and re-quote via the pricing calculator when volume patterns change.
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com