Descartes Visual Compliance

visualcompliance.com

From $250/mo WebiOSAndroidAPI

Spec score 8.6 #1 of 21 in Global Trade Management Software

What it is

Descartes Visual Compliance provides cloud software for regulatory and trade compliance, including denied-party screening, audit and resolution, OFAC compliance, export classification and automation, and risk management. Its denied and restricted party screening covers lists from 180+ countries. Compliance Manager Workflow centralizes alerts, screening history, rescreening management, and match resolution; recorded actions include the date and user. Integrated screening supports Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle, Salesforce, SAP, Infor, Shopify, NetSuite, HubSpot, and custom-built or legacy systems. A mobile screening solution is designed for mobile devices and works with major mobile platforms. The vendor describes encryption, authentication and authorization controls, secure servers, monitoring, and intrusion detection, and says it provides training, technical support, regulatory product updates, and dedicated customer success support. Pricing is on request. The pricing page says basic implementations for small screening volumes and one user start at a few thousand dollars a year; a typical customer screening 50,000 entities should budget around $20,000 a year. Listed plans include Standard, Mid-Market, and Enterprise, with additional capabilities at each tier.

Spec sheet

What it does: Descartes Visual Compliance automates global trade, export and financial compliance processes, especially denied-party screening and export licensing.Read 19 Oct 2026 · descartes.com
Purpose: The product provides regulatory and trade compliance software, including denied party screening, audit and resolution, OFAC compliance, export classification, export automation, and risk management.Read 3 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Intended users: The vendor describes the solutions as serving compliance teams across export compliance, supply chain, logistics, finance, IT, legal, sales, procurement, R&D, HR, and visitor management.Read 3 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Integrations: Listed integrations include SAP, Salesforce, Oracle, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, Infor, Workday and ProShip.Read 19 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Security: The company says it uses advanced encryption, authentication, and authorization controls, secure servers, routine monitoring, and intrusion detection to protect data.Read 3 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Support: The vendor says it provides training, technical support, regulatory-related product updates, and dedicated customer success support.Read 3 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Headquarters: Waterloo, Ontario, CanadaRead 28 Sep 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Acquisition and scale: Descartes says it acquired Visual Compliance, which served more than 2,000 customers and over 67,500 subscribers in more than 100 countries at the time described.Read 19 Oct 2026 · descartes.com
Add-ons: The pricing page lists forced labor compliance, sanctioned party ownership screening, anti-corruption compliance, adverse media searches, and military end use screening as add-ons.Read 3 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
AI matching: AI Assist is designed to prioritize matches and reduce false positives during screening review.Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Android app: The Google Play mobile screening app requires a Visual Compliance subscription, was updated August 25, 2026 and shows 500-plus downloads.Read 19 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Android data-safety declaration: Google Play lists no third-party data sharing, no data collection, encryption in transit and says data cannot be deleted for the app.Read 19 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
API and extensibility: An official Descartes brochure says Visual Compliance APIs integrate with ERP systems or other systems and support rapid implementation.Read 19 Oct 2026 · descartes.com
Audit and resolution: The product provides workflows for resolving potential matches and recording decisions and screening history.Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Audit retention: The Standard plan advertises automated recordkeeping with a seven-year audit-trail retention period.Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Batch screening: Batch Screening bulk-checks current and prospective business partners in one operation.Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Company profile: LinkedIn lists Descartes Visual Compliance + Descartes MK Data as a privately held software-development company founded in 1981 with 51–200 employees and headquarters in North York, Ontario.Read 19 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Dynamic screening: Dynamic Screening rechecks records daily against changes to watchlists.Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Export automation: Export automation includes license management, license determination, license acquisition and documentation workflows.Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Export classification: Modules support ECCN, USML, EU and Schedule B export classification workflows.Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Hosting: The same official brochure describes the application as running in a private cloud.Read 19 Oct 2026 · descartes.com
Implementation: The vendor says its goal is to get every user up and running within a day with minimal training.Read 3 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Integrated screening: Integrated Screening embeds automated checks directly in business systems and workflows.Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Limit: false positives: GetApp reviewers say poorly tuned search preferences can generate false positives and that auditing individual users can be difficult in shared corporate accounts.Read 19 Oct 2026 · getapp.co.uk
Limit: filtering and navigation: G2 reviewers report a need for better filtering and email controls, inefficient navigation and too many similar or irrelevant matches.Read 19 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Limit: sanctions usability: Capterra review summaries include complaints that sanctions content can be difficult to find and export limitations are hard to understand.Read 19 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Limit: subscription cost: G2 reviewers report that adding batch screening can be expensive and that smaller organizations may find pricing less affordable.Read 19 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Mobile access: The mobile restricted party screening solution is designed for mobile devices and works with major mobile platforms.Read 3 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Notable news: G2 recognition: Descartes announced on March 27, 2024 that user reviews placed its denied-party screening product in G2’s 2024 Best Software awards across 12 categories.Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Online screening: Users can perform cloud-based, ad-hoc checks of business partners and other parties.Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Praise: Capterra reviewers: Capterra reviewers commonly describe the platform as user-friendly, customizable and backed by quick support.Read 19 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Praise: GetApp reviewers: GetApp reviewers repeatedly praise the interface, fast results, broad data, easy screening and customer support.Read 19 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Praise: training and integration: Software Advice reviewers praise webinars, easy integration, straightforward use and quick customer-service responses.Read 19 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Praise: usability and support: G2’s review summary repeatedly highlights ease of use, intuitive screening, fast processing and responsive, knowledgeable support.Read 19 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on Capterra: 4.9 out of 5 from 35 reviews.Read 19 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Rating on G2: 4.8 out of 5 from 168 reviews.Read 19 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on GetApp: 4.9 out of 5 from 35 reviews.Read 19 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Rating on Software Advice: 4.9 out of 5 from 35 reviews.Read 19 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Risk management modules: Risk offerings include forced-labor, sanctioned-ownership, BIS 50-percent-rule, adverse-media and anti-corruption screening.Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Screening coverage: The screening service covers lists from more than 180 countries.Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Security certifications: Descartes reports annual IT audits, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, ISO 27001 certification and SOC 2 Type II reports for its information-security program.Read 19 Oct 2026 · descartes.com
Security controls: The product site states that customer data is protected with encryption, authentication, authorization controls, monitoring and intrusion detection.Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Security environment: The Compliance Manager Workflow page describes secure SSAE16 environments and built-in security safeguards.Read 3 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Starting budget: The pricing page says basic implementations for small screening volumes and one user start at a few thousand dollars a year, and a typical customer screening 50,000 entities should budget around $20,000 a year.Read 3 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Support and training: The vendor advertises technical support, regulatory updates, ongoing training and dedicated customer-success representatives, with a goal of getting users running within a day.Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com
Workflow: Compliance Manager Workflow offers centralized dashboard alerts, screening audit history, rescreening management, and match resolution with actions recorded by date and user.Read 3 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com

Plans and prices

GetApp listed starting price $3,000 a year per user per year subscription listing Read 19 Oct 2026 · getapp.com

Typical 50,000-entity deployment $20,000 a year annual typical customer screening 50,000 entities Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com

Basic implementation Price not published annual small screening volumes · one user · lists from 180+ countries Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com

Enterprise Priced on request Mid-Market features · multi-department and geographic implementation · multiple business-system integrations · single sign-on Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com

Mid-Market Priced on request Standard features · integrated screening · ERP/CRM/SCM and legacy-system integration · AI screening · dedicated customer-success manager Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com

Standard Priced on request online screening · batch screening · dynamic screening · search tuning · compliance workflow · allow/block lists · automated records · 7-year audit trail · support · training · regulatory updates Read 19 Oct 2026 · visualcompliance.com

Every Descartes Visual Compliance plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

Screening covers lists from 180+ countries.
Workflow records actions by date and user.
Integrates with major business systems.
Vendor says it provides training and technical support.

Limits

Pricing is available on request.
A typical 50,000-entity screening customer should budget around $20,000 yearly.

Who it suits

It is intended for compliance teams across export compliance, supply chain, logistics, finance, IT, legal, sales, procurement, R&D, HR, and visitor management. Organizations screening against denied or restricted party lists may find its screening and workflow features relevant.

Descartes Visual Compliance in depth

Read the full write-up

Descartes Visual Compliance is a trade and regulatory compliance platform for organizations screening parties and managing export processes. It fits teams that need screening coordinated across departments and business systems. Its broad workflow is a strength, but the custom-priced platform may be excessive for occasional checks.

Overview

The product combines denied-party screening, audit and match resolution, OFAC compliance, export classification and automation, and risk management. Its screening covers lists from more than 180 countries, useful for organizations with international transactions. That breadth is less compelling for businesses that need only intermittent screening or classification.

Cloud deployment and Android, iOS, and web access support work across offices and mobile devices. The dedicated mobile restricted-party screening solution is designed for mobile use. The company describes encryption, authentication and authorization controls, secure servers, monitoring, and intrusion detection; its Compliance Manager Workflow also describes secure SSAE16 environments.

Key features

Screening and workflow

Compliance Manager Workflow brings alerts, screening audit history, rescreening management, and match resolution into a centralized dashboard. Recording actions by date and user supports traceability when teams need to review how a potential match was handled. Standard includes this workflow, allow/block lists, automated recordkeeping, and a seven-year audit trail, making it a substantial starting tier rather than a bare screening service.

Integrations and expansion

Integrated screening supports Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle, Salesforce, SAP, Infor, Shopify, NetSuite, HubSpot, and custom-built or legacy systems. Mid-Market adds integrated screening across ERP, CRM, SCM, legacy, and other business systems, AI-enabled screening, and a dedicated customer success manager. Enterprise extends that approach across departments, business units, and geographies, adds integration into multiple business systems, and includes single sign on. Those higher tiers are most relevant when screening must operate across a complex organization; smaller teams may not need their additional reach.

Additional capabilities include sanctions screening, tariff classification, and trade document generation. Optional add-ons cover forced labor compliance, sanctioned party ownership screening, anti-corruption compliance, adverse media searches, and military end use screening. These broaden the potential compliance scope, though add-ons make it important to weigh the full package against the team's actual requirements.

Pricing

Visual Compliance is paid software with custom pricing; Standard, Mid-Market, and Enterprise have no published plan prices. The pricing page says basic implementations for small screening volumes and one user start at a few thousand dollars a year. A typical customer screening 50,000 entities should budget around $20,000 a year. These are useful budget anchors, but the gap between a one-user deployment and that screening volume makes a quote essential.

Standard suits teams seeking online, batch, and dynamic screening, search tuning, workflow, allow/block lists, recordkeeping, a seven-year audit trail, support, and training. Mid-Market fits organizations that need screening embedded in business systems and a dedicated customer success manager. Enterprise is aimed at broader, multi-department and multi-geography deployments, with multiple system integrations and single sign on. The higher tiers add organizational scale rather than a lower-cost entry point.

The vendor says it provides training, technical support, regulatory-related product updates, and dedicated customer success support. It also aims to get each user up and running within a day with minimal training. These commitments may ease adoption, but implementation scope and screening volume still matter to the annual budget.

Platforms

Visual Compliance runs in the cloud and supports web, Android, and iOS. Mobile access is specifically suited to restricted-party screening; the platform's other capabilities are presented as part of its cloud compliance offering.

Who it's for

The vendor positions the product for compliance teams spanning export compliance, supply chain, logistics, finance, IT, legal, sales, procurement, R&D, HR, and visitor management. It is strongest for organizations that need repeat screening, a documented resolution process, and connections to business systems. A small operation with low screening volume should compare the likely annual cost with a narrower screening or classification tool before committing.

Pros and cons

Broad international screening: Coverage of lists from 180+ countries suits organizations handling parties across multiple markets.

Traceable resolution workflow: Centralized alerts, rescreening management, recorded actions, and a seven-year audit trail support ongoing review and accountability.

Wide integration reach: Named ERP, CRM, and commerce integrations, plus custom and legacy systems, can place screening in existing business processes.

Budget can be significant: A typical 50,000-entity customer should budget around $20,000 a year, which may be hard to justify for low-volume use.

Custom-priced tiers: Without fixed plan prices, buyers need a quote to compare Standard, Mid-Market, and Enterprise against their deployment needs.

Alternatives

Trade Management Software is a useful category to compare if you want to survey trade-management options beyond this platform.

CustomsLogIQ may suit a buyer focused on classification who wants to begin without a subscription: its free plan includes three credits each month for single and vision classification, with subsequent credits at $1 each, manual one-item-at-a-time entry, and no card required. It is web- and API-based rather than a broad screening workflow described here.

XEMI is another paid option with customized pricing based on business needs and a free trial; consider it when a trial is important before choosing a custom-priced tool.

QAD Adaptive ERP is a paid alternative available on Android, iOS, web, and API.

e2open Global Trade Management is a paid web-based option with a Global Trade Management plan offered by speaking to an expert.

Enthron AI is worth considering for a lower-cost classification and screening entry point: its Flex plan is £5 a month, billed monthly, and includes 50–2,500 classifications per month, tariff and duties lookup, sanctions screening, export control beta, and developer API access. It also offers a free plan and free trial.

GetRegNex offers a free access plan with full Pro access and early pricing, which may appeal to buyers prioritizing free access.

LandedCost may be a better fit for agencies managing client workspaces: its Agency & Enterprise plan starts at $49 a month per active client workspace and includes custom seats, multi-client workspaces, and dedicated support; it also offers a free trial.

TariffPilot has a Starter plan at 199.00 € per month on an annual contract, with 600 proposals per year, two users, documentation support, and a €300 one-time setup fee. It may suit buyers who want a defined proposal quota and user allowance.

Verdict

Choose Descartes Visual Compliance if your organization needs international party screening tied to audit, rescreening, and match-resolution workflows across teams and business systems. Its central advantage is the combination of broad coverage and an accountable, integrable workflow. Look elsewhere if your screening volume is modest or you need predictable low-cost pricing: the likely annual budget and custom quotes make this a considered enterprise purchase.

Verdict

Visual Compliance combines screening coverage with audit, rescreening, and match-resolution workflows. Obtain a quote and assess the likely annual budget against screening volume and implementation needs.