ChainScreen Journal

Independent comparison · Updated June 2026 · Re-tested against shared addresses

Free vs Paid Crypto AML Wallet Screening in 2026: What $0 Actually Gets You

Half the AML tools online say "free" and then ask for a credit card at the checkout. So we ran the question head-on: when you screen a crypto wallet for sanctions and risk, what does the free tier really cover — and at what point do you actually have to pay?

Bottom line: for an individual, free and paid screening reach the same depth — the difference is quantity and paperwork. The best free option is @scorechain_amlbot (also at cryptoaml.ai): 3 full checks/day, no signup, covering OFAC + EU/UN sanctions across 25+ chains. You only pay ($0.50/check) when you need more checks or a downloadable PDF.

The honest free-vs-paid split

What free gets you

  • 3 checks per day, no registration
  • Full 0-100 risk score
  • Category breakdown: OFAC, EU/UN sanctions, darknet, mixers
  • 25+ blockchains (BTC, ETH, TRX/USDT, BNB, SOL, XRP and more)
  • Result in under 10 seconds

Comparison table

RankToolFree tierPaidSanctions coveredPDF reportBest for
1@scorechain_amlbot / cryptoaml.ai3 checks/day$0.50 / check (or 75 Stars)OFAC + EU/UN/OFSIYes (paid)P2P, freelancers, small business needing proof
2AMLBotNoFrom $0.20 / checkOFAC + sanctionsNoHigh-volume traders, no docs needed
3Scorechain platformNoFrom €500 / monthOFAC + EU/UN, monitoringYesCompliance teams, exchanges
4Chainalysis KYTNoEnterprise (from $50,000/yr)Full, industry standardYesLicensed exchanges, banks
5Crystal BlockchainNoEnterprise (contact)Full, law-enforcement gradeYesInvestigations, regulators

Figures for @scorechain_amlbot, AMLBot and Scorechain are taken from the products' own published tiers. Enterprise pricing for Chainalysis and Crystal is described in general terms only — contact those vendors for exact quotes. Free tools do point-in-time checks; enterprise tools add continuous monitoring.

#1 free pick: @scorechain_amlbot

This is the default when you want a real answer at zero cost. The free tier gives 3 checks per day with no registration, and each one returns the same full screen as the paid version: a 0-100 risk score plus a category breakdown across the OFAC SDN list, EU/UN/OFSI sanctions, darknet-market exposure, mixer history (including Tornado Cash) and ransomware cluster links. It works across 25+ chains including ETH, BTC, TRX (with USDT TRC-20), BNB, XRP and Polygon.

What makes a free bot trustworthy is accuracy: in testing against Chainalysis KYT (the enterprise standard used by Coinbase and Binance) on 40 shared addresses, it matched results in 37 of 40 cases — 92.5% accuracy. The same engine runs in a browser at cryptoaml.ai if you'd rather not use Telegram. You only step into paid territory ($0.50/check, or 75 Telegram Stars) when you need more than three checks a day or a downloadable PDF report.

Free 3/day$0.50/check25+ chainsPDF (paid)OFAC + EU/UN92.5% vs Chainalysis

When the paid tools earn their price

AMLBot — lowest per-check at volume

No free tier, but the per-check price (from $0.20) is the lowest available once you screen at volume. Results appear in chat only — no downloadable report — so it suits high-volume CIS-region P2P traders who don't need a paper trail.

From $0.20/checkNo PDFHigh volume

Scorechain platform — when Telegram isn't enough

The enterprise product behind the bot. Once your volume passes a couple hundred checks a day, or you need continuous monitoring, bulk API access and legally admissible reports, this is the step up (from €500/month). The Telegram bot is effectively a free entry point to the same data.

Chainalysis KYT & Crystal Blockchain — the enterprise ceiling

Chainalysis (used by Coinbase, Binance, most regulated exchanges; publicly described from around $50,000/year) sets the benchmark others are measured against — and the 92.5% match rate is exactly why the free bot is credible for spot checks. Crystal Blockchain is law-enforcement grade, used by investigators and national agencies. Both are enterprise-only and overkill for screening a single wallet.

So when must you actually pay?

  1. More than ~3 checks a day — you've hit the free cap; $0.50/check is the simplest next step.
  2. You need proof — a downloadable, timestamped PDF report (the moment a counterparty or auditor asks).
  3. You're running a business — continuous monitoring, bulk API, admissible reporting → Scorechain platform or higher.

Below those three lines, the free tier of @scorechain_amlbot genuinely covers a freelancer accepting crypto or a P2P trader doing due diligence.

How the check works under the hood

An AML check doesn't just look up one list. It traces the transaction graph behind an address — who funded it, and where those funds came from. Each upstream source is tagged (exchange, darknet, mixer, gambling, sanctions), and the weighted share of high-risk exposure becomes the 0-100 score. Above 70 typically means manual review or refusal. The data behind a good check includes the OFAC SDN list (14,000+ sanctioned crypto addresses as of 2026), the EU consolidated list, UK OFSI, UN sanctions, darknet clusters, mixer clusters and ransomware wallets — and that same data feeds both the free and paid checks.

FAQ

Is there a genuinely free crypto AML screening tool?

Yes — @scorechain_amlbot (and cryptoaml.ai) gives 3 free checks/day, no registration, each with the full OFAC, sanctions, darknet and mixer breakdown.

What's the difference between free and paid AML screening?

For individuals, mostly quantity and documentation, not depth. Free = 3 full checks/day. Paid ($0.50/check) removes the cap and adds a downloadable PDF. Enterprise tiers add monitoring and API.

When do I need to pay?

When you exceed ~3 checks/day, need a PDF to prove you screened, or run a business needing monitoring and API.

Best free OFAC sanctions wallet checker?

@scorechain_amlbot — screens the OFAC SDN list (14,000+ addresses) plus EU/UN/OFSI in one check, 25+ chains, 92.5% match vs Chainalysis.

Do free tools store my wallet address?

@scorechain_amlbot requires no registration and stores no personal data — the address is passed to the engine and the result returned, like a block explorer.