The best PEP screening software in 2026 (tested and ranked)
The best PEP screening software does more than find a name on a list. In the Gulf, where senior roles in government, state-owned enterprises, and sovereign funds sit close to everyday business, a PEP match is common, and UAE and Saudi rules expect it to trigger senior management approval, source of wealth checks, and enhanced monitoring. Most tools stop at the match.
This guide ranks the best PEP screening tools for 2026 by where each one wins, with azakaw as the top pick for firms that need the match and the enhanced due diligence that follows in one place. Read on to find the right fit.
What is PEP screening software?
PEP screening software checks customers, beneficial owners, and related parties against databases of Politically Exposed Persons and their relatives and close associates (RCAs).
A PEP is not prohibited. The match tells the firm the relationship carries higher bribery and corruption risk, so it needs enhanced due diligence rather than a block.
The 3 types of PEP screening tools
PEP screening tools fall into three groups, and the difference decides how much work your team still does after a match.
PEP data providers such as LSEG World-Check, Dow Jones, and Moody's research and maintain the profiles themselves. They offer the deepest data, but they are a source to feed into a screening engine and case workflow you already run.
Screening platforms such as ComplyAdvantage, Sumsub, Shufti Pro, and Mozn FOCAL combine data, matching, and alerts behind an API. They suit firms that want fast checks at onboarding, with EDD and approvals handled elsewhere.
Full compliance platforms such as azakaw put the PEP match in the same system as KYC, KYB, EDD, and monitoring. The match, the source of wealth evidence, the senior management sign-off, and the ongoing review live in one customer record.
For a full explanation of PEP categories and how the checks work, see our guide to PEP screening.
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How we evaluated the tools: what separates strong PEP screening from weak
We assessed each platform against six criteria. Ratings draw on published documentation, verified G2 and Capterra reviews, and vendor information requests. No platform paid for inclusion or placement.
PEP data depth: foreign, domestic, and international organisation PEPs, RCAs, and executives of state-owned entities, classified by role.
Arabic and non-Latin name matching: handling of transliteration variants, family name chains, and names recorded in original script.
False-positive control: use of date of birth, nationality, and other identifiers so analysts review real matches, not every similar name.
Ongoing PEP monitoring: rescreening when a customer is appointed, leaves office, or a list changes, not only at onboarding.
Hit-to-EDD workflow: senior management approval, source of wealth and funds capture, and enhanced monitoring, as Article 15 requires.
Audit trail: a record of why each match was confirmed, cleared, or escalated.
Quick comparison: Best PEP screening software
Platform | Type | Standout feature | The catch |
azakaw | Full compliance platform | PEP match routed into EDD, source of wealth, maker-checker approval, and monitoring | Does not publish PEP record counts the way data houses do |
LSEG World-Check | PEP and risk data provider | One of the most widely used PEP datasets in banking | Data only; workflow and EDD sit in another system |
Dow Jones Risk & Compliance | PEP and risk data provider | 450-person multilingual research team and 22 high-risk job categories | Enterprise pricing; needs a screening engine on top |
Moody's Grid | PEP and risk data provider | 7M+ PEP records plus state-owned entity coverage | Built for large institutions; little workflow of its own |
Comply Advantage | AML screening platform | Four-class PEP taxonomy and fast election updates | Limited Arabic and GCC depth; no native KYC |
Sumsub | KYC platform with screening | PEP check runs inside the onboarding flow | EDD and approval workflow is light |
Shufti Pro | Identity and screening platform | Data refreshed every 15 minutes, rescreening by risk tier | No workflow around the hit |
Mozn (FOCAL) | Gulf screening and FRAML platform | Patented Arabic-first name matching | Depth thins outside the GCC |
What is the best PEP screening software in 2026?
The best PEP screening software in 2026 is azakaw for firms that need the full regulatory response to a PEP match, from screening to approved enhanced due diligence, in one platform.
azakaw: best for GCC firms that want PEP screening, EDD, approvals, and monitoring in one programme
LSEG World-Check: ideal for banks that need a widely recognised PEP dataset to feed an existing engine
Dow Jones Risk & Compliance: best for deep, researcher-curated PEP and RCA profiles
Moody's Grid: best for PEP links to state-owned and state-invested entities
ComplyAdvantage: best for fintechs wanting fast PEP data updates through an API
Sumsub: for PEP checks built into a digital KYC flow
Shufti Pro: ideal for high-frequency rescreening across many jurisdictions
Mozn FOCAL: for Arabic-first name matching in Saudi Arabia
1. azakaw
azakaw is the best PEP screening software for regulated firms that need to act on a PEP match, not only detect it.
It screens individuals and beneficial owners at onboarding and throughout the relationship, inside the same platform that runs KYC, KYB, and monitoring, so a PEP found among a company's owners is caught as part of the KYB check rather than in a separate tool.
What sets it apart is the response. A confirmed match routes the customer into enhanced due diligence, collects source of wealth and source of funds evidence, sends the decision through maker-checker approval to senior management or the MLRO, and moves the customer onto enhanced monitoring.
Each step is recorded, which is what Article 15 of Cabinet Decision No. 10 of 2019 asks a firm to show. Arabic-language handling and native UAE Pass and Yaqeen integrations support Gulf onboarding.
azakaw was named an IDC Innovator in the Middle East Regulatory Technology Providers 2026 Report.
Pros
PEP matches flow straight into EDD, with source of wealth and funds captured in the same record
Maker-checker approval gives a documented senior management sign-off for each PEP relationship
PEP screening of beneficial owners runs inside KYB, so corporate structures are covered
Source of wealth and funds in the same file: evidence is collected and reviewed where the risk was identified.
Ongoing screening keeps PEP status current after onboarding
Built for Gulf names and rules: Arabic-language handling, native UAE Pass and Yaqeen, and CBUAE, SAMA, and DFSA alignment.
Cons
It does not publish PEP record counts or a research team size the way Dow Jones, Moody's, and LSEG do, so firms whose policy names a specific PEP source should confirm coverage during the trial
Its regional depth is strongest in the GCC and MENA, so firms screening mainly Latin American or Asian domestic PEPs gain less from that advantage
As a full platform, it is a bigger decision than plugging a PEP data feed into an existing engine
Pricing is quote-based, and its public review footprint is still growing
Who azakaw is best for
Banks, investment firms, fintechs, and DNFBPs in the GCC that onboard PEPs regularly and need the match, the EDD, and the approval in one audit trail.
A leading asset management firm in DIFC, managing 150+ clients across 40 vendors and 20 employees, put it this way:
"azakaw has been a very useful visual tool for us. At any time, I can easily see all our stakeholders, clients, employees, vendors, and business partners and their associated risk levels."
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2. LSEG World-Check
LSEG World-Check is a top PEP screening software and one of the most widely used risk intelligence databases in banking, and its PEP records, including relatives and close associates, are built from public-domain sources with references attached. Many compliance teams and auditors treat it as a reference dataset.
It is a data product. Firms use it through World-Check One or feed it into their own screening engine, and the EDD and approval workflow sits elsewhere.
Pros
One of the most widely recognised PEP and risk datasets among banks and regulators
PEP profiles cover relatives and close associates, with source references
Records distinguish allegations, investigations, charges, and convictions
Integrates with AI tools to help classify harder PEP cases
Cons
Data only; EDD, approvals, and audit trail need another system
Enterprise pricing beyond many mid-market budgets
Broad data can raise review volumes if matching is not tuned well
Who LSEG World-Check is best for
Banks and large financial institutions with a mature screening engine that want a recognised PEP dataset behind it.
You may be interested in: The World-Check alternatives and competitors
3. Dow Jones Risk & Compliance
Dow Jones is known for the depth of its researched profiles. A 450-person multilingual research team curates the data; PEP coverage includes relatives and close associates of senior public officials across 22 high-risk job categories, and profiles hold names in their original script.
Dow Jones states that 98% of profiles carry at least one secondary identifier, which helps cut false positives.
Like LSEG, it is a data source rather than a workflow. Even so, it's considered a top sanctions screening software.
Pros
450-person multilingual research team behind the profiles
22 high-risk job categories for government officials, with RCAs
Original-script names, so a search in another script can still match
98% of profiles have secondary identifiers for cleaner matching
Cons
Needs a screening engine and case workflow on top
Enterprise pricing and contracts
No EDD, approval, or monitoring workflow of its own
Who Dow Jones is best for
Institutions that want deep, researcher-curated PEP profiles and already run their own screening and case management.
4. Moody's Grid
Moody's Grid holds 7M+ PEP records across 200+ jurisdictions within 31M+ risk profiles, and it covers state-owned and state-invested entities, including ownership structures and indicators of state affiliation. That last point matters in the Gulf, where many large counterparties are state-linked.
Moody's was a category winner for Financial Crime Data in the Chartis RiskTech100 2026.
Pros
7M+ PEP records across 200+ jurisdictions
Coverage of state-owned and state-invested entities and their ownership
Sanctions, PEP, and adverse media in one risk profile
Chartis RiskTech100 2026 category winner for Financial Crime Data
Cons
Built for large institutions, with pricing to match
Little EDD or approval workflow of its own
Implementation needs internal resource to connect data to decisions
Who Moody's Grid is best for
Banks and corporates whose counterparties include state-owned enterprises, and that need PEP and ownership data in one source.
5. ComplyAdvantage
ComplyAdvantage classifies PEPs into four classes, from national roles through regional, state-owned enterprise, and local positions, using a taxonomy built from more than 40 AML regulations.
It also updates PEP data quickly: after the July 2024 UK and French elections, it reports updating records within hours of the results, which makes it one of the best PEP screening tools.
Its Arabic-language and GCC regulatory depth is more limited than regional platforms, and it has no native identity verification.
Pros
Four-class PEP taxonomy that supports risk-based decisions
Fast PEP updates after elections and appointments
API-first, with real-time screening at onboarding
PEP, sanctions, and adverse media in one platform
Cons
Arabic-language and GCC depth more limited than regional platforms
No native KYC, so identity verification needs another vendor
EDD and approval workflow is lighter than a full compliance platform
Who ComplyAdvantage is best for
Fintechs and mid-market firms that want current PEP data through an API, with onboarding handled by another provider.
Read also: Alternatives to ComplyAdvantage
6. Sumsub
Sumsub runs PEP screening as a step in its KYC flow, identifying PEPs, relatives, and close associates from public and proprietary databases. It reports screening in under a second, coverage of 50,000+ data sources across 240+ countries and territories, and AI assistance in resolving 95% of matches.
The audit trail centres on verification results, and the EDD that a PEP relationship needs is lighter than in a full programme.
Pros
PEP check built into the onboarding flow, with no separate tool
50,000+ data sources across 240+ countries and territories
Sub-second screening and AI-assisted match resolution
Published pricing and fast deployment
Cons
EDD, source of wealth, and senior management approval workflow is light
Audit trail focuses on verification results rather than decision reasoning
GCC and Arabic-language depth is still developing
Who Sumsub is best for
Fintechs and crypto platforms that want PEP checks as part of a fast, API-first onboarding flow.
TIP: Read our post if you're looking for Sumsub alternatives.
7. Shufti Pro
Frequency makes Shufti Pro one of the best PEP screening software. Its screening data refreshes every 15 minutes, list changes trigger rescreening of the customer base, and rescreening can be set by risk tier, daily for high-risk customers such as PEPs.
Its PEP database holds 2.6M records, and PEP and RCA monitoring tracks status changes and new relationship connections.
It screens and alerts well, but the workflow after the alert is up to the firm.
Pros
Data refreshed every 15 minutes, with rescreening on list changes
Rescreening frequency configurable by customer risk tier
PEP and RCA monitoring for status changes after onboarding
4,000+ watchlists and identity verification from the same vendor
Cons
2.6M PEP records is fewer than the largest data providers report
No EDD, approval, or case workflow around the hit
GCC regulatory depth is lighter than regional platforms
Who Shufti Pro is best for
Multi-jurisdiction businesses that want frequent PEP rescreening alongside identity verification.
You might be interested in: Shufti Pro competitors
8. Mozn (FOCAL)
Mozn's FOCAL screens customers against more than 1,300 sanctions, PEP, RCA, and regulatory lists, using what it describes as patented Arabic-first AI that matches complex Arabic names, transliterations, and aliases while supporting Latin script. It rescreens customers on every watchlist update or KYC change.
For Arabic names, that is a real advantage. The limit is reach once customers come from well beyond the GCC.
Pros
Arabic-first name matching across transliterations and aliases
1,300+ sanctions, PEP, RCA, and regulatory lists, plus custom lists
Continuous rescreening on list updates and KYC changes
Deep SAMA expertise and Saudi bank relationships
Cons
Limited track record outside Saudi Arabia and the UAE
EDD and corporate governance modules less developed than its screening and monitoring
No public pricing or free trial
Who Mozn is best for
Saudi banks and financial institutions screening mainly Arabic names within the Kingdom. Mozn is also widely mentioned as one of the best transaction monitoring software out there.
How to choose the right PEP screening software
The criteria above describe what makes a strong tool. Choosing yours comes down to two decisions about your own firm, then matching a tool to your profile.
Decide what happens after the match
If your firm onboards PEPs rarely and already runs EDD in a mature case system, a data provider or screening API can plug in.
If PEPs are a regular part of your client base, as they are for many Gulf banks, wealth managers, and real estate firms, the cost sits in the EDD: collecting source of wealth, getting senior management approval, and monitoring the relationship.
A tool that handles those steps saves more time than a larger database.
Test it on the names you screen
Run a sample of your own customer names through the trial, including Arabic names with different spellings and beneficial owners. Count the false positives and the misses. Vendor coverage figures do not tell you how a tool performs on your client base.
Which PEP screening tool suits your firm best?
The comparison table near the top lists each tool with its limitation. This one works the other way round: find your profile, and see which tool fits and why.
Firm profile | Best fit | Why |
GCC firm that onboards PEPs regularly and needs EDD and approval in one record | azakaw | Match, source of wealth, maker-checker sign-off, and monitoring in one audit trail |
Bank with a mature screening engine needing a reference dataset | LSEG World-Check | Widely recognised PEP data to feed existing systems |
Institution wanting the deepest curated profiles | Dow Jones | 450-person research team and original-script names |
Firm with many state-linked counterparties | Moody's Grid | PEP data plus state-owned entity ownership |
Fintech needing current PEP data through an API | Comply Advantage | Four-class taxonomy and fast election updates |
Digital business screening PEPs at onboarding | Sumsub or azakaw | PEP check inside the KYC flow |
Multi-jurisdiction firm needing frequent rescreening | Shufti Pro | 15-minute refresh and risk-tiered rescreening |
Saudi institution screening mainly Arabic names | azakaw or Mozn FOCAL | Arabic-first name matching |
Worldwide PEP Screening
Obtain the most up-to-date, accurate data sourced directly from regulatory and/or government authorities. See connected entities, enabling you to go beyond the immediate client in question.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PEP screening mandatory in the UAE?
Yes. Article 15 of Cabinet Decision No. 10 of 2019 requires financial institutions and DNFBPs to have risk management systems to identify foreign PEPs, and to take sufficient measures to determine whether a customer or beneficial owner is a domestic or international organisation PEP.
Does a PEP match mean the customer must be rejected?
No. Being a PEP is not a reason to refuse a customer. It means the relationship carries higher risk and needs enhanced due diligence: understanding the source of wealth and funds, obtaining senior management approval, and monitoring the relationship more closely.
How long does someone remain a PEP?
Neither the UAE implementing regulation nor SAMA's rules set a fixed end date. SAMA lists the time a local PEP has held a prominent function as a risk factor, and FATF guidance supports a risk-based approach to former PEPs. Many firms set a review period in policy and keep screening former PEPs while their influence may persist.
What is the difference between PEP screening and sanctions screening?
Sanctions screening finds people and entities a firm is prohibited from dealing with, and a true match leads to freezing and reporting. PEP screening finds people who are not prohibited but carry higher corruption risk, and a match leads to enhanced due diligence. Most firms run both checks together.
How much does PEP screening software cost?
Costs range from per-check API pricing on screening platforms to enterprise contracts for data providers such as LSEG, Dow Jones, and Moody's. Pricing depends on screening volume, rescreening frequency, and whether EDD and case management are included.
Count the analyst time spent on false positives and manual EDD, which often costs more than the licence.
Conclusion
PEP screening in 2026 is judged on what a firm does after the match. In the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the rules expect senior management approval, source of wealth checks, and enhanced monitoring for higher-risk PEPs, and a supervisor will ask to see each step.
LSEG World-Check, Dow Jones, and Moody's Grid offer the deepest PEP data for institutions with their own engine. ComplyAdvantage, Sumsub, and Shufti Pro deliver fast screening through an API, and Mozn FOCAL leads on Arabic name matching in Saudi Arabia.
Overall, azakaw is the best PEP screening software for 2026 because it is modular, a fintech can start with screening at onboarding, while a bank or wealth manager runs the full PEP process, from match to EDD, approval, and ongoing monitoring, with every decision recorded in one place.
End-to-End AML Compliance Solution
Streamline compliance from identity and business verification to corporate compliance and AML transaction monitoring, reducing costs and complexity so you can scale with confidence.
Related articles
Sources
Cabinet Decision No. 10 of 2019, Article 15, as amended by Cabinet Resolution No. 24 of 2022 (CBUAE Rulebook);
Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025 (DLA Piper and Hadef & Partners analyses, October 2025);
SAMA AML rules, Politically Exposed Persons, paragraphs 4.9 to 4.15 (SAMA Rulebook);
FATF Guidance on Politically Exposed Persons (Recommendations 12 and 22);
Vendor documentation from LSEG, Dow Jones, Moody's, ComplyAdvantage, Sumsub, Shufti Pro, and Mozn;
G2 and Capterra verified reviews
