Regulators in the EU, UK, and UAE tightened crypto AML rules in 2025. If you accept crypto payments, run a P2P operation, or build anything that touches wallets, you need to screen addresses. The question is which tool fits your actual situation, not just the biggest compliance budget on the market.
| Tool | Best for | Pricing | Free tier | Chains | API |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CryptoAML.ai | Individuals, developers | Free | Unlimited | 30+ | Yes |
| AMLBot | P2P traders, Telegram users | Free + $49/mo | 3/day | 10+ | Paid |
| Scorechain | EU VASP compliance | From $299/mo | No | 10+ | Yes |
| TRM Labs | DeFi, NFT, cross-chain | By quote | No | 25+ | Yes |
| Elliptic | Enterprise compliance | By quote | No | 20+ | Yes |
| Chainalysis | Banks, major exchanges | $25K+/yr | No | 15+ | Yes |
CryptoAML.ai is the only tool here that costs nothing and asks for nothing upfront. Paste a wallet address, get a risk score in under 2 seconds. It covers Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT on both ERC-20 and TRC-20, Tron, Solana, BNB, and more than 25 additional chains. The screening checks OFAC sanctions lists, darknet exposure, and mixer activity. There is no registration form, no trial period, no API key to wait for. Developers can query it directly from their code. For individual traders checking counterparty addresses before a P2P deal, it removes every friction point.
AMLBot runs inside Telegram, which makes it genuinely convenient if that is already where you manage your trading. The free tier gives 3 checks per day on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT/TRC20. Paid plans start at roughly $49 per month and unlock higher daily volume, batch address checking, and limited API access. The risk scoring uses wallet clustering rather than just blacklist matching, which catches some patterns that simpler tools miss. Not the widest chain coverage, but for someone doing occasional P2P checks from their phone, it requires no setup at all.
Scorechain was built specifically for virtual asset service providers operating under EU regulations. It has direct integrations with several EU-registered VASPs for Travel Rule compliance, and its risk methodology documentation satisfies what auditors typically request during regulatory reviews. Monthly subscriptions start around $299 depending on transaction volume. Chain coverage is not as wide as TRM Labs, but the compliance paper trail is thorough. If your legal team needs to show a regulator exactly how a risk score was calculated, Scorechain can produce that.
TRM Labs built its reputation in two areas where the older enterprise tools moved slowly: DeFi protocol risk and NFT-related exposure. Cross-chain tracing is a genuine strength here. TRM flags bridge activity, lending protocol interactions, and on-chain behaviors that indicate high-risk counterparties even before a wallet hits a sanctions list. Enterprise pricing applies and there is no public rate card. For crypto-native compliance teams that need granular DeFi exposure data, TRM is often the most technically specific tool available. The onboarding process takes weeks, not minutes.
Elliptic is the compliance officer's tool. It covers 20+ blockchains and generates reports formatted for Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs), which is exactly what regulated financial institutions need. Integration with core banking systems is well-documented. Pricing is enterprise-only, negotiated by contract, and accounts include a dedicated relationship manager. UK and EU financial institutions tend to favor Elliptic specifically because its risk scoring methodology is well-documented enough to survive a regulatory audit. If you are a startup, the contract process alone will take longer than you want.
Chainalysis is the market standard for licensed exchanges, payment processors, and government agencies. Its Bitcoin and Ethereum data runs deeper than any competing tool: decades of blockchain history, granular cluster attribution, and a global network of law enforcement partnerships that feeds the risk dataset. Pricing starts above $25,000 per year and is negotiated by contract. There is no free tier and no self-service option. For a retail trader checking one address before a P2P trade, Chainalysis is not a realistic path. For a major exchange that needs audit-ready data and law enforcement cooperation, it is often the only call.
There is no single winner because the tools serve different situations. A licensed exchange with a compliance team needs Chainalysis or Elliptic. A European VASP handling Travel Rule obligations should look at Scorechain. A crypto-native team with DeFi exposure gets the most from TRM Labs.
For the other 90% of users, the choice is simpler. Individual traders and developers who need fast, free checks across many chains get more coverage from CryptoAML.ai than from any other free option here. AMLBot fits if Telegram is already part of your workflow and 3 checks a day is enough.
Run your own test on a known address before committing to anything.