yente review
A self-hosted screening API for teams that can manage data licensing and monitoring workflows.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
yente is an open-source entity-matching API maintained by OpenSanctions for developers and organizations building sanctions and PEP screening workflows. It searches, retrieves, and matches people, companies, vessels, and other FollowTheMoney entities against OpenSanctions data or custom datasets. The software supports entity search, batch matching, custom watchlists, selectable dataset scopes, and API-based access. Its deployment model is aimed at teams that want to run screening infrastructure on-premises or in their own environment rather than adopt a managed screening application.
The main strength is its fit for self-hosted data and workflow control. Docker-based deployment works with Elasticsearch or OpenSearch, while automatic data refresh and re-indexing support ongoing access to updated datasets. Teams can combine sanctions and PEP data with customer watchlists and other custom datasets. The MIT-licensed software can therefore serve as a flexible foundation for internal screening services, although commercial use of OpenSanctions data requires a separate data license. Its API and batch capabilities also suit engineering teams screening multiple entities within broader compliance processes.
yente is less suitable for buyers seeking a complete managed monitoring or transaction-screening product. Monitoring depends on a customer implementation that periodically re-screens counterparties and stores results externally, so the surrounding scheduling, persistence, and operational workflow remain part of the deployment. Transaction screening is outside the listed product scope. Choose yente when self-hosting, API control, custom data handling, and infrastructure ownership matter most; choose another product when you need built-in transaction screening or a managed monitoring service.
yente pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Entity matching, search, retrieval, and batch screening APIs
- Custom datasets, watchlists, scopes, and collections
- Docker deployment with Elasticsearch or OpenSearch support
- Where it doesn't
- Transaction screening is outside the listed product scope
- Monitoring requires scheduled re-screening and external result storage
- Commercial OpenSanctions data use requires a separate data license
yente fact sheet, pricing and score →
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