Short answer
TrustLayer is a modern insurtech platform for certificate verification, commonly reached through an insurance broker partnership and sold on a quoted, contracted basis. CertShield targets the smaller end of the same problem: self-serve, published pricing from $99 per month, no broker relationship required, and no annual commitment.
What TrustLayer is
TrustLayer is a well-funded insurtech built around verifying certificates and building a shared verification network, frequently distributed in partnership with insurance brokers who bring it to their clients. Its product is polished, its risk-management framing is strong, and it is aimed at mid-market and enterprise buyers.
What TrustLayer does better
- A genuinely modern product with a strong user experience.
- The broker distribution model means many customers get it bundled through a relationship they already have.
- Verification-network thinking — reusing verified insurance data across counterparties — is the right long-term idea for this category.
- Deeper risk-management surface area than a focused SMB tool.
Side by side
| Dimension | TrustLayer | CertShield |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Mid-market and enterprise, often via a broker relationship | SMB property managers and contractors buying directly |
| How you buy it | Sales process, frequently introduced by your broker | Self-serve signup, or email us three certificates first |
| Pricing | Quote-based; no public list pricing — ask them directly | $99 / $249 / $499 per month, published |
| Commitment | Typically contracted annually — confirm the term | Monthly, cancel any time |
| Time to value | Onboarding process — ask for the median in weeks | Same day |
| Human review before a verdict publishes | Varies — several use managed review teams; ask what happens on a low-confidence document | Every verdict is reviewed by a person before it publishes; nothing auto-approves |
| Chase language | Ask — English is standard, Spanish varies | English and Spanish, both live |
| Mid-term cancellation detection | Ask directly — the honest answer is that carriers do not broadcast these | Not claimed. Mitigated with producer confirmations, notice-of-cancellation endorsements and re-verification |
| Data export on cancellation | Ask — request the format and the timeline in writing | Full export in one click, any time |
Choose TrustLayer when
- Your broker already offers it and will absorb or subsidise the cost.
- You want a broader risk-management platform rather than a focused COI tool.
- You are large enough that a formal onboarding and annual contract is normal for you.
- Verification-network coverage across your counterparties matters more than price.
Choose CertShield when
- You do not have a broker relationship that comes with software attached.
- You want to see pricing on a web page rather than on a call.
- Twenty-five to a few hundred vendors, and one person responsible for all of them.
- You want Spanish-language chasing running on day one.
Frequently asked
- Is CertShield a TrustLayer alternative?
- For smaller firms buying directly, yes. TrustLayer is frequently reached through a broker partnership and aimed at larger organisations; CertShield is bought directly, priced publicly, and sized for teams where COI tracking is one person's partial responsibility.
- How much does TrustLayer cost?
- TrustLayer does not publish list pricing — it is quoted, and in broker-distributed deals the commercial arrangement can differ again. Ask them directly, and ask what happens to the price if you leave the broker relationship.
- Does CertShield need my insurance broker to be involved?
- No. You buy it directly and your broker is not part of the transaction. Many brokers are happy about that — the certificate paperwork stops landing on them either way.
- Which has better extraction accuracy?
- Neither of us can honestly answer that for the other's product, and self-reported accuracy numbers are not comparable across different test sets. Take both demos with the same three difficult certificates — a scan, a rotated page and one with four endorsement pages — and compare the output yourself.
Other comparisons
The fastest way to compare is on your own certificates
Send the same three difficult certificates to every vendor on your shortlist — a scan, a rotated page, and one with endorsement pages attached — and compare the output. Ours is free and needs no call.
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