Age assurance
Tessio vs AgeChecked
AgeChecked is a UK age assurance specialist with a strong record in gambling and age restricted commerce. Tessio is a wallet native age verification API that checks age with the EU age verification app (the EU Digital Identity Wallet follows once our access certificate is issued). Both minimise data, so this comparison is more about market and method than philosophy.
AgeChecked orchestrates multiple age check methods: a client API, batch upload, a consumer popup gateway, database and knowledge checks and a large anonymised database of preverified ages. It anonymises consumers and says it keeps no personal data on its systems. That makes it a privacy minded option, and it is well suited to UK regulated sectors.
Tessio takes the wallet native route. A user proves they are over 18 with the EU age verification app, and you get a signed yes or no with no document or date of birth kept. Where AgeChecked leans on UK data sources and its own database, Tessio leans on the EU wallet standards.
Tessio and AgeChecked, side by side
| Tessio | AgeChecked | |
|---|---|---|
| Core approach | OpenID4VP presentations from the EU age verification app (EU Digital Identity Wallet to follow) | Orchestrated age checks: database and knowledge checks plus a large anonymised age database |
| What you get back | A signed over 18 yes or no | An age assurance result |
| Personal data stored | The yes or no and your reference. No date of birth, no document image, no selfie | Anonymises consumers and says it keeps no personal data on its systems |
| EU Digital Identity Wallet | The EU age verification app works today. The EU Digital Identity Wallet follows once our access certificate is issued. | UK and DIATF oriented. No EUDI native wallet verifier we could find, so verify |
| Self hosting | Yes. Open source .NET core under Apache-2.0 | No. Hosted service |
| Full KYC and AML | No. Age assurance only | Offers KYC and AML for regulated sectors |
| Built on | Open source ASP.NET Core (OpenID4VP, SD-JWT VC, mdoc) | Proprietary |
| Primary market | EU age assurance for regulated platforms | UK gambling and age restricted commerce |
We try to keep this fair and current from public sources. If something about AgeChecked is out of date, tell us at hello@tessio.eu and we'll fix it.
Where AgeChecked is strong
- A strong UK regulated sector record, especially in gambling and age restricted commerce.
- A large anonymised database of preverified ages plus a wide range of permissioned data sources.
- A privacy minded posture that anonymises consumers and holds no personal data on its systems.
When to choose AgeChecked over us
If your users are mainly in the UK and you want an established age assurance provider with deep national data coverage and a gambling sector track record, AgeChecked is a strong fit and covers users who don't have an EU wallet. When UK data based checks are what you need today, it's the more proven option.
When teams pick Tessio
Pick Tessio when you want a signed over 18 boolean from a wallet credential rather than a database match, with the option to self host the open source .NET core.
Frequently asked
Is Tessio an AgeChecked alternative?
For EU age assurance, yes. Both keep personal data to a minimum. AgeChecked leans on UK data sources and its own anonymised database, while Tessio proves age with the EU age verification app, so the right pick depends on your market.
Does AgeChecked support the EU Digital Identity Wallet?
AgeChecked is UK and DIATF oriented, and we could not find a native EUDI Wallet verifier. If native EUDI support matters to your rollout, confirm the current state with AgeChecked directly.
Can I use both?
Yes. You could use AgeChecked for UK data based checks and Tessio for wallet native EU checks, especially while the EU wallet ecosystem is still ramping up.
Compare and explore
Age verification API
See if Tessio fits
Signup is open and a test project works as soon as you create one. Sending real traffic needs us to switch your organisation to live mode, so that part stays a conversation. Pricing is published, with no quote needed.