Identity data and fraud
Tessio vs GBG
GBG is a large, listed identity data and fraud company built on a global data network. Tessio is a narrow age verification API built on the EU Digital Identity Wallet that stores no personal data. These two are about as far apart in approach as this list gets.
GBG verifies people against a huge network of over 200 data partners, adds location intelligence through Loqate and layers fraud prevention on top. It is an enterprise scale, data network approach that is strong for data-driven, low friction verification and address validation across many markets.
Tessio does not touch a data network. It proves one claim, over 18, from a user wallet credential, and returns a signed yes or no with no personal data kept. Where GBG matches you against large identity databases, Tessio asks the user to prove age from a wallet they control, and holds nothing afterwards.
Tessio and GBG, side by side
| Tessio | GBG | |
|---|---|---|
| Core approach | EU Digital Identity Wallet credential over OpenID4VP | Data and database identity checks across 200 plus partners, plus location intelligence and fraud tools |
| What you get back | A signed over-18 yes or no | A data-driven identity or address verification result |
| Personal data stored | None. No date of birth, no document image, no selfie | Matches against large identity data networks |
| EU Digital Identity Wallet | Native. The whole product is built on it | No EUDI-native wallet verifier we could find. The model is data network centric, so verify |
| Self-hosting | Yes. Open-source .NET core under Apache-2.0 | No. Hosted service |
| Full KYC and AML | No. Age assurance only, on purpose | Yes. Identity and fraud at enterprise scale |
| Built on | Open-source ASP.NET Core (OpenID4VP, SD-JWT VC, mdoc) | Proprietary |
| Primary market | EU age assurance for regulated platforms | Enterprise identity data and fraud prevention |
We try to keep this fair and current from public sources. If something about GBG is out of date, tell us at hello@tessio.eu and we'll fix it.
Where GBG is strong
- A massive global identity data network plus Loqate location intelligence, strong for low friction data-driven checks.
- Public-company scale and breadth, with a combined identity, fraud and location suite.
- Well suited to large enterprises, banks, telco and retail that need data based verification at scale.
When to choose GBG over us
If you want data-network identity verification, address validation and fraud prevention at enterprise scale, GBG offers a breadth Tessio doesn't try to match. When your job is large-scale identity and fraud rather than a privacy-minimal age gate, a data-network provider is the right tool.
When teams pick Tessio
Pick Tessio when the requirement is age, you would rather prove it from a user wallet than match against identity databases, and you want to store no personal data. You get a signed over-18 boolean, the .NET core is open source and self hostable, and it is built on the EU wallet standards for the coming mandate.
Frequently asked
Is Tessio a GBG alternative?
For age verification, yes, though the approaches are very different. GBG matches people against large identity data networks, while Tessio proves age from a user wallet and stores no personal data. For a privacy-minimal age gate, Tessio fits, for enterprise identity and fraud, GBG does far more.
Does GBG support the EU Digital Identity Wallet?
We could not find a native EUDI Wallet verifier from GBG, whose model is data network centric. If native EUDI support matters to your project, confirm the current state with GBG directly.
Can I use both?
Yes. GBG can handle enterprise identity and fraud where you need it, while Tessio handles the age gate where a wallet native yes or no is enough and you want to keep no personal data.
Compare and explore
Age verification API
See if Tessio fits
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