If you are evaluating EU AI Act compliance software for an SME, you have probably seen the same two names repeatedly: ClearAct and ComplyAct.
Both platforms aim to solve a painful reality: AI Act compliance is not just legal interpretation — it is ongoing operations. You need inventory, classification, documentation, ownership, and evidence hygiene.
This guide gives you a fair side-by-side comparison based on publicly visible product information and practical SME needs.
Snapshot note: Features and prices can change. Always verify on official pricing pages before procurement decisions.
Executive summary
- Both tools cover core AI Act workflows (inventory + risk classification).
- ClearAct is stronger on affordability and beginner-friendly activation for smaller teams.
- ComplyAct appears stronger on advanced workflow integrations (notably Slack/Jira in higher tiers).
- For many early-stage SMEs, ClearAct is usually the better first step.
- For integration-heavy compliance programs, ComplyAct may be attractive despite higher cost.
Mission and target audience
ClearAct
ClearAct is built for SMEs that need practical, fast, and affordable compliance execution. The product philosophy leans toward actionable guidance, templates, and immediate usability.
Typical fit:
- small and mid-sized teams,
- first-time AI Act implementation,
- companies that need clear next steps rather than enterprise complexity.
ComplyAct
ComplyAct positions itself as an end-to-end EU AI Act platform, with strong emphasis on Annex IV documentation workflows, obligation mapping, and ongoing compliance operations.
Typical fit:
- teams with larger compliance programs,
- organizations expecting heavier internal workflow coordination,
- buyers who prioritize deeper workflow controls and integrations.
Feature-by-feature comparison
Below is a practical comparison for SME buyers.
1) Risk classification
- ClearAct: Yes — risk classification support available.
- ComplyAct: Yes — guided risk classification wizard and obligation mapping.
Verdict: Tie on core capability.
2) AI compliance report generation
- ClearAct: AI-generated compliance reports are a key differentiator.
- ComplyAct: Strong documentation export for Annex IV; emphasis is structured pack generation.
Verdict: Both useful; ClearAct has an advantage if you want AI-assisted report creation speed.
3) Template library
- ClearAct: Includes a focused template library (7 templates) with AI-fill support.
- ComplyAct: Provides structured documentation tooling and evidence workflows; template packaging differs by plan.
Verdict: ClearAct is very practical for SMEs who want ready-to-use assets quickly.
4) AI systems inventory
- ClearAct: Yes.
- ComplyAct: Yes (centralized inventory with metadata and status tracking).
Verdict: Tie on baseline requirement.
5) Fine calculator
- ClearAct: Yes (fine calculator available).
- ComplyAct: No explicit fine-calculator positioning found on public pricing/home pages at time of review.
Verdict: Advantage ClearAct for awareness and executive communication.
6) Provider/Deployer checker
- ClearAct: Yes.
- ComplyAct: Role-based obligation mapping exists, but dedicated checker positioning is less explicit in public messaging.
Verdict: Advantage ClearAct for quick role-clarity onboarding.
7) Integrations
- ClearAct: currently lighter integration footprint.
- ComplyAct: Slack + Jira listed in Growth plan.
Verdict: Advantage ComplyAct for workflow integration maturity (especially in larger teams).
Pricing comparison (SME reality check)
Free tier
- ClearAct Free: positioned as a generous entry path for SMEs.
- ComplyAct Free: $0/month, but limited to 2 AI systems, 1 user, basic classification, watermarked exports.
Practical takeaway: both provide entry access, but constraints on the ComplyAct free plan are tighter for teams that need collaboration.
Paid baseline
- ClearAct Pro: €49/month
- ComplyAct Starter: $199/month
Even allowing for currency movement, this is roughly a ~4x price gap in entry paid tiers.
For cost-sensitive SMEs, this gap is often decisive.
Value-for-money analysis
When tools are compared by raw feature count, enterprise-oriented products can look stronger. But SMEs should evaluate value per euro spent and speed-to-adoption.
ClearAct tends to win when your priorities are:
- fast start,
- clear guidance,
- low monthly burn,
- practical outputs (reports, templates, checkers).
ComplyAct can justify its higher pricing when your priorities are:
- tighter team workflow orchestration,
- integration with internal systems (Slack/Jira),
- scaling toward larger multi-role compliance operations.
Honest strengths and trade-offs
Where ClearAct is stronger
- Price accessibility for SMEs
- Practical onboarding tools (quiz/checkers/calculator)
- AI-assisted output generation
- Lower friction for first compliance cycle
Where ComplyAct is stronger
- Integration options in higher tiers
- Structured collaboration features in Growth/Enterprise positioning
- Documentation workflow depth for larger programs
A fair decision recognizes both truths.
Who should choose which?
Choose ClearAct if…
- you are an SME with limited compliance budget,
- you need actionable guidance now,
- you want high ROI per month,
- you want to establish baseline maturity before enterprise tooling.
Choose ComplyAct if…
- you already run a broader compliance operation,
- Slack/Jira integration is a hard requirement,
- you can justify higher monthly cost for deeper workflow features,
- multiple teams need heavier process orchestration from day one.
Decision framework for founders and compliance leads
Ask these five questions:
- How many AI systems are in active scope this quarter?
- Do we need integrations immediately or later?
- Is budget sensitivity high (<€100/month target) or low?
- Do we need rapid baseline readiness or enterprise-grade process depth now?
- Who will own operations — one compliance lead or a cross-functional team?
If your answers are "small scope, high budget sensitivity, fast baseline," ClearAct is usually the better fit.
Important procurement note
Competitor pages evolve quickly. Before signing:
- validate live pricing,
- confirm feature availability by plan,
- request a short product walkthrough,
- test one real workflow (inventory -> classification -> documentation -> evidence).
The best platform is the one your team will actually use consistently.
Final verdict
Both ClearAct and ComplyAct are legitimate EU AI Act platforms, but they optimize for slightly different buyers.
- ClearAct: best value and usability profile for most SMEs starting or scaling practical compliance.
- ComplyAct: stronger fit for teams that need advanced integrations and are comfortable with higher cost.
If you are an SME and want to start quickly without overspending, ClearAct is the logical first choice.
Ready to benchmark your current exposure? Start with the free assessment and see where you stand.
- Pricing: /pricing
- Free risk quiz: /quiz
- Side-by-side compare page: /compare
Pricing references used for comparison:
- ClearAct Pro: €49/month (task baseline)
- ComplyAct Starter: $199/month (public pricing page snapshot)