AML Shield vs FreeAML

Data last checked 18 July 2026 · how we compare

The verdict

AML Shield is the training-first choice for a firm that wants staff compliance handled by an expert and predictable monthly billing; FreeAML is the zero-commitment choice for a firm that wants to see its real verification volume before subscribing to anything. AML Shield runs a subscription from $88–89 a month (amlshield.com.au, July 2026) across three tiers — Starter Kit is annual-only, Micro and Standard are monthly or annual — with a 'no per-check surprises' pitch and training led by financial-crime author Nathan Lynch. FreeAML has no subscription at all: $15 per individual (KYC) check and $35 per entity (KYB), with a client-pays option that can take a firm's own outlay to zero, plus a free program generator and ongoing monitoring bundled with checks.

Both cover the same five sectors — real estate, legal, accounting, conveyancing and TCSPs — so the choice usually comes down to volume and the training obligation, not fit. On price alone: a firm doing five checks a month pays $75 on FreeAML against AML Shield's $88–89 flat fee, so low-volume firms save with FreeAML; above roughly six checks a month the comparison tilts towards AML Shield's fixed cost, assuming checks are genuinely uncapped under 'no per-check surprises' — a detail AML Shield's public pages don't spell out tier-by-tier, so confirm it before relying on the exact crossover. The training gap is the sharper distinction: FreeAML has no training module, and our own review of it points firms to AML Shield for exactly that reason, while AML Shield's Nathan Lynch-led training is the strongest in our database. Decision rule: sole traders and micro-firms doing a handful of checks a month, happy to source training separately → FreeAML. Firms that want the training obligation solved by an expert alongside predictable monthly billing, and are comfortable with an annual commitment on the entry tier → AML Shield.

Side by side

	AML Shield	FreeAML
Pricing	From A$88 · subscription	pay-per-use
Sectors	Real estate, Legal practitioners, Accountants, Conveyancers, Trust & company service providers	Real estate, Legal practitioners, Accountants, Conveyancers, Trust & company service providers
AUSTRAC enrolment	Unverified	Partial
ML/TF risk assessment	Yes	Unverified
AML/CTF program & policies	Yes	Yes
Initial customer due diligence	Yes	Yes
Ongoing CDD & monitoring	Unverified	Yes
Suspicious matter reports	Partial	Unverified
Threshold transaction reports	Unverified	Unverified
Record keeping	Yes	Yes
Staff training	Yes	Unverified
Compliance officer & governance	Unverified	Partial
Independent evaluation	Unverified	Unverified

What actually separates them

Cost model: AML Shield is a flat subscription from $88–89/month with a 'no per-check surprises' pitch; FreeAML is pure pay-per-use ($15 KYC/$35 KYB, $0 fixed, no signup).
Training: AML Shield includes staff training led by financial-crime author Nathan Lynch; FreeAML has no training module — our own FreeAML review recommends pairing it with AML Shield for this reason.
Commitment: AML Shield's entry Starter Kit tier is annual-only, though Micro and Standard are monthly or annual; FreeAML has no contract or signup at all.
Client-pays: FreeAML can shift the verification fee to the customer, or mark it up; AML Shield has no documented equivalent — it bills the firm directly.
What's bundled: FreeAML bundles a free AML/CTF program generator and ongoing monitoring with checks; AML Shield's program builder works from AUSTRAC's own starter kits with a guided, video-led workflow.
Published detail: AML Shield's full per-tier inclusions and GST treatment aren't published in detail; FreeAML's per-check price is published and fixed, though its GST treatment also isn't stated.

Common questions

Which is cheaper, AML Shield or FreeAML?

It depends on volume. At five checks a month, FreeAML costs $75 against AML Shield's flat $88–89 — both figures verified against the vendors' own pages, July 2026. The crossover sits around six checks a month, but that assumes AML Shield's checks are genuinely uncapped under its 'no per-check surprises' pricing, which its public pages don't spell out tier-by-tier — confirm inclusions before relying on the exact number.

Does either platform include staff training?

Only AML Shield. Training led by Nathan Lynch, one of Australia's best-known financial crime experts, is the platform's signature feature. FreeAML has no training module at all — pair it with AML Shield or another training-strong provider to cover that standing obligation. See our FreeAML review and AML Shield review.

Can I pass verification costs on to my clients with either platform?

Only FreeAML documents this — its client-pays option shifts the $15 or $35 check fee to your customer, or lets you mark it up. AML Shield's subscription model bills the firm directly, with no documented client-pays equivalent. Whether to pass fees on to clients is a commercial decision as much as a compliance one; disclose clearly either way. General information, not legal advice.