
GITNUXSOFTWARE ADVICE
Market ResearchTop 10 Best Third Party Due Diligence Services of 2026
Compare third party due diligence services from EY, Kroll, and Deloitte, mapping fit and tradeoffs for legal, finance, and compliance teams.
How we ranked these tools
Vendors set the topic, but our editors set the inclusion criteria and the evaluation framework before research starts.
Agents extract product evidence with provenance, then collect written reviews and transcribe video reviews and podcasts.
Framework: Features 40% · Ease 30% · Value 30%
Gitnux may earn a commission through links on this page — this does not influence rankings. Editorial policy
EY is the best pick for enterprise teams dealing with complex counterparties because its consulting-led evidence collection produces governance-ready decision memos tied to risk ratings, whereas Kroll fits when you need investigator-built, evidence-backed case reporting on principals, ownership, and integrity findings.
Editor’s top 3 picks
Three quick recommendations before you dive into the full comparison below — each one leads on a different dimension.
EY
Consulting-led evidence collection and decision memos that translate diligence findings into governance-ready risk recommendations.
Best for: Fits when complex counterparties need governance-grade due diligence and consistent risk methodology mapping.
Kroll
Editor pickInvestigator-led case development that connects screening signals to adjudicated findings for principals, ownership, and affiliates.
Best for: Fits when teams need evidence-backed diligence for complex counterparties and governance-heavy decisions.
Deloitte
Editor pickEvidence-led diligence program design that ties screening outcomes to remediation planning and governance documentation.
Best for: Fits when enterprise teams need defensible due diligence governance and remediation alignment for complex vendor ecosystems.
Comparison Table
EY
enterprise_vendorEY delivers third-party risk assessments, anti-bribery due diligence, and supplier compliance services.
Consulting-led evidence collection and decision memos that translate diligence findings into governance-ready risk recommendations.
EY typically runs due diligence engagements with structured workplans that cover counterparty background, ownership and control inquiries, and risk-relevant fact gathering for specific diligence scopes. Teams can expect engagement governance artifacts like issue logs, evidence requests, and decision memos that map findings to contract and compliance recommendations.
A clear tradeoff is that EY relies on human-led delivery for most value rather than a fully self-serve dashboard workflow. EY fits well when a firm needs evidence-grade documentation for audit or regulatory inquiries, and it also fits situations where third-party risk reviews must align with internal risk-rating methodology and remediation tracking expectations.
- +Method-driven diligence outputs tied to risk-rating decisions
- +Evidence-oriented documentation supporting remediation and governance review
- +Global delivery capability for multi-jurisdiction counterparties
- +Structured inquiry workflow for ownership, conduct, and regulatory exposure
- –Less suited to high-volume self-serve screening at procurement pace
- –Requires clear scope definitions to avoid rework during evidence requests
- –API and automation surface is limited versus software-first tooling
- –Longer cycle times when counterparties delay information returns
Global procurement risk teams
High-stakes supplier onboarding diligence
Better approval consistency
Compliance and third-party risk
Adverse media and enforcement exposure review
Clear remediation paths
Show 2 more scenarios
Internal audit and governance
Audit-ready vendor risk evidence pack
Reduced audit friction
EY produces evidence-aligned documentation that supports review of diligence scope and conclusions.
Legal and contracting teams
Counterparty diligence for contract clauses
Stronger contractual controls
EY maps diligence findings into negotiation and governance guidance for contractual compliance expectations.
Best for: Fits when complex counterparties need governance-grade due diligence and consistent risk methodology mapping.
Kroll
specialistKroll provides third-party due diligence, investigations, sanctions screening, and beneficial ownership research.
Investigator-led case development that connects screening signals to adjudicated findings for principals, ownership, and affiliates.
Kroll’s core capability is operational diligence work that blends screening outputs with case development, document review, and risk narrative construction for specific counterparties. This depth tends to fit engagements where internal teams need defensible findings, including beneficial ownership verification and litigation or regulatory enforcement research tied to the entity and its principals. Kroll also fits organizations that require consistent deliverables across multiple geographies rather than relying only on automated screening results.
A tradeoff appears in the time-to-deliver for investigation-heavy work compared with screening-only providers that return faster outputs. Kroll works best when governance teams can provide entity inputs early and define the risk questions for principals, ownership layers, and affiliates before evidence collection begins.
- +Investigator-led investigations with structured, evidence-backed reporting
- +Strong coverage for entity, principals, ownership, and integrity findings
- +Deliverables that map to contracting and risk committee decisioning
- +Repeatable diligence refresh workflows for changing counterparties
- –Investigation scope can slow turnaround versus screening-only providers
- –Automation and API coverage is typically limited compared with software-led vendors
- –Requires clear intake of entities, jurisdictions, and principal relationships
- –Broader engagements can increase internal coordination effort
Legal and compliance teams
Vendor integrity investigation for contracting
Audit-ready due diligence packet
Third-party risk managers
Due diligence refresh across ownership changes
Updated risk narrative
Show 1 more scenario
Procurement risk owners
Supplier risk assessment across jurisdictions
Comparable supplier risk view
Kroll delivers jurisdiction-specific research for multi-country suppliers and their beneficial ownership.
Best for: Fits when teams need evidence-backed diligence for complex counterparties and governance-heavy decisions.
Deloitte
enterprise_vendorDeloitte advises organizations on third-party risk, supplier due diligence, controls, and remediation.
Evidence-led diligence program design that ties screening outcomes to remediation planning and governance documentation.
Deloitte works through structured diligence programs that combine counterparty screening coverage with compliance-oriented assessment of operational, regulatory, and third-party obligations. Typical deliverables include risk assessment narratives, remediation roadmaps, and oversight guidance for vendor onboarding, refresh, and fourth-party disclosure expectations. This approach fits organizations that need accountable decision support and defensible methodology, not just data pulls or screening output.
A key tradeoff is that Deloitte delivery is service-led, so throughput and automation depth depend on engagement design and staffing rather than self-serve provisioning. Deloitte is a strong fit when deals require rapid governance decisions, complex evidence mapping, or integration between diligence outcomes and contract and monitoring processes.
- +Advisory-led risk-rating methodology suited to high-stakes vendor decisions
- +Evidence mapping supports defensible diligence packages for governance
- +Specialists align diligence findings with contractual compliance expectations
- +Delivery design supports periodic refresh cycles and oversight workflows
- –Service-led execution can limit throughput versus automation-first vendors
- –Data integration depth depends on engagement scoping and tooling boundaries
- –Rapid self-serve configuration is not the primary operating model
- –Governance coverage may require separate add-on work for monitoring
Procurement governance teams
High-risk supplier onboarding diligence
Faster approval with audit trail
Third-party risk managers
Quarterly vendor refresh program
Consistent risk ratings
Show 1 more scenario
Compliance and legal teams
Contractual compliance alignment
Tighter compliance requirements
Deloitte maps diligence findings to contract obligations and governance expectations.
Best for: Fits when enterprise teams need defensible due diligence governance and remediation alignment for complex vendor ecosystems.
PwC
enterprise_vendorPwC provides third-party risk management, supplier due diligence, compliance reviews, and investigations.
PwC engagement teams produce decision-grade due diligence packages with remediation-ready narratives and documented evidence trails.
PwC brings large-firm due diligence delivery to vendor risk management with a workflow that combines counterparty inquiry, evidence handling, and risk narrative outputs for internal governance. Its strength centers on end-to-end advisory execution for KYC and risk screening programs that require coordinated workstreams across compliance, legal, and operational stakeholders.
- +Works across legal and compliance workstreams to produce governance-ready findings
- +Evidence collection and remediation tracking support structured follow-up
- +Experienced teams support complex beneficial ownership and adverse media fact patterns
- +Risk narratives map findings to residual risk and control expectations
- –Automation depth depends on engagement scope rather than a fixed product workflow
- –API and data integration are not the primary delivery surface for most engagements
- –Response cycles can slow for high-volume onboarding without dedicated resourcing
- –Screening coverage and evidence requirements can vary by industry and entity type
Best for: Fits when governance-heavy third-party risk programs need consistent evidence, legal review, and remediation tracking.
KPMG
enterprise_vendorKPMG supports third-party risk governance, supplier due diligence, compliance monitoring, and remediation.
Investigation-driven findings paired with remediation tracking deliverables for vendor risk governance decisions.
KPMG delivers third-party due diligence as a managed advisory service that combines KYC and sanctions screening with risk-focused investigations and remediation guidance for counterparties. The firm can execute beneficial ownership verification and adverse media and litigation or regulatory enforcement checks as part of wider vendor risk management workflows.
- +Structured due diligence reports with evidence trails for legal and compliance review
- +Strong coverage of counterparty risk themes tied to procurement and contract decisions
- +Experienced investigators for adverse media and enforcement-focused findings
- +Clear remediation tracking artifacts for follow-up actions and audit readiness
- –Execution is service-led, so throughput depends on staffing and intake quality
- –Less suited to teams that need a product-like API and automated data provisioning
- –RBAC and audit log controls are not the primary delivery surface
- –Beneficial ownership and source quality can require more client document coordination
Best for: Fits when regulated procurement, finance, or legal teams need investigation-led due diligence outputs.
TRACE
specialistTRACE provides anti-bribery due diligence and screening services for third-party intermediaries.
Evidence-linked case management that keeps screening outputs tied to decisions, remediation actions, and due diligence refresh cycles.
TRACE supports third-party due diligence and vendor risk management with a workflow focused on counterparty screening and evidence-led case building. Its distinct angle is the way it packages investigation results for audit-ready sharing, including remediation tracking and ongoing refresh workflows.
- +Case workspace keeps investigation evidence together for internal governance reviews
- +Screening workflows align with procurement and compliance decision trails
- +Remediation tracking supports documented follow-up after risk findings
- +Review refresh routines support periodic due diligence updates
- –Automation breadth depends on consistent input data and defined workflows
- –Complex org policies can require governance discipline for repeatability
- –Admin configuration effort increases with multi-team case ownership
- –Less suited to ad hoc research needs outside formal due diligence cases
Best for: Fits when compliance and procurement teams need evidence-led diligence cases and repeatable outputs.
Ankura
specialistAnkura conducts investigative due diligence, forensic analysis, and risk advisory engagements.
Analyst-driven evidence collection and remediation tracking designed to turn screening findings into governance-ready actions.
Ankura is a due diligence and investigations firm that differentiates itself through structured case execution and evidence-led workflows across complex cross-border risk. It typically combines counterparty and adverse media screening deliverables with financial health and regulatory or litigation checks that map to vendor risk questions.
- +Evidence-led diligence packages with clear linkage to risk questions
- +Works through complex jurisdictions with consistent analyst production
- +Supports remediation tracking workflows tied to findings
- +Often integrates information security and privacy questionnaire responses
- –Less suited to fully automated continuous monitoring without staff support
- –Workflow depth can require governance coordination on intake and evidence
- –Admin control and audit log visibility depends on engagement design
- –API-driven automation is not the primary delivery shape
Best for: Fits when large enterprises need analyst-led diligence, remediation follow-through, and governance-ready evidence across high-risk vendors.
RSM
enterprise_vendorRSM advises on third-party risk management, supplier due diligence, compliance, and internal controls.
Diligence playbooks that standardize evidence collection and risk-rating application across vendor and counterparty engagements.
RSM delivers third-party due diligence services that combine credit, risk screening, and investigative analysis into structured vendor and counterparty outputs. Delivery teams typically manage evidence collection, third-party risk questionnaires, and remediation follow-through as part of the diligence workflow.
- +Methodical diligence workflow that turns findings into decision-ready deliverables
- +Evidence collection support that reduces sourcing burden for internal teams
- +Clear linkage between risk scope and risk-rating logic across engagements
- +Dedicated governance for diligence refreshes and remediation tracking
- –Tooling and API surfaces are limited versus vendors that productize workflows
- –Automation depth depends on engagement scope and data access provided
- –Strong consulting delivery can raise coordination overhead for stakeholders
- –Breadth across specialized deep dives varies by region and assignment
Best for: Fits when diligence decisions require structured consulting governance and evidence-led findings more than an API-first workflow.
FTI Consulting
enterprise_vendorFTI Consulting performs investigative due diligence, forensic research, and compliance assessments.
Case-level evidence management that keeps screening results tied to documented findings for governance review.
FTI Consulting delivers third-party due diligence and risk analytics built around structured evidence collection, counterparty screening, and documented risk-rating methodology. The firm is strongest in complex investigations that mix regulatory and litigation checks with reputation and integrity signals, then translate findings into remediation tracking and decision-ready summaries.
- +Strong evidence traceability for governance and audit-ready diligence packages
- +Experienced adjudication across sanctions, adverse media, and litigation signals
- +Clear risk-rating methodology that feeds decisioning and remediation planning
- +Well-documented workpapers suitable for internal review and repeat refreshes
- –Engagement-style delivery can limit self-serve speed for high-volume onboarding
- –Requires active sponsor input to keep questionnaires and evidence requests aligned
- –Automation depth is constrained compared with SaaS-first due diligence workflows
- –Less suitable for teams seeking deep operational API integration
Best for: Fits when regulated decisions require defensible evidence and adjudicated findings across complex counterparties.
The Risk Advisory Group
specialistThe Risk Advisory Group provides enhanced due diligence, investigations, and political risk analysis.
Evidence-centered diligence deliverables that map findings into decision-ready narratives for procurement and legal review.
The Risk Advisory Group delivers third-party due diligence and vendor risk management for organizations that need counterparty screening, evidence-backed risk writeups, and decision-ready reporting. The firm’s work centers on practical risk assessments across compliance, financial stability signals, and operational risk considerations used in vendor selection and ongoing oversight.
- +Structured risk writeups support procurement and legal decision meetings
- +Document-led evidence collection helps align diligence outputs to policies
- +Counterparty screening workflows fit vendor onboarding and refresh cycles
- +Clear deliverable formats reduce rework between teams
- –Automation and API integration are not a primary selling point
- –Execution quality depends on scope clarity and response quality from vendors
- –Governance controls like RBAC and audit-log views are not emphasized
- –Continuous monitoring workflows may require separate engagement design
Best for: Fits when teams need evidence-backed third-party due diligence reports for onboarding and periodic refreshes.
Conclusion
After evaluating 10 third party due diligence, EY stands out as our overall top pick — it scored highest across our combined criteria of features, ease of use, and value, which is why it sits at #1 in the rankings above.
Use the comparison table and detailed reviews above to validate the fit against your own requirements before committing to a tool.
Frequently Asked Questions About Third Party Due Diligence
How do Deloitte and Kroll handle evidence collection for governance-ready onboarding files?
Which providers support ongoing due diligence refresh cycles without restarting the entire process?
How do PwC and FTI Consulting structure risk-rating methodology outputs for procurement and legal teams?
When does analyst-led delivery like Ankura matter more than tool-first automation?
What onboarding artifacts do KPMG and TRACE produce to support audit rights and contractual compliance review?
Which providers work well when counterparty diligence requires multi-workstream coordination across stakeholders?
What technical integration requirements arise when diligence outputs must feed internal systems like GRC or case management?
How do sanctions and adverse media findings get handled differently between Deloitte and Kroll?
What breaks when a firm inputs incomplete counterparty information to providers like the Risk Advisory Group and EY?
Tools reviewed
Primary sources checked during evaluation.
Referenced in the comparison table and product reviews above.
How to Choose the Right Third Party Due Diligence
We separate options by how well third party due diligence output becomes usable work: you want a repeatable evidence trail and a clear way to review, refresh, and export findings. Focus on whether Audit log and evidence attachments match how your team actually documents decisions.
Evidence attachments for each conclusion
Why it matters
Evidence attachments for each conclusion reduce disputes when stakeholders ask “what did you rely on.” For third party due diligence, the output needs traceable source context, not just a label.
How to check
Open a sample due diligence case and click into a finding to see whether it includes linked source evidence, captured notes, and timestamps. Ask for an export and confirm the evidence is included with the record you can share internally.
Review workflow with approvals and notes
Why it matters
A review workflow with approvals and notes keeps decisions consistent across reviewers. In third party due diligence, the difference between “draft” and “approved for use” matters when you refresh or audit decisions.
How to check
In a demo, start a case, complete one investigation step, and show how a second user can review and approve with comments. Check whether you can restrict who can finalize the outcome for a case.
Audit log of changes and status
Why it matters
Audit log of changes and status helps you reconstruct what changed and when—critical for third party due diligence records that evolve. It also supports internal governance without relying on tribal knowledge.
How to check
Create a case, update an assessment field, then change status (for example, draft to approved). Verify the audit log captures user, timestamp, field/value changes, and any edits to the evidence attachments.
Refresh cadence and rerun controls
Why it matters
Refresh cadence and rerun controls determine whether due diligence stays current without manual rework. If third party due diligence refreshes are vague, teams either miss updates or spend too long rerunning everything.
How to check
Ask how the tool handles a “refresh” for an existing case: what gets rerun, what stays, and what triggers notifications. Provide a sample schedule and show how you can configure per vendor/case refresh timing.
Exportable report bundle with metadata
Why it matters
Exportable report bundle with metadata lets you store third party due diligence outputs in your document system and share with internal stakeholders. Portability matters when teams need a stable record beyond the app UI.
How to check
Generate a report for a sample case and download it in the format you plan to keep (PDF and/or data export). Confirm the export includes: case identifiers, review status, evidence links or attachments, and timestamps.
Red flags
- Conclusions without linked evidence artifacts
- Approvals that do not lock outcomes to a clear status
- Audit logs that miss field-level edits or timestamps
Fit by situation
- If you need a defensible record for internal review, prioritize Evidence attachments for each conclusion.
- If multiple reviewers finalize outcomes, prioritize Review workflow with approvals and notes.
- If cases must stay current and reviewable over time, prioritize Refresh cadence and rerun controls.
Funding and competing interests
This study was co-funded by several of the vendors assessed in it. No single vendor funded it. Funders could propose the market studied.
They had no role in selecting vendors, setting or weighting criteria, analysing data or drawing conclusions, and they received the same factual-accuracy check as every other vendor assessed.
Market definition, inclusion rules and criteria weights were fixed by an editor before research began and did not change afterwards. Editorial process →
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