Credit check vs. Buyer Intelligence
Same goal, different tool. Here’s when each one fits.
| Credit check | Buyer Intelligence | |
|---|---|---|
| Tells you | Whether the buyer has paid past invoices. | Whether the buyer is who they claim to be, and the country/sanctions/identity context around them. |
| Coverage | Mostly large, well-documented firms. | Long-tail, SEA, and emerging-market buyers credit insurers won't cover. |
| Time to result | Hours to days. | 30 seconds. |
| Cost | Per-report fee or insurance premium. | Free. |
| Output | Numerical score and limit. | Risk level + confidence + 3 to 6 specific signals + recommended next step. |
| Best when | Setting a credit line for a known counterparty. | First-pass risk read on a buyer you've never traded with. |