EthicsPortal vs. Formalize #
Formalize, formerly known as WhistleblowerSoftware.com, is a Copenhagen-based whistleblower platform backed by a €15M Series A. With roughly 170 employees and over 500 consultancy partners — including PwC and Baker McKenzie — they have grown into one of the largest players in European whistleblower compliance. They are currently expanding beyond whistleblowing into NIS2 and DORA compliance.
Quick comparison #
| Feature | EthicsPortal | Formalize |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | €49/month flat | Custom pricing (request quote, billed annually) |
| Self-serve signup | Yes, instant | Partial — book a demo for quote |
| Encryption | Yes (non-deterministic ActiveRecord Encryption) | Yes |
| EU hosting | Yes (Hetzner, Germany) | Yes (EU) |
| File metadata stripping | Yes (EXIF, GPS, author info) | Not publicly documented |
| IP anonymization | Yes (one-way hash, no storage) | Not publicly documented |
| Audit trail | Yes, immutable | Yes |
| Deadline tracking | Yes (7-day and 3-month with notifications) | Yes |
| PDF export | Yes | Yes |
| Languages | EN, FR, PL (more coming) | 80+ languages |
| G2 rating | N/A | 4.9/5 (157 reviews) — #1 Top Rated |
Where Formalize is strong #
- G2 ratings and market presence. Formalize is the #1 Top Rated whistleblower platform on G2 with a 4.9/5 score across 157 reviews. That reputation is earned.
- Language coverage. With 80+ languages, Formalize serves multinational organizations operating across dozens of countries without needing third-party translation.
- Partner ecosystem. Their 500+ consultancy partners, including firms like PwC and Baker McKenzie, mean many compliance teams already have a recommendation path to Formalize.
Where EthicsPortal is different #
- Transparent, flat pricing. EthicsPortal costs €49/month regardless of company size. No per-employee bands, no tier negotiations, no surprise invoices. Formalize does not publish pricing — you must request a quote and go through a sales process to learn what you will pay.
- Instant setup, no sales call. Sign up, configure your portal, and share the reporting link — all in minutes. Formalize offers a 14-day trial, but getting a price requires booking a demo and requesting a custom quote.
- Privacy by design. EthicsPortal strips file metadata (EXIF, GPS coordinates, author information) before storage and anonymizes IP addresses with a one-way hash. These protections are built in, not optional add-ons.
- EU-hosted on Hetzner in Germany. Your data stays in the EU on infrastructure you can verify, not behind a generic “EU data center” claim.
Who should choose Formalize #
Formalize is a strong choice for mid-to-large enterprises that need 80+ languages, want a platform backed by a well-funded company with ISO 27001 and ISAE 3000 certifications, or already work with one of their 500+ consultancy partners. If your compliance team requires a mature partner ecosystem and is comfortable with higher pricing, Formalize delivers.
Who should choose EthicsPortal #
EthicsPortal is built for SMEs that need EU Directive 2019/1937 compliance without the enterprise overhead. If you need compliance today and do not require 80 languages or a consultancy partner network, EthicsPortal delivers full Directive coverage with immediate deployment and predictable pricing.