kitio.aiSift vs Link Shield
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Sift starts at See pricing page and Link Shield starts at $10/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Real-time risk scoring
- Payment fraud protection
- Account takeover defense
- Fake account detection
- Automated decision workflows
- AI agents for fraud teams
- 0-100 risk scoring with reasons
- Redirect and short link unwrapping
- Bulk URL scanning
- Category detection
- REST API
| Feature | Sift | Link Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Machine-learning fraud prevention for payments and user accounts | URL scanning API that scores links for phishing, malware and scams |
| Category | Legal, finance & HR | Legal, finance & HR |
| Pricing model | Paid | Free trial |
| Starting price | See pricing page | $10/mo |
| Free plan | No | No, 5-day trial |
| Made by | Sift | Link Shield |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Sift starts at See pricing page and Link Shield starts at $10/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
Hobby
$10/mo
- 10,000 scans per month
- API access
- Email support
Pro
$100/mo
- 100,000 scans per month
- Priority scanning
- Team seats
Business
$1000/mo
- 1,000,000 scans per month
- Custom thresholds
- Dedicated support
Prices in USD, checked Oct 29, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Sift
- Covers payments, logins and sign-ups
- Network data from many businesses
- Documented score API
- Expert services available
- No public pricing
- Demo required before buying
- Needs engineering work to send events
Link Shield
- Explains why a link is risky
- Follows redirects to the final page
- Low entry price for side projects
- No free plan after the trial
- Big price jumps between tiers
- Team seats only from the Pro plan
Which one should you choose?
Choose Sift if you want:
- Covers payments, logins and sign-ups
- Network data from many businesses
- Documented score API
Watch out: no public pricing.
Choose Link Shield if you want:
- Explains why a link is risky
- Follows redirects to the final page
- Low entry price for side projects
Watch out: no free plan after the trial.
Sift vs Link Shield FAQ
What is the difference between Sift and Link Shield?
Sift: Machine-learning fraud prevention for payments and user accounts. Link Shield: URL scanning API that scores links for phishing, malware and scams. Both are legal, finance & hr tools.
Is Sift or Link Shield cheaper?
Sift starts at See pricing page and Link Shield starts at $10/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Sift and Link Shield have free plans?
Sift: No. Link Shield: No, 5-day trial.
Who makes Sift?
Sift is made by Sift, based in United States.
Who makes Link Shield?
Link Shield is made by Link Shield.
Which should I choose, Sift or Link Shield?
Choose Sift if you value covers payments, logins and sign-ups and network data from many businesses. Choose Link Shield if you value explains why a link is risky and follows redirects to the final page.