Firmwatch
Comparison

Red Flag Alert alternative for UK Companies House monitoring

Red Flag Alert is a strong tool for enterprise credit risk teams. Firmwatch is the better fit for firms that only need Companies House monitoring, want published pricing and self-serve signup, and do not need credit scoring or a wider enterprise risk stack.

When Red Flag Alert is the right choice

You need credit scores and risk ratings as part of day-to-day monitoring.

You need KYC, AML, PEPs, and sanctions checks in the same platform.

You operate internationally and need data beyond the UK register.

You want a full API and enterprise integrations into wider risk tooling.

You have budget for a quoted enterprise contract.

When Firmwatch is the right choice

You only need Companies House event monitoring for insolvency, strike-off, director changes, overdue accounts, charges, and related filing issues.

You want published pricing and a self-serve signup flow.

You do not want a demo call or annual contract just to get started.

You need plain-English alerts rather than raw filing jargon.

You are monitoring dozens to low thousands of UK companies.

You are an accountancy firm or credit control team, not a financial-services enterprise buying a wider risk stack.

Feature-by-feature comparison

FeatureRed Flag AlertFirmwatch
CoverageUK + internationalUK only
Credit scoring and health ratingsYesNo
Companies House event monitoringYesYes
Plain-English alertsNot the main product angleYes
KYC/AML/PEPs/sanctionsYesNo
API accessYesNot currently
Self-serve signupNoYes
Published pricingNoYes
Minimum contractQuoted enterprise contractMonthly, no contract
Unlimited team usersTypically plan-dependentYes
Typical price pointQuote-based, typically mid-four to five figures per yearFrom £19/month, published

What Firmwatch doesn't do

No credit scores.

No international data.

No AML, sanctions, or PEP checks.

No full-text document search.

Common questions

Is Firmwatch a credit reference agency?
No. Firmwatch is a monitoring tool built around Companies House events and filing deadlines. It helps teams spot changes quickly, but it does not provide credit scores or formal credit reference data.
Do you replace Red Flag Alert entirely?
Not always. If you rely on credit scores, AML checks, international coverage, or enterprise integrations, Red Flag Alert may still be the better fit. Firmwatch is the lighter option for teams that mainly need UK Companies House monitoring.
How much cheaper is Firmwatch?
Firmwatch starts at £19 per month with published pricing and a self-serve trial. Red Flag Alert is usually bought on a quoted enterprise basis, so the difference is normally large for smaller teams that only need monitoring.
Can I switch from Red Flag Alert easily?
Usually, yes, if your main use case is monitoring a UK company portfolio for Companies House events and deadlines. The practical work is normally exporting or assembling your company list and importing it into Firmwatch.
Do you have an API?
Not currently. Firmwatch is designed as a self-serve web product first, so teams can get started without an integration project.

If you only need Companies House monitoring, buy the simpler tool.

Start with published pricing, self-serve signup, and a 7-day trial instead of an enterprise sales cycle.