AlgoCandy vs SentroWeb: Real-World Usage Comparison for Singapore CSPs

If you have worked in the Corporate Service Provider (CSP) or corporate secretarial industry in Singapore, chances are you are already familiar with AlgoCandy and SentroWeb. These two platforms are among the most commonly used AML and CDD software solutions in the local market.

I have been working in the secretarial services industry for nearly ten years and have personally used both systems in real operational environments. This article is not based on product brochures or sales presentations—it is a comparison grounded entirely in hands-on experience. I hope it provides useful reference for fellow CSP practitioners.

Functional Comparison

Both AlgoCandy and SentroWeb market themselves as powerful compliance solutions. However, when applied to day-to-day CDD work, the differences in product design philosophy and functional coverage are quite clear.

The table below summarizes the key functions from a practical CDD execution perspective.

From this comparison, it is evident that:

• AlgoCandy is designed as a full end-to-end CDD execution platform

• SentroWeb focuses primarily on AML screening with limited CDD workflow support

Practical Experience with AlgoCandy

From an operational standpoint, AlgoCandy functions as a comprehensive compliance execution system rather than a single-purpose tool.

1️⃣ Client Onboarding

Clients complete company and member information directly through the system, including:

• Company profile details

• Shareholders, directors, and ultimate beneficial owners

• Ownership and control relationships

Because information is provided directly by clients, secretarial staff only need to review and confirm accuracy, significantly reducing manual data collection and back-and-forth communication.

2️⃣ Conducting CDD

This is where the difference between AlgoCandy and SentroWeb becomes most apparent:

• Clients complete KYC questionnaires online

• Electronic signatures are executed within the system

• Identity documents are uploaded and verified

• Facial biometric verification is performed

• AML / PEP / sanctions screening runs automatically

The entire process is completed within a single platform, without emailing documents or relying on external signing or verification tools.

3️⃣ Risk Assessment

Once the core CDD process is completed:

• Risk assessment is conducted using templates aligned with ACRA guidance

• Assessment results are automatically stored

• A complete CDD report can be generated with one click

4️⃣ Ongoing Monitoring

AlgoCandy’s ongoing monitoring covers more than AML screening:

• Continuous AML, sanctions, and adverse media monitoring

• Identity document expiry reminders

• Risk reassessment and periodic review tracking

• Automated review cycle configuration and alerts

This is particularly valuable for long-term client management.

Practical Experience with SentroWeb

SentroWeb’s primary strength remains AML screening.

1️⃣ AML Screening

AML screening is SentroWeb’s core offering. In practice, screening results are largely consistent with AlgoCandy’s results. Based on my experience, the underlying data sources appear to be highly similar.

2️⃣ Limited CDD Automation

While SentroWeb offers a degree of CDD workflow support, there are clear limitations:

• Company data fields are incomplete (e.g. share capital and ownership structures are not fully supported)

• Member information must be manually entered by secretarial staff

• Clients cannot complete forms directly

• Online electronic signatures are not supported

In reality, the workflow often looks like this:

Collect information using Word or Excel →
Enter data into SentroWeb →
Export documents →
Use a third-party tool for client signatures

This process does not provide a meaningful efficiency advantage.

In addition, SentroWeb does not support online document authenticity verification or biometric identity checks.

3️⃣ Risk Assessment and Ongoing Monitoring

SentroWeb’s risk assessment framework is also based on ACRA guidance. However:

• Review history cannot be retained—new assessments overwrite previous ones

• Ongoing monitoring operates as a separate module

• Monitoring results are not fully linked to client cases

• Reminder features are not intuitive and must be configured individually

Efficiency Comparison

Both platforms claim to reduce CDD processing time by over 80% compared to traditional manual workflows.

From my own experience:

AlgoCandy reduces processing time by a further 80% compared to SentroWeb.

A practical example:

• Completing a full CDD using SentroWeb typically takes around 120 minutes

• Completing the same process using AlgoCandy takes approximately 20 minutes, often less

The key reason is that AlgoCandy integrates client participation, data collection, verification, signing, and compliance execution into a single workflow.

User Interface Experience

AlgoCandy adopts a modern, technology-driven UI design. Navigation is intuitive, and new users can become productive relatively quickly.

SentroWeb’s UI is more traditional and less intuitive. For first-time users, locating features and understanding workflows can be challenging, resembling earlier-generation enterprise systems.

Client Experience During the CDD Process

For secretarial firms, the client’s experience during the CDD process is critical.

Complex workflows, repeated follow-ups, and frequent document revisions can frustrate clients and, in some cases, lead them to switch service providers. This is something I have encountered firsthand.

Client Experience with AlgoCandy

AlgoCandy’s workflow closely resembles onboarding processes used by banks and financial institutions:

• Clients receive an onboarding email

• Complete information online

• Submit KYC questionnaires

• Sign documents electronically

• Complete identity verification

Secretarial staff focus primarily on review and risk assessment, with minimal need for repeated client follow-ups.

Client Experience with SentroWeb

With SentroWeb, secretarial teams must repeatedly collect information via email or document templates, re-enter data, export files, request signatures, and make corrections. Clients are required to participate multiple times, which increases the risk of dissatisfaction.

Final Thoughts

Overall:

• Compliance coverage: AlgoCandy is more comprehensive

• CDD execution efficiency: AlgoCandy is significantly faster

• Client experience: AlgoCandy aligns better with modern expectations

SentroWeb reflects an earlier generation of compliance software focused on tool-based functionality.
AlgoCandy represents a newer generation of compliance platforms built around complete workflows and collaboration.

I personally transitioned from SentroWeb to AlgoCandy after learning about it during an AML compliance training session. Following a product demonstration, the decision to switch was straightforward. Over the past two years, many fellow CSP practitioners I know have made the same move.

For anyone who has taken the time to seriously evaluate and use both platforms, the difference is clear and difficult to overlook.