1. Who is going to run it?
If the answer is "our compliance team of one" or "the founder," you need self-serve software with opinionated defaults — not a platform that assumes a staffed GRC department and an implementation partner.
Comparison
Govarna vs. OneTrust for AI governance: an honest comparison.
OneTrust is a powerful enterprise GRC suite. Govarna is a self-serve AI governance platform built for mid-market B2B SaaS. Here is how to know which one you actually need.
From $499/month, published pricingNo credit card requiredNo sales call
The honest one-paragraph answer
If you are a 5,000-person enterprise with a dedicated GRC team, existing OneTrust privacy modules, and budget for implementation services, OneTrust's AI governance module is a reasonable choice. If you are a 50–2,000 person SaaS company that needs to answer AI security questionnaires this quarter and be ready for the EU AI Act without a six-figure project — that is exactly what Govarna was built for.
Side by side
Different tools for different buyers
| Govarna | OneTrust AI Governance | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Mid-market B2B SaaS (50–2,000 employees) | Large enterprise GRC programs |
| Pricing | Flat tiers, $499–$3,999/mo, published | Quote-based, sales-led |
| Time to first artifact | Days — self-serve setup | Typically a scoped implementation project |
| Buying process | Free 14-day trial, no card, no sales call | Sales-led evaluation |
| AI questionnaire responder | Core feature, included in every tier | Part of a broader vendor-risk toolset |
| EU AI Act classification | Deterministic, auditable, human-confirmed | Supported within the broader module |
| NIST AI RMF / ISO 42001 | Included (tier-dependent) | Supported |
| Audit preparation export | PDF + JSON, one click | Enterprise reporting suite |
| Best when | You need to move this quarter on a mid-market budget | You are standardizing GRC across a large organization |
OneTrust characteristics reflect its public enterprise positioning and sales-led model as generally reported; capabilities and terms vary by contract. Verify specifics with OneTrust directly. Article 50 transparency duties apply from 2 August 2026.
Decision guide
Three questions that decide it
2. What is blocking you right now?
If it is a customer’s AI security questionnaire or an EU AI Act obligation, you need time-to-value measured in days. A tool you can only evaluate through a sales cycle cannot unblock this quarter’s deal.
3. What is the budget, honestly?
If a six-figure annual contract plus implementation services is not happening this year, the decision makes itself. Govarna’s full platform starts at $499/mo, published on the pricing page.
When not to choose Govarna
We would rather you buy the right tool. Choose the enterprise suite if you need deep integration with an existing OneTrust privacy or GRC deployment, complex multi-entity organizational structures, or a procurement process that mandates an established enterprise vendor program. Some items on Govarna's roadmap — SSO/SAML sign-in among them — matter to large enterprises and are not shipped yet. We say so on our pricing page rather than listing them as available.
Common questions
Comparison FAQ
Is OneTrust bad at AI governance?
No. OneTrust is a capable enterprise GRC suite, and its AI governance capabilities sit within that broader platform. The question is fit: a 5,000-person enterprise with a staffed GRC team and existing OneTrust modules has a different job to be done than a 300-person SaaS company facing its first AI security review.
Can we migrate away from Govarna later?
Yes. Your AI inventory, classifications, policies, and evidence export to PDF and JSON at any time. There is no lock-in by design — the export is the same artifact you hand to buyers and auditors.
Does Govarna replace Vanta or Drata?
No. Those are SOC 2 and security-compliance platforms. Govarna covers AI-specific governance — inventory, EU AI Act classification, AI policies, and AI questionnaire responses — and is designed to sit alongside them.
Is there a free way to try the core feature?
Yes. The free AI security questionnaire drafter at govarna.com/tools/questionnaire requires no signup, and the free EU AI Act deployer assessment takes about three minutes.
Does Govarna support enterprise requirements like SSO?
Not yet. SSO/SAML sign-in and some other enterprise features are on the roadmap and not shipped — we say so on the pricing page rather than listing them as available. If those are hard requirements today, an enterprise suite may fit better.
Want the wider market view? Read the 4-way comparison: OneTrust vs Credo AI vs Govarna vs Vanta.
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Article 50 transparency duties apply from Aug 2, 2026.
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