Why Choose Protectron.ai
The Only EU AI Act Compliance Platform Built for Speed, Simplicity, and Startups
You're looking for the best way to achieve EU AI Act compliance. We've done the research so you don't have to.
Your Options at a Glance
| Solution | Best For | Time to Compliance | Annual Cost | Self-Service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protectron.aiRecommended | Startups & SMBs | Days | €1,188 – €11,988 | Yes |
| Credo AI | Fortune 500 enterprises | 6-12 months | €50,000 – €200,000+ | Sales required |
| Holistic AI | Large enterprises | 3-6 months | €40,000 – €150,000+ | Sales required |
| Vanta | Multi-compliance needs | 2-4 months | €10,000 – €80,000 | Demo required |
| Consultants / Law Firms | Complex, high-budget | 6-18 months | €50,000 – €400,000+ | Sales required |
| DIY (Spreadsheets) | Nobody | Months of pain | "Free" + your time | 😅 |
Why Enterprise Solutions Don't Fit
Enterprise platforms are built for Fortune 500 companies with massive budgets and dedicated compliance teams. Here's why they're probably not right for you.
Credo AI
Enterprise AI governance platform recognized by Gartner and Forrester. Covers multiple regulations including EU AI Act, NIST RMF, and ISO 42001.
Who it's for: Fortune 500 companies with dedicated GRC teams, large budgets, and 6+ month implementation timelines.
Why it's not for you (probably):
- Pricing starts at ~€50,000/year — Custom enterprise contracts only
- Implementation takes 3-12 months — Requires professional services
- Built for enterprises — Overkill if you have 1-50 AI systems
- No self-service — Must go through sales cycle just to see pricing
Best for: Companies with 100+ AI systems, dedicated compliance teams, and enterprise budgets.
Holistic AI
End-to-end AI governance covering discovery, risk management, and compliance monitoring. Strong presence in UK/EU markets.
Who it's for: Large enterprises needing 'shadow AI' detection and lifecycle governance across complex organizations.
Why it's not for you (probably):
- Enterprise pricing only — No published pricing, custom quotes required
- Complex implementation — Designed for organizations with existing GRC infrastructure
- Broad focus — Covers everything from bias detection to security
- Requires existing AI maturity — Assumes you already have AI inventory processes
Best for: Enterprises with 50+ AI deployments needing comprehensive AI governance beyond just EU AI Act.
Vanta
Trust management and compliance automation platform. Recently added EU AI Act support alongside SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and 35+ other frameworks.
Who it's for: Companies already using Vanta for security compliance who want to add EU AI Act.
Why it's not for you (probably):
- Starts at €10,000/year — For basic compliance, scales to €80,000+ with add-ons
- EU AI Act is an add-on — Not their core focus, added October 2024
- Hidden costs add up — VRM module (€11,200/year), advanced automation (€10,000-25,000/year)
- Still requires significant setup — Expect 2-4 months to audit-ready
Best for: Companies already invested in Vanta who need EU AI Act as one of several compliance frameworks.
Consultants & Law Firms
Expert advisory services for EU AI Act compliance. Big 4 firms (PwC, Deloitte, EY, KPMG), boutique AI consultancies, and specialized law firms.
Who it's for: Organizations with complex regulatory situations, needing bespoke guidance, or requiring legal opinions.
Why it's not for you (probably):
- EU Commission estimates: ~€52,000/year per high-risk AI system
- Quality Management System setup: €193,000 – €330,000 (one-time)
- Consultant hourly rates: €200 – €500+/hour
- Typical project timeline: 6-18 months
Best for: Genuinely complex regulatory questions, legal opinions for board/investors, unusual AI use cases.
Why Protectron.ai Wins
While enterprise platforms treat EU AI Act as one of many frameworks, Protectron.ai is purpose-built for EU AI Act compliance. Every feature, every workflow, every document template is designed around the regulation's actual requirements.
| Feature | Protectron.ai | Enterprise Platforms | Vanta | Consultants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU AI Act-specific design | Core focus | One of many | Add-on | Varies |
| Risk classification engine | Articles 5, 6, Annex III | Yes | Yes | Manual |
| Document generation | AI-powered | Templates | Templates | You write |
| Requirements tracking | Article-by-article | Yes | Yes | Manual |
| Self-service signup | Start now | Sales cycle | Demo first | Meetings |
| Transparent pricing | On website | Hidden | Ranges only | Quote required |
Pricing That Makes Sense
Starter
€1,188/year
1-2 AI systems, early-stage startups
Growth
€3,588/year
3-10 AI systems, growing companies
Scale
€7,188/year
10-25 AI systems, scaling teams
Enterprise
€11,988/year
25+ systems, large organizations
Compare that to:
Credo AI
€50,000 – €200,000+/year
Holistic AI
Custom enterprise pricing
Vanta
€10,000 – €80,000/year
Consultants
€50,000+ per project
Speed That Matters
With Protectron.ai
- Minutes:Sign up and classify your first AI system
- Hours:Generate technical documentation and risk assessments
- Days:Complete compliance framework for your organization
- Ongoing:Track progress, manage evidence, stay compliant
With alternatives
- Enterprise platforms:3-6 month implementation
- Consultants:6-18 month engagements
- DIY:3-6 months of manual work
The Aug 2, 2026 deadline isn't moving. Every month you spend evaluating enterprise solutions is a month you're not making progress.
Find the Right Solution for You
Choose Protectron.ai if you:
- Are a startup or SMB
- Have 1-50 AI systems
- Want to get started today
- Need transparent, affordable pricing
- Want EU AI Act-specific features
- Prefer self-service over sales calls
- Need AI-generated documentation to save time
Choose enterprise platforms if you:
- Are a Fortune 500 or large enterprise
- Have 100+ AI systems across the organization
- Have a dedicated GRC/compliance team
- Have €50,000+ annual compliance budget
- Need deep integrations with existing MLOps infrastructure
- Need multi-framework compliance (EU AI Act + NIST + ISO 42001)
Choose Vanta if you:
- Already use Vanta for SOC 2 or ISO 27001
- Need multi-framework compliance in one platform
- Have €15,000-50,000+ annual budget
- Want to reuse existing compliance evidence
Choose consultants if you:
- Need legal opinions for board/investors
- Have complex, unusual AI use cases
- Require interpretation of edge cases in the regulation
- Have €50,000+ budget for advisory services
The Real Cost of Waiting
EU AI Act Penalties
Prohibited AI practices
Up to €35 million or 7% of global revenue
High-risk non-compliance
Up to €15 million or 3% of global revenue
False information
Up to €7.5 million or 1.5% of global revenue
Beyond fines:
- Market withdrawal orders — Your AI system can be banned from EU
- Reputation damage — Headlines about non-compliance hurt trust
- Lost deals — Enterprise customers increasingly require proof of compliance
- M&A impact — Non-compliance is now part of due diligence
Timeline reality: Prohibited practices already in effect (Feb 2, 2025). High-risk AI systems deadline: Aug 2, 2026 — ~8 months away.
What Customers Say
"We evaluated enterprise solutions and realized we'd spend more on implementation than our entire annual software budget. Protectron got us compliant in days, not months."
— CTO, AI SaaS Startup
"The document generation alone saved us 80+ hours. Our technical docs would have taken our engineering team weeks to write from scratch."
— Compliance Lead, Healthcare AI
"Finally, a compliance tool that doesn't require a 6-figure budget and a 6-month implementation."
— Founder, European AI Company
Get Started in Minutes, Not Months
Sign Up
Create your account in 60 seconds. No sales call required.
Add Your AI Systems
Describe your AI systems and get instant risk classification.
Generate Documentation
AI-powered document generation creates your technical docs, risk assessments, and policies.
Track Progress
Monitor compliance progress, manage evidence, and stay audit-ready.
Protectron.ai — EU AI Act Compliance Made Simple
🇪🇺 Data hosted in EU | GDPR compliant | SOC 2 in progress
Disclaimer: This comparison is based on publicly available information as of December 2024. Pricing and features may change. Protectron.ai provides compliance management tools, not legal advice. Always consult qualified legal counsel for specific regulatory questions.