SpeakUp vs Ashio
SpeakUp is a European ethics & compliance platform built in Amsterdam, used by 750+ organizations and more than 10 million employees for misconduct reports, disclosures (SpeakUp Paths) and case management — sold through a tailored quote and a demo. Ashio is the leaner, cheaper, self-service alternative for SMEs that need a compliant channel live this week. Here is how they actually differ.
At a glance
SpeakUp is designed for organizations from 500 employees upwards: SpeakUp Report takes misconduct reports, SpeakUp Paths handles disclosures such as gifts and conflicts of interest, and Sienna AI sits on top of both. Pricing is a tailored quote and a demo is the entry point. Ashio is €23–29/month for the whole organization, self-service, with EU Directive + Sapin II coverage under ISO 27001-certified Swiss hosting. Most SMEs do not need disclosure campaigns, cross-case AI and translation at scale — they need a working whistleblowing channel by Friday.
Comparison
Here is how the two platforms compare on the points that matter most for a small or mid-sized team.
Honest take
SpeakUp has run speak-up programs for over 20 years and holds the enterprise certifications procurement asks for. Here is a fair look at what SpeakUp does better, and how Ashio fits teams that do not need the full program.
SpeakUp: ISO/IEC 27001:2022, SOC 2 Type 2 (ISAE 3000) and TISAX AL3, with the reports available on request — plus EU-only hosting.
Ashio: Ashio runs on ISO 27001-certified servers in Switzerland with end-to-end encryption, but does not hold SOC 2 or TISAX. If procurement needs those reports, SpeakUp is the safer pick.
SpeakUp: SpeakUp Paths covers conflicts of interest, gifts, side activities and donations through the same case management engine.
Ashio: Ashio focuses on the reporting channel itself. Teams that also run COI or gift declarations keep those in their HRIS or procurement tool.
SpeakUp: Sienna AI assists with case work, Sienna Insights surfaces patterns across cases, and an AI Voice Agent can handle first intake calls.
Ashio: Ashio covers the legal workflow (anonymous intake, deadlines, case file, audit log) without AI. AI summaries are a productivity boost, not a compliance requirement.
SpeakUp: Machine translation of incoming messages across 100+ languages, with human translation on request, for globally distributed workforces.
Ashio: Ashio's reporting form and dashboard are available in 18 languages natively — enough for most European SMEs, but not a 100+ language translation service.
Why teams choose Ashio
SpeakUp is the right call for a 2,000-person group with entities in a dozen countries and a full ethics program. Most SMEs need a compliant, anonymous channel live this week at €23–29/month — not a demo, a tailored quote and an onboarding project.
Ashio is a flat €23–29 per month for the whole organization. SpeakUp prices every plan by company size and feature set, so there is no number until you have had the call.
Sign up and share your reporting link in under 10 minutes. SpeakUp's entry point is a demo and a tailored proposal.
Ashio is just the reporting software you need. SpeakUp shines when you also need disclosure campaigns, AI analytics and translation at scale — otherwise you are paying for a platform you will not use.
FAQ
For most SMEs: yes. SpeakUp is built for organizations from 500 employees upwards, with disclosures, AI and translation as part of the package. If you only need the reporting channel and the EU Directive obligations, Ashio covers those at a fraction of the price.
No. SpeakUp is an independent European ethics & compliance platform headquartered in Amsterdam (SpeakUp Report, SpeakUp Paths, Sienna AI). NAVEX is a separate US risk & compliance vendor — its whistleblowing products are EthicsPoint and WhistleB.
Yes — SpeakUp lists the EU Whistleblower Directive, GDPR, NIS2 and DORA among the frameworks it supports, and has run speak-up programs for over 20 years. Ashio covers the EU Directive and its national implementations too, on ISO 27001-certified Swiss hosting.
There is no automated SpeakUp-to-Ashio importer. Export your case data and finish open investigations in SpeakUp first; most teams run both in parallel for a short handover period.
Related comparisons
Looking at alternatives side by side is the fastest way to see whether Ashio fits your compliance program and budget.
Set up your anonymous, compliant whistleblowing channel in minutes. 14 days free, no credit card required — and €23–29/month per organization after that.