# FirmScribe Alternative | Comma Compliance

FirmScribe captures iMessage, WhatsApp, and texts then exports to third-party archives. Comma is end-to-end across 35+ channels with flat pricing.

Source: https://commacompliance.com/compare/firmscribe-alternative
Last updated: 2026-04-18

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FirmScribe is a mobile message capture platform focused on iMessage, WhatsApp, and Android for financial services firms. If you're evaluating mobile capture for compliance, it may be on your list. Here's how Comma Compliance compares across architecture, channel coverage, and exam readiness.

## At a Glance

FirmScribe is a capture-only layer. It captures iMessage, WhatsApp, and Android messages and routes them to a third-party archive of your choice. It has no built-in archive, no supervision, no policy matching, and no case management. Comma Compliance is an end-to-end solution: capture, archive, supervision, policy matching, and exam-ready case management across 35+ channels, at a flat per-user price.

## Side-by-Side Comparison

| Feature                          | Comma Compliance                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | FirmScribe                                                                                  |
| -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Architecture                     | End-to-end — capture, archive, supervision, policy matching, and exam-ready case management, with [open source transparency.](https://github.com/comma-compliance)                                                                                | Capture-only — routes messages to a third-party archive.                                    |
| Built-in archive                 | Yes — included in platform                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | No — exports to a third-party archive.                                                      |
| WORM storage                     | [Yes](/resources/worm-storage) — written at point of capture                                                                                                                                                                                      | Dependent on third-party archive                                                            |
| iMessage capture method          | [Point-of-delivery](/post/archive-imessage-for-sec-compliance) — not iCloud-dependent                                                                                                                                  | Capture methodology not publicly detailed; offers all-threads or business-threads-only mode |
| WhatsApp capture                 | Captures both WhatsApp Business and personal WhatsApp                                                                                                                                                                                             | WhatsApp Business and personal; all threads or business threads only                        |
| Signal capture                   | Yes — [open-source capture code](https://github.com/comma-compliance/signal-capture) published on GitHub                                                                                                                                          | Not supported                                                                               |
| Transparency                     | WhatsApp and Signal capture code published openly on GitHub — no NDA, no request required                                                                                                                                                         | Proprietary; capture methodology not publicly disclosed                                     |
| Channels supported               | [35+ channels](/platform-integrations) where conversations happen: iMessage, WhatsApp, Signal, SMS, Voice, Microsoft 365, Teams, Exchange, OneDrive, Gmail, Google Workspace, Slack, Zoom, Webex, Bloomberg Chat, Salesforce, Telegram, and more. | iMessage, WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business, Android SMS                                          |
| Pricing model                    | Flat monthly [pricing](/pricing), all platforms included. No per-connector fees, no storage overages, no export fees. [$33/user active, $15/user archival.](/pricing)                                                                             | Not publicly listed; quote required |
| Free trial                       | Yes                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Not publicly offered                                                                        |
| Personal vs. business separation | Automatic contact-based filtering — personal contacts can be excluded automatically                                                                                                                                                               | User-tagged — employees manually tag business threads; or all threads captured              |
| Policy processing                | Yes — built in                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Not supported                                                                               |
| Custom policy matching           | Yes                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Not supported                                                                               |
| Case management                  | [Exam-ready](/exam-ready-cases) — built for regulatory examination prep                                                                                                                                                                           | None                                                                                        |
| AI compliance monitoring         | Real-time policy scanning; human validation before escalation; no client data used for training without consent                                                                                                                                   | Not supported                                                                               |
| Data ownership                   | Client retains full ownership; never sold or shared outside authorized sub-processors                                                                                                                                                             | Routed to customer's designated archive                                                     |

*Competitor feature descriptions reflect publicly available documentation and may not capture all capabilities. Information is reviewed periodically.*

## When FirmScribe may be a better fit

- Compliance programs built around limited communication channels rather than broad app coverage
- Firms with policies that restrict use of third-party messaging apps

## The Archive Gap

FirmScribe captures messages and routes them to whichever third-party archive the customer designates. This requires two vendors, one for capture and one for archival.

## **Channel Coverage**

FirmScribe supports three channels: iMessage, WhatsApp, and Android SMS. Comma Compliance covers 35+ channels in a single platform at a flat price.