Witness vs Sightengine
Sightengine is built for teams that add automated AI-generated image, deepfake, video, voice and music detection, plus content moderation, to their products via API. Witness is built for quick, plain-language checks of images and video. Here is how they differ, using each vendor's own public pages.
Choose Sightengine if your needs match what it says it is built for. Choose Witness if you want a quick check in the browser or by API with a heatmap and a plain-language explanation. Neither can prove an image is real or fake.
Witness and Sightengine at a glance
| Witness | Sightengine | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | People and teams who want a quick, plain-language check of whether an image or video is likely AI-generated or face-swapped, in the browser or by API | Teams that add automated AI-generated image, deepfake, video, voice and music detection, plus content moderation, to their products via API. |
| Media covered | Image and video. Voice is an experimental beta | Image, Video, Audio |
| Free option | Try a few scans with no account. A free account includes 20 image scans a month | yes: Free Tier, 2,000 operations per month (max 500/day), includes basic content moderation and AI detection; AI Image Detection included, AI Video Detection not included on Free. |
| Pricing | Free, Pro at $15 a month ($10 a month billed annually at $120), and custom Enterprise | Free $0; Starter $29/mo; Pro $99/mo; Enterprise Custom |
| API | Yes, see the API docs | yes |
| Browser extension | Yes, Chrome extension | Not stated on their page |
| Provenance and explanation | Reads Content Credentials (C2PA) and checks for the SynthID watermark and metadata. Heatmap, per-frame video timeline and a plain-language explanation | See their site for current details |
Sightengine details were read from the vendor's own pages on 2026-11-13. Check their site for current information.
Which one fits you
Pick Sightengine if
- Your use matches: teams that add automated AI-generated image, deepfake, video, voice and music detection, plus content moderation, to their products via API
- You need what its own pricing page offers, such as the plans listed above
- You want to compare more than one detector before deciding
Pick Witness if
- You want a quick answer in the browser with a Chrome extension
- You want a heatmap and a plain-language explanation
- You want provenance and watermark checks in the same result
Sightengine at a glance
Taken from Sightengine's own pages on 2026-11-13. Check their site for current details.
Built for
Teams that add automated AI-generated image, deepfake, video, voice and music detection, plus content moderation, to their products via API.
Pricing as listed
Free $0; Starter $29/mo; Pro $99/mo; Enterprise Custom
Free option
yes: Free Tier, 2,000 operations per month (max 500/day), includes basic content moderation and AI detection; AI Image Detection included, AI Video Detection not included on Free.
API and extension
API: yes. Extension: Not stated on their page.
Read this before relying on any detector
- Witness reports a likelihood with a confidence score. It does not prove anything on its own.
- No detector catches every image. New generators can be missed until detection catches up, and heavy compression or screenshots can lower confidence.
- A real photo can be flagged and an AI image can pass. Treat a result as one input, alongside the source, context and other checks.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sightengine free?
Sightengine says: yes: Free Tier, 2,000 operations per month (max 500/day), includes basic content moderation and AI detection; AI Image Detection included, AI Video Detection not included on Free. Check their site for current terms. Witness lets you try a few scans with no account.
How much does Sightengine cost?
As listed by the vendor on 2026-11-13: Free $0; Starter $29/mo; Pro $99/mo; Enterprise Custom. Confirm on their site.
Does Sightengine have an API or browser extension?
API: yes. Browser extension: Not stated on their page. Witness has a Chrome extension and an API.
What is the difference between Witness and Sightengine?
Sightengine describes itself as built for teams that add automated AI-generated image, deepfake, video, voice and music detection, plus content moderation, to their products via API. Witness is built for quick, plain-language checks of images and video in the browser or by API.
Is Sightengine more accurate than Witness?
No independent, apples-to-apples comparison exists, and vendor-reported accuracy numbers use different test sets. Test both on your own images.
Is Sightengine free?
Sightengine says: yes: Free Tier, 2,000 operations per month (max 500/day), includes basic content moderation and AI detection; AI Image Detection included, AI Video Detection not included on Free. Check their site for current terms.
How much does Witness cost?
Witness has a free tier, Pro at $15 a month ($10 a month billed annually), and custom Enterprise plans. See the pricing page for current limits.
Sources
- sightengine.com/detect-ai-generated-images read 2026-11-13
- sightengine.com/pricing read 2026-11-13
Competitor details come from each vendor's own public pages on the dates shown. Products change, so check the vendor's site before you decide.
More on Sightengine
Don't guess. Witness it.
Free to try. No account needed for your first scans. Witness gives a likelihood with a confidence percentage, not a certainty.