Sardine AI vs Perfios

By valuation, Perfios is the larger company at $1B versus $660M — a 1.5x difference. Size can also be measured by team: Sardine AI employs 150 people while Perfios has 500+ employees.

Perfios has raised more in total funding at $229M, compared to Sardine AI's $145M — a gap of $84M. Combined, the two companies have completed 5 known funding rounds.

Perfios leads with an Awaira Score of 90/100, while Sardine AI sits at 63/100. That 27-point gap reflects real differences in funding, scale, and traction — it's not a vanity metric.

Sardine AI was founded by Soups Ranjan in 2020. Perfios was founded by V R Govindarajan in 2008. Visit each company's profile on Awaira for a full founder biography.

Sardine AI: Sardine AI is a fraud detection and prevention platform founded in 2020 that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify and mitigate financial fraud in real time. The company operates in the AI Finance category, providing risk intelligence solutions primarily for financial services, fintech, and payment companies. Sardine's core technology applies behavioral biometrics, device intelligence, and transaction analysis to detect fraudulent activities across digital channels including mobile and web platforms. The platform integrates with payment processors and financial institutions to monitor transactions and user behavior patterns, flagging suspicious activities before fraud occurs. Sardine has secured $145M in total funding and achieved a valuation of $700M as of its Series C funding round, indicating significant investor confidence in its market opportunity. The company competes within the crowded fraud prevention landscape against established players and emerging fintech security solutions. Sardine's approach combines rule-based systems with machine learning models to adapt to evolving fraud tactics. The company serves financial institutions, payment networks, and digital banks seeking to reduce fraud losses while maintaining user experience. Notable adoption includes implementations across multiple major financial services organizations, though specific customer counts remain undisclosed. Sardine's growth trajectory reflects broader demand for AI-driven fraud prevention as digital transactions and sophisticated fraud schemes proliferate globally. Sardine AI combines behavioral biometrics with transaction intelligence to deliver real-time fraud detection specifically optimized for fintech and digital banking environments. Perfios: Perfios is a financial data aggregation and analytics platform that connects lenders, banks, and insurers with real-time financial data from bank statements, income tax returns, and account aggregator networks, enabling automated credit underwriting, fraud detection, and financial health assessment for retail and MSME lending. The platform processes tens of millions of financial data requests annually for a customer base spanning major banks, NBFCs, and fintech lenders.\n\nThe company raised approximately $229M in funding, achieving unicorn status, and has expanded beyond India into markets in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Perfios serves over 900 financial institutions and has integrated with India's Account Aggregator framework, positioning itself as critical infrastructure for the country's open banking ecosystem.\n\nPerfios occupies a strategically valuable position in India's credit infrastructure — nearly every significant lender in the country uses its data analytics capabilities for loan decisioning. This embedded position across the lending stack creates strong network effects and switching costs that compound as the Indian credit market continues its rapid expansion. Perfios operates in the AI Finance sector and is headquartered in India. Founded in 2008 by V R Govindarajan, Perfios has raised $229M in total funding, achieving a valuation of $1B as of its latest round. The company's funding journey includes a Series C of $50M in 2022, a Series D of $80M in 2023. The most recent round was led by Warburg Pincus. With approximately 500+ employees, Perfios has established itself as a Series D-stage player in the AI Finance market. The company holds an Awaira Score of 90/100, reflecting its strong position across valuation, funding trajectory, team scale, and market influence. Perfios competes in a rapidly evolving segment alongside other AI Finance companies. As part of India's growing AI ecosystem, Perfios is positioned to capitalize on the region's expanding tech talent pool and enterprise demand. The AI Finance space has attracted significant investment in recent years, with companies racing to capture enterprise and consumer demand for AI-powered solutions.

Perfios got there first, launching in 2008 — that's 12 years of extra runway. Sardine AI didn't arrive until 2020. In AI, that kind of head start means more training data, deeper customer relationships, and a bigger talent moat.

Sardine AI has about 150 employees; Perfios has about 500+. A bigger team usually means more revenue or heavier VC backing, but in AI, small teams can build at massive scale.

Yes — they're direct rivals. Both Sardine AI and Perfios compete in AI Finance, targeting many of the same buyers. If you're evaluating one, you should be looking at the other.