Cost
From $50/mo
Grep
$50K-200K
Consulting Firms
Comparison
GREP AI vs Consulting Firm Research
You're paying $200K for a team of junior analysts to Google things. There's a better way.
Traditional consulting firms (Big 4, boutique due diligence shops) that deliver research through teams of junior analysts and associates.
G
GrepConsulting Firms
Consulting FirmsTurnaround
Minutes
Grep
Weeks
Consulting Firms
Depth
PhD-level AI
Grep
Junior analysts
Consulting Firms
Availability
24/7
Grep
Business hours
Consulting Firms
Feature-by-feature comparison
An honest look at where each tool excels.
Feature
Grep
Consulting Firms
Economics
Engagement cost
From $50/month
$50K-200K
Per-report marginal cost
~$50
$5,000-20,000
Hidden fees & overruns
None
Common
Long-term contracts
Month-to-month
Annual retainers
Speed & Availability
Report turnaround
15 minutes
2-6 weeks
Weekend availability
Surge capacity
Unlimited
Staffing-constrained
Ad-hoc requests
Instant
Requires SOW
Quality Control
Methodology consistency
100%
Team-dependent
Source transparency
Every claim cited
Summary-only
Analyst experience level
PhD-equivalent AI
Often junior staff
Quality variance
None
Significant
Scalability
Handle 100+ reports/month
Multi-jurisdiction coverage
200+ countries
Office-dependent
Integration with existing tools
API available
Email & PDF
Institutional knowledge retention
Permanent
Staff turnover
When to use which
Practical guidance for choosing the right tool for your use case.
Standard Due Diligence
For 80% of due diligence work, GREP AI delivers equal or better results at a fraction of the cost and time of a consulting engagement.
Best: Grep
Bespoke Strategic Advisory
When you need strategic advice, market entry recommendations, or hands-on deal support, experienced consultants still add genuine value.
Best: Either
Volume Screening
Screening 500 vendors or 1,000 counterparties? No consulting firm can match GREP AI's throughput at any price.
Best: Grep
Time-Critical Deals
When a deal is closing in 48 hours, you cannot wait 3 weeks for a consulting report. GREP AI delivers in minutes.
Best: Grep
Ongoing Monitoring
Continuous portfolio monitoring requires always-on capability. Consulting firms offer point-in-time snapshots, not ongoing vigilance.
Best: Grep
Expert Witness & Testimony
Regulatory proceedings and litigation still require human experts who can testify and be cross-examined.
Best: Either
The verdict
Consulting firms remain valuable for bespoke advisory and human-dependent activities. But for research, screening, and due diligence? You're overpaying by orders of magnitude.
Choose Grep when
- Standard due diligence research
- Volume screening & monitoring
- Time-sensitive investigations
- Cost-conscious compliance programmes
Choose Consulting Firms when
- Strategic advisory & recommendations
- Expert testimony & litigation support
- Relationship-intensive deal work
Stop Overpaying for Research
Redirect your consulting budget to work that actually requires human judgment. Let GREP AI handle the research.