Time per Report
15 minutes
Grep
40+ hours
Manual Research
Comparison
GREP AI vs Manual Research: The Real Cost
Your analysts spend 40+ hours on a single due diligence report. GREP AI delivers the same depth in 15 minutes. Here's the maths.
Traditional analyst-driven research using search engines, database subscriptions, and manual document review.
G
GrepManual Research
Manual ResearchCost per Report
~$50
Grep
$2,000+
Manual Research
Consistency
100%
Grep
Variable
Manual Research
Source Coverage
50+ databases
Grep
5-10 typical
Manual Research
Feature-by-feature comparison
An honest look at where each tool excels.
Feature
Grep
Manual Research
Efficiency
Time to complete report
15 minutes
40+ hours
Parallel source checking
Simultaneous
Sequential
Overnight / weekend availability
Surge capacity (10+ reports/day)
Quality & Consistency
Methodology consistency
100% repeatable
Analyst-dependent
Source coverage per report
50+ databases
5-10 typical
Human bias elimination
Fatigue-related errors
None
Increases over time
Cost Structure
Per-report cost
~$50
$2,000+
Database subscription fees
Included
$10K-50K/year
Training & onboarding
Minimal
3-6 months
Scaling cost
Linear pricing
Headcount increases
Coverage
International registries
200+ countries
Depends on analyst
Non-English sources
Requires specialists
Historical data depth
Comprehensive
Time-limited
Real-time adverse media
Delayed
When to use which
Practical guidance for choosing the right tool for your use case.
High-Volume Due Diligence
When you need 50 vendor assessments this quarter, manual research is simply not feasible. GREP AI handles volume without compromising depth.
Best: Grep
Nuanced Judgment Calls
Complex situations requiring human judgment, relationship context, or institutional knowledge still benefit from experienced analyst interpretation.
Best: Either
Time-Sensitive Investigations
Board meeting tomorrow? Deal closing Friday? GREP AI delivers comprehensive research in minutes, not weeks.
Best: Grep
Consistent Compliance Documentation
Every GREP AI report follows the same methodology. No more variance between your best analyst and your newest hire.
Best: Grep
Cross-Border Research
GREP AI simultaneously searches registries across 200+ countries. A single analyst might cover 3-5 jurisdictions competently.
Best: Grep
Relationship-Based Intelligence
Off-the-record conversations, industry gossip, and relationship networks remain the domain of experienced human researchers.
Best: Either
The verdict
Manual research is not wrong — it's just unconscionably slow and expensive for most use cases. GREP AI handles 90% of research tasks at 1% of the cost, freeing your analysts for the work that genuinely requires human judgment.
Choose Grep when
- Volume research & screening
- Time-sensitive investigations
- Consistent compliance documentation
- Cross-border & multi-jurisdictional research
Choose Manual Research when
- Nuanced judgment requiring context
- Relationship-based intelligence
- Novel situations with no precedent
Reclaim 40 Hours Per Report
Your analysts have better things to do than copy-paste from databases. Let GREP AI handle the research while your team focuses on analysis.