Comparison
Probo vs Scorifya Controls: an honest comparison
Probo is a genuinely open compliance tool: permissive ISC license, documented self-hosting, fast-moving development. If it fits your needs, you should consider it. This page is for teams deciding between free open source and a commercial self-hosted product: where each shines, and where they differ on PCI DSS, evidence integrity, and accountability.
Where Probo is genuinely strong
Truly free and open
ISC-licensed, so no copyleft obligations, with a production-documented docker-compose self-hosting path. For a team with engineering time and a straightforward SOC 2 need, that is a real option.
Development velocity
Releases ship at a rapid clip and the roadmap is in the open. If you like tools that improve weekly and don't mind managing upgrades, that energy is a feature.
Agent-forward
Probo exposes a large MCP tool surface so LLM agents can operate on compliance data. That is a genuinely forward-looking bet on how this work gets done.
When Controls fits instead
You need PCI DSS
PCI DSS is not in Probo's listed coverage. Controls triple-maps every automated check to SOC 2, PCI DSS 4.0.1, and ISO 27001, with 8 PCI-specific manual controls for SAQ A / A-EP merchants.
Evidence auditors can verify
Self-hosted tools share a trust problem: the auditee controls the box producing its own evidence. Controls seals every attestation with an RFC 3161 timestamp from DigiCert that auditors verify independently, offline, with OpenSSL.
Someone on the hook
A flat fee buys maintained framework mappings, versioned releases you upgrade on your own schedule, email support from the vendor, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Free means the maintenance burden, and the risk, stay with you.
How Controls compares to Probo
| Dimension | Probo | Scorifya Controls |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Open source (ISC license), free to self-host | Commercial, self-hosted, flat fee from $99/mo |
| PCI DSS 4.0.1 | Not in listed framework coverage | Yes: every check mapped, scoped to SAQ A / A-EP merchants |
| Frameworks | SOC 2, HIPAA, ISO 27001 | SOC 2 (TSC 2017), PCI DSS 4.0.1, ISO/IEC 27001:2022, triple-mapped in one deployment |
| Self-hosting | Yes, documented docker-compose path | Yes, Docker, license key by email in minutes |
| Evidence timestamps | Not an advertised feature | RFC 3161 tokens from DigiCert on every attestation, verifiable offline |
| Auditor portal | Varies by setup | Built in: read-only, time-limited, revocable link, no account needed |
| AI/agent integration | Large MCP tool surface for LLM agents | Deterministic checks; evidence sealed for whatever consumes it later |
| Release cadence | Very fast (frequent releases); you manage upgrades | Versioned releases; upgrade on your schedule with vendor support |
| Who maintains it | You (community support) | Scorifya: maintained mappings, email support, 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Product demo | Repo + docs | Public live demo, no email required |
| Best fit | Teams with engineering time, no PCI need, and a taste for open source | Payments-adjacent teams that want PCI + SOC 2 + ISO covered with a vendor accountable for it |
Probo information based on its public repository, site, and documentation as of mid-2026; verify current details at getprobo.com. Controls information reflects the current shipped product.
The self-hosted evidence problem, and the fix
Any self-hosted compliance tool, free or paid, has the same structural weakness: the company being audited controls the machine that produces its own evidence. A sharp auditor knows this. Controls answers it with RFC 3161 trusted timestamps: DigiCert signs each attestation token, and auditors verify it independently with standard tooling. The evidence integrity doesn't depend on trusting your box.
Common questions
Is Probo actually free?
Yes, genuinely. Probo is open source under the permissive ISC license with a documented docker-compose self-hosting path, so there is no license fee and no copyleft obligation. The real cost of the free path is your team's time: deploying, upgrading against a fast-moving release cadence, and keeping framework mappings current is on you. Controls is a commercial product with a flat monthly fee that covers maintained mappings, email support, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Does Probo cover PCI DSS?
As of mid-2026, Probo's listed framework coverage is SOC 2, HIPAA, and ISO 27001. PCI DSS is not in that list. Scorifya Controls maps all 54 automated checks and its manual control set to SOC 2 (AICPA TSC 2017), PCI DSS 4.0.1, and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 in one deployment, with PCI coverage scoped to SAQ A and A-EP merchants.
Why pay for Controls when Probo is free?
If your team has spare engineering time, no PCI requirement, and enjoys riding a daily-release open-source project, Probo is a credible choice and its permissive license is a real advantage over copyleft alternatives. Teams pick Controls when they want someone on the hook: maintained triple-framework mappings, RFC 3161 cryptographic timestamps on evidence that auditors verify independently, an auditor portal that took zero assembly, email support, and a refund if it doesn't work out.
Both tools self-host with Docker. Does the data story differ?
No, and we won't pretend it does. Both run on your infrastructure and keep your credentials and evidence on your servers. The differences are elsewhere: framework coverage (PCI), evidence integrity (RFC 3161 timestamps signed by an external authority), release stability, and support.
What about Probo's MCP tools for AI agents?
Credit where due: Probo exposes a large set of MCP tools so LLM agents can operate on its compliance data, and that is genuinely forward-looking. Controls approaches automation from the evidence side: deterministic check runners whose results are sealed with independently verifiable timestamps, so whatever consumes the evidence later, human or agent, can trust when it was produced.
Can my auditor work with Controls?
Yes. Controls includes a read-only auditor portal behind a time-limited, revocable link. Your CPA firm sees attestations, evidence files, and the RFC 3161 timestamps on every record, no account required. There is also a public demo of the product and the auditor view at controls-demo.scorifya.com, no email needed.
More comparisons: Vanta · Drata · Comp AI
See everything Controls includes
Full feature list, pricing, and a Docker quick-start on the product page.