AgeChecked

AgeChecked is age-verification technology for online businesses selling restricted goods and services. It is best suited to merchants that need several ways to verify customers and integrations for Shopify or WooCommerce. The main trade-off is a platform- and volume-dependent cost structure, with some routes requiring a merchant account.

Overview

Founded in 2016 and headquartered in London, AgeChecked serves companies globally and says it is approved by national regulators where applicable. Its purpose is focused: verify that a customer meets an age requirement without handing the merchant the customer’s personal data.

The service can return a pass-or-fail outcome, with personal data removed after verification. AgeChecked states that it holds ISO 27001 and PAS 1296 certification. That approach is a sensible fit for businesses seeking to minimise the personal information passing through their own systems, although the appropriate verification method still depends on the product, market and transaction.

Key features

AgeChecked supports credit-card-record checks, database checks, document scans and UK mobile-phone-number verification. This breadth lets a merchant choose between different customer journeys, but the UK mobile option is inherently limited for businesses serving customers elsewhere, while document checks can introduce more friction than a database or card-based route.

Integration methods include a Client API, Consumer Gateway pop-up, CSV batch upload and secure client portal. That gives developers, operations teams and lower-volume merchants distinct implementation paths rather than forcing every business into one checkout flow.

For Shopify, selected orders can be verified in the background, either individually or in bulk. The Shopify Plus plan adds Shopify Flow integration, allowing automation such as handling failed verifications. WooCommerce has a plugin that uses the API and requires an active AgeChecked merchant account. Channel partners also cover WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce and Shopify.

The WooCommerce offering identifies iGaming, alcohol, vaping, knives and adult-content businesses among its target sectors. Client-services and user-support routes are provided for ongoing assistance.

Pricing

AgeChecked uses paid pricing alongside a free Shopify entry plan and pay-as-you-go credit packs. The Basic (Shopify) plan is free: merchants pay for credits as needed, can verify orders in bulk and incur no charges for returning customers. It is the practical starting point for Shopify stores that want order selection and variable spend without a monthly subscription.

The 100 credits (Shopify) pack costs $45, paid once at $0.45 per credit. 250 credits (Shopify) costs $100, paid once at $0.40 per credit, 500 credits (Shopify) costs $170, paid once at $0.34 per credit, and 1000 credits (Shopify) costs $300, paid once at $0.30 per credit. Larger packs reduce the per-check rate but commit the merchant to buying more capacity upfront.

Plus (Shopify) costs $99.99 a month and is for Shopify Plus merchants. It includes Basic features and Shopify Flow integration, so its value is primarily workflow automation rather than a lower published verification rate.

The WooCommerce service plan is $40 a month, billed starting at £40.00 per month, and includes 100 checks. It requires an AgeChecked merchant account and uses monthly service-plan credit packs. Merchants on other platforms should request custom pricing.

Platforms

AgeChecked is offered through web and API access. Its API, pop-up gateway, batch upload and portal cover both embedded technical integrations and operational verification work. Store-specific options are strongest for Shopify and WooCommerce, with partner integrations for Magento and BigCommerce.

Who it's for

AgeChecked fits online retailers and services dealing in age-restricted products, especially Shopify merchants that need background order checks or Shopify Plus teams wanting automated responses to failed verification. WooCommerce operators can use the plugin if they accept the merchant-account requirement. It is less suitable when a business needs a single universal method across many countries, since one listed method is specific to UK mobile numbers and pricing varies by route.

Pros and cons

• Pros: multiple verification methods, including document scans and permissioned national data sets; pass-or-fail output designed to limit personal-data sharing; batch, API, pop-up and portal workflows; Shopify bulk selection and Shopify Flow support on Plus; stated ISO 27001 and PAS 1296 certification.
• Cons: WooCommerce requires an active merchant account; Shopify Plus adds a $99.99 monthly commitment; credit packs require upfront purchases for lower per-check rates; UK mobile verification does not serve every market.

Alternatives

Choose ProntoID if you want Android and iOS coverage, a developer free tier with 100 verifications per month and a sandbox. Didit is the better fit for broader KYC workflows, offering 500 full KYC verifications monthly on its free plan with ID, liveness, face match, device and IP checks.

FaceTec suits teams seeking a face-focused SDK with a free demo and sample apps. Shufti is worth considering for a freemium model with up to 10 free verifications per month. Zyphe Age Verification offers a pay-per-verification business model with a monthly KYC allowance. Authonex provides API or self-hosted deployment and a free tier. ID.me Authenticator is a free iOS and Android MFA app rather than a comparable merchant age-check platform. Idswyft is the alternative for a free, self-hosted community edition with unlimited verifications.

For a broader category comparison, see Identity Verification Software.

Verdict

AgeChecked is a strong choice for merchants that need age checks embedded in storefront operations while receiving only a pass-or-fail result. Its Shopify and WooCommerce paths, multiple verification methods and Shopify Flow option give it practical flexibility. Look elsewhere if you need transparent all-platform pricing, a fully global mobile method or a free high-volume allowance without credit purchases.