ANONYMIZATION Redact vs ABC Anon – A Review of Anonymization Tools

In an age of increasing importance of privacy and personal data security, anonymization has become a key element of compliance strategies and information protection across various industries. Anonymization tools are becoming more advanced – but not all offer the same level of functionality and flexibility. In this article, we compare two popular solutions: Redact, our proprietary data anonymization tool, and ABC Anon. Which one is better suited for specific scenarios in 2025? Let’s find out.

Anonymization is the process of transforming personal data so that the individual it relates to can no longer be identified – even when the data is combined with other information. It is not only a requirement under regulations such as the GDPR but also a real safeguard against data leaks and privacy breaches.

Properly executed anonymization enables organizations to analyze data, create reports, and train AI models without the risk of regulatory violations. This, in turn, provides a competitive advantage and greater trust from clients.

ABC Anon is a popular tool offering basic anonymization capabilities for text and tabular data. Thanks to its clear documentation and community support, it is often used in smaller projects or test environments.

Advantages of ABC Anon:

• Available from just 160 USD per year
• Good support for simple use cases (e.g., anonymizing names in Word documents)
• The application allows for signing documents as “certified true copies”

Limitations:

• Interface only available in Polish – no option to change language
• No support for multilingual content
• Limited number of supported formats
• Limited OCR capabilities (only high-quality PDF scans)
• Only available as a desktop application
• No AI-powered redaction templates

Redact is a solution designed for organizations processing both small and large volumes of highly sensitive data. Our tool not only anonymizes data but also enables access control.

Why is Redact a better fit for business and public institutions?

1. OCR Like No Other

Low-quality scans, blurry text, unreadable documents? Our OCR handles cases where other systems fail. Regardless of how the document is uploaded to Redact – sideways, upside down, or with mixed page orientations – the OCR reads its contents correctly. It also supports handwritten text recognition, which is crucial for processing signatures, handwritten notes, and annotations. These elements are now searchable and eligible for anonymization.

2. Advanced Automation and AI

Redact uses artificial intelligence to automatically recognize sensitive data – not just typical elements like names or ID numbers (a total of 23 types!), but also contextual data such as company names, professions, and locations.

3. Multilingual Support

For offices dealing with documents in multiple languages (e.g., border regions, courts handling cases with foreign nationals), Redact recognizes data regardless of the language – identifying names like “Jan” as “John,” “Jean,” or “Juan.”

4. Handling Large Data Sets

Redact can process even very large documents quickly, significantly speeding up workflows in large institutions. For example, anonymizing the name “Jan” in a 1,000-page document takes the same time as doing it manually on a single page.

5. Simplicity and Convenience

Redact supports team collaboration on draft versions of documents and allows users to track progress through reports. It combines advanced features with a user-friendly experience. Its interface is available in four languages (Polish, Czech, German, and English), making it suitable for international teams.

If your organization needs a simple tool for anonymizing small data sets, a solution like ABC Anon may meet basic requirements. However, if you’re looking for a modern, browser-accessible solution compliant with ISO standards that works well for both small and large teams – Redact offers long-term flexibility.