Yoti review: eleven age check methods for adult sites

Yoti’s eleven age check methods

The site picks which of the eleven methods each visitor is offered.

• Facial age estimation from a selfie in one second, with liveness and protection against injected images.
• The Yoti ID wallet: the visitor scans a QR code and shares only an 18+ attribute.
• An ID document matched to a selfie.
• A credit card, with a temporary charge and no money taken.
• A mobile number, checked against the bill payer’s data and other sources.
• National eIDs, Louisiana’s LA Wallet, a US Social Security number, a database check, email age estimation, and Yoti Keys so returning visitors skip a new check.

A verified visitor gets an anonymous 18+ age token on their device, which opens other sites that accept the token. The site only receives an over or under answer.

Yoti for UK, US and European adult sites

For the UK Online Safety Act, Yoti says Ofcom recognises its key methods as highly effective. Its adult page also covers Florida’s HB 3, Tennessee’s law in force since January 2025, and Germany, where its methods meet the KJM’s age 23 threshold. For France, Yoti offers the double anonymity method Arcom requires through a partner it does not name.

How accurate is Yoti’s facial age estimation?

Yoti publishes a mean error of 1.3 years for 13 to 17 year olds and 2.5 years for ages 6 to 70. As of September 2024, it estimated 99.3% of 13 to 17 year olds as under 21. The model has been evaluated by NIST.

In 2025, French news channel franceinfo was still passed as an adult by Yoti’s selfie check after holding up another screen showing a 3D bust of an older man.

Does Yoti delete your photo and ID?

Yoti deletes ID images, selfies, card details and phone numbers once a check is complete, but keeps each check result for six months. That result holds the age or over/under answer and details of the checks run, including liveness and face match results. A site can ask for earlier deletion.

With optional manual review turned on, the ID image and selfie stay for 28 days. The reusable age token lasts 30 days in the visitor’s browser, and Yoti keeps an anonymous record of the check even if the visitor clears it. Yoti Keys are kept until the user asks for deletion. Some subprocessors may hold data longer than Yoti.

Yoti pricing and contract terms

Yoti does not publish a per-check price. It is set in each order form. The terms do list default fees when the order form says nothing: £250 for set-up, £750 per half-day of integration or security questionnaire help, and custom styling from £750 plus £150 per brand per month.

An ID check is billed as soon as the document reaches Yoti, while facial estimation, card and token checks are billed when a result is returned to the site. Contracts run for 12 months and roll over unless cancelled with 30 days’ notice.

Yoti’s fine in Spain

In March 2026, Spain’s data protection authority sanctioned Yoti over its Yoti ID app, and Yoti appealed to the Spanish High Court. Since 10 September 2026, the Yoti ID app has been off app stores in Spain while the appeal runs.

Yoti Ltd is an English company, number 08998951, at 1 Aldgate in London, with offices in Australia, Canada, India, the US and New Zealand.

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