Compass vs Have I Been Trained? A Detailed Comparison
In the rapidly evolving AI landscape, tools are emerging to solve two very different problems: the need for deep business intelligence and the demand for data privacy in creative fields. Compass (by GetWhys) and Have I Been Trained? (by Spawning) represent these two ends of the spectrum. While Compass helps you navigate the complex world of SaaS procurement, Have I Been Trained? helps creators protect their intellectual property from being used to train AI models without consent.
1. Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | Compass (GetWhys) | Have I Been Trained? |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Function | AI-driven SaaS vendor research and insights. | Checking image usage in AI training datasets. |
| Core Technology | InsightDB (20,000+ firsthand SaaS experiences). | Search index for LAION-5B (5.8B+ images). |
| Target Audience | Procurement teams, IT buyers, and GTM strategy. | Artists, photographers, and digital creators. |
| Key Benefit | Uncovers "hidden" SaaS pricing and product flaws. | Enables "Do Not Train" opt-outs for AI models. |
| Pricing | Starts at $99/month (Pro plan). | Free for individuals; API/Bulk for organizations. |
| Best For | SaaS research and contract negotiation. | Artist copyright protection and data sovereignty. |
2. Tool Overviews
Compass is a specialized AI research assistant developed by GetWhys, designed to provide transparency in the opaque Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) market. Unlike general-purpose LLMs, Compass is trained on "InsightDB," a proprietary repository of over 20,000 firsthand customer experiences. It answers highly specific questions that aren't available on public websites, such as real-world product limitations, typical contract redlines, and effective negotiation strategies to lower vendor pricing.
Have I Been Trained? is a public-facing tool created by Spawning to empower creators in the age of generative AI. It allows users to search massive datasets, such as LAION-5B—which was used to train popular models like Stable Diffusion—to see if their images have been included. Beyond just searching, the tool provides a "Do Not Train" registry, allowing artists to opt-out their work from future model training, effectively setting a new standard for consenting AI development.
3. Detailed Feature Comparison
The core difference between these tools lies in their data sources and intended outcomes. Compass focuses on "Human Intelligence" (HI) converted into AI-accessible insights. Its standout feature is the AnswerSLA. If a user asks a question about a software vendor that isn't currently in the database, the GetWhys team conducts fresh research and provides a verified answer within a 1-to-2-week window. This makes it a dynamic research tool rather than just a static database.
Have I Been Trained? operates as a search engine for data ethics. It supports both text-based searches (using keywords or artist names) and reverse-image searches to find matches within billions of scraped data points. Its most significant feature is the integration with major AI developers. Organizations like Stability AI have pledged to honor the opt-out requests collected via the platform, giving artists a tangible way to influence how their digital footprint is used by machine learning systems.
In terms of user interface, Compass is built for business workflows, offering structured reports and actionable advice for procurement professionals. In contrast, Have I Been Trained? is designed for simplicity and accessibility, providing a straightforward search bar and a dashboard for managing "Do Not Train" requests. While Compass aims to help you use data to make better buying decisions, Have I Been Trained? aims to help you control how your data is used by others.
4. Pricing Comparison
- Compass Pricing: The platform primarily targets professional users. The Pro Plan is priced at approximately $99 per month for a single seat, offering unlimited insights and answer requests. There are also "Scale" and "Enterprise" tiers available for larger teams that require faster AnswerSLAs and more comprehensive seat management.
- Have I Been Trained? Pricing: The search tool and the "Do Not Train" registry are free for individual artists and creators. For organizations or AI developers who wish to integrate the opt-out API into their own training pipelines or perform bulk searches, Spawning offers custom B2B pricing models.
5. Use Case Recommendations
Use Compass when:
- You are preparing to renew a major SaaS contract and need to know the lowest possible price point.
- You are evaluating a new software vendor and want to know where current customers actually struggle.
- Your procurement team needs specific "redline" advice for legal terms that other companies have successfully negotiated.
Use Have I Been Trained? when:
- You are a digital artist concerned about your style being mimicked by generative AI models.
- You want to audit whether your private or copyrighted photography has been scraped into public training sets.
- You want to register your portfolio in a global "Do Not Train" database to protect your future work.
6. Verdict
These two tools serve entirely different sectors of the "Other" category. If you are a business professional looking to save thousands of dollars on software subscriptions and avoid "vendor lock-in," Compass is an essential intelligence tool that pays for itself through better negotiations. It is a high-ROI investment for anyone managing a significant SaaS stack.
However, if you are a creator or a privacy advocate looking to reclaim control over your digital assets, Have I Been Trained? is the definitive choice. It is currently the most effective bridge between the artistic community and AI developers, providing a necessary layer of consent in a field that has historically lacked it.
Recommendation: Choose Compass for business procurement and Have I Been Trained? for personal or professional creative protection.