EMP Intake vs i-Sight / Case IQ: investigation tools compared.
Case IQ is strong on hotline intake and case workflow. EMP is strong on the evidence itself: it records what each file is, where it came from, and whether it changed, kept as chain of custody while you work.
Case IQ (formerly i-Sight) is a SaaS platform for workplace investigations, built around hotline intake, case-type workflows, and compliance monitoring. EMP Intake runs on your own workstation: when a file enters a case, it records what the file is, where it came from, and whether it has changed since. That is the chain of custody, kept as you work. Case IQ is strong on workflow;
EMP is strong on evidence integrity and incident recreation.
Related: EMP for internal HR investigations, the workplace investigation software buyer's guide, and EMP vs NAVEX EthicsPoint, plus real pricing from public records.
How they compare
| Criteria | EMP Intake WS | Case IQ (i-Sight) |
|---|---|---|
| Scope & focus | ||
| Primary focus | Evidence integrity + casework | Workflow + compliance monitoring |
| Chain of custody | SHA-256, originals, append-only log | Docs + audit trail |
| Forensic-rigor evidence handling | NIST-aligned design target | Audit history and workflow controls; an equivalent intake-hash and recipient-manifest workflow was not established in the linked sources; confirm with Case IQ |
| Verifiable export | Manifest-enabled packages include a browser verifier; no EMP installation required. SHA-256 tools can also check extracted listed files. | CSV/XLSX exports, PDF case details, file downloads; an equivalent recipient hash manifest was not established in the linked sources |
| AI assistance | No built-in AI assistant claimed | Clairia AI assistant |
| Deployment & data | ||
| Deployment | Local, your workstation | Vendor-managed SaaS |
| Where evidence lives | Your local disk | Vendor cloud regions |
| Works offline | Core casework: yes. Activation, license validation, update checks, and online maps may need internet | No, SaaS only |
| Investigation workflow | ||
| Hotline + intake forms | External, via file import | Built in, core strength |
| Case-type workflows | Lighter, evidence-first | Deep, customizable |
| Timeline reconstruction | Professional: synchronized logs, video and retained map clips | Workflow history plus Clairia Case Timelines from evidence; clock-corrected video reconstruction was not established in the linked sources |
| Incident map | Standard and Professional: Incident Maps and PDF export; Professional adds plan overlays | No published evidence-pin scene-map equivalent |
| Case and record links | Professional: link-analysis graph within and across related cases | Manual, automatic, and suggested links across cases and records; an investigator-controlled graph was not established in the linked sources |
| Pricing & fit | ||
| Pricing model | $29 / $49 / $99 monthly, per workstation | Enterprise, not published |
EMP features vary by tier. Core includes package exports. Standard adds Chain of Custody, Incident Maps and Audit Timeline; Professional adds Timeline Recon, Link Analysis, Global Heat Map and plan overlays. Package contents depend on selection; enable Manifest for checksums and the verifier.
Updated 2026-08-23. The highlighted column is EMP Intake WS.
Sources checked
Official Case IQ materials reviewed on 2026-08-23:
Vendor capabilities may depend on edition, configuration, or contract; confirm details with Case IQ.
Where each one wins
Where EMP wins
- Forensic-rigor cases where you have to show how every file was handled, and prove it hasn't changed.
- You need evidence to stay on your own machine, with nothing uploaded to a SaaS vendor.
- CSV access/motion logs and video clips that need to reconcile on one timeline.
- Combine several system logs, correct their time offsets, and line the map up against CCTV footage.
- Per-workstation pricing that fits a solo investigator or a small practice.
Where they win
- You need a built-in ethics hotline and intake form builder as a core part of the workflow.
- Workplace investigation workflow customization per case type is the priority.
- Clairia AI assists with case summaries and assembles case timelines from evidence, and the platform suggests related cases and records automatically.
- An enterprise SaaS deployment is acceptable and you want hotline plus case management from one vendor.
What EMP is not
- Not a managed cloud service. EMP is local-first and self-hosted.
- Not certified. NIST SP 800-86 is a design target, not a certification, and admissibility is the court's call.
- Not a forensic acquisition tool. EMP organizes and preserves what you already collected.
- Not a hotline or whistleblower intake platform. EMP is the evidence integrity and case workspace layer.
Competitor details here are drawn from public sources such as vendor websites and documentation, and can change. Verify current capabilities with the vendor. This comparison covers EMP Intake WS. Features vary by tier. Teams has a separate deployment model and pilot scope.
Frequently asked questions
Can EMP and Case IQ be used together?
You can use the products in a manual file-handoff workflow: keep hotline intake in Case IQ and import selected exported files into EMP for local evidence handling. Case IQ exports case data as CSV / XLSX grids and printable PDF case details; EMP's file-intake workflow ingests both and hashes the files at the moment of import.
Can EMP build custom intake forms like Case IQ?
Only partly. EMP's structured intake is configurable per workspace, but it isn't a full hotline form-builder. If a built-in form builder and anonymous reporting are central to your workflow, Case IQ is purpose-built for that; EMP is purpose-built for the evidence layer underneath the case.
How does pricing compare?
EMP Intake Workstation is $29 to $99 per workstation per month, with a 14-day trial and no card. Case IQ pricing is enterprise-negotiated and not published. Compare the EMP tier and workstation count you need with a Case IQ quote covering users, modules, implementation and support.
What about migrating historical cases?
Keep historical cases in Case IQ as the system of record, or import selected exported records into EMP as reference files. Retrieve attachments and audit-history exports separately where available and check completeness. EMP records a new intake hash and import event; it does not recreate earlier custody events or promise automatic case migration.
See the difference for yourself
Try Workstation free for 14 days, with no credit card. For shared cases across PCs, discuss a Teams pilot.
About this comparison: it is based on publicly available materials as of August 2026, and products change. If anything here is out of date, email hello@falcrex.com and we will correct it. All third-party product and company names are trademarks of their respective owners. Falcrex Systems Inc is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by any of them.