Breathe ESG vs Persefoni: Which ESG Platform Fits Your Team in 2026?

Breathe ESG supports all major global reporting frameworks, from CSRD and ISSB to GRI, CDP and CBAM, all from one governed dataset.

Last reviewed: 13 October 2026. Breathe ESG publishes this page. Details about Persefoni come from its public website on that date. Products change, so if anything here is out of date, tell us and we will fix it.

Persefoni is a US carbon accounting platform with a strong financial services side. It serves corporates, banks, asset managers and private equity firms, and offers a free single-user plan. Breathe ESG works with enterprises across the US, the UK and India.

Both handle Scope 1, 2 and 3 and multi-framework reporting. The difference is breadth. Persefoni centres on carbon and financed emissions. Breathe ESG covers environmental, social and governance data in one system and backs the software with consulting and training.

Breathe ESG vs Persefoni: the short answer

Choose Persefoni if you are a bank, asset manager or PE firm that needs PCAF-aligned financed emissions, or a small team that wants a free, single-user carbon footprint tool to get started.

Choose Breathe ESG if you need ESG data beyond carbon, report to CSRD, ISSB, GRI and CDP from one dataset, run multiple business units, and want hands-on help from consultants and fractional CSOs.

Breathe ESG vs Persefoni at a glance

Where Persefoni is strong

Credit where it is due. Persefoni's public materials point to:

• A free plan with real depth. Persefoni Pro covers Scope 1, 2 and all 15 Scope 3 categories for a single user, with no time limit.
• Financed emissions for banks, asset managers and PE firms, with PCAF listed as a supported standard.
• Enterprise security on the Advanced plan: SSO, MFA, SOC 1 Type II, SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001.
• Dedicated pages for California SB 253 and SB 261.
• Integrations and partners including AWS and Workiva.

If carbon and financed emissions are the whole job, and you want to start free, Persefoni is worth a look.

How Breathe ESG is different

One dataset, every framework

Most teams now report to more than one framework, and the asks overlap. Breathe ESG maps your data once, then reuses it for CSRD and ESRS, ISSB, GRI, CDP and TCFD, with an audit trail back to source. Our CSRD reporting requirements guide and our country-by-country timeline of mandatory ESG reporting show what is due where.

Carbon plus social and governance in one place

Carbon is core. Carbon accounting, Scope 3 and product carbon footprints each have their own workflows. Workforce, safety, governance and materiality data sit in the same system, so you are not stitching reports together from three tools.

Supplier data from wherever your suppliers are

Scope 3 and CBAM both depend on data from suppliers, and many of them sit outside the US and EU. Breathe ESG runs supplier engagement from the same platform, so requests, reminders and responses sit next to your emissions data. Our guide to CBAM-ready emissions tools explains what importers need from producers.

INARA, AI built for data quality

INARA detects errors, merges duplicates, standardises units and suggests next actions linked to source data. It is available on a free plan, so your team can test it before any procurement cycle.

More than software

Breathe ESG is a platform and a team. Use as much help as you need.

• ESG consulting and fractional CSOs. Senior sustainability leadership and hands-on advisory, without a full-time hire.
• Training through Breathe Academy. Upskill your team on ESG reporting, frameworks and carbon accounting.
• A community in Breathe Zero. Connect with CSOs, supply chain leads and climate operators working on the same problems.
• EHS tracking with Breathe SAFE. Keep environment, health and safety data next to your ESG data instead of in another tool.

Questions to ask in any ESG software demo

Whichever shortlist you end up with, these questions separate a good fit from a good pitch.

1. Show me a reported number traced from the published disclosure back to the source invoice or meter reading.
2. Which emission factor libraries do you use, and how are factor updates versioned?
3. Can I manage social and governance data here, or only emissions?
4. How do suppliers submit data, and what does your average supplier response rate look like?
5. What does implementation look like in weeks, and who from your side does the work?

For a wider view of the market, see our round-up of sustainability reporting software platforms and our ESG platform buyer's checklist.

See Breathe ESG on your own data

Comparing Persefoni and Breathe ESG? We will map your current data into Breathe ESG in the demo. Book a demo, or start free with INARA from our pricing page.

FAQs

Is Persefoni free?

Persefoni Pro is free for one user and covers Scope 1, 2 and 3 totals. Multi-user access, detailed GHG metrics reports and dedicated experts sit on the Advanced plan, which is quote based. Breathe ESG offers a free INARA plan with 100 AI credits.

Which is better for CSRD?

Persefoni's Advanced plan exports GHG metrics reports for CSRD, which covers the climate side. CSRD also asks for social and governance disclosures. Breathe ESG keeps those in the same system as your emissions.

Which is better for financed emissions?

Persefoni publicly markets PCAF-aligned financed emissions tools for financial institutions. Breathe ESG focuses on enterprise operations and value chains.

Which covers more than carbon?

Persefoni is carbon focused. Breathe ESG manages environmental, social and governance data together, so one dataset feeds CSRD, ISSB, GRI and CDP.

Sources

• Persefoni homepage
• Persefoni pricing
• Persefoni financial services
• Persefoni SB 253
• PersefoniAI
• Breathe ESG pricing