Compare the wording on your documents, then check who each name refers to. A shared name can hide a different company; different names may have a documented relationship.
How the matching works
Chinese and Latin-letter names may be marked not comparable. Ask for the same script and a documented link between names; the tool does not translate or identify the company.
The tool removes case, spacing, punctuation and listed suffixes before comparing words. These rules can erase meaningful differences. In particular, a trailing HK is removed even though it may identify a different jurisdiction. Read the original names alongside the result.
| Step | What it removes | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Case folding | Upper vs lower case | ABC TRADING = abc trading |
| Full-width folding | Full-width letters, spaces and punctuation (copied from Chinese documents) | ＡＢＣ Ｌｔｄ． = ABC Ltd. |
| Spacing and punctuation | Extra spaces, commas, brackets, hyphens, ampersands | ABC (HK) Trading ≈ ABC HK Trading |
| Legal suffixes | Ltd, Limited, Co., Company, LLC, Inc, GmbH, Corp, Pte, HK and variants at the end of the name | ABC Trading Co., Ltd. = ABC Trading Limited |
The tool also expands listed short forms such as TECH to technology, joins known split place names such as SHEN ZHEN, and removes and, of and the. These text rules do not establish identity.
A match means the remaining words are the same, regardless of order. A partial means one set contains the other, or shared words make up at least half the combined set. Less overlap is a mismatch. These wording rules cannot estimate identity or fraud.
Chinese names without spaces are compared as whole strings. The tool does not remove Chinese legal forms such as 有限公司. For Chinese names, compare character by character against the business licence, then use the registration-record guide to check the entity.
What each result means
Read each outcome as a wording comparison. The Fact, Relevance, Limit and Next action labels separate what was found from what you still need to check.
-
Match: same distinctive wording everywhere.
Fact. After normalisation, every pasted name reduces to the same tokens.
Relevance. The remaining words agree. This does not establish one legal entity.
Limit. A wording match does not prove the bank account belongs to that party, and says nothing about whether paying is wise. Anyone can copy a company name onto an invoice.
Next action. Confirm the account against the bank account verification steps before the transfer.
-
Partial, a shared core, with named differences.
Fact. The names share a core of identical wording; the output lists which words appear on only one side, typically a city prefix, an industry word, or a group marker.
Relevance. A shorter name may be an abbreviation or a different entity. Word overlap cannot tell which.
Limit. Check the legal name and registration number behind each spelling. A supplier’s explanation needs supporting evidence and independent confirmation.
Next action. Ask which entity each name identifies and document any relationship, then run the payment-entity check.
-
Mismatch, the wording does not line up.
Fact. The names share no distinctive wording above the overlap threshold; the output shows which document disagrees with which.
Relevance. An unexplained difference leaves the payee’s role unclear. Pause and confirm it through a known, independent contact channel.
Limit. A mismatch is a hold signal, not a fraud verdict. Group companies, trade names and recent renames all produce legitimate differences: what matters is that the difference is explained and evidenced before money moves.
Next action. Hold the payment, ask for a written explanation naming the registered entity behind each name, and check the record before releasing anything.
What this check cannot prove
- It does not prove account ownership. The same or identical wording across documents does not prove the bank account belongs to that party: banks, not string comparison, hold that fact. The account verification guide covers the ownership questions.
- It does not prove the entity exists or is current. That is the registry record’s job: the unified social credit code checker checks the code’s structure and check digit, while a dated registration record is a separate source check.
- It does not judge the counterparty. No output of this page is a verdict on anyone. Comparison outcomes describe wording, nothing more.
- It is not legal advice, and it does not replace reading the contract you actually signed.
When you need more than a name comparison
This free tool compares text. A dated record report can add registered names, status and other selected fields. It still cannot confirm bank ownership. Choose the verification method for the information you are missing.
Optional: historical provider prices
On 21 August 2026, China Company Lookup listed a $69 Registry Check with results in 24 hours; Registration China listed reports from $99 in 1 working day. These provider claims are historical; check current quotes directly. No reports were purchased. Their broader reports are not equivalent to this text comparison.
Before comparing English names, ask for the registered Chinese name and registration number behind each one. A mainland Unified Social Credit Code and a Hong Kong company number belong to different registration systems.
In our 106-name search study, queried on 18–19 August 2026, 11 of 84 returned candidate rows were in Hong Kong (13.1%); ten lacked an 18-character code. These candidates do not prove an export relationship or identify the intended payee.
Common questions
- What should I do if the bank beneficiary name differs from the contract seller?
- Pause payment and ask which legal entity each name identifies. Obtain supporting documents and confirm the explanation through a known, independent contact channel.
- Does a name match prove the payment goes to the right company?
- No. Matching words do not prove company identity, account ownership or authority to collect payment. Check the registered entity and account details separately.
- Why do the invoice issuer and the contract seller sometimes differ?
- They may be different group companies, or a document may use an older name. Ask for records that explain the exact relationship and the role of each party in your order.