What is the best background check software in 2026?
Six screening providers compared on current per-report prices, the fees that get passed through, and how long checks really take.
The short answer: for most US employers, start with Checkr. Its pricing is public (Basic at $29.99, Essential at $59.99, Complete at $94.99 per report), add-ons are sold one by one, and it also covers 200+ countries. If you hire fewer than 50 people a year and want the simplest setup, GoodHire runs the same price grid (it has been part of Checkr since 2022). If you hire across borders, Veremark sells clear per-candidate bundles from $42, and First Advantage has the widest network for enterprise programs.
Many rankings you'll find still quote old Checkr prices like $54.99 or $79.99, and few tell you that GoodHire and Checkr are the same company, or that Sterling now belongs to First Advantage. We compared what each provider publishes today, read the compliance pages (FCRA in the US, GDPR for candidates in Europe), and went through recruiter reviews starting with the angriest ones.
Some links may be affiliate links. The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always labeled on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
The best provider for how you hire
Public pricing from $29.99, 200+ countries
Simplest for small teamsSame grid as Checkr, bundles under 50 checks a year
Clear per-candidate bundlesEssential at $42, Executive at $183
Hiring in CanadaItemized prices from CA$4.99, no minimums
Enterprise, many countries200+ countries, Sterling included
Already mandated by HQGlobal enterprise coverage, custom quote
The 6 background check providers compared
The full ranking, with the entry price each provider publishes. Two of six publish no price at all: we say "custom quote" instead of copying a number they never showed. Click a provider to read its card.
| Best for | Where it wins | Free plan | Team size | Visit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Checkr | Best overall | Clearest public pricing | 4.1/5 | $29.99 / $59.99 / $94.99 per report | — | SMB to enterprise | Visit → |
| 2 | Veremark | Per-candidate bundles | Fixed price per candidate | 4.0/5 | $42 / $144 / $183 per candidate | — | Teams hiring across borders | Visit → |
| 3 | Certn | Hiring in Canada | Itemized prices, no minimums | 3.9/5 | CA$4.99 to CA$59.99 per check (Canada) | — | Employers hiring in Canada and abroad | Visit → |
| 4 | GoodHire | Small teams | Bundles under 50 checks a year | 3.8/5 | $29.99 / $59.99 / $94.99 per check | — | Small business, under 50 checks a year | Visit → |
| 5 | First Advantage | Enterprise, many countries | 200+ countries, Sterling inside | 3.8/5 | Custom quote | — | Enterprise, high volume | Visit → |
| 6 | HireRight | Enterprise, mixed reviews | Global coverage | 3.5/5 | Custom quote | — | Large enterprise | Visit → |
Prices read on the providers' official pages in 2026, per report or per candidate. Court, DMV and other third-party fees can be added on top.
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How we compared and scored
We started from a hiring manager's question: I have an offer ready, I need a compliant check back fast, and I don't want the invoice to double. A provider only made the list if it runs pre-employment screening under a written compliance framework (FCRA in the US, GDPR in Europe) and states which countries it covers. For each one we read the official pricing page, the product list, the trust or security page, and the country coverage.
Then we read recruiter reviews, worst first. They all circle back to turnaround: employment and education verifications stall when a former employer or school doesn't answer, and international checks take longest. Zinc (UK-focused, strong on references) and Deel (160+ countries, no public price, demo only) are mentioned but not ranked. Weights favor what costs a US employer the most: unpredictable fees and compliance gaps count more than the interface.
- Cost and transparencyPublic per-report pricing, pass-through fees, volume minimums.25%
- Compliance and dataFCRA and GDPR framework, data processing agreement, security certifications shown.25%
- Country coverageNumber of countries covered and how clearly coverage is documented.20%
- Turnaround and reliabilityTurnaround and stalled reports, read in recruiter reviews.15%
- Ease of use and integrationsSetup, candidate flow, ATS integrations.15%
Some links may be affiliate links. The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always labeled on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
Checkr
Checkr has the most readable price grid in the category. Basic, at $29.99 per report, covers an SSN trace, the sex offender registry, a global watchlist and a national criminal search. Essential, at $59.99, adds identity verification and unlimited county searches. Complete, at $94.99, adds state and federal searches. Enterprise is quoted and unlocks 200+ ATS integrations and automated adjudication.
Add-ons are sold one by one: employment or education verification from $12.50, identity at $4.99, social media at $29.99, global watchlist at $9. For international hires (200+ countries and territories), Basic starts at $32 and Professional at $102, depending on the country.
The trust center lists SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 42001 and a GDPR data processing agreement, and Checkr positions its products under the FCRA. What reviewers complain about is speed outside the easy cases: employment and international verifications that drag, reports stuck "pending" for weeks with no follow-up to the former employer, and slow support. Domestic criminal checks, on the other hand, get praised for speed.
One cost detail: court fees are passed through at cost, so your $59.99 report can come in higher in some counties.
- Three public tiers per report
- Add-ons from $4.99
- SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 42001
- 200+ ATS integrations on Enterprise
- ✓Most transparent pricing in this ranking
- ✓No volume commitment to start
- ✓International pricing published
- ✗Court fees passed through
- ✗Employment and international checks can stall
- ✗Support described as slow
The default pick for US hiring: a public price, add-ons when you need them, and international coverage when a candidate has worked abroad. Chase employment verifications early.
Veremark
Veremark sells bundles per candidate, priced in dollars. Essential, at $42, covers two references and identity. Professional, at $144, adds three years of employment history and social media. Executive, at $183, adds the highest degree and sanctions lists. You can also buy single checks: a reference at $14, a sanctions check at $23, employment from $20.
It is a UK-born, global platform with country pages that spell out what can be checked locally and require explicit written consent from the candidate. It shows the ISO 27001 badge.
The limits: bundles apply under 50 candidates a year, quotes above that. Country pages don't promise turnaround times, so plan buffer for international references.
- Three public per-candidate bundles
- Single checks from $14
- Country pages with local rules
- ISO 27001
- ✓Price known before you order
- ✓Strong on references
- ✓Good fit for international candidates
- ✗Bundles center on references and identity, not US court searches
- ✗Turnaround not stated per country
- ✗Quote above 50 candidates a year
The clearest option when your candidates have worked outside the US. Essential at $42 is often enough for a mid-level role.
Certn
Certn, a Canadian provider, itemizes every check with no setup fees and no minimums. In Canada, identity costs CA$4.99, a basic criminal check CA$24.99, an enhanced one CA$29.99, and the Quebec court search CA$39.99. Employment and education verifications are CA$29.99 each, references CA$39.99.
It covers 200+ countries and territories, with turnaround that varies by country. Security badges include ISO 27001, SOC 2 and SOC 3, and a data processing agreement is available.
The catch for US employers: international prices are not listed, so you'll need a quote. Reviewers like how fast and easy it is in Canada, but find international checks pricier and the detail on identity mismatches thin, with support that can be slow.
- Itemized public prices
- No setup fees, no minimums
- Quebec-specific search
- ISO 27001, SOC 2, SOC 3
- ✓Very clear Canadian pricing
- ✓Start without a volume commitment
- ✓200+ countries covered
- ✗International pricing not shown
- ✗Thin detail on identity mismatches
- ✗Prices in CA$ only
The pick if part of your hiring happens in Canada. For other countries, get the international price in writing.
GoodHire
GoodHire has been part of the Checkr group since 2022, and it shows on the price page: Basic at $29.99, Essential at $59.99, Complete at $94.99 per check. The difference is the packaging. Under 50 checks a year, you buy ready-made bundles; above 50, you get a quote and access to 100+ screening options.
Compliance runs on the group's backbone: Checkr's SOC 2 Type II report names GoodHire. Third-party fees can still be added to the price.
Know what you are comparing. If you put GoodHire and Checkr side by side in a vendor review, you are comparing one company with itself. And GoodHire's pricing page says nothing about international checks: for a candidate who worked in London or Toronto, use Checkr's international grid or another provider.
- Same price grid as Checkr
- Ready-made bundles for low volume
- 100+ options above 50 checks a year
- ✓Simple for a first hire
- ✓Prices visible before signup
- ✓Backed by Checkr's compliance program
- ✗No international checks shown on the pricing page
- ✗Third-party fees on top
- ✗Not a real alternative to Checkr in a bid
A clean choice for a small US team. Just don't treat it as a competitor to Checkr: it is the same group and the same grid.
First Advantage
First Advantage bought Sterling in 2024 for $2.2 billion, so if you are comparing the two, you are comparing one group. It covers identity, criminal records, sanctions, education, employment and social media in 200+ countries and territories, plus post-hire monitoring, under the FCRA in the US.
Its EEA privacy policy makes a point worth knowing: the client is the data controller and sets the legal basis under GDPR. Even with the biggest provider, the compliance of your program stays your job.
There is no public price. Total cost is hard to predict once court fees and country surcharges are added, and the platform is built for volume. A 20-person company running five checks a year will be happier elsewhere.
- 200+ countries and territories
- Sterling integrated since 2024
- Post-hire monitoring
- Full catalog from identity to sanctions
- ✓Widest global network
- ✓One vendor for many countries
- ✓Used to enterprise programs
- ✗No public pricing
- ✗Total cost hard to forecast
- ✗Oversized for small teams
The enterprise choice for multi-country hiring. Ask for country-by-country fees in the quote before you sign.
HireRight
HireRight is the provider many global companies already have in place. It screens worldwide and sells through custom quotes.
Its own blog is candid about one problem: since GDPR, some European schools and former employers refuse to answer. Reviewers say the same thing in other words: "not great for international (non-US) candidates", with employment and especially education checks taking a long time. On an HR forum, one manager called it the worst provider they had dealt with, while another reported only good experiences.
History matters in this category. In 2012, HireRight paid a $2.6 million civil penalty to the FTC over FCRA violations, without admitting wrongdoing. It was the FTC's first case against an employment background screening company.
- Global coverage
- Common in large enterprises
- Candid guidance on GDPR delays
- ✓One provider for many regions
- ✓Familiar to enterprise HR teams
- ✓Broad catalog
- ✗No public pricing
- ✗Slow for non-US candidates
- ✗2012 FTC penalty on record
Keep it if it's already your standard. For non-US candidates, collect a copy of the diploma up front and plan for long waits.
What to check before you order a report
A background check provider sells you data, not compliance. Under the FCRA in the US, and GDPR when a candidate comes from Europe, your process is what gets judged. These six points change how you pick and use a provider.
FCRA is the baseline
Checkr, GoodHire, First Advantage and HireRight position their US checks under the FCRA. That's a starting line, not a guarantee: HireRight paid $2.6 million to the FTC in 2012 over FCRA violations.
You stay the controller
First Advantage's EEA policy says it plainly: the employer is the data controller and sets the legal basis. The vendor runs the checks, you own the decision.
European candidates
In France, only the candidate can request their criminal record extract, and the employer can't keep a copy. In Spain, the rule is similar. A US-style criminal search doesn't transfer.
Consent in writing
Providers with country pages (Veremark) require explicit written consent from the candidate. Build it into your offer flow, not after the fact.
Security paperwork
Ask for the SOC 2 Type II report and a data processing agreement. Checkr publishes both on its trust center; Certn shows ISO 27001 and SOC 2.
Brand pairs
GoodHire is Checkr. Sterling is First Advantage. In a vendor bid, pick providers from different groups or you're not comparing anything.
- List the checks each role actually needs
- Get written consent before ordering
- Order after a conditional offer, for the chosen candidate only
- Ask for an all-in price for your top three locations
- Request the SOC 2 Type II report and a DPA
- Set a retention period for reports
Six mistakes that blow up the bill or the timeline
Background checks rarely fail because of the software. They fail on a fee nobody mentioned, a school that never answers, or a check you didn't need. Here are the six cases recruiters report most, with the fix.
Budgeting the sticker price only
Most commonCheckr and GoodHire pass court fees through at cost; enterprise providers add country surcharges. The $59.99 report is the floor, not the bill.
The fix: ask for an all-in estimate on the counties and countries you hire in most.
- Checkr Essential
- $59.99 + court fees
Trusting old price lists
Many comparison pages still show $54.99 or $79.99 for Checkr's tiers. Current prices are $29.99, $59.99 and $94.99.
The fix: check the vendor's own pricing page the week you buy.
- Checkr tiers now
- $29.99 / $59.99 / $94.99
Waiting on a former employer
Reviewers describe reports stuck "pending" for weeks with no follow-up, and three to four week waits are commonly reported. A European university even refused to confirm a degree, citing GDPR, sending the case to manual review.
The fix: ask the candidate for a copy of the diploma and HR contacts at offer stage.
- Reported waits
- 3 to 4 weeks
Running a US package on a foreign candidate
SSN traces and county searches mean nothing for someone who has always worked in Madrid. You pay for empty results.
The fix: use an international package (Checkr from $32) or per-candidate bundles (Veremark from $42).
Bidding two brands of one company
GoodHire joined Checkr in 2022 and runs the same grid. Sterling joined First Advantage in 2024. A bid between them won't move the price.
The fix: compare across groups: Checkr, Veremark, Certn, First Advantage.
Screening every finalist
Running Essential on five finalists costs $299.95; running it on the person you hire costs $59.99. You also collect data you don't need.
The fix: screen after a conditional offer, one candidate at a time.
- 5 finalists at $59.99
- $299.95
The rest of your hiring stack
Screening comes at the end of the hiring process. For the steps before, and for hiring abroad, here are our other rankings.
Background check software: common questions
How much does a background check cost?
Between $29.99 and $94.99 per report for Checkr and GoodHire's public tiers, plus court fees passed through at cost. Per-candidate bundles at Veremark run from $42 to $183. First Advantage and HireRight quote on request.
How long does a background check take?
Domestic criminal searches are often quick; employment and education checks are what drag, especially abroad. Recruiters commonly report three to four weeks when a former employer or school is slow to answer.
Are GoodHire and Checkr the same company?
Yes. GoodHire has been part of the Checkr group since 2022, uses the same price tiers ($29.99, $59.99, $94.99) and is covered by Checkr's SOC 2 Type II report. GoodHire targets small teams; Checkr adds international checks from $32.
Is Sterling still a separate company?
No. First Advantage acquired Sterling in 2024 for $2.2 billion. If both show up in your shortlist, you're looking at one group.
Which background check is best for international candidates?
Checkr International starts at $32 per check depending on the country, and Veremark's Essential bundle (two references plus identity) costs $42. For many countries at enterprise volume, First Advantage covers 200+ countries on a quote.
Can I run a background check on a candidate in Europe?
Yes, within local rules. In France and Spain, only the candidate can request their criminal record certificate, and the employer generally can't keep a copy. Ask for written consent and stick to checks tied to the job.
What about Deel or Zinc?
Deel offers checks in 160+ countries, even without a Deel contract, but shows no price, only a demo. Zinc is a UK provider strong on automated references, with private pricing on quote. Both are worth a look for teams outside the US.