First Advantage
Background-check Grid (bought Sterling).
Quote-based pricing API
Visit First Advantage (opens in a new tab) Follow First Advantage updates
Bottom line
Global background checks, identity verification and I-9 services. Pricing is quote-based. First Advantage now owns Sterling.
Stands out for: Background and identity checks across more than 200 countries and territories, with ATS integrations and REST APIs.
Watch out for: No published per-check price. Former Sterling customers are moving onto First Advantage, so confirm which platform your contract runs on.
Overview
First Advantage sells employment background screening and identity verification for organizations of any size. Services cover pre-hire checks, identity verification, drug screening, Form I-9 and E-Verify, and post-hire monitoring, across more than 200 countries and territories. It acquired Sterling, and Sterling customers can now order the same checks through First Advantage.
Teams pick First Advantage when they need global screening and identity verification from one vendor. Pricing is quote-based, with no public per-check figure. Checks can run inside common ATS and HR systems through integrations, and standard and REST APIs are available for custom builds. Package mix, volume and regions drive the final price, so expect a scoped proposal.
Who it's for
Best for
- Global employers screening at scale
- Teams that also need I-9 and E-Verify
- Former Sterling customers
- Buyers wanting identity checks and criminal checks together
Not ideal for
- Small firms wanting a published per-check price
- Individuals ordering a personal check
Key features
High volume. Workflows that survive warehouses, QSR, and apply spikes.
Pricing
Sales-quoted. No public rate card on the vendor site. Pricing depends on check types, volume and regions. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.
Checked 19 Sep 2026. Vendors change prices without notice.
Is First Advantage expensive?
First Advantage does not publish a price. It is one of 20 quote-based tools among the 31 background check tools in our directory. 1 have a free tier, and those with a public price typically start around $30 a month.
- 20 quote-based
- 1 free tier
- 12 public price
Worked out automatically from every background check listing, so it updates as the directory changes.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Coverage in 200+ countries and territories
- Identity checks and I-9 in one vendor
- ATS integrations and REST APIs
Cons
- No published per-check price
- Enterprise sales cycle
- Sterling migration may change workflows
What's new at First Advantage
No updates logged yet. Follow First Advantage and we will email you when it announces something new or its starting price changes.
Follow First Advantage
Get an email when First Advantage ships a new feature, posts release notes or changes its starting price. Only when something changes, and you can stop in one click.
How First Advantage compares
See all First Advantage alternatives, with what each one does differently and a head to head for every pairing.
| Tool | Free tier | From | MCP | API | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | – | Sales-quoted | – | ✓ | |
| | – | Sales-quoted | – | ✓ | Compare |
| | – | $29.99/report | ✓ | ✓ | Compare |
| | – | $29.99/check | – | ✓ | Compare |
| | – | Sales-quoted | – | ✓ | Compare |
Sales-quoted API
Enterprise screening if you want a second global bid.
$29.99/report MCP API
API-first US screening with published packages.
$29.99/check API
Simpler self-serve US checks for smaller hiring volumes.
Sales-quoted API
Another enterprise screener for a three-vendor comparison.
Your next step
Shortlisting First Advantage?
Still deciding? Ask an AI assistant about First Advantage.
ChatGPT (opens in a new tab)Claude (opens in a new tab)Grok (opens in a new tab)