Head to head

Certn vs CrossChq

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Certn

$13.99/check

Background screening with public self-serve checks. US Core Criminal is $13.99 on the USD card; a separate CAD card is published for Canada.

Where Certn fits

US and Canadian employers buying criminal and identity checks
Staffing teams that want self-serve packages
ATS-connected hiring on Greenhouse, Lever, or Workday
Buyers who want a public check price instead of a CRA quote

CrossChq

$399/mo

Automated reference checks, fraud detection, and quality-of-hire analytics. Pricing is quote-based.

Where CrossChq fits

TA teams replacing manual reference calls
Companies on Workday, Greenhouse, or iCIMS
Quality-of-hire programmes that want structured reference data
Hiring that needs fraud signals on applications

At a glance

Detail	Certn	CrossChq
Starting price	$13.99/check	$399/mo
Free tier	–No	–No
MCP server	–No	–No
Public API	✓Yes	–No
Listed under	Background check	Assessments, Background check
Capterra	4.6 from 81 reviews	4.9 from 15 reviews

Where they pull apart

Certn

Stands out: A rare public rate card for screening (criminal, identity, and verifications priced per check in both USD and CAD), plus ATS names (Greenhouse, Lever, Workday) on the marketing site.

Watch out: There are two rate cards, one in USD and one in CAD, and the figures differ. Check you are reading the one for your hiring country before you budget, and remember county searches and pass-through access fees stack on the headline check.

Not the right fit for

Teams that want one global rate card rather than per-country pricing
Enterprises standardised on Sterling or First Advantage
Buyers who need a free trial of a background check

CrossChq

Stands out: References as structured data plus fraud and quality-of-hire, not a phone-tag spreadsheet.

Watch out: Pricing is quote-based, so budget from a quote.

Not the right fit for

SMBs that want a $42 Veremark package
Teams that only need a criminal background check
Buyers who need a public price grid

Pros and cons

Certn

Public self-serve check prices rather than a CRA quote
Greenhouse, Lever, and Workday named
Identity plus criminal plus verifications in one vendor

Two currency cards to keep straight
County searches and access fees stack on the headline price
No trial

CrossChq

Structured references instead of phone tag
Workday, Greenhouse, and iCIMS named
Fraud and quality-of-hire in the same product family

No published pricing grid
Not a criminal background check
SMB packages like Veremark may be cheaper for simple references

What each one costs

Certn

$13.99/check

Self-serve USD on the US site: US Core Criminal $13.99, Complete $49.99, Complete+ $79.99; Basic Canadian Criminal $17.99, Enhanced $21.50; OneID $3.50; digital references $3.50; Social Media $42.99; MVR $25.99. County searches add $9.99 where applicable, and third-party pass-through access fees may apply. A separate CAD card is published at certn.co/pricing. Enterprise and volume are quoted. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 18 Sep 2026

CrossChq

$399/mo

Paid, listed from about $399/mo. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 15 Sep 2026

Common questions

Is Certn cheaper than CrossChq?

Certn starts lower, at $13.99/check against $399/mo for CrossChq. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.

Can you try Certn or CrossChq for free?

Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

Not the pair you wanted?

All Certn alternatives All CrossChq alternatives Every Background check tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 18 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?