Compare/Head to head

Certn vs Persona

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

Starting price

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

Persona

$250/mo

Modular identity platform for KYC, KYB, fraud, and workforce verification. Essential starts at $250 a month on a 12-month minimum term; larger plans are quoted.

Where Persona fits

  • Marketplaces and fintechs building KYC or KYB
  • Trust and safety teams fighting coordinated fraud
  • HR teams verifying workers at scale
  • Product teams that need custom verification flows

At a glance

DetailCertnPersona
Starting price$13.99/check$250/mo
Free tier–No–No
MCP server–No–No
Public API✓Yes✓Yes
Listed underBackground checkCandidate fraud & AI detection
Capterra4.6 from 81 reviews4.9 from 28 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

Persona

Stands out: Building blocks for verification, workflows, fraud graph, and case review rather than a single fixed check.

Watch out: The entry plan starts at $250 a month with a 12-month minimum, and Growth and Enterprise are quoted. This is an identity stack for product and risk teams, not a cheap one-off ID scan.

Not the right fit for

  • Teams that only need a low-cost ID scan
  • Buyers who want pay-as-you-go per-check pricing with no annual term

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

Persona

  • Modular KYC, KYB, and fraud graph
  • Hosted, embedded, and API options
  • Workforce and customer verification
  • Entry plan needs a 12-month minimum term; bigger plans are quote-only
  • Heavier than a single ID scan
  • Buying starts with a demo

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 4 Nov 2026

Persona

$250/mo

Essential starts at $250/month with a minimum contract term of 12 months. Growth and Enterprise are not priced on the page; Enterprise uses custom multi-product pricing. A Startup Program gives eligible businesses a monthly allotment of free services for one year on selected products. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Common questions

Is Certn cheaper than Persona?
Certn starts lower, at $13.99/check against $250/mo for Persona. 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 Persona for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

Not the pair you wanted?

All Certn alternatives All Persona alternatives Every Background check tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 4 Nov 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?