Head to head

Checkr vs ClearStar

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

Checkr

$29.99/report

US background checks billed per report, with a public API and hosted MCP. Workforce Basic starts at $29.99 per report before pass-through fees.

Where Checkr fits

US employers running criminal packages at hire
Teams that want candidate self-entry and ATS hooks
Platforms ordering checks through the Checkr API
Ops teams that want MCP over their own reports

ClearStar

Sales-quoted

Background, drug, and ClearMD occupational health. Pricing is sales-quoted.

Where ClearStar fits

Employers that need background plus drug plus occ-health
HR teams that want one vendor for screens and physicals
Industrial and safety-sensitive hiring
Buyers comparing DISA and occupational-health CRAs

At a glance

Detail	Checkr	ClearStar
Starting price	$29.99/report	Sales-quoted
Free tier	–No	–No
MCP server	✓Yes	–No
Public API	✓Yes	–No
Listed under	Background check	Background check
Capterra	4.5 from 303 reviews	Not enough reviews

Where they pull apart

Checkr

Stands out: Self-serve packages plus MCP at mcp.checkr.com so hiring agents can read reports.

Watch out: Court and database access fees are billed on top, at cost. Essential and Complete cost more. International checks are priced by country.

Not the right fit for

Landlords (use Checkr Tenant, not Workforce)
Companies that need one global price for every country

ClearStar

Stands out: Screening plus occ-health (ClearMD) in one CRA family, which matters when drug and physicals sit beside the criminal package.

Watch out: Quote-only. Office-only employers will over-buy occ-health they do not use.

Not the right fit for

SMBs that want a $29.99 criminal package
Pure SaaS office hiring
Teams that only need an API wrapper

Pros and cons

Checkr

Self-serve Workforce packages from $29.99/report
No monthly platform fee on standard orders
Public API plus hosted customer MCP

Pass-through court fees sit on top of package price
International pricing varies by country
Enterprise ATS depth is quote-only

ClearStar

Background, drug, and occ-health in one family
ClearMD as a named occ-health line
Fits safety-sensitive hiring

Quote-only
No public per-check card
Integration list is not published in detail

What each one costs

Checkr

$29.99/report

Pay per report with no monthly platform fee on standard orders. Workforce Basic is $29.99, Essential $59.99 and Complete $94.99 per report; Enterprise is sales-quoted. Court and database access fees are passed through at cost on top. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 18 Sep 2026

ClearStar

Sales-quoted

Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 17 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try Checkr or ClearStar for free?

Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

Does Checkr or ClearStar have an MCP server?

Checkr ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

Not the pair you wanted?

All Checkr alternatives All ClearStar 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?