Compare/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.

Starting price

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

DetailCheckrClearStar
Starting price$29.99/reportSales-quoted
Free tier–No–No
MCP server✓Yes–No
Public API✓Yes–No
Listed underBackground checkBackground check
Capterra4.5 from 303 reviewsNot 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 4 Nov 2026

ClearStar

Sales-quoted

Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 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?

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