Head to head

Checkr vs First Advantage

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

First Advantage

Sales-quoted

Global background checks, identity verification and I-9 services. Pricing is quote-based. First Advantage now owns Sterling.

Where First Advantage fits

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

At a glance

Detail	Checkr	First Advantage
Starting price	$29.99/report	Sales-quoted
Free tier	–No	–No
MCP server	✓Yes	–No
Public API	✓Yes	✓Yes
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

First Advantage

Stands out: Background and identity checks across more than 200 countries and territories, with ATS integrations and REST APIs.

Watch out: No published per-check price. Former Sterling customers are moving onto First Advantage, so confirm which platform your contract runs on.

Not the right fit for

Small firms wanting a published per-check price
Individuals ordering a personal check

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

First Advantage

Coverage in 200+ countries and territories
Identity checks and I-9 in one vendor
ATS integrations and REST APIs

No published per-check price
Enterprise sales cycle
Sterling migration may change workflows

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

First Advantage

Sales-quoted

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

Common questions

Can you try Checkr or First Advantage for free?

Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

Does Checkr or First Advantage 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 First Advantage 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?