Head to head

Checkr vs HiPeople

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

HiPeople automates reference checks, skills surveys, and AI hiring workflows. A permanent Free plan covers one candidate. Paid Grow starts at $70/month with unlimited candidates, references, and users.

Where HiPeople fits

TA teams replacing manual reference calls with 24-hour surveys
Startups that will live on Free for a single candidate, then Grow at $70/mo
Mid-market desks that need ATS sync and 360 references on Scale
Employers that want fraud detection on references before an offer

At a glance

Detail	Checkr	HiPeople
Starting price	$29.99/report	$70/mo
Free tier	–No	✓Yes
MCP server	✓Yes	–No
Public API	✓Yes	–No
Listed under	Background check	Assessments, Background check
Capterra	4.5 from 303 reviews	4.8 from 1,563 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

HiPeople

Stands out: Grow at $70/month adds fraud detection, PDF exports, and branded surveys on top of 50-plus templates. Scale at $98/month adds ATS integrations, 360-degree references, title verification, and a talent pool.

Watch out: HiPeople does not keep a self-serve pricing page. The live figures sit on a vendor compare page. Enterprise (API, CSM, SOC 2 Type II report, SLAs) is quoted. The homepage now leads with AI recruiting agents as well as reference checks.

Not the right fit for

Companies that only need a criminal background check, not a reference survey
Buyers who want one self-serve pricing page rather than figures on a compare page

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

HiPeople

Permanent Free plan for one candidate, then Grow at $70/mo
Capterra 4.8 from 1,563 reviews on the matching HiPeople listing
Fraud detection and 50-plus reference templates on paid plans

Plan figures live on a compare page rather than a pricing page
ATS connectors start on Scale at $98/mo, not Grow
API, CSM, and SOC 2 report wait for Enterprise quote

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

HiPeople

$70/mo

Free covers one candidate, 50-plus templates, AI surveys, and custom questions. Grow is $70 per month with unlimited candidates, references, and users, plus fraud detection, PDF exports, and branded surveys. Scale is $98 per month and adds ATS integrations, talent pool, title verification, 360 references, and onboarding insights. Enterprise (API, CSM, SOC 2 Type II, SLAs) is quoted. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Is Checkr cheaper than HiPeople?

Checkr starts lower, at $29.99/report against $70/mo for HiPeople. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.

Can you try Checkr or HiPeople for free?

HiPeople carries a free tier on our listing.

Does Checkr or HiPeople 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 18 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?