Head to head

Checkr vs SimpleHire

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

SimpleHire is not an ATS. Staffing teams buy recruiter credits for a verified candidate profile covering identity, skills, work auth, and a shareable screening report. Level 1, 2, and 3 plans are quoted. New workspaces start with free screening credits and no card.

Where SimpleHire fits

Staffing recruiters who submit verified profiles to clients instead of raw resumes
Desks filling junior, technical, or high-value roles that need skill evidence
Teams that want ID face-match and work-auth checks without running a separate CRA
Agencies that will share a certificate or QR-style report rather than rebuild screens

At a glance

Detail	Checkr	SimpleHire
Starting price	$29.99/report	Sales-quoted
Free tier	–No	–No
MCP server	✓Yes	–No
Public API	✓Yes	–No
Listed under	Background check	Assessments, Background check, Candidate fraud & AI detection, Interviewing
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

SimpleHire

Stands out: A role-based voice interview with adaptive follow-ups plus proctored skill checks (browser, desktop, second-device) produces a client-ready report and submission-readiness score.

Watch out: Bullhorn ATS sync is listed as coming soon, so today you submit the report outside the ATS. Work authorization covers 14 visa status types as an optional check, not a full FCRA background product.

Not the right fit for

In-house TA teams shopping for an ATS with pipelines and job posts
Buyers who need a live ATS writeback on day one (Bullhorn is still coming soon)

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

SimpleHire

Verified identity, skills, and optional work-auth in one screening report
Proctoring covers full-screen, tab changes, focus loss, and copy-paste
New workspaces start with free screening credits and no card

Level 1, 2, and 3 prices are quoted, not published
Not an ATS. No job pipeline or client CRM
Bullhorn integration is coming soon, not live

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

SimpleHire

Sales-quoted

Recruiter credits are purchased and used across candidates. Level 1, 2, and 3 plans are quoted. Every new workspace starts with free screening credits and no card. The vendor does not publish a per-credit or per-plan dollar table. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try Checkr or SimpleHire for free?

Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

Does Checkr or SimpleHire 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?