Compare/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.

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

SimpleHire

$2/screen Free tier

SimpleHire runs a proctored AI voice interview and skill check on a candidate before you send them to the client, and returns a scored report plus a shareable certificate. It is priced per screen from $2, with 25 free Basic screens a month, but ATS integration is still coming soon. Best for staffing desks that want proof attached to submissions, not for teams shopping for an ATS.

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
  • Agencies screening at volume that want a low per-screen price and a free monthly allowance
  • Teams that want an optional ID and face-match check without a separate vendor

At a glance

DetailCheckrSimpleHire
Starting price$29.99/report$2/screen
Free tier–No✓Yes
MCP server✓Yes–No
Public API✓Yes–No
Listed underBackground checkAssessments, Background check, Candidate fraud & AI detection, Interviewing
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

SimpleHire

Stands out: Pricing is published and per screen ($2, $3 or $5) with 25 free Basic screens every month and no card, which is rare for proctored screening. Each report pairs a role-based voice interview that follows up on weak answers with skill evidence and integrity signals, and the candidate can keep the result as a verified profile.

Watch out: ATS integration is not live yet: Ceipal and JobDiva come first, then Bullhorn, so today the report is attached to submissions by hand. The ID and face-match check is optional and its price is not listed separately. Proctoring signals are flagged for a human to review rather than decided automatically, and the vendor positions the tool as pre-screening evidence, not a background check.

Not the right fit for

  • In-house TA teams shopping for an ATS with pipelines and job posts
  • Buyers who need live ATS writeback on day one
  • Teams that need an FCRA background 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

SimpleHire

  • Published per-screen prices from $2, with no contract
  • 25 free Basic screens a month, no card
  • Proctoring covers browser, desktop and optional second-device views
  • Candidate owns the verified result and certificate
  • ATS integration is coming soon, not live
  • Not an ATS. No job pipeline or client CRM
  • Optional ID check pricing is not listed on the page

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

SimpleHire

$2/screen

Pay per screen with no contract: Basic is $2 (8 questions, about 15 minutes), Adaptive is $3 (follow-up questions, about 20 minutes) and Advanced is $5 (deep dive, about 30 minutes, optional coding round scored separately). Every workspace gets 25 free Basic screens a month with no card. An ID check can be added when a client requires it. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Common questions

Is Checkr cheaper than SimpleHire?
SimpleHire starts lower, at $2/screen against $29.99/report for Checkr. 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 SimpleHire for free?
SimpleHire 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.

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