Head to head

ClearStar vs First Advantage

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

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

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

DetailClearStarFirst Advantage
Starting priceSales-quotedSales-quoted
Free tier–No–No
MCP server–No–No
Public API–No✓Yes
Listed underBackground checkBackground check

Where they pull apart

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

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

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

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

ClearStar

Sales-quoted

Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 17 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 ClearStar or First Advantage for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

Not the pair you wanted?

All ClearStar alternatives All First Advantage alternatives Every Background check tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 17 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?