Compare/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.

Starting price

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 4 Nov 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 4 Nov 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 4 Nov 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?