Head to head

DISA vs First Advantage

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

DISA

Sales-quoted

DOT and safety-focused background, drug, and occupational health. Pricing is sales-quoted.

Where DISA fits

  • Transportation and logistics employers
  • DOT-regulated workforces
  • Safety-sensitive hiring that needs drug and occ-health in one vendor
  • Workday customers in industrial verticals

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

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

Where they pull apart

DISA

Stands out: Screening built around DOT, drugs, and occupational health, not a generic nationwide criminal package for office hires.

Watch out: If you do not have DOT or safety-sensitive roles, you are buying the wrong CRA. Pricing is quoted.

Not the right fit for

  • SaaS office hiring
  • SMBs that want a $29.99 criminal package
  • Agencies screening marketers

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

DISA

  • DOT and occ-health depth most generic CRAs do not have
  • Workday named
  • Public API
  • Quote-only
  • Wrong CRA for non-regulated office hiring
  • No public per-check card

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

DISA

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 DISA or First Advantage for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

Not the pair you wanted?

All DISA 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?