Compare/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.

Starting price

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

Sales-quoted. DISA publishes no public prices for background checks, drug testing or occupational health, and the site routes buyers to a demo request. 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 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 4 Nov 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?