Why it comes up: Checkr Basic+ is $29.99/report with a stronger ATS/API footprint, a higher floor than Sure Check's $8.99 Basic.
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.
Best for
- US employers running criminal packages at hire
- Teams that want candidate self-entry and ATS hooks
- Platforms ordering checks through the Checkr API
4.5 on Capterra from 303 reviews
Read the Checkr write-up · Sure Check Background vs Checkr
Why it comes up: Certn starts at $13.99/check with public US and Canada packages and a partner API, better when you screen across the border.
Stands out: A rare public rate card for screening (criminal, identity, and verifications priced per check in both USD and CAD), plus ATS names (Greenhouse, Lever, Workday) on the marketing site.
Watch out: There are two rate cards, one in USD and one in CAD, and the figures differ. Check you are reading the one for your hiring country before you budget, and remember county searches and pass-through access fees stack on the headline check.
Best for
- US and Canadian employers buying criminal and identity checks
- Staffing teams that want self-serve packages
- ATS-connected hiring on Greenhouse, Lever, or Workday
4.6 on Capterra from 81 reviews
Read the Certn write-up · Sure Check Background vs Certn
Why it comes up: GoodHire is an SMB FCRA alternative with a $29.99-style entry and 116 Capterra reviews, versus Sure Check's unpublished rating.
Stands out: SMBs can actually see a rate card: Basic $29.99, Essential $59.99, Complete $94.99 per check, with a self-serve path under 50 checks a year instead of a mandatory sales call.
Watch out: Those prices are for fewer than 50 checks a year. Volume is a custom quote. County, state, and federal searches, drug tests, MVR, and education/employment verifications stack on. Third-party pass-through fees apply. Do not budget $29.99 as the all-in cost of a hire.
Best for
- US SMBs that run occasional background checks
- Staffing and hourly desks that want FCRA-compliant ordering from the ATS
- Companies that also need drug tests and MVR on the same vendor
4.8 on Capterra from 116 reviews
Read the GoodHire write-up · Sure Check Background vs GoodHire
Why it comes up: BackgroundChecks.com starts at $24.99 PAYG with included adverse-action tooling, closer to Sure Check Complete at $25.99 than to $8.99 Basic.
Stands out: You pay per report. Court pass-through fees are billed at cost. Adverse-action letters and FCRA workflows are included in the account rather than sold as an add-on.
Watch out: County and education surcharges can still appear at checkout. There is no unlimited monthly search product. High-volume discounts start after 100 reports in a month.
Best for
- US SMBs that want FCRA checks from $29.99 without a monthly minimum
- Teams on Greenhouse, Lever, JazzHR, Jobvite, or Workable that want ATS connectors
- Employers who need included pre- and post-adverse-action letters
Read the BackgroundChecks.com write-up · Sure Check Background vs BackgroundChecks.com
