Why it comes up: Self-serve US checks in the same SMB price band if Verified First's ATS story is not the differentiator.
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 · Verified First vs GoodHire
Why it comes up: API-first US screening if you want a developer-led product more than packages.
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 · Verified First vs Checkr
Why it comes up: Public packages if identity and Canadian criminal are in the mix.
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 · Verified First vs Certn
Why it comes up: Global digital packages if you need references and identity outside a $29.99 FCRA Basic.
Stands out: Public US packages (Essential $42, Professional $144, Executive $183) plus a Verelink REST API and named ATS connectors.
Watch out: Essential is references plus identity, not a full criminal package. Do not treat $42 as a complete executive screen.
Best for
- Growth companies screening internationally
- TA teams on Ashby, Greenhouse, Lever, or iCIMS
- Buyers who want a public package price
4.8 on Capterra from 13 reviews
Read the Veremark write-up · Verified First vs Veremark
