Based on 5 reviews
Background Check Cost is an independent reference website that publishes per-check pricing data for 14 background check vendors, including Checkr, GoodHire, Verified First, and Certn. It covers five published rates and nine quote-only vendors, using a strict provenance rule where every dollar figure traces to a vendor's own published page fetched on a known date. The site presents itself as having no vendor sponsorships, affiliate links, or email capture, and includes a calculator and multi-vendor estimator for users to compare estimated monthly and annual costs.
The platform is designed for procurement teams and HR ops at SMB and enterprise scale who need to benchmark background check costs without vendor bias. It serves users who require a strict provenance rule where every numeric claim cites a primary source, avoiding inferred rates for vendors that hide pricing. The site explicitly labels quote-only vendors rather than fabricating data, making it suitable for buyers who value transparency in vendor comparisons.
Users can access the multi-vendor estimator by inputting check volume and segment tier to compare estimated monthly and annual costs. The calculator allows filtering by package tier (basic, essential, complete) and includes options to include MVR or drug add-ons. Results are sorted by annual, monthly, or per check, and the tool fetches data from vendor pricing pages updated quarterly.
The SMB-friendly published-rate floor starts at Certn's US Core Criminal Check at $13.99, while the mid-market quote-only middle includes vendors like Sterling and HireRight. The Fortune-500 enterprise tier operates on custom packages where pricing depends on annual volume commitments and contract length. Checkr and GoodHire offer a Basic tier at $29.99, Essential at $59.99, and Complete at $94.99, with pass-through court fees varying by state.
Checkr and GoodHire both publish identical per-check rates of $29.99 for Basic, $59.99 for Essential, and $94.99 for Complete as of July 2026. Essential and Complete rates rose from $54.99 and $89.99 between June and July 2026, while Basic held steady at $29.99. The Essential tier now bundles identity verification, and add-ons like MVR cost $9.50 per check.
Certn's US Core Criminal Check is $13.99 per check, with county searches added at $9.99 each where applicable. Verified First Premium is $79.99, and Certn's top US package, Complete+, is also $79.99. These figures represent the most expensive published per-check tiers among the four vendors that publish prices, with Checkr Complete and GoodHire Complete tied at $94.99.
Nine of the fourteen vendors covered are quote-only, meaning their public pricing is not published and requires contacting sales for a quote. These vendors include Sterling, HireRight, Accurate Background, First Advantage, Cisive, Asurint, Onfido (Entrust), Crimcheck (DISA), and Zinc. The site explicitly labels these vendors to avoid fabricating inferred rates.
Checkr and GoodHire rebranded their tiers from Basic / Pro / Premier to Basic / Essential / Complete, leaving prices unchanged initially. Essential and Complete later rose to $59.99 and $94.99 in July 2026. The rename itself did not alter the core pricing structure, though add-ons like identity verification were later bundled into the Essential tier.
Sterling is no longer independent as First Advantage acquired Sterling Check on 31 October 2024. The Sterling pricing page now states 'Sterling is now a First Advantage company', and RFPs to either brand route to one commercial team. This acquisition impacts how users interact with Sterling's pricing and sales processes.
Onfido is now part of Entrust since April 2024, and its pricing is handled under that umbrella. The site notes that Onfido (Entrust) is one of the quote-only vendors, meaning its specific rates are not publicly published. Users must contact the vendor for a quote to determine costs for Onfido services.
The site includes a methodology page that explains the verification process for listed prices, ensuring every numeric claim cites a primary source. Editorial questions can be sent to [email protected], and the site is published by Digital Signet with Oliver Wakefield-Smith as editor. The last verification date was November 2026, with a next refresh scheduled for February 2027.
The site's independence is maintained through no vendor sponsorships, no affiliate links, and no email capture. Every vendor source is re-fetched at least once per quarter to ensure accuracy. The site avoids undocumented industry benchmarks and labels illustrative examples clearly to prevent confusion between case studies and general analysis.
The site's last verification date was November 2026, with a next refresh scheduled for February 2027. This quarterly re-verification process ensures that all vendor pricing data remains current and accurate. The site avoids using inferred rates for vendors that hide pricing, maintaining a strict provenance rule for all numeric claims.
On Trustburn, Background Check Cost 2026: Verified Checkr $29.99, GoodHire $59.99, 10 Vendors Quote-Only has a rating of 3.6 out of 5 based on 5 reviews.
Background Check Cost 2026: Verified Checkr $29.99, GoodHire $59.99, 10 Vendors Quote-Only has official profiles on Linkedin.
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While the base per-check price looks attractive for companies like Checkr, the site notes that pass-through court fees are not included. This makes the actual cost higher than advertised. It would be helpful if the total landed cost was calculated alongside the base rate.
The reference material is excellent for understanding the baseline market rates, especially for smaller volumes. The breakdown of basic, complete, and premium tiers is clear. However, for enterprise-level hiring, the reliance on quote-only vendors means you will still need to contact them directly. It is prudent to verify if pass-through court fees are included in the stated per-check prices before committing to a vendor, as those costs can add up.
It is very convenient to see the exact per-check costs for major players like Checkr and GoodHire without needing to navigate away or fill out a form. The self-serve nature of the site is efficient.
From an analytical perspective, BackgroundCheckCost.com offers a refreshing level of transparency in a market often obscured by hidden fees and marketing copy. The methodology is rigorous: every price point traces back to a vendor’s own published page, fetched on a known date, which builds significant trust. It is particularly valuable that the site explicitly labels quote-only vendors rather than inferring rates, avoiding the common pitfall of guessing enterprise pricing. The segmentation into SMB, mid-market, and enterprise tiers helps buyers understand where their volume fits. The distinction between the SMB-friendly published rates and the enterprise quote-only models is clearly drawn. Although only five vendors publish per-check costs, the coverage is comprehensive enough to serve as a solid baseline. The independence from vendor sponsorships and affiliate links removes bias, making this a reliable tool for procurement teams who need to benchmark costs without noise. The quarterly re-verification process adds another layer of credibility to the data presented.
The site provides a straightforward calculator and lists specific per-check rates for several vendors. However, it is noticeable that ten out of the fifteen covered vendors remain quote-only, which limits immediate comparability for larger volume needs.
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Background Check Cost is an independent reference website that publishes per-check pricing data for background check vendors. It covers 15 vendors and lists published rates, including offerings from Checkr, GoodHire, Verified First, TransUnion ShareAble for Hires, and Certn, while noting that 10 of the 15 vendors are quote-only and do not publish pricing. The site includes a calculator and multi-vendor estimator that allow users to input check volume and segment tier to compare estimated monthly and annual costs. It presents itself as having no vendor sponsorships, affiliate links, or email capture, and explains its methodology and verification process for the listed prices.