Sterling alternatives

Sterling is a solid choice, but not for everyone. Small US-only teams screening occasionally, and anyone unwilling to bet on a platform mid-acquisition-integration. Here's what to look at instead.

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HireRight

Enterprise screening muscle that most SMBs will find is aimed past them

Contact the vendor for current pricing on the core platform — contracts are quoted on volume and scope. Its self-serve brand backgroundchecks.com runs instant criminal packages from roughly $37–$77 per check. Enterprise per-check costs commonly land between $40 and $150+ depending on countries and verifications included.7.2/10

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Checkr

The default US background check pick, fast and deeply integrated

Plans reportedly run from about $29.99 to $79.99 per month depending on tier, with per-check costs on top depending on package depth (criminal, employment, MVR, etc). Entry per-check pricing starts around $29.99.8.4/10

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Certn

The budget-friendly, international-first background check option

Entry-level checks start around $13.99 per check on a pay-as-you-go basis, no sales call required. Full background packages with international components run higher, budget $20-$50+ per check depending on scope.8.1/10

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