Buyer’s guide Β· Sales
Best Background Check Software in 2026: Pricing & Comparison
We compared four screening vendors on published package price, what a report includes, and whether a quote is required.
- A published Canadian criminal-record package: Certn β Basic Canadian Criminal Record Check is $24.99 on the CA pricing page.
- A US package from $29.99 a report: Checkr β Basic starts at $29.99 a report, with court fees passed through.
- A listed Basic package at the same entry: Verified First β Basic is $29.99, and Enterprise is custom.
- Group pricing without a public list rate: Asurint β the public pricing URL did not render; a partner page describes customized pricing.
Background check software orders criminal, identity, and watchlist searches for hiring. This comparison is employment screening packages with a public price or a confirmed quote path. It is not an applicant-tracking system and not ongoing workforce monitoring.
Each company is scored on the same fields: published pricing, free plan or trial, core focus, and the main limitation. The order is not a quality ranking. Providers are sorted with published package prices first and quote-led vendors last. Certnβs CA page shows the lowest listed package. Checkr and Verified First both list $29.99; Checkr is first because the page also states how court fees are passed through. Asurint is last because no list rate rendered.
Compared at a glance
| Provider | Published pricing | Entry search scope | Best for | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Certn | Basic Canadian criminal record check $24.99 on the CA page | Federal Canadian criminal records database | Canadian criminal checks | Visit β |
| 2. Checkr | Basic from $29.99/report; Enterprise contact sales | SSN trace, watchlist, national criminal | US hiring packages with a list price | Visit β |
| 3. Verified First | Basic $29.99; Enterprise custom | Nationwide criminal, sex offender, SSN trace, watchlist | A listed US Basic package | Visit β |
| 4. Asurint | Customized pricing; list rate did not render | Employment and tenant screening on the partner page | A procurement quote | Visit β |
Prices checked 7 October 2026. Certnβs figure is from the CA pricing view. Checkr and Verified First figures are as shown on their package pages. Asurintβs pricing URL did not return a list rate; the quote note is from Asurintβs OMNIA Partners page the same day. Confirm before you order a report.
A package price is not the full invoice. Court and database access fees can be extra.
What buyers are comparing
Hiring teams care about which databases are in the entry package and who pays the court fee. A $29.99 national search is not the same product as a county search. Certnβs listed entry is a Canadian criminal record check, so it is not a drop-in US package.
The 4 companies in detail
Certn
Best for a published Canadian criminal check
Best for: teams hiring in Canada that want a listed criminal-record price.
| Attribute | Certn |
|---|---|
| Published pricing | CA pricing page: Basic Canadian Criminal Record Check $24.99. Enhanced Canadian Criminal Record Check $29.99. Quebec SOQUIJ $39.99. OneID identity verification $4.99. Credit report $12.99. |
| Free plan or trial | No free plan on the pricing page. Checks start from the sign-up path. |
| Core focus | Criminal record checks, identity, and add-on media or credit screens. |
| Main limitation | The listed criminal packages are Canadian. A banner on the page referred to an offer ending 30 September 2025, so confirm the live rate. |
- Certnβs CA pricing page lists the Basic Canadian Criminal Record Check at $24.99, with a 4β72 hour window.
- The basic check searches the federal Canadian criminal records database and requires identity verification before fulfilment.
- Disclosure varies by jurisdiction, and the page is the Canadian price view, not a US county package.
Checkr
Best for a US report with pass-through fees named
Best for: US hiring teams that want a starting package price and a fee note.
| Attribute | Checkr |
|---|---|
| Published pricing | Basic from $29.99/report. Essential from $59.99/report. Complete from $94.99/report. Enterprise is contact sales. |
| Free plan or trial | No free plan. Sign-up is on the pricing page. |
| Core focus | Criminal and watchlist packages, with identity verification on Essential and Complete. |
| Main limitation | Standard third-party court and database fees may apply, passed through at cost. |
- Checkr lists Basic starting from $29.99 a report, including an SSN trace, sex offender registry, global watchlist, and national criminal search.
- Essential starts at $59.99 and adds identity verification and unlimited county criminal search.
- The package price excludes pass-through court and database access fees. Enterprise is contact sales.
Verified First
Best for a listed Basic package
Best for: teams comparing a $29.99 Basic package with a custom enterprise path.
| Attribute | Verified First |
|---|---|
| Published pricing | Basic $29.99. Enterprise is shown as custom, with discounted volume pricing. |
| Free plan or trial | No free plan. Package selection is on the pricing page. |
| Core focus | Background checks, with I-9 and drug test options mentioned on the page. |
| Main limitation | Enterprise has no numeric rate. Volume discounts require a conversation. |
- Verified First lists Basic at $29.99, including a nationwide criminal search, national sex offender registry, SSN address trace, and global watch list.
- The page points volume buyers to custom packages and discounted pricing.
- Enterprise is a dash, not a list price, so a multi-country program is a quote.
Asurint
Best for a procurement quote
Best for: buyers who expect customized pricing rather than a package card.
| Attribute | Asurint |
|---|---|
| Published pricing | No list rate rendered on the pricing URL on 7 October 2026. The OMNIA Partners page describes customized pricing and member savings. |
| Free plan or trial | No free plan stated. The path is contact or partner pricing. |
| Core focus | Employment and tenant screening. |
| Main limitation | There is no public package price to compare with the $29.99 cards. |
- Asurintβs pricing URL did not return package rates on this check, after a direct open.
- The official OMNIA Partners page says the alliance includes customized pricing for member organizations.
- Without a list card, a buyer cannot compare a report price until sales replies.
Kurums Match
We hire in Canada and want a listed criminal checkCA package
We want a US national package with a fee notePass-through
Checkr Basic starts at $29.99 a report and says court and database fees can be passed through at cost.
We are comparing two $29.99 Basic cardsSame entry
Verified First also lists Basic at $29.99. Compare the search names, not only the dollar.
Procurement wants a group contractQuote
Asurint did not publish a package rate on the pricing URL. The partner page describes customized pricing.
Buying tip
Ask for the pass-through fee schedule before you pilot. Checkr names court and database fees as extra. A $29.99 package can land higher once a county search is required.
How this comparison was put together
We opened official pages on 7 October 2026 for Certn, Checkr, Verified First, and Asurint. Package figures are as shown that day. Certnβs rates are from the CA pricing view. Asurintβs pricing URL did not render a list rate; the quote description is from Asurintβs OMNIA Partners page. GoodHire was not given a separate row because it is a Checkr brand. Order follows the published-price sort, not a quality score. No Kurums Recommends, Top Pick, or Verified badge is used.
FAQ
Is the package price the amount on the invoice?
Does a national search replace a county search?
No. Checkrβs Basic package is a national criminal search. Unlimited county search is on Essential, from $59.99. Verified First Basic is also a nationwide criminal search.
Can I use the Certn price for a US hire?
The $24.99 figure is the Basic Canadian Criminal Record Check on the CA page. Do not treat it as a US package.
Why is there no free trial row?
None of these pricing pages listed a free screening plan. You pay per report or on a quote.
Discover more from Kurums | Business Intelligence
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.