When you’re hiring, it’s important to find a background check provider that fits your company’s specific requirements and enables you to make quick, informed decisions about candidates.
Checkr, First Advantage, and iprospectcheck have strong reputations as background screening providers for businesses nationwide.
This guide will help you choose the right provider by breaking down what each one offers, how quickly they deliver results, and other important factors.
Key Takeaways
- Checkr is the best choice for companies operating within the gig economy with high-volume hiring needs because of its emphasis on automation.
- First Advantage is best for large, multinational corporations because of its extensive experience performing background checks in more than 200 countries.
- iprospectcheck is the best overall choice because of its broad menu of background searches, flexibility, compliance focus, and emphasis on personalized customer service.
- To choose the best background check provider for your company, identify your industry requirements, determine your hiring volume needs, define your desired turnaround times, evaluate your customer support expectations, check available integrations, assess compliance and legal expertise, and compare pricing models and flexibility.
iprospectcheck: Best Overall
Overview
Founded in 2009 by Matt and Andrea Rodgers, iprospectcheck is a family-owned and operated California-based company that is a full-service background check provider serving thousands of clients across the United States
The company offers a broad array of background checks and clinical services to companies of all sizes.
It also offers personal background checks to individuals.
iprospectcheck is particularly focused on accuracy, speed, and legal compliance.
The company tracks changes in employment laws as they occur to ensure compliance, which is particularly helpful to businesses operating in regulated industries, such as healthcare, finance, transportation, and others.
This company never offshores its services and is wholly based in the U.S.
While its competitors have undergone acquisitions and mergers, iprospectcheck is privately owned and operated, which is significantly better for its clients.
It is the best choice because of its broad menu of background check searches, flexibility, compliance focus, and emphasis on personalized customer service.
Industries Served
iprospectcheck performs employment background checks for companies in all industries and offers industry-specific packages for the following sectors:
- Banking/finance
- Retail
- Energy
- Healthcare
- Transportation
- Higher education
- Nonprofit
- Technology
- Hospitality
- Construction & manufacturing
- Enterprise
- Staffing
- Gig economy
- Small business
Pricing
iprospectcheck offers transparent pricing for standard packages on its website, including:
- Basic – $24.95 each
- Standard – $49.95 each
- Standard + Motor vehicle records (MVR) – $59.95 each
- Premium – $79.95 each
- Healthcare – $89.95 each
The company also offers numerous add-on searches for affordable prices, allowing for more flexibility in creating tailored background checks.
Companies with high-volume hiring needs can benefit from volume discounts.
You can call iprospectcheck to receive a custom quote.
Pros:
- Quick results (usually 1–3 business days)
- Direct access to knowledgeable, U.S.-based support
- Industry-specific screening programs (DOT, healthcare, finance, and more)
- 100% U.S.-based (no offshoring)
- Privately owned and operated
- Emphasis on legal compliance
- API integration for streamlined workflows
Cons:
- Not a global service
- No fingerprinting option
Best For:
U.S. businesses that need reliable, compliant, and highly customized screening solutions.
Know Before You Hire
Checkr: Best for Gig Economy Startups
Overview
Checkr was launched in 2014 by two engineers who worked at a gig economy startup.
This provider is based in San Francisco and focuses on companies with large hiring volumes within the gig economy.
Checkr provides automated background checks and is technology-focused with an API platform that integrates with over 100 Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
Checkr works well for companies with high-volume hiring needs and those within the gig economy because of its emphasis on automation.
However, it is not the best choice for regulated companies that must continuously work to achieve and maintain legal compliance because Checkr focuses on automation rather than compliance.
Industries Served
On its website, Checkr reports it handles 95% of all background checks for gig economy businesses.
It also reports that it works for businesses in the following industries:
- Food services
- Transportation
- Healthcare
- Technology
- Hospitality
- Staffing
- Manufacturing
- Retail
- Nonprofit
- Marketplaces
- Enterprise
Pricing
Checkr provides transparent pricing on its website with three packages, including:
- Basic + – $29.99 each
- Essential – $54.99 each
- Complete – $89.99 each
Its pricing does not include pass-through fees that may be assessed in addition to the package price.
Checkr offers a variety of add-on searches for additional fees that vary based on type.
Customers requiring more than 300 searches per year can inquire about volume discounts.
Pros:
- Fast turnaround (1–5 business days)
- Strong automation with integrations for modern HR tools
- User-friendly dashboard and onboarding process
Cons:
- Limited human support (reliance on automated responses or tickets)
- Not optimized for heavy compliance in highly regulated industries
- Reports may be broad and require additional context
Best For:
Checkr is focused on automation over compliance and is thus best for tech companies, startups, and gig platforms that prioritize scalability and speed over deep compliance requirements.
First Advantage: Best for Large, Multinational Corporations
First Advantage acquired Sterling for $2.2 billion in October 2024.
The company specializes in providing background checks for multinational corporations and enterprise-level companies.
They report they’re used by approximately half of the Fortune 500 companies and operate in more than 200 countries.
Industries Served
First Advantage serves the following industries:
- Banking & financial services
- Business services
- Gig economy
- Healthcare
- Higher education
- Hospitality & restaurant
- Insurance
- Manufacturing
- Nonprofit
- Oil & gas
- Pharmaceutical
- Residential
- Retail
- Staffing
- Transportation
- Technology
Pricing
First Advantage does not have pricing listed on its website. Instead, its prices vary by location and services.
Most enterprise-level and global corporations using this service obtain quote-based pricing.
Pros:
- Extensive international screening capabilities
- Strong compliance tools for complex, multi-jurisdictional hiring
- Broad feature set tailored for large-scale organizations
Cons:
- Turnaround can be slower (2–10 business days), depending on the search’s scope
- Interface may feel dated compared to newer platforms
- Smaller businesses may experience less personalized service
Best For:
First Advantage is best for multinational corporations with global and multi-state hiring needs that require robust compliance support. It is not as good for small to mid-sized businesses.
Checkr vs First Advantage vs iprospectcheck: Side-by-Side Comparison
To compare these three background check providers, review the table below:
| Feature | Checkr | First Advantage | iprospectcheck |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founding date | 2014 | 2003 | 2009 |
| Average turnaround time | 1-5 days | 2-10 days | 1-3 days |
| Industry focus | Gig economy/marketplace | Global corporations | Serves all industries but focuses on regulated sectors (i.e., healthcare, finance, transportation, etc.) |
| Global capabilities | Limited | Operates in more than 200 countries | U.S. only |
| Customer support | Automated and ticket-based | Mixed | Personalized, U.S.-based support available by phone, email, and text message |
| Customization options | Moderate | High | High |
| Compliance guidance | Basic | Strong | Very strong and industry-specific |
| API integration availability | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing Transparency | Available on the website and by quote | Limited transparency- must call | Transparent pricing available on the website, plus custom quotes |
How to Choose the Right Background Check Provider
1. Identify Industry Requirements
If your company operates in a regulated industry, it’s critical to choose a background check provider that has extensive experience working with companies like yours.
A provider that regularly performs industry-specific background checks for regulated companies understands the regulatory requirements and can help you remain compliant.
At iprospectcheck, we conduct industry-specific background checks for employers operating in many regulated industries, including transportation, healthcare, finance, and more.
2. Determine Your Hiring Volume
Your hiring volume can impact turnaround times, pricing, and the level of account support you receive from a background check provider.
If your company regularly engages in very high-volume hiring, any of these three providers will meet your business needs.
However, if you must focus on compliance and want a personalized touch together with advanced technology, iprospectcheck offers 100% US-based support, fast turnaround times, flexibility, and help with compliance.
3. Define Your Turnaround Time Needs
If you need fast results to make quick hiring decisions, choose a company with shorter turnaround times.
However, if you need global checks performed, you can anticipate longer turnaround times based on the applicable jurisdiction.
Both Checkr and iprospectcheck offer quick turnaround times, although iprospectcheck is a bit faster.
By contrast, the average turnaround times for First Advantage are about double those of Checkr.
4. Evaluate Customer Support Expectations
High-touch customer support provides customized help tailored to business needs.
If you want high-touch customer support from U.S.-based employees who are available by phone, email, and text message, iprospectcheck is the best choice.
5. Check Integration with HR Tools
Verify that the company you choose integrates with the HR tools your company currently uses.
This can make the transition seamless and smooth while allowing you to perform background checks and view results within your existing HR tools.
Checkr, First Advantage, and iprospectcheck all offer multiple API integrations with HRIS and ATS.
6. Assess Compliance and Legal Expertise
Legal compliance and expertise are key factors to consider when evaluating a background check company.
In addition to compliance with and knowledge of crucial federal laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), and the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act (FCA), the right provider should also keep current with local and state rules and laws as well as federal and state regulations that might affect your background checks.
For example, many local and state jurisdictions have enacted ban-the-box laws that control when companies can inquire about criminal history.
Others limit pre-employment credit checks or ban salary history inquiries.
iprospectcheck continuously tracks changes to the laws that could impact your business and helps companies to maintain compliance.
7. Compare Pricing Models and Flexibility
Compare each provider’s pricing models based on your hiring needs and whether it offers tailored searches.
Out of the three profiled companies, iprospectcheck offers great customizability and flexibility at affordable prices.
Trust iprospectcheck as Your Reliable Background Check Provider
The background check provider you choose can have an outsized impact on your hiring success.
When you choose iprospectcheck, your business can benefit from our focus on legal compliance, fast turnaround times, accuracy, flexibility, and 100% U.S.-based support.
To learn about our background checks and clinical services and obtain a fee quote, contact us today: (888) 509-1979.
FAQs
Are background check services compliant with hiring laws?
Not all background check services comply with hiring laws. This makes it important to review a provider’s accuracy, emphasis on legal compliance, and reliability.
A reputable background check company like iprospectcheck stays current with all relevant laws and returns accurate, reliable, and FCRA-compliant reports quickly.
Can I integrate a background check platform with my HR software?
Checkr, iprospectcheck, and First Advantage all offer numerous API integrations with leading HRIS and ATS.
You can check with the company you consider to learn about available integrations with your existing HR software.
What does a background check include?
What a background check might include depends on the searches you request, based on your needs and industry.
Most employers ask for the following searches:
- Identity verification
- Criminal history
- Employment verification
- Education verification
- Professional license verification (for credentialed positions)
- Motor vehicle records check (for driving jobs)
- Credit check (for banking and finance positions)
Industry-specific packages might include additional searches required by various regulatory authorities.
How long does a background check take?
How long a background check takes depends on the searches you request and the provider you choose.
At iprospectcheck, most searches come back within a few hours to a couple of days, but complex searches can take a week or longer.
