First Advantage alternatives, matched to why you're switching
By Jean Luc Poitier, SEO and growth marketing strategist · Checkr Reviews · Updated November 1, 2026 · Grounded in 100 recent First Advantage reviews
Disclosure: this site reviews Checkr and earns a commission if you sign up for it through our links. Checkr is one option below, and we say where it isn't the right fix.
Why employers look past First Advantage
First Advantage is the largest screener after absorbing Sterling in 2024, and many employers are re-evaluating now that Sterling and First Advantage are one vendor. Pricing is quote-only, the merger has brought platform changes, and candidate feedback is poor.
First Advantage invites candidates to review it on Trustpilot, as Checkr has, so candidate feedback for the two can be compared like for like. Of First Advantage's 50 most recent reviews (September to October 2026), 21 came through its invitations and still averaged 1.38. Checkr's invited reviews average 4.6. Unprompted, First Advantage averages 1.00 and Checkr 1.4. The complaints repeat: agents who can't resolve issues, the same documents requested again and again, and online forms that fail.
“I’ve went through 5 “live agents” and NONE OF THEM were helpful.”Jay, Trustpilot, August 2026
“I kept getting asked for the same info over and over again.”Marla Kirksey, Trustpilot, August 2026
“The automated background-check application failed, leaving me unable to complete the process.”Danny Dixon, Trustpilot, September 2026
Match the alternative to your reason for leaving
| Compared on | Best alternative | Check before switching |
|---|---|---|
| Candidate complaints and withdrawn applications | Checkr | Invited candidates rate it 4.6 vs First Advantage's 1.4 |
| Can't budget without a quote | Checkr, GoodHire, or Certn | All publish per-check prices; court fees still apply on top |
| Support agents can't resolve issues | Mitratech AssureHire, ClearStar, or Accurate | All quote privately; AssureHire programs start at $5,000 |
| Don't want to go through the Sterling merger | HireRight or Accurate Background | HireRight's candidate reviews are also poor |
| Rely on the clinic network for drug testing | ClearStar | Confirm clinic coverage in your hiring areas |
| Hiring in Canada or the UK | Certn | Trustpilot score is 1.9 |
| Final bills above the quoted price | No vendor avoids court fees | Ask every vendor for its pass-through fee schedule |
Figures checked against each company's published pages and review-platform listings as of November 1, 2026. “Not published” means the company does not publish that figure.
The 7 best First Advantage alternatives
Checkr
Best candidate feedback and published pricingThe clearest contrast on candidate experience. Both companies invite candidates to review them on Trustpilot, which makes this a like-for-like comparison: invited candidates rate Checkr 4.6 and First Advantage 1.4. Unprompted, Checkr also leads, 1.4 to 1.0. It also has published pay-as-you-go pricing ($29.99, $59.99, $94.99 per report), same-day signup, and 200+ ATS and HR integrations. Its known weak spots are chat-first support and court fees passed through on top of package prices.
Full Checkr vs First Advantage comparison →HireRight
Like-for-like enterprise, not mid-mergerThe other global enterprise screener, private since 2024 and not integrating a merger. It has long-running regulated-industry programs and 70 integrations across 45+ HR and ATS providers. Employers rate it well on G2, but its candidate reviews are no better: 49 of its 50 most recent on Trustpilot are one star. Quote-only pricing.
HireRight vs Sterling comparison →Accurate Background
Account-managed and independentService-led screening with account management for mid-market and enterprise employers, rated around 4.4 by employers on G2, and the largest privately held, minority-owned screener. A fit if you want a managed relationship without a public-company vendor. Quote-only pricing; its Trustpilot score is 1.2.
More on Accurate Background →Mitratech AssureHire
If support is why you're leavingAdvertises "dedicated, human support" in every program with no separate support fees, the direct answer to reviewers who cycle through agents without a resolution. Programs start at $5,000, quoted by hiring volume. G2 rates it 4.2 on only 14 reviews.
More in our Checkr alternatives guide →ClearStar
Drug-screening network, service-firstLeads with a wide drug-screening clinic network and "service-first support from dedicated US-based teams," a fit if First Advantage's clinic network is what keeps you. Publishes package contents but not prices. Review volume is too thin to judge quality from outside.
More in our Checkr alternatives guide →Certn
Canada and UK hiringNative checks in Canada and, through its Credence acquisition, the UK, where many of First Advantage's recent critical reviews come from. Published self-serve rates, with a US Core Criminal check at $13.99, and the best G2 ease-of-use scores in the category. Its Trustpilot score is 1.9.
More on Certn →GoodHire
Simple preset packages for small teamsThree published packages ($29.99, $59.99, $94.99), the same tiers and prices as Checkr's, for small employers who find an enterprise contract is more than they need. Checkr has owned GoodHire since 2022, so choosing it means choosing Checkr's company with a simpler storefront.
More on GoodHire →
When to stay with First Advantage
If you run a multinational program and want one vendor for every country, First Advantage's scale is hard to match, and a migration has real costs: contracts, integrations, adjudication rules, and candidate communications. If you stay, get answers in writing on which platform you'll run on and how candidate support will work.
If candidate experience and predictable pricing are what you're after, Checkr is the strongest option here on both. Read its full review record before you decide.
See Checkr pricingHow we sourced this: on November 1, 2026 we pulled the 50 most recent First Advantage reviews and the most recent Checkr reviews from Trustpilot, which labels each review as unprompted or collected through a company-shared invitation link. The averages above use those labels. Quotes are verbatim. Competitor pricing and claims come from each vendor's own pages.
First Advantage alternatives FAQ
What are the best First Advantage alternatives?+
For better candidate feedback and published pricing, Checkr: invited candidates rate it 4.6 on Trustpilot against First Advantage's 1.4. For a like-for-like enterprise program without a merger in progress, HireRight or Accurate Background. For dedicated human support, Mitratech AssureHire or ClearStar. For Canada or the UK, Certn.
What do First Advantage reviews say?+
We pulled its 50 most recent Trustpilot reviews, from September to October 2026. First Advantage invites candidates to review it, and 21 of the 50 came through those invitations, yet invited reviews still averaged 1.38. Unprompted reviews averaged 1.00. The recurring complaints are support agents who can't resolve issues, repeated requests for the same documents, automated forms that fail, and delays that cost candidates job offers.
Is First Advantage the same as Sterling?+
Yes, now. First Advantage completed its roughly $2.2 billion acquisition of Sterling in October 2024 and has finished the rebrand. Sterling customers are First Advantage customers, which is why many are re-evaluating at renewal.
Is Checkr better than First Advantage?+
For most small and mid-size employers, yes: published pricing, same-day self-serve signup, 200+ integrations, and much stronger candidate feedback (invited candidates rate Checkr 4.6 on Trustpilot and First Advantage 1.4). First Advantage is still the fit for multinational programs that want one global vendor with managed service.
Does First Advantage publish its pricing?+
No. It sells through sales quotes. Checkr, GoodHire, and Certn publish per-check prices; Checkr and GoodHire start at $29.99 per report. Every vendor passes through court access fees on top, so compare fee schedules too.