Background Check Services
Best Background Check Services for Retail
Retailers hire cashiers, store associates, stockroom and delivery staff at high volume, with seasonal peaks. Many roles handle cash, merchandise and customers, so checks usually focus on identity, criminal records where the candidate lived and worked, and a driving record for anyone who drives for the store. Speed matters because candidates accept other offers while a check is pending.
- products that fit
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Top 6 by LeadChange Scoreof 13 that fit · 7 not scored yet · scored for retail (reweighted)
Checkr8.7 out of 10, High confidence
Turn8.0 out of 10, High confidence
ClearStar7.1 out of 10, Medium confidence
GoodHire7.0 out of 10, Medium confidence
First Advantage5.8 out of 10, Medium confidence
Accurate Background5.4 out of 10, Medium confidence
Backgrounds OnlineNot scored yet
AsurintNot scored yet- Trusted EmployeesNot scored yet
Universal Background ScreeningNot scored yet
See all 13 rankedHighMedium confidence
Background check services for retail, ranked
Ranked by LeadChange Score from verified facts; products with too few verified facts are not scored yet and come last. Prices are list prices as published by each vendor.
Filter by verified facts
Checkr
Checkr suits employers and platforms that hire often and want fast, pay-as-you-go background checks with published prices and a strong API. Workforce packages start at $29.99, $59.99 and $94.99 per report, with court and database fees passed through at cost.
Turn
Turn is a Chicago-based background screening platform for hourly, shift and high-volume hiring that operates as a consumer reporting agency and states PBSA accreditation and SOC 2 Type II.
ClearStar
ClearStar is a background and drug screening provider that put screening online in 1995 and covers criminal, verification, drug and occupational health, social media and continuous monitoring checks in 230+ countries. It states PBSA accreditation, SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001:2022; package prices are given on request.
Show all 13 products
- GoodHire7.0/10 · Medium confidenceWhat GoodHire costs
- First Advantage5.8/10 · Medium confidenceWhat First Advantage costs
- Accurate Background5.4/10 · Medium confidenceAccurate Background plans and prices
- Backgrounds OnlineNot scored yet (16 of 27 facts verified)What Backgrounds Online costs
- AsurintNot scored yet (15 of 27 facts verified)Asurint pricing
- Trusted EmployeesNot scored yet (15 of 27 facts verified)Trusted Employees pricing
- Universal Background ScreeningNot scored yet (14 of 27 facts verified)Universal Background Screening plans and prices
- Verified FirstNot scored yet (14 of 27 facts verified)What Verified First costs
- DISA Global SolutionsNot scored yet (13 of 27 facts verified)DISA Global Solutions pricing
- ZincNot scored yet (13 of 27 facts verified)What Zinc costs
LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.
What matters for retail
Fast turnaround at volume
Store openings and seasonal hiring need results in days, not weeks. Compare each provider's stated turnaround by search type and whether candidates can enter their details and give consent on a phone.
Multi-state criminal searches
Chains hire in many states. County and state searches should follow the candidate's address history, with a national database search as a supplement rather than a replacement.
Consistent packages by role
Set one package for associates, another for managers or drivers, so every candidate for the same job is screened the same way and costs stay predictable.
Fair chance compliance
Many states and cities limit when a retailer may ask about criminal history. The provider should apply those rules by location and run the pre-adverse and adverse action steps.
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Find your fit
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Frequently asked questions
Do retail stores do background checks?
Most do for store, stockroom and delivery roles, especially where staff handle cash, merchandise or customers. A typical retail check combines an identity trace, county or state criminal searches where the candidate lived, a national database search and a sex offender registry search; drivers add a driving record. Whatever the package, the FCRA notice, written permission and adverse action steps apply.
What should a retail background check include for high-volume hiring?
Keep it consistent and fast: one package per role, criminal searches that follow the address history across states, and candidate self-entry on a phone. Add a driving record only for driving roles and verifications only for managers. Check that the provider applies state and city fair chance rules by store location.
What are the background check requirements for retail employees?
There is no single federal list of required checks for retail jobs. The law sets the process: when a screening company runs the check, the FCRA disclosure and written permission come first, adverse action steps follow any negative decision, and state and city fair chance rules limit when and how criminal history may be considered. The employer chooses the searches; drivers covered by Department of Transportation rules need its checks.
How long does a retail background check take?
Database and registry searches often come back the same day. County court searches take longer where a clerk retrieves records by hand, and verifications depend on past employers answering. Ask each provider for its stated turnaround by search type, and let candidates fill in the form and consent on a phone so a check does not wait on paperwork.
Should a retail background check include a credit check?
Only for roles that handle significant money, and only where local law allows it. Several states and cities limit employment credit checks, and the FCRA notice, permission and adverse action steps apply to a credit report as to any other consumer report. Most store associate roles are screened without one.
What are the best background check services for retail?
On the LeadChange Score weighted for retail, the highest-scoring of the 6 products with a published score are Checkr (8.7/10), Turn (8.0), and ClearStar (7.1).
Which background check services for retail have SOC 2 Type II?
Backgrounds Online, Checkr, ClearStar, First Advantage, Turn, and Zinc state SOC 2 Type II compliance; Checkr, ClearStar, First Advantage, and Zinc also hold ISO 27001. That is 6 of the 13 products for retail.
Which background check services for retail integrate with Workday?
Workday, listed by 7 of the 13 background check services for retail: Accurate Background, Asurint, Checkr, DISA Global Solutions, First Advantage, Verified First, and Zinc.
Which background check services for retail are built for enterprises?
Accurate Background, Backgrounds Online, Checkr, ClearStar, DISA Global Solutions, and 6 more list enterprises among the company sizes they serve.
How we research
This ranking of background check services for retail reweights the LeadChange Score: capability coverage 35%, pricing transparency & value 15%, integrations & API 10%, security & compliance 15%, fit & support 15%, and data confidence 10%. Only products with a verified fact showing they serve this segment are listed.
How this page was made
What it is built from
31 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Oct 24, 2026.
Method
Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.3. Read the methodology
Independent review
Our independent review of Oct 28, 2026 asked for changes. How we review
Hands-on testing
We have not tested these products hands-on: this page uses public information only.
Who made it
The LeadChange Research Team, following a written research process. No named expert has reviewed this page. About us
Independence and errors
Who pays us never changes a score or a rank. If something here is wrong, tell us and we correct it publicly. Request a correction
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Sources
The 6 pages this page's facts come from, with the day we last checked each one. The numbers beside the figures above link here.
Quotes from the sources
- Checkr checkr.com/pricing“Simple, pay-as-you-go pricing Background check pricing for businesses of all sizes.”
- Checkr checkr.com/trust-and-security“A SOC 2 Type II report provides detailed information about the suitability of the design of controls and an independent auditor’s assurance”
- Turn turn.ai/pricing“No setup fees No monthly minimums Pay as you go”
- Turn turn.ai/compliance-security-and-ai-governance“Independently audited certification covering security, availability, and confidentiality, with continuous auditing rather than a single point-in-time review.”
- ClearStar clearstar.net/pricing“In need of a custom package? That’s what we’re best at!”
- ClearStar clearstar.net/compliance“SOC 2 Type 2 validated for security, availability, integrity, confidentiality”