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Certn vs First Advantage

Certn8.2/10

First Advantage5.6/10

Scored in Background Check Services

The short answer

Both charge small businesses per check, with no setup fees. Certn publishes its US prices, from $13.99 for a Core Criminal Check; First Advantage shows prices after you create a free account.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Based on 21 sources, most recently checked

Certn

Best for
Teams hiring across borders that need one platform for many countries

Choose Certn if

  • You want prices before you sign up: US checks from $13.99.
  • You verify ID documents on a phone with NFC scanning.
  • You need support around the clock.
  • You set your own data retention, from 90 days to 3 years.

Certn pricingCertn alternatives

First Advantage

Best for
Employers that want screening inside Workday, iCIMS, Bullhorn or another ATS

Choose First Advantage if

  • You need drug and occupational health screening from the same provider: Certn does not list it among its checks.
  • You hire at volume: 90% of US criminal screens close in one day.
  • You want Form I-9, E-Verify or fingerprinting from the same provider.
  • You want PBSA accreditation on top of SOC 2 Type 2.

First Advantage plans and pricesFirst Advantage alternatives

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

Scorecard

Certn wins 2First Advantage wins 12 ties

Certn vs First Advantage by dimension
DimensionCertnFirst Advantage
PricingCertn publishes US prices per check: $13.99 for Core, $49.99 for Complete and $79.99 for Complete+. First Advantage’s small business accounts pay per screen with no setup fees, but prices appear only after sign-up, and enterprise pricing is set with sales.Partly publishedQuote only
CapabilitiesFirst Advantage documents 10 items on our screening checklist, including drug screening and dispute reinvestigation. Certn documents 8, from SSN trace to motor vehicle records. Criminal background checks, Drug and occupational health screening, Financial checks, Tax credit solutions, Fingerprinting, Identity verification, Employment, education and credential verification, Motor vehicle records, Monitoring (criminal, driver, healthcare, sanctions), Form I-9/E-Verify, Social media checks, Due diligence investigations18 of 13 core capabilities10 of 13 core capabilities
IntegrationsEach lists 100+ integrations: Certn with Greenhouse, Lever, Workday and iCIMS, First Advantage with Workday, iCIMS and Bullhorn. Both offer a REST API. 100+29 documented (vendor says 100+)10 documented (vendor says 100+)
SecurityBoth hold SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022. Certn names GDPR in its retention policy; First Advantage lists PBSA accreditation. Yes3SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPRSOC 2, ISO 27001
Fit and supportCertn serves small, midsize and enterprise employers, with 24/7 support. First Advantage runs separate small business and enterprise offers, with a support portal and chat. Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises4Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprisesSmall businesses, enterprises

Certn or First Advantage: what matters most to you?

We match on verified product facts for this need, never on who pays us.

Key differences

Where Certn and First Advantage differ (6)
AttributeCertnFirst Advantage
Price transparencyPartly published5Quote only6
Best forSmall businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises4Small businesses, enterprises7
Support channelsHelp center, contact form, email8Support portal, chat9
Founded201610200311
HeadquartersVictoria, British Columbia, Canada12Atlanta, Georgia, US13
OwnershipPrivate10Publicly traded13
Show 6 attributes where they are the same
Where they are the same (6)
AttributeCertnFirst Advantage
Pricing modelPer check4Per check6
API1415
Native integrations100+2100+16
SOC 2 Type II317
ISO 27001317
FCRA compliance218

Analysis by dimension

Pricing. Certn publishes US prices per check: $13.99 for Core, $49.99 for Complete and $79.99 for Complete+. First Advantage’s small business accounts pay per screen with no setup fees, but prices appear only after sign-up, and enterprise pricing is set with sales.

Capabilities. First Advantage documents 10 items on our screening checklist, including drug screening and dispute reinvestigation. Certn documents 8, from SSN trace to motor vehicle records.

Integrations. Each lists 100+ integrations: Certn with Greenhouse, Lever, Workday and iCIMS, First Advantage with Workday, iCIMS and Bullhorn. Both offer a REST API.

Security. Both hold SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022. Certn names GDPR in its retention policy; First Advantage lists PBSA accreditation.

Fit and support. Certn serves small, midsize and enterprise employers, with 24/7 support. First Advantage runs separate small business and enterprise offers, with a support portal and chat.

Neither one?

Checkr

Checkr has the highest LeadChange Score in Background Check Services after excluding these two (8.4/10).

Checkr review

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, Certn or First Advantage?

Only Certn’s prices can be checked in advance: $13.99 for its US Core Criminal Check, plus $9.99 per county search where it applies. First Advantage shows small business prices once you open a free account and quotes enterprise pricing. Price the same package with both.

How long does it take Certn to process a background check?

Certn says many checks are completed in minutes, and it does not publish US turnaround by check type. First Advantage reports that 90% of its US criminal screens close in one day. Both figures come from the vendors.

Is First Advantage a legitimate company?

Yes. First Advantage was founded in 2003, is headquartered in Atlanta and trades on NASDAQ under FA. It lists SOC 2 Type 2, ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and PBSA accreditation in its trust center.

Do Certn and First Advantage offer drug testing?

First Advantage does: drug and occupational health screening is one of its solutions. Certn’s product list covers criminal, identity, credit, driving, reference and international checks, and does not include drug testing.

Which is more secure, Certn or First Advantage?

Both hold SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022. First Advantage adds ISO/IEC 27701:2025. Certn supports single sign-on to its client portal through your identity provider.

Who are Certn’s competitors?

Besides First Advantage, Certn competes with Checkr and HireRight, which we also compare with Certn, and with GoodHire.

Which has more integrations, Certn or First Advantage?

Certn lists 100+ integrations; First Advantage lists 100+ integrations. Both connect to Greenhouse, Workday, and iCIMS.

How this page was made

  • What it is built from

    30 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Nov 10, 2026.

  • Method

    Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.5. Read the methodology

  • Independent review

    Not reviewed yet by our independent reviewer. How we review

  • Hands-on testing

    We have not tested either product 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

Certn or First Advantage? Your answer in 3 questions

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Certn vs First Advantage

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Sources

The 21 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
  1. First Advantage fadv.com/solutions/background-checks“Criminal Background Checks Drug & Occupational Health Solutions Financial Tax Credit Solutions Fingerprinting Identity Solutions Due Diligence Solutions Verification Solutions”
  2. Certn certn.co/background-screening-api“Certn offers pre-built integrations with 100+ leading ATS and HRIS systems.” “Certn ensures that our platform adheres to industry specific standards — including FRCA and SOC-III — so you can be assured data privacy is paramount.”
  3. Certn certn.co/security“SOC 2 Type 2 Period: Sept 2024 – Sep 2025” “Surveillance Cleared ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Date: Oct 31, 2025”
  4. Certn certn.co/us“Whether you’re managing high-volume hiring, scaling a small team, or running a check on yourself. Certn has you covered.” “Start running checks in minutes. Pay per check with no setup fees or minimums, and add team members as you grow.”
  5. Certn certn.co/us/pricing“Prices are accurate at the time of submission. Pricing is in United States Dollars (USD).” “US Complete Criminal Check Start now $49.99 The US Complete package includes the following products: Social Security Number (SSN) Trace, National Criminal Database, Sex Offender Registry (SOR), Global Watchlist and Sanctions, County Criminal – (7 years of addresses)”
  6. First Advantage fadv.com/solutions/small-business-background-checks“Pay Only When You Screen With pay-as-you-go pricing, no account setup fees, and no minimum screening volume, you can order checks when you need them.”
  7. First Advantage fadv.com/solutions/enterprise-background-checks“Enterprise Background Checks at Scale”
  8. Certn certn.co/contact“I’m a current customer that needs help Visit our help centre for all your troubleshooting needs.”
  9. First Advantage fadv.com/contact“Find answers and solutions. Chat with an expert. Get the support you need.”
  10. Certn certn.co/about-certn“Certn was founded in 2016 and is backed by funding from Export Development Canada, B Capital Group, Telstra Ventures, Inovia Capital, and Tribe C”
  11. First Advantage fadv.com/about-us“Founded in 2003, We Aim to Deliver”
  12. BetaKit betakit.com/certn-raises-65-1-million-cad-to-scale-background-check-tech-beyond-canada“Victoria-based startup Certn has raised $65.1 million CAD”
  13. First Advantage (SEC filing) sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1210677/000095017024119269/fa-ex99_1.htm“Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, First Advantage performs screens in over 200 countries and territories” “First Advantage (NASDAQ: FA) is a leading global provider of employment background screening, identity, and verification solutions”
  14. Certn certn.co“Embed background checks directly into your onboarding flow. Clean documentation, straightforward implementation, and a RESTful API built for developers”
  15. First Advantage fadv.com/api“Our Background Check API Makes Connecting Easy”
  16. First Advantage fadv.com/integrations“Integration Partner Ecosystem: 100+ flexible integration options including Workday, iCIMS, Bullhorn, and more.”
  17. First Advantage trust.fadv.com“Compliance SOC 2 Type 2 ISO/IEC 27001:2022” “ISO/IEC 27001:2022 ISO/IEC 27701:2025 ISO 9001:2015”
  18. First Advantage (SEC Form 10-K) sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1210677/000119312526076740/fa-20251231.htm“In addition, under the FCRA in the United States, both our customers and we are required to comply with many requirements under the FCRA as well as state-level laws regarding the use and delivery of consumer reports.”
  19. Certn certn.co/product-updates
  20. First Advantage fadv.com/partners
  21. Certn certn.co/ats-integrations

What the LeadChange Score means

A 0–10 editorial assessment built only from verified facts, across six weighted dimensions: capabilities, pricing, integrations, security, fit and support, and data confidence.

Payments, commissions and lead fees are never inputs.