Certn vs First Advantage

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 Oct 20, 2026Facts checked Oct 19, 2026

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 pricing Certn 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 with your 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 prices First Advantage alternatives

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

Scorecard

Certn wins 2First Advantage wins 12 ties

Certn vs First Advantage by dimension
Dimension	Certn	First 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 published	Quote 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 investigations	8 of 13 core capabilities	10 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	100 native	100 native
SecurityBoth hold SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022. Certn names GDPR in its retention policy; First Advantage lists PBSA accreditation. Yes	SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR	SOC 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, enterprises	Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises	Small businesses, enterprises

Key differences

Where Certn and First Advantage differ (6)
Attribute	Certn	First Advantage
Price transparency	Partly published	Quote only
Best for	Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises	Small businesses, enterprises
Support channels	Help center, contact form, email	Support portal, chat
Founded	2016	2003
Headquarters	Victoria, British Columbia, Canada	Atlanta, Georgia, US
Ownership	Private	Publicly traded

Show 5 attributes where they are the same

Where they are the same (5)
Attribute	Certn	First Advantage
Pricing model	Per check	Per check
Open API
Native integrations	100	100
SOC 2 Type II
ISO 27001

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).

More Certn comparisons

More First Advantage comparisons

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 and First Advantage lists 100. Both connect to Workday and iCIMS.

Certn or First Advantage? Your answer in 3 questions

Your team size, what matters most and your role: see which one fits more of your answers, from verified facts and list prices. Then, if you like, ask to hear from both.

LeadChange may earn a fee when you request pricing through our site or follow a sponsored link. Rankings never depend on whether a vendor pays us.We may earn a fee.

Get my answer

We may earn a fee.