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LeadChange Group

Checkr vs Certn

Checkr8.4/10

Certn8.2/10

Scored in Background Check Services

The short answer

Both publish per-check prices. Checkr’s Workforce packages start at $29.99, $59.99 and $94.99 per report. Certn’s US Core Criminal Check costs $13.99, with county searches at $9.99 each where they apply, and its Complete Criminal Check $49.99.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Based on 13 sources, most recently checked

Checkr

Best for
Employers that hire often and want to pay per report

Choose Checkr if

  • You want 200+ pre-built integrations.
  • You want continuous checks and continuous MVR monitoring.
  • You need DOT checks for transportation hiring.
  • You want to pay as you go, per report.

What Checkr costsCheckr alternatives

Certn

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

Choose Certn if

  • You want the lower entry price: $13.99 for the US Core Criminal Check.
  • You want support around the clock.
  • You want co-branded client and applicant portals.
  • You want to set how long candidate data is kept, from 90 days to 3 years.

Certn plans and pricesCertn alternatives

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

Scorecard

Checkr wins 1Certn wins 02 ties

Checkr vs Certn by dimension
DimensionCheckrCertn
CapabilitiesCheckr adds continuous checks, healthcare sanctions and DOT checks. Certn covers criminal, identity, reference, credit and international checks. Civil searches, Continuous checks, Credit background checks, Criminal background checks, Driving record (MVR) checks, Drug testing, Education verification, Employment verification, Fraud detection, Health screening, Healthcare sanctions, Identity verification, International background checks, Professional license verification, Reference checks, Resume fraud detection, Social media search, Transportation (DOT) checks112 of 13 core capabilities8 of 13 core capabilities
Fit and supportBoth serve small, midsize and enterprise employers. Certn states 24/7 support; Checkr says partner API integrations average about 2 weeks from start to finish. Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises2Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprisesSmall businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises
SecurityBoth hold SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 and document GDPR. Yes3SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPRSOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR

Checkr or Certn: what matters most to you?

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

Key differences

Where Checkr and Certn differ (3)
AttributeCheckrCertn
Native integrations200+2100+4
Founded2014520166
HeadquartersSan Francisco, California5Victoria, British Columbia, Canada7
Show 10 attributes where they are the same
Where they are the same (10)
AttributeCheckrCertn
Pricing modelPer check2Per check8
Price transparencyPartly published2Partly published9
Best forSmall businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises2Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises8
API1011
Webhooks1012
SOC 2 Type II313
ISO 27001313
GDPR program313
FCRA compliance104
OwnershipPrivate5Private6

Analysis by dimension

Pricing. Certn’s US Core Criminal Check costs $13.99, plus $9.99 per county search where applicable; Complete costs $49.99 and Complete+ $79.99. Checkr’s packages start at $29.99, $59.99 and $94.99 per report.

Capabilities. Checkr adds continuous checks, healthcare sanctions and DOT checks. Certn covers criminal, identity, reference, credit and international checks.

Integrations. Checkr lists 200+ pre-built integrations; Certn lists 100+, including Greenhouse, Lever, Workday and iCIMS.

Fit and support. Both serve small, midsize and enterprise employers. Certn states 24/7 support; Checkr says partner API integrations average about 2 weeks from start to finish.

Security. Both hold SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 and document GDPR.

Neither one?

Turn

Turn has the highest LeadChange Score in Background Check Services after excluding these two (7.6/10).

Turn review

Frequently asked questions

Is Certn cheaper than Checkr?

At entry, yes: Certn’s US Core Criminal Check costs $13.99, against $29.99 for Checkr’s Basic. Certn adds $9.99 per county search where it applies, so compare the package you would actually order.

How much does Certn charge for a background check?

In the US, $13.99 for the Core Criminal Check, $49.99 for Complete and $79.99 for Complete+; employment, education and credential verification are priced case by case.

Is Certn a legit background check company?

Yes. Certn was founded in 2016, is based in Victoria, British Columbia, describes FCRA compliance and holds SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001.

Which has more integrations, Checkr or Certn?

Checkr, with 200+ pre-built integrations, against Certn’s 100+.

Do Checkr and Certn offer international checks?

Yes. Checkr covers 200+ countries and territories; Certn supports checks in 195 countries.

What are Certn’s competitors?

Checkr is one: both publish per-check prices for US employers. GoodHire, HireRight and First Advantage are other providers we compare.

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 Nov 10, 2026.

  • Method

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

  • Independent review

    Our independent review of Nov 6, 2026 asked for changes. 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

Checkr or Certn? 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. Then you can ask a provider that takes requests through us for a quote.

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Checkr vs Certn

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Sources

The 13 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. Checkr checkr.com“CHECKS Civil searches Continuous checks Credit background checks Criminal background checks Driving record (MVR) checks Drug testing Education verification Employment verification Fraud detection Health screening Healthcare sanctions Identity verification International background checks Professional license verification Reference checks Resume fraud detection Social media search Transportation (DOT) checks”
  2. Checkr checkr.com/pricing“Background check pricing for businesses of all sizes.” “200+ pre-built integrations create a seamless workflow with your HR systems”
  3. 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” “Checkr follows the ISO 27001 standard to continuously identify, select, maintain, and improve information security controls”
  4. 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.”
  5. Y Combinator ycombinator.com/companies/checkr“Founded: 2014” “Location: San Francisco”
  6. 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”
  7. 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”
  8. Certn certn.co/us“Start running checks in minutes. Pay per check with no setup fees or minimums, and add team members as you grow.” “Whether you’re managing high-volume hiring, scaling a small team, or running a check on yourself. Certn has you covered.”
  9. 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)”
  10. Checkr docs.checkr.com/partners“We provide industry standard and easy to follow API documentation of our RESTful APIs, OAuth, a staging account, and an average implementation timeline of 2 weeks from start to finish.” “Checkr uses webhooks to communicate asynchronous changes on objects created with the API.”
  11. Certn certn.co“Embed background checks directly into your onboarding flow. Clean documentation, straightforward implementation, and a RESTful API built for developers”
  12. Certn certn.co/product-updates“Setup is fully self-serve in CertnCentric. Configure your webhook credentials, choose your report delivery format, and assign your default screening group”
  13. Certn certn.co/security“SOC 2 Type 2 Period: Sept 2024 – Sep 2025” “Surveillance Cleared ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Date: Oct 31, 2025”

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.