Cisive vs First Advantage

The short answer

Cisive and First Advantage both screen worldwide and offer drug testing, I-9 and ongoing monitoring. Cisive runs PreCheck for healthcare and Driver iQ for transportation, with 24/7 support.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Nov 1, 2026Based on 13 sources, most recently checked Nov 10, 2026

Cisive

Not scored in Background Check Services15 of 27 facts verified

Best for: Healthcare employers served by the PreCheck brand

Choose Cisive if

You screen nurses, clinicians or students for clinical placements (PreCheck).
You want support available around the clock.
You want one platform, one support team and one invoice across brands.

Cisive plans and prices Cisive alternatives

First Advantage

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

Choose First Advantage if

Your security review asks for SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001 and PBSA accreditation.
You want to pay as you go with no setup fee or minimums.
You need Bullhorn or 100+ other integrations.

First Advantage pricing Alternatives to First Advantage

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

Scorecard

Cisive wins 1First Advantage wins 2

Cisive vs First Advantage by dimension
Dimension	Cisive	First Advantage
IntegrationsFirst Advantage lists 100+ integration options, including Workday, iCIMS and Bullhorn, and RESTful APIs. Cisive names Workday, iCIMS and an open API. 100+1	2 documented	10 documented (vendor says 100+)
SecurityFirst Advantage lists SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001:2022 and PBSA accreditation. Cisive states GDPR compliance for its European services. Yes2	GDPR	SOC 2, ISO 27001
Fit and supportCisive serves small, mid-size and enterprise employers, with 24/7 support. First Advantage serves small businesses and enterprises. Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises3	Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises	Small businesses, enterprises

Key differences

Where Cisive and First Advantage differ (3)
Attribute	Cisive	First Advantage
Pricing model	Quote only4	Per check5
Best for	Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises3	Small businesses, enterprises6
Support channels	Phone, email, web form7	Support portal, chat8

Show 3 attributes where they are the same

Where they are the same (3)
Attribute	Cisive	First Advantage
Price transparency	Quote only4	Quote only5
API	9	10
FCRA compliance	11	12

Analysis by dimension

Pricing. First Advantage charges per check, with no setup fee or minimums on small-business accounts. Cisive quotes every program.

Integrations. First Advantage lists 100+ integration options, including Workday, iCIMS and Bullhorn, and RESTful APIs. Cisive names Workday, iCIMS and an open API.

Security. First Advantage lists SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001:2022 and PBSA accreditation. Cisive states GDPR compliance for its European services.

Fit and support. Cisive serves small, mid-size and enterprise employers, with 24/7 support. First Advantage serves small businesses and enterprises.

Neither one?

Checkr

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

Checkr review

More Cisive comparisons

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Frequently asked questions

Is Cisive or First Advantage cheaper?

First Advantage is easier to start small: pay-as-you-go checks with no setup fee or minimums for small businesses. Cisive quotes after a free assessment. Neither lists a per-check price, so compare quotes for the same package.

Which is faster, Cisive or First Advantage?

Cisive says 78% of its criminal searches close within an hour. First Advantage says 90% of its US criminal screens close in one day. Each vendor measures its own way.

How do Cisive and First Advantage compare on security?

First Advantage publishes SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001:2022 and PBSA accreditation in its trust center. Cisive follows the FCRA and states GDPR compliance for its European services, but names no SOC 2 report on the pages we reviewed.

Which is better for transportation screening?

Cisive’s Driver iQ brand is built for transportation, next to drug testing and ongoing screening. First Advantage offers motor vehicle records, driver monitoring and drug screening.

Where is First Advantage based?

First Advantage, founded in 2003, is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and listed on Nasdaq as FA. Cisive does not publish its headquarters.

Who are the competitors of Cisive and First Advantage?

HireRight, Checkr, Asurint, Accurate Background and Certn compete with both for employer screening programs.

How this page was made

What it is built from
20 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

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Cisive vs First Advantage

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Sources

The 13 pages this page's facts come from. The date beside each is our last check of the facts taken from it (the oldest, when they differ). The numbers beside the figures above link here.

Quotes from the sources

First Advantage fadv.com/integrations“Integration Partner Ecosystem: 100+ flexible integration options including Workday, iCIMS, Bullhorn, and more.”
First Advantage trust.fadv.com“Compliance SOC 2 Type 2 ISO/IEC 27001:2022”
Cisive cisive.com/cisive-solutions/self-service“Cisive Self-Service is a self-directed background screening solution built specifically for small to midsize organizations.”
Cisive cisive.com“Book time with one of our screening experts to find out how we can streamline your talent process with a free assessment” “Speak with Sales”
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.”
First Advantage fadv.com/solutions/enterprise-background-checks“Enterprise Background Checks at Scale”
Cisive cisive.com/cisive/support“*Please note that submitting multiple requests by email, phone, and through this online form may delay processing and response times”
First Advantage fadv.com/contact“Find answers and solutions. Chat with an expert. Get the support you need.”
Cisive cisive.com/partners“Cisive, PreCheck, & Driver iQ partners with leading brands across their respective industries, and our list keeps growing through our open API.”
First Advantage fadv.com/api“Our Background Check API Makes Connecting Easy”
Cisive Cisive: Criminal searches“Yes. Cisive’s criminal background checks are conducted in accordance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and applicable state and local regulations.”
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.”
First Advantage fadv.com/about-us“Founded in 2003, We Aim to Deliver”