Certn Review
Certn is a Canadian-founded background screening platform with pay-per-check ordering, US criminal and driving checks, a REST API and 100+ ATS integrations; US self-serve prices are published per check in USD.
- Company size
- Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises
- Pricing model
- Per check
- Integrations
- 100
Best for
- Teams hiring across borders that need one platform for many countries
- Employers with Greenhouse, Lever, Workday or iCIMS that want checks ordered inside the ATS
- Buyers who want pay-per-check ordering with no setup fees or minimums
Not ideal for
- Employers that need drug testing or adverse action letters from one provider (not listed on Certn's US pages)
How we evaluated Certn
This review rests on 22 facts checked against Certn’s official pricing pages and documentation, most recently on . We did not test the product hands-on: the score and the pros and cons use only those verified facts, as our methodology explains, and third-party ratings are quoted, never scored.
Our verdict
Certn is a Canadian-founded screening platform with US criminal, driving and verification checks, pay-per-check ordering, a REST API and 100+ ATS and HRIS integrations. Its US self-serve prices are published per check in USD, and its SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001 reports are current.
Strengths
Global reach
Certn states it supports background checks in 195 countries, with criminal record searches in 175 countries.
Evidence: Countries supported: 195 countries (background checks)
Pay per check, no setup fees
Small and midsize teams pay per check with no setup fees or minimums.
Evidence: Pricing model: Per check
Strong security attestations
Certn reports a current SOC 2 Type 2 (Sept 2024 – Sep 2025) and ISO/IEC 27001:2022, and offers SSO for its client portal.
Evidence: SOC 2 Type II: Yes
API and ATS integrations
A REST API, webhooks and 100+ pre-built ATS and HRIS integrations let teams order and track checks inside their hiring system.
Evidence: Open API: Yes
US criminal coverage
US checks cover federal, county and national databases and the sex offender registry, and include an SSN trace.
Evidence: County criminal search: Yes
Weaknesses
Verification prices vary
Employment, education and credential verification are listed as «Price Varies» on the US pricing page, and Enterprise pricing is custom, so a full package cost needs a quote.
Evidence: Price transparency: Partly published
Pass-through fees can add cost
Pass-through access fees may apply to verifications, and US Motor Vehicle Records can carry an additional state fee.
Evidence: Extra costs: County searches on the US Core Criminal Check: $9.99 each where applicable, Third-party pass-through access fees may apply, Additional state fee may apply for US Motor Vehicle Records, Employment, education and credential verification priced case by case («Price Varies»)
Price at a glance
Pricing model
Per check
Price transparency
Partly published
Quick answers
- How is Certn priced?
- Certn charges per check with no setup fees or minimums for small and midsize teams. The US Core Criminal Check starts at $13.99 in USD, plus $9.99 per county search where applicable and pass-through fees. Enterprise pricing is custom.Based on Pricing model: Per check
- Does Certn have an API?
- Yes. Certn offers a RESTful API with documentation and supports webhooks for integrations such as iCIMS.Based on Open API: Yes
- Does Certn integrate with Greenhouse?
- Yes. Certn connects with Greenhouse, Lever, Workday, iCIMS, Workable and PageUp.Based on Notable integrations: Greenhouse, Lever, Workday, iCIMS, Workable, PageUp, Drata, ADP Marketplace
- Is Certn SOC 2 certified?
- Certn reports a SOC 2 Type 2 report for Sept 2024 – Sep 2025 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification.Based on SOC 2 Type II: Yes
Coverage of core background check services capabilities
Each core capability we evaluate in Background Check Services, checked against Certn’s own documentation. “Not verified yet” means we have not confirmed it either way, not that it is missing.
8 verified of 13 core capabilities
Background Check Services
- FCRA disclosure and consent
- Identity and SSN trace
- County criminal search
- National criminal database
- Sex offender registry search
- Employment and education verification
- Motor vehicle records
- Drug and health screening · not verified yet
- Adverse action workflow · not verified yet
- Individualized assessment support · not verified yet
- Dispute and reinvestigation · not verified yet
- State and local rule handling · not verified yet
- ATS and onboarding integration
Specifications
Fit
- Countries supported
- 195 countries (background checks)
Product
- Modules
- Criminal record check, Identity verification, Employment and education verification, Credential verification, Reference checks, Credit check, Driver's abstract / Motor Vehicle Records, Social media check, Public records search, Continuous Monitoring, International background check
- Mobile apps
- MyCertn mobile app (NFC identity document scanning)
Integrations
- Open API
- Yes
- API type
- REST
- Webhooks
- Yes
Certn integrations
8 integrations we documented, by how they connect. Certn reports 100 native integrations in total.
Partner and marketplace apps
Certn integration coverage
The 10 apps that background check services products document most often, and whether Certn documents each.
4 of the 10 most-connected apps documented by Certn; median of the 21 products compared: 5
- Workday · documented by 17 of 21
- iCIMS · documented by 16 of 21
- Greenhouse · documented by 15 of 21
- Bullhorn · documented by 12 of 21
- Lever · documented by 10 of 21
- SmartRecruiters · documented by 9 of 21
- ADP · documented by 7 of 21
- BambooHR · documented by 7 of 21
- Dayforce · documented by 7 of 21
- SAP SuccessFactors · documented by 7 of 21
Integrations each vendor documents (native, marketplace, Zapier or API), 21 live background check services products. Not documented does not mean not possible.
Where it ranks
- #2 of 9 scoredBackground Check Services
- #2 of 9 scoredBackground Check Services for Enterprises
- #2 of 8 scoredBackground Check Services for Mid-Sized Companies
- #2 of 8 scoredBackground Check Services for Small Business
Certn alternatives
- Backgrounds Online100% similar
- Trusted Employees100% similar
Compare Certn
Security and compliance
- SOC 2 Type IIYes
- ISO 27001Yes
- GDPR programYes
- Single sign-onYes
Implementation and support
- Implementation fee
- None
- Support channels
- Help center, contact form, email
- Support hours
- 24/7
About Certn
- Founded
- 2016
- Headquarters
- Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
- Ownership
- Private
Official profiles
Certn: frequently asked questions
Does Certn run US criminal checks?
Yes. US criminal checks cover federal, county, national and multi-jurisdictional databases and include an SSN trace.
Does Certn offer single sign-on?
Yes. Customers can sign in to the client portal through Okta, Azure AD, JumpCloud and other identity providers, though extra implementation charges may apply.
What is Certn used for?
Certn, on the market since 2016, is a background check services product built for small businesses, mid-market companies, and enterprises. Its modules include Criminal record check, Identity verification, Employment and education verification, Credential verification, and 7 more.
Is Certn legit?
Certn is sold by the company of the same name, which was founded in 2016, is headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and is privately held. Certn states that it holds a current SOC 2 Type II report.
What are the best alternatives to Certn?
In our background check services ranking, the highest-scored products other than Certn are Checkr, Turn, and ClearStar. Compared side by side, by reason to switch: Certn alternatives.
Which is better, Certn or First Advantage?
It depends on the team. Choose Certn if: you want prices before you sign up: US checks from $13.99. Choose First Advantage if: you need drug and occupational health screening with your checks. The full comparison: Certn vs First Advantage.
What are the pros and cons of Certn?
Strengths documented on the vendor’s own pages: global reach, pay per check, no setup fees, and strong security attestations. It is less suited to employers that need drug testing or adverse action letters from one provider (not listed on Certn's US pages).
Does Certn have a mobile app?
Yes. Certn lists mobile apps: MyCertn mobile app (NFC identity document scanning).
Get Certn pricing for your team
Certn quotes its prices. Answer up to 4 quick questions and see it next to the 2 alternatives that fit you best; if a provider works with us, you can ask it for a quote.
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.
How we make money
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.
Vendor? Reach buyers comparing Certn