Universal Background Screening Review
Universal Background Screening is a PBSA-accredited screening firm in Phoenix offering criminal, verification, driving record and drug testing services with ATS integrations, priced on request.
- Company size
- Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises
- Pricing model
- Quote only
Best for
- Employers that want an assigned client service team rather than self-serve ordering
- Healthcare, education, staffing and retail employers that want an industry screening program
- Organizations that screen volunteers, vendors and students as well as hires
Not ideal for
- Buyers who want to compare published per-check prices before talking to sales
How we evaluated Universal Background Screening
This review rests on 12 facts checked against Universal Background Screening’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
Universal Background Screening is a PBSA-accredited screening firm from Phoenix that builds quoted packages around industry programs, with an assigned client service team, criminal, verification, driving and drug testing services and ATS integrations. It states criminal searches average under two days. It is less suited to buyers who want a published per-check price list.
Strengths
Assigned client service team
Each client gets a service team that knows the account and screening program.
Evidence: Key features: Client service team assigned to each account, Web-based client portal for ordering and real-time status 24x7, Online candidate entry, Electronic signature of disclosure forms, HR-XML certified ATS and HRIS integrations, Extended workforce screening (vendors, volunteers, students)
Industry screening programs
Dedicated programs for education, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, nonprofits, retail, staffing and transportation.
Evidence: Industry focus: Education, Energy production and utilities, Financial services, Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing and wholesale, Nonprofits, Retail, Staffing agencies, Transportation
Screening plus drug testing
Criminal, verification and driving record searches sit next to drug testing, physicals and Form I-9 services.
Evidence: Modules: Criminal record searches (county, statewide, federal), Criminal databases (USA CriminalSearch), Sex offender registry search (USA OffenderSearch), Employment, education and license verification, Motor vehicle records, Drug testing, Employment physical exams, Form I-9 and E-Verify, Employee re-screening, International screening
PBSA accredited
Accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.
Evidence: PBSA accredited: Yes
Weaknesses
No published prices
Packages are priced on request, so costs cannot be compared upfront.
Evidence: Pricing model: Quote only
No published API
Integrations run through HR-XML connectors with partner systems; no public API documentation is published.
Evidence: ATS and onboarding integration: Yes
Price at a glance
Pricing model
Quote only
Quick answers
- How much does Universal Background Screening cost?
- Universal Background Screening does not publish prices: each employer requests pricing for a package built around its roles and industry, so ask for the per-check price and any court fees in writing.Based on Pricing model: Quote only
- How long does a Universal Background Screening check take?
- Universal states average turnaround under two days for criminal searches and under three days for verifications; its candidate FAQ says most checks finish in 3-5 business days.Based on Turnaround time: Under 2 days on average for criminal searches and under 3 days for verifications (vendor-stated)
- Is Universal Background Screening PBSA accredited?
- Yes. Universal is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association and says it was a founding member of the trade association.Based on PBSA accredited: Yes
- Who owns Universal Background Screening?
- Universal Background Screening is a portfolio company of SNH Capital Partners, a private investment firm, and is based in Phoenix, Arizona.Based on Ownership: Private equity-backed
Coverage of core background check services capabilities
Each core capability we evaluate in Background Check Services, checked against Universal Background Screening’s own documentation. “Not verified yet” means we have not confirmed it either way, not that it is missing.
10 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
- Adverse action workflow · not verified yet
- Individualized assessment support · not verified yet
- Dispute and reinvestigation
- State and local rule handling · not verified yet
- ATS and onboarding integration
Specifications
Pricing
- Price transparency
- Quote only
Fit
- Industry focus
- Education, Energy production and utilities, Financial services, Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing and wholesale, Nonprofits, Retail, Staffing agencies, Transportation
Product
- Modules
- Criminal record searches (county, statewide, federal), Criminal databases (USA CriminalSearch), Sex offender registry search (USA OffenderSearch), Employment, education and license verification, Motor vehicle records, Drug testing, Employment physical exams, Form I-9 and E-Verify, Employee re-screening, International screening
Support
- Support channels
- Phone, email, dedicated account team
Universal Background Screening integrations
Native integrations: A–J
Universal Background Screening integration coverage
The 10 apps that background check services products document most often, and whether Universal Background Screening documents each.
7 of the 10 most-connected apps documented by Universal Background Screening; median of the 13 products compared: 7
- iCIMS · documented by 12 of 13
- Workday · documented by 12 of 13
- Greenhouse · documented by 10 of 13
- Bullhorn · documented by 8 of 13
- Lever · documented by 7 of 13
- Dayforce · documented by 6 of 13
- SmartRecruiters · documented by 6 of 13
- Taleo · documented by 6 of 13
- ADP · documented by 5 of 13
- BambooHR · documented by 5 of 13
Integrations each vendor documents (native, marketplace, Zapier or API), 13 live background check services products. Not documented does not mean not possible.
Universal Background Screening alternatives
Cisive100% similar
HireRight90% similar- Backgrounds Online80% similar
About Universal Background Screening
- Headquarters
- Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Ownership
- Private equity-backed
- Parent company
- SNH Capital Partners (portfolio company)
Official profiles
Universal Background Screening: frequently asked questions
Does Universal Background Screening integrate with my ATS?
Often, yes. It is HR-XML certified and pre-integrated with HealthcareSource, Oracle Taleo Business Edition and PeopleSoft; its partner page also shows Workday, iCIMS, Greenhouse, BambooHR and Bullhorn.
Does Universal Background Screening do drug testing?
Yes. It offers pre-employment and ongoing drug tests, including DOT tests, through Quest Diagnostics, Labcorp and Concentra collection sites, plus employment physicals.
Can Universal Background Screening check volunteers and vendors?
Yes. Besides job candidates it screens vendors, temporary staff, consultants, volunteers and students, and runs re-screening of current employees.
What is Universal Background Screening used for?
Universal Background Screening is a background check services product built for small businesses, mid-market companies, and enterprises. Its modules include Criminal record searches, Criminal databases, Sex offender registry search, Employment, education and license verification, and 6 more.
What are the best alternatives to Universal Background Screening?
In our background check services ranking, the highest-scored products other than Universal Background Screening are Checkr, Certn, and GoodHire. Compared side by side, by reason to switch: Universal Background Screening alternatives.
What are the pros and cons of Universal Background Screening?
Strengths documented on the vendor’s own pages: assigned client service team, industry screening programs, and screening plus drug testing. It is less suited to buyers who want to compare published per-check prices before talking to sales.
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