CheckR vs Competitors: Which Background Check Service Wins?

CheckR: A Complete Guide to Features and Pricing—

Background checks are a critical part of modern hiring, compliance, and trust-building processes. CheckR positions itself as a technology-forward background screening provider designed to make hiring safer, faster, and more transparent. This guide explains what CheckR does, its key features, how pricing works, integrations, compliance considerations, and how to decide whether it fits your organization.

What CheckR is and who it’s for

CheckR is a background screening platform that automates and simplifies criminal background checks, identity verifications, employment and education verifications, and related screening services. It targets:

• Small and medium businesses that need reliable, affordable background checks.
• Larger enterprises seeking automation and integrations with ATS (applicant tracking systems).
• Gig economy and on-demand staffing platforms requiring fast turnarounds (drivers, delivery, rideshare).
• HR teams that want to reduce manual work and improve candidate experience.

Core benefits: faster report turnaround, API-driven automation, configurable workflows, and support for compliance tools like adverse action notices.

Key features

• Candidate onboarding and consent collection

  • Electronic disclosure and consent forms integrated into the candidate flow.
  • Mobile-friendly applicant experience to increase completion rates.

• Criminal records searches

  • National, state, and county-level searches.
  • Sex offender registry checks and identity cross-checks.
  • Instant database hits combined with deeper county-level searches when needed.

• Identity verification

  • ID document capture and verification.
  • SSN trace to verify aliases and address history.

• Employment and education verifications

  • Automated verifications where possible; manual verifications for certain employers or institutions.
  • Skilled for both pre-hire and ongoing verification needs.

• Motor vehicle records (MVR)

  • Driving history checks for roles that require driving.
  • Integration-ready for continuous monitoring of driving record changes.

• Drug testing and health screenings

  • Options to order collection kits, lab processing, and results reporting.

• Continuous monitoring

  • Ongoing checks after hire to surface new disqualifying records, useful for safety-sensitive roles.

• Adverse action and compliance tools

  • Pre-built templates and workflows for FCRA-compliant adverse action notices.
  • Audit trails and reporting to support regulatory reviews.

• API & integrations

  • Robust API for automated ordering, status updates, and retrieving results.
  • Pre-built integrations with major ATS/HRIS platforms to reduce double data entry.

• Reporting & analytics

  • Dashboard views for volume, turnaround times, and decision outcomes.
  • Exportable reports for audits and recordkeeping.

How CheckR works (typical flow)

1. Create a candidate profile in your ATS or directly in CheckR.
2. Send disclosures and obtain candidate e-signatures.
3. Select which checks to run (criminal, MVR, identity, etc.).
4. CheckR runs instant database checks and submits county/state searches as needed.
5. Results are returned via dashboard and API; flags and recommendations appear for manual review.
6. If an adverse decision is considered, use CheckR’s adverse action workflow to remain FCRA-compliant.
7. Optionally enable continuous monitoring to receive updates on new records.

Pricing: what to expect

CheckR’s pricing varies by package, the depth of searches, volume, and optional services. Typical pricing model elements:

• Per-check pricing
  • Basic identity and instant criminal database checks: lower cost.
  • County-level criminal searches, MVRs, and verifications: higher cost per search.
• Subscription and volume discounts
  • Lower per-check rates for higher monthly volumes or enterprise contracts.
• Add-ons
  • Continuous monitoring, drug testing, or custom integration support typically cost extra.
• Setup and integration fees
  • Larger organizations may incur one-time setup or SSO/integration fees.

Example (illustrative only — contact CheckR for exact current pricing):

• Instant background check: \(5–\)15
• County criminal search: \(10–\)40 per county
• Motor vehicle record: \(5–\)30
• Employment/education verification: \(20–\)50
• Continuous monitoring: \(3–\)10 per employee/month

Tip: Ask for an itemized quote and clarify whether prices include adverse action tools, API usage, and support SLAs.

Integrations and technical considerations

• API-first design: CheckR provides RESTful APIs and webhooks for event-driven workflows.
• Common ATS/HRIS integrations: Greenhouse, Lever, BambooHR, Workday, iCIMS, etc. (availability varies; confirm with CheckR).
• Single sign-on (SSO) and role-based access controls for enterprise security.
• Data retention and export features to satisfy recordkeeping requirements.

Compliance and privacy

• FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) compliance is central for U.S.-based employers using background checks for hiring decisions. CheckR provides templates and workflows for disclosures, authorizations, and adverse action notices.
• State and local “ban-the-box” laws, limitations on conviction consideration, and employment-specific restrictions vary—ensure your screening policies align with local laws and job-relatedness.
• Data security: confirm encryption standards (in transit and at rest), SOC audits, and access controls with CheckR before sharing sensitive data.

Pros and cons

Use cases and examples

• Rideshare/delivery platforms: Fast identity and driving record checks to onboard drivers quickly while maintaining safety.
• Retail & hospitality: Hourly hires with instant database checks plus county screenings for higher-risk roles.
• Healthcare: Ongoing monitoring and license verifications to meet regulatory obligations.
• Enterprise hiring: Integrations with ATS for high-volume, automated background screening pipelines.

How to evaluate if CheckR is right for you

• Volume: If you screen many candidates monthly, seek volume pricing and API automation.
• Speed vs depth: For quick hires, prioritize instant and identity checks; for high-risk roles, include county and MVR reports even if slower.
• Compliance needs: Ensure CheckR supports the exact adverse action workflows and data retention you need.
• Integration fit: Confirm pre-built connectors to your ATS or budget for API integration work.
• Budget: Request an itemized quote including likely per-hire costs and optional add-ons.

Final recommendations

• Run a pilot (10–50 hires) to measure turnaround, candidate experience, and real per-hire cost.
• Document your screening policy, job-relatedness criteria, and adverse action process before scaling.
• Negotiate volume discounts and clarify SLAs for support and turnaround time for county searches.

If you want, I can Draft a sample screening policy, create an adverse-action template tailored to your region, or outline an integration plan with a specific ATS.