Best background check services and software for employers

Quick picks

Highest score

Checkr, 66add-ons itemized

Package prices

$29.99 to $94.99same at Checkr and GoodHire

Pass-through fees

Not showncourt and DMV fees at cost

Prices checked

Oct 16, 2026

• Checkr (66): best for hourly or gig hiring at volume, with driving records, drug tests and continuous monitoring.
• GoodHire (39): best for small businesses running a handful of checks a year; a Checkr company with the same package prices.

Scores

The full rules are in our scoring method. We compare published prices, terms and review data; we did not order checks from either provider.

The picks

Cost for 5, 10 and 25 hires a year

GoodHire sells its self-serve packages to businesses running fewer than 50 checks a year and quotes above that, so a business screening more than 50 candidates a year should get a written quote from both. To see the background check in the full cost of a hire, use the employee cost calculator.

Fees the package price leaves out

• Court access fees: some county courts charge to search records. Checkr passes these through at cost and does not list amounts.
• DMV fees: state fees on driving records, also passed through at cost.
• Extra counties: a candidate who lived in several counties may need extra $25 county searches on Checkr, depending on what the package includes.
• GoodHire third-party fees: "may apply," with no list on the pricing page.
• Continuous monitoring: a recurring per-person monthly charge on Checkr if you turn it on.

Compliance features to check

The software runs the check; the legal duties stay with you. Neither Checkr nor GoodHire documents adverse action tools on its pricing page, so ask each to show in a demo how it handles these steps:

• Before you order: a written disclosure to the candidate and the candidate's written permission.
• Before you reject someone because of the report: notice to the candidate first, so they can respond.
• After you decide: a final adverse action notice that explains the candidate's rights.

The FTC's guide Background Checks: What Employers Need to Know has the exact contents of each notice; we could not read it in full on our review date. State and city ban-the-box or fair chance laws can add limits on when you ask about criminal history and what you may consider; we have not compiled a sourced state list. The employment background check guide has the full outline. This is general information, not legal advice.

Reviews and complaints

On October 16, 2026, Checkr had 4.5 from 459 reviews on G2 and 4.0 from 1,004 on Trustpilot. Checkr's Trustpilot reviews mix employers and job candidates, so a low rating can reflect a candidate disputing a result, not an employer's experience. GoodHire had 4.6 from 280 reviews on G2 but only 2 reviews on Trustpilot (2.9), too few to show a pattern. We have not yet researched recurring complaint themes for either.

Other providers and integrations

Sterling, another screening company, is now part of First Advantage, according to First Advantage's partners page. We have not scored it because we could not check published prices. Many payroll and HR systems connect to a screening provider: QuickBooks Workforce offers Checkr checks from $29.99 per report. If you are still choosing a system to hold hiring records, compare HR and payroll software, HRIS options and BambooHR pricing. Compare HR systems on the HR software hub and in onboarding software, and see hiring your first employee for where the check fits in the hiring order.