The Background Check Co. vs First Advantage
Choose The Background Check Co. if you want published per-report prices and an account specialist for U.S. employment screening; choose First Advantage if you need screening across multiple countries or established HR-system integrations. Both offer criminal checks, employment and education verifications, and occupational health screening. The deciding questions are where you hire, which systems your team uses, and how you prefer to set up and manage checks.
Last updated October 31, 2026.
At a glance
| Dimension | The Background Check Co. | First Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Geographic coverage | Nationwide U.S. occupational health coverage; broader reach not published | Screening in 200+ countries and territories |
| Published pricing | Sample packages: $9.99 and $22.99 per report; custom packages from $9.99 | Pay-as-you-go small-business pricing; per-report prices not published |
| ATS and HCM integrations | Not published | 100+ integration options, including Workday, iCIMS, and Bullhorn |
| API | Not published | RESTful API implementation available |
| Small-business setup | Account specialist consultation offered | Online account creation |
| Minimum screening volume | Not published | No minimum for the small-business option |
| Account setup fee | Not published | No fee for the small-business option |
| Employer platform | Client screening portal | Online account for requests, progress, and reports |
| Support | Call or chat with an account specialist; less than one-hour response time advertised | Customer support portal; technical setup team for integrations |
| Screening services | Criminal and driving records, verifications, credit checks, occupational health | Background checks, verifications, drug screening, identity, and monitoring |
| Published turnaround measure | Eight-hour average turnaround advertised | 90% of U.S. criminal screens close in one day |
Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.
Which should you choose?
Choose The Background Check Co. if
- U.S.-focused employers seeking published starting prices
- Teams that want to discuss a customized screening package
- Buyers who prefer access to an account specialist
Choose First Advantage if
- Employers screening candidates in multiple countries
- Teams that need a named ATS or HCM integration
- Small businesses seeking online, pay-as-you-go setup
- Organizations seeking screening, onboarding, and post-hire monitoring services
The verdict
The Background Check Co. is the better fit for a U.S.-focused employer that wants to start with a published package price and discuss a tailored screening package with an account specialist. First Advantage is the better fit when international coverage or a named ATS integration is essential; it also offers an online, pay-as-you-go option for small businesses. Compare quotes for the exact searches you need rather than treating either vendor's starting offer as the cost of a like-for-like check.
The Background Check Co. vs First Advantage: common questions
- Which is better for hiring across multiple countries?
- First Advantage publishes screening coverage in more than 200 countries and territories. The Background Check Co. describes nationwide U.S. occupational health coverage but does not publish a comparable country count.
- Which publishes background check prices?
- The Background Check Co. lists sample employment-screening packages at $9.99 and $22.99 per report, plus custom packages starting at $9.99. First Advantage describes pay-as-you-go small-business pricing but does not publish a general per-report price list.
- Does either provider require a minimum number of checks?
- First Advantage states that its small-business screening option has no minimum volume. The Background Check Co. does not publish a screening minimum.
- Can either provider connect to our applicant tracking system?
- First Advantage publishes more than 100 integration options, including Workday, iCIMS, and Bullhorn, and offers RESTful API implementation. The Background Check Co. does not publish named ATS integrations or API availability.
- Can a small business sign up online?
- First Advantage offers online account creation for its pay-as-you-go small-business option. The Background Check Co. invites buyers to speak with an account specialist and does not publish an equivalent self-service setup process.
- Do both offer drug screening and employment verification?
- Yes. The Background Check Co. lists occupational health services, including drug testing, and employment verifications. First Advantage lists drug screening and employment verifications among its services.
- Do they offer the same turnaround times?
- Their published measures are different: The Background Check Co. advertises an eight-hour average turnaround, while First Advantage says 90% of its U.S. criminal screens close in one day. Neither measure establishes a like-for-like completion time for every package.
- Which offers services beyond pre-employment background checks?
- First Advantage lists identity verification, Form I-9/E-Verify, and post-hire monitoring alongside screening. The Background Check Co. lists occupational health, credit checks, and specialty investigations alongside employment screening.