First Advantage
First Advantage: A broad screening platform for employers managing complex hiring and compliance workflows. Ranked #25 of 35 in Background Check Software by our editors (6.3/10); pricing: Pricing on request; best for large employers needing full-stack screening.
At a glance
- Editor score6.3 / 10
- PricingPricing on request
- Best forLarge employers needing full-stack screening
- Facts checked25 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Covers criminal, identity, employment, education, and driving checks
- Supports adverse-action workflows, ATS/HCM integrations, and APIs
- Offers pay-as-you-go screening for small businesses
Where it doesn't
- Program pricing is handled through a sales-led process
- The broad feature set may exceed narrow screening needs
- Pay-as-you-go screening is designed for small businesses
Our verdict on First Advantage
First Advantage is an employment background screening and workforce risk platform for employers that need more than criminal-record searches. It combines criminal and court-record searches with digital identity verification, employment and education checks, motor vehicle record checks, driver monitoring, fingerprinting, drug and occupational health screening, employment eligibility services, and post-hire monitoring. Its coverage makes it a fit for large employers with varied screening requirements across the United States and international operations.
The platform’s breadth is its clearest strength. Employers can support adverse-action compliance workflows while connecting screening processes to Workday, iCIMS, Bullhorn, Greenhouse, SAP SuccessFactors, UKG, Lever, and Jobvite. The web platform is complemented by a screening API with developer documentation and sandbox access, giving organizations options for integrated workflows or direct online use. Digital identity verification includes document review and liveness detection, adding identity-focused checks alongside traditional employment screening.
Pricing is structured around the screening program rather than a universal subscription tier, with configurable programs handled through sales. First Advantage also offers online pay-as-you-go screening for small businesses, giving smaller organizations a separate purchasing path. Large employers should consider First Advantage when they need broad screening coverage, compliance workflow support, ATS or HCM connectivity, and API access in one offering. Organizations seeking only a narrow, single-purpose check may find its wider scope and sales-led program structure less suitable.
Your product? Our editors can test First Advantage in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
First Advantage pricing
First Advantage fact sheet
| Free plan | Not verified |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Criminal records | Not verified |
| Identity verification | Not verified |
| Employment verification | Not verified |
| Education verification | Not verified |
| Driving history | Not verified |
| Adverse-action workflow | Not verified |
| API access | Not verified |
| Pricing | Pricing on request |
| Website | fadv.com |
| Facts checked | 25 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to First Advantage
- ClearStarBroad global screening with configurable packages, integrations, and API access.8.9
- HireRightBroad screening, adjudication, adverse-action, I-9, and API workflows for employers8.7
- JustifactsA configurable screening platform covering core checks, monitoring, and compliance workflows.8.6
See all First Advantage alternatives →
Also Ranked In
First Advantage is ranked in 4 of our directories.
Used First Advantage? Be the first to review it
The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used First Advantage for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
Write a reviewTwo minutes · verified accounts only · read by an editor before it appears
Featured on iTechGuides
First Advantage is listed in our Background Check Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.
<a href="https://www.itechguides.com/products/first-advantage/"><img src="https://www.itechguides.com/best/badge/first-advantage.svg" alt="Featured on iTechGuides" width="230" height="46"></a>
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
Last updated · How we research and update



