Tool profile
First Advantage: cost, fit and limits
First Advantage is a background screening and identity verification provider that sells criminal, employment, education, drug and Form I-9 checks, post-hire monitoring and fraud detection to employers worldwide. Pricing is by quote. Coverage is stated for over 200 countries.
What to know first
First Advantage sells screening by quote, and the pages we could read were thin: the homepage and the privacy center, since product and pricing URLs returned 404 or were blocked. The homepage lists criminal, employment and education checks, drug screening, Form I-9 with E-Verify, monitoring and identity verification across more than 200 countries and territories. It uses AI-powered wording for fraud detection without naming a product.
First Advantage at a glance
| Maker | First Advantage, Not stated on the vendor pages |
|---|---|
| Free plan | No |
| Entry price | Quote only |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Background Check Software in 2026, rank 11 of 12 |
| Website | fadv.com |
Who First Advantage is best for
Global employers
Coverage of over 200 countries and territories is stated on the homepage, which suits multinational hiring programs with candidates in many jurisdictions.
Employers that need identity checks
Identity verification and fraud detection are listed beside the screening stack, with AI-powered wording in the fraud detection sentence. That wording is general, so test it on your own candidate flow.
Compliance teams with I-9 duties
Form I-9 with E-Verify and drug screening are named, so work authorization and testing can share a vendor with the background checks.
First Advantage plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Custom quote | Custom quote | Background screening and identity verification sold by quote, with no published package found on the pages read. |
Checked November 2026.
What First Advantage does
- Screening stack
- The homepage lists criminal background checks, employment verification and education verification as the core pre-hire products. The pages read give no price or turnaround for any of these checks.
- Drug and I-9
- Drug screening and Form I-9 with E-Verify are named, which supports employers that must test staff and confirm work authorization. The pages read give no price or turnaround for those products.
- Post-hire monitoring
- Monitoring after hire is named on the homepage, so records of current employees can be reviewed again without a new vendor. The pages read give no monitoring frequency or price.
- Identity and fraud
- Identity verification and fraud detection are listed, and the fraud sentence uses the phrase AI-powered technology without naming a model. The pages read give no accuracy claim.
- Trust and privacy centers
- A Trust and Security Center and a Privacy Center are linked from the site. The Privacy Center was readable, and the Trust page tried returned 404.
How First Advantage handles your data
The Privacy Center was the data source read for this page. It names no certification, hosting region, retention period or rule on training models, and the Trust and Security Center URL we tried returned 404, so the vendor's policy was not checked for this. The homepage links a Trust and Security Center, which may hold certifications. A risk reviewer should request the current report list and the data processing terms from the vendor.
Where First Advantage falls short in practice
- Thin public detail. Product and pricing URLs returned 404 or were blocked, so product depth, plan structure and price could not be confirmed from the pages read. A sales call fills the gap.
- No stated certification. The pages read name none, even though a Trust and Security Center is linked, so reviewers must ask for reports directly. A reviewer would ask for the reports directly.
- Headquarters unstated. The pages read do not state a legal entity or headquarters, which procurement teams need for contracts and data processing agreements. A sales contact can supply them.
Alternatives to First Advantage
First Advantage: common questions
How much does First Advantage cost?
No price was found. The pricing and product URLs we tried returned 404 or were blocked, and the homepage shows no rate. Treat it as quote only and ask for an itemized quote that separates package fees from court and records fees.
Does First Advantage use AI?
The homepage uses the phrase AI-powered technology in its fraud detection sentence but names no product, model or accuracy figure. No other AI claim appeared on the pages read, so ask which steps of fraud detection and verification are automated.
How many countries does First Advantage cover?
The homepage states coverage of over 200 countries and territories. It does not break that down by check type, and turnaround per country was not on the pages read. Ask for the country list for the checks you plan to order.
Does First Advantage handle Form I-9?
Form I-9 with E-Verify is named on the homepage, alongside drug screening and post-hire monitoring. The pages read give no price or module detail for I-9, so ask whether it is bundled with a screening package. Ask if it is bundled.
Where are the security details for First Advantage?
The site links a Trust and Security Center and a Privacy Center. The Privacy Center was readable and names no certification or hosting region, and the Trust page URL tried returned 404. Request the current security documents directly from the vendor.