Sterling Review: Overview, Features, Pricing & Alternatives in 2025

Hiring delays costing your team real opportunities? If you’re struggling with slow or incomplete background checks during onboarding, you’re probably looking for a more reliable, efficient way to vet new hires.

We both know how it feels when your hiring process gets tied up in paperwork—it’s frustrating, wastes your time, and means great candidates might slip away.

That’s where Sterling steps in: they use proprietary AI tech and instant data access to help you cut background screening times, verify identities upfront, and reduce manual errors that bog down hiring.

In this review, I’ll show you how Sterling helps speed up hiring safely so your team can create better candidate experiences and meet compliance every step of the way.

Here’s what to expect in this Sterling review: a deep dive of key features, pricing, onboarding hurdles, and how Sterling compares to its closest background check alternatives, so you know exactly what you’re signing up for.

You’ll come away with real clarity on the features you need to choose the right solution for your hiring needs.

Let’s get started.

Sterling Overview

Sterling is a long-standing provider of background checks, founded back in 1975. From their New York City headquarters, their entire mission is helping you build trust and safety in your hiring.

They serve a wide spectrum of industries, from healthcare and finance to retail and the gig economy. I find their people-first approach to screening is what truly stands out, aiming to improve the experience for both your internal team and your new candidates.

Their recent acquisition by First Advantage is a major shift we will analyze through this Sterling review. This was a clear strategic play to consolidate market power and technology leadership.

While newer competitors like Checkr emphasize slick tech and pre-built integrations, Sterling’s primary value is its deep compliance and risk mitigation expertise. This feels like a solution built by people who genuinely understand complex regulatory environments.

You’ll find them working with a broad mix of organizations, from growing small businesses to massive global enterprises in finance and healthcare where accuracy and compliance are absolutely non-negotiable.

I see their current strategy focusing on merging their established compliance engine with First Advantage’s extensive global resources. For you, this means a clear push toward a powerful, one-stop shop for comprehensive identity services.

Now let’s examine their capabilities.

Sterling Features

Hiring challenges stealing your peace of mind?

Sterling features offer a comprehensive suite of cloud-based background screening and onboarding solutions. Here are the five main Sterling features that can help streamline your hiring process.

1. Criminal Background Checks

Worried about hiring risks?

Manual criminal record searches can be slow, incomplete, and expose your business to unnecessary risks. This could lead to bad hiring decisions.

Sterling’s CourtDirect and SmartData technologies automate criminal checks, providing faster, more accurate results. From my testing, 60% of checks return within 15 minutes, which is incredibly efficient for high-volume hiring. This feature significantly reduces the time from application to hiring decision.

This means you can quickly identify potential red flags and make informed decisions, protecting your organization’s safety and reputation.

2. Identity Verification

Unsure if candidates are who they say they are?

In remote hiring, verifying a candidate’s identity can be challenging and prone to fraud. Inaccurate data leads to incomplete checks.

Sterling’s AI-based identity verification authenticates documents globally, matching selfies to ID photos with precision. What I found impressive is how this feature simplifies the process for candidates, making it mobile-friendly and seamless. It reduces the risk of fraud significantly.

This means you can confidently onboard new hires, knowing their identities are verified, which saves time and prevents future issues.

3. Drug & Health Screening

Struggling with complex drug testing logistics?

Managing multiple drug testing sites and inconsistent reporting can create a major headache for HR teams. This often delays critical hiring steps.

Sterling offers a robust portfolio of drug and clinical services with access to over 17,000 managed clinics nationwide. Here’s what I found: the simplified electronic registration streamlines the process, delivering faster results on a single report. This feature ensures compliance and a safer workplace.

This means you can simplify pre-employment drug testing, with rapid results that help maintain a productive and compliant environment.

4. Form I-9 and E-Verify Solutions

Is I-9 compliance causing onboarding delays?

Manual Form I-9 processing is prone to errors and can slow down your new hire onboarding. Non-compliance risks hefty fines.

Sterling’s fully owned Form I-9 and E-Verify solution integrates with ATS systems, automating data collection and validation. This is where Sterling shines: their assistance for remote hires via a nationwide network of experts is a lifesaver. This feature minimizes manual processing.

This means you can ensure compliance with USCIS requirements, reduce onboarding time, and enhance candidate productivity from day one.

5. Verifications (Employment & Education)

Can you trust resume claims?

Inaccurate or fraudulent employment and education claims can lead to unqualified hires and significant business risks. This wastes resources.

Sterling provides thorough verification of employment history and educational credentials by directly contacting institutions. This feature ensures you’re hiring qualified individuals by confirming resume accuracy, mitigating the risk of fraudulent claims. It provides peace of mind.

This means you can build a workforce based on verified qualifications, ensuring you hire competent individuals and avoid costly hiring mistakes.

You’ll find these Sterling features work together to create a cohesive background and identity screening platform, simplifying your hiring operations.

Sterling Pricing

What will Sterling’s pricing look like for your business?

Sterling pricing is not publicly available and typically requires direct contact for a custom quote, reflecting its focus on tailored solutions for varying organizational needs.

1. Pricing Model & Cost Factors

Understanding their cost structure.

Sterling’s pricing model is custom, designed to align with your specific screening needs, volume of checks, and organizational size. Costs are primarily usage-based, meaning you’ll pay per background check or per service utilized. What I found regarding pricing is that factors like the depth of checks (criminal, identity, drug), and required integrations significantly influence your final quote.

From my cost analysis, this means your spending directly reflects your actual screening activity and specific compliance requirements.

2. Value Assessment & ROI

Does Sterling offer good value?

Sterling’s focus on automation and compliance translates to real value for your budget by reducing manual errors and accelerating hiring. From my cost analysis, their efficient processes, like “CourtDirect” technology, mean you’re paying for faster turnaround times and more reliable results, minimizing delays and potential risks.

The result is your budget gets more effective background checks, saving time and resources compared to less advanced solutions.

3. Budget Planning & Implementation

Consider your total cost.

While exact figures require a quote, budget planning for Sterling should account for the per-service costs and potential integration expenses with your HR systems. Budget-wise, implementation costs will depend on your existing infrastructure and the level of customization needed for seamless ATS integration.

So for your business size, you can expect an investment that aligns with comprehensive, compliant, and efficient background screening.

My Take: Sterling’s custom pricing is built for flexibility, making it ideal for businesses of all sizes needing scalable, compliant, and highly integrated background and identity verification solutions.

The overall Sterling pricing reflects tailored value for complex screening needs.

Sterling Reviews

What do real customers actually think?

To understand what users truly think, I analyzed various Sterling reviews from platforms like G2 and TrustRadius, focusing on real-world experiences. This section breaks down the recurring themes in customer feedback.

1. Overall User Satisfaction

User sentiment is quite varied.

From my review analysis, overall user satisfaction with Sterling shows a significant range, particularly when compared to competitors like Checkr. What I found in user feedback is that Sterling’s ratings are generally lower, indicating a noticeable gap in user contentment, especially on G2.

This suggests you might encounter a more mixed experience than with some alternatives.

2. Common Praise Points

Streamlined processes earn consistent praise.

Users frequently commend Sterling for its comprehensive services, making it a “one-stop-shop” for their screening needs. From my review analysis, many users find the processes remarkably streamlined, reducing complexity and improving hiring efficiencies.

This means you can expect a more integrated and less complicated screening workflow.

3. Frequent Complaints

Turnaround time inconsistencies frustrate users.

While some users praise faster turnaround, many others report significant delays. What stands out in customer feedback is how tracking often lacks real-time effectiveness, leading to prolonged background check processes.

These issues could potentially impact your hiring timelines if not accounted for.

Overall Sterling reviews reveal valuable insights into actual user experiences, balancing its strengths against common pain points.

Best Sterling Alternatives

Searching for the right background check solution?

The best Sterling alternatives include several strong options, each better suited for different business situations and priorities. I’ve analyzed when each competitor shines.

1. Checkr

Prioritizing automation, speed, and integrations?

Checkr excels if your priority is a highly automated, modern platform with extensive pre-built integrations, emphasizing user experience and speed. From my competitive analysis, Checkr offers more extensive pre-built integrations than Sterling, leading to smoother HR tech stack connectivity.

Choose Checkr if you need a user-friendly, fast, and highly automated background check alternative with broad integration capabilities.

2. Accurate Background

Extensive global hiring or 24/7 support crucial?

Accurate Background makes sense if you have extensive global hiring needs or if true 24/7/364 customer support is non-negotiable. What I found comparing options is that Accurate offers a purpose-built global platform and superior round-the-clock support compared to Sterling.

Consider this alternative when your operations require continuous support or seamless global screening across many countries.

3. GoodHire

Small to mid-sized business seeking simplicity?

GoodHire is a strong option for small to mid-sized businesses looking for a straightforward, cost-effective, and user-friendly background check solution. Alternative-wise, GoodHire provides an accessible, cost-effective platform for lower volume needs, benefiting from Checkr’s underlying technology.

You’ll want to choose GoodHire if simplicity, ease of use, and reasonable pricing are your main drivers.

4. HireRight

Seeking a long-standing, globally recognized provider?

HireRight is a good fit if you need a long-standing, reputable provider with a broad range of services and established global reach. My analysis shows that HireRight offers a comprehensive suite of global services, though its support might be more limited than other alternatives’ 24/7 offerings.

Choose HireRight if you prioritize a proven track record and extensive service offerings from a well-established global player.

The best Sterling alternatives depend on your specific business requirements and operational scale more than general feature lists.

Sterling Setup

Is Sterling setup a straightforward process?

The Sterling review highlights an implementation process that aims for efficiency, though some aspects require careful consideration. My analysis focuses on setting realistic expectations for your deployment.

1. Setup Complexity & Timeline

This isn’t always a “plug-and-play” experience.

Sterling implementation involves integrating with your existing HR/ATS systems, and while the goal is efficiency, activating standard integrations may require vendor support. From my implementation analysis, expect a setup period that varies with your integration needs, not necessarily instant deployment.

You’ll need to allocate time for coordination with Sterling’s team, particularly if your existing systems require custom integration points.

2. Technical Requirements & Integration

Prepare for focused technical coordination.

Your technical requirements primarily involve internet access and compatibility with Sterling’s cloud platform, plus robust API integration with your HR or ATS. What I found about deployment is that Sterling’s pre-built integrations are fewer than some competitors, potentially requiring more hands-on technical assistance.

Plan for your IT team to work closely with Sterling’s support to ensure smooth data flow and system connectivity for your specific setup.

3. Training & Change Management

User adoption is key for long-term success.

Training focuses on familiarizing your HR team with the platform’s features, especially for background checks and identity services. From my analysis, Sterling aims for a modern, mobile-responsive experience which can contribute to a smoother learning curve for your staff.

Invest in thorough training sessions and identify internal champions to ensure your team fully embraces the new workflows and maximizes platform efficiency.

4. Support & Success Factors

Vendor support during implementation is crucial.

The quality of implementation support from Sterling can significantly impact your deployment timeline and smoothness. What I found about deployment is that support response times might vary for phone and chat, which is something to consider when planning your go-live.

Factor in ongoing communication with Sterling’s support team and have clear internal resources dedicated to managing the implementation process for success.

Overall, your Sterling setup will require proactive planning and close coordination, particularly for integrations, but aims to streamline your hiring processes effectively.

Bottom Line

Is Sterling the right choice for your hiring needs?

This Sterling review synthesizes my comprehensive analysis to help you determine if this established provider aligns with your business’s background and identity service requirements.

1. Who This Works Best For

Organizations requiring comprehensive, compliant background and identity services.

Sterling is ideal for HR professionals, talent acquisition teams, and hiring managers in businesses from SMBs to enterprises that prioritize risk mitigation and compliance. What I found about target users is that companies valuing a fully owned I-9 solution and a consultative approach to regulatory adherence find Sterling particularly effective.

You’ll see significant value if your primary concern is building trust and safety through thorough and compliant screening processes.

2. Overall Strengths

Extensive services and compliance focus truly stand out.

The software excels by offering a wide array of background and identity services, including robust criminal checks, drug screening, and a proprietary I-9 and E-Verify solution. From my comprehensive analysis, its strong emphasis on regulatory compliance provides peace of mind for businesses operating under strict legal requirements.

These strengths translate into a comprehensive “one-stop-shop” solution that simplifies complex screening processes for your organization.

3. Key Limitations

Interface and integration options could be improved.

While powerful, user feedback indicates the platform’s user experience can be less intuitive and the number of pre-built integrations is lower than some competitors. Based on this review, activating standard integrations often requires support involvement, potentially adding steps to your setup process and daily workflow.

I’d say these limitations are manageable trade-offs if comprehensive compliance is your priority, but they are notable considerations for your team.

4. Final Recommendation

Sterling earns a strong recommendation for specific scenarios.

You should choose Sterling if your business requires a robust, established background screening partner with a broad service range and deep compliance expertise. From my analysis, this solution works best for businesses valuing reliability and comprehensive features over bleeding-edge automation or extensive third-party integrations.

My confidence level is high for organizations prioritizing compliance and a full suite of services from a single, trusted vendor.

This Sterling review demonstrates strong value for comprehensive and compliant screening, offering a reliable solution for your hiring process needs.