HireRight is one of the oldest and most widely used background check companies, trusted by global corporations and government agencies. But with newer platforms offering faster, more transparent tools, the question is whether HireRight is still ahead, or stuck in its legacy systems.

Sterling has built its reputation on handling background checks for some of the world’s largest companies. The promise is clear: fast, accurate, and compliant screening at scale. But does that same level of service translate when you’re a smaller business hiring a handful of people? I dug into Sterling’s process, pricing, and user experience to see if the premium reputation really matches day-to-day results.

(Note: In late 2024, Sterling was acquired by First Advantage, another leading screening company, in a $2.2B deal. The Sterling brand is currently transitioning to First Advantage’s name, but for this review we’ll refer to the product as ‘Sterling’ since the platform and services remain the same.)

GoodHire positions itself as the go-to tool for small businesses and HR teams that need reliable, legally compliant background checks. From criminal records to employment verification, it claims to cover all the essentials while staying FCRA-compliant. But how well does it actually work in practice, and is it worth the cost compared to other services? In this review, I’ll share what stood out, where it struggled, and who GoodHire is really best for.