What Is GoodHire?

GoodHire is a background screening platform that streamlines the hiring verification process for businesses of all sizes. It’s designed for companies that need to run criminal background checks, verify employment history, and confirm education credentials efficiently without getting bogged down in administrative complexity. The platform addresses the fundamental challenge that traditional background checks have been slow and cumbersome, transforming them into a manageable part of your hiring workflow.

What sets GoodHire apart is its focus on the candidate experience. While other platforms can make applicants feel like they’re under investigation, GoodHire creates a smooth, professional process that respects everyone’s time. The mobile-optimised flow means candidates can complete their part easily from any device, reducing drop-off rates and speeding up your hiring timeline.

How GoodHire Works

GoodHire operates through an automated workflow that starts when you log into their web portal and select a screening package. You enter the candidate’s email, they get a link that actually works on their phone (revolutionary, I know), and they provide consent plus any additional information needed. The clever bit is that GoodHire runs an SSN trace first to identify relevant jurisdictions, then automatically triggers county-level searches only where the candidate has actually lived or worked.

The platform uses a combination of automated database searches and human verification where needed. National criminal databases get checked instantly, sex offender registries are scanned automatically, and then real humans handle the verification calls to schools and employers. This hybrid approach means you’re not waiting for everything to be done manually, but you’re also not relying entirely on databases that might be outdated.

The design philosophy here is ‘progressive disclosure’, showing you only what you need to see when you need to see it. Results come in as they’re completed rather than making you wait for everything to finish. So you might see the criminal check clear in 20 minutes while employment verification is still processing. It’s like watching your Deliveroo order progress, except instead of a burger, you’re getting confirmation that your new hire isn’t secretly an international jewel thief.

Key Features

GoodHire covers all the essential background screening needs without overwhelming you with options you’ll never use. The platform’s strength lies in balancing comprehensive coverage with actual usability – a combination that’s surprisingly rare in this industry.

The screening capabilities span criminal background checks at national, state, and county levels, federal criminal searches, sex offender registry checks, and global watchlist screening. For verification needs, they handle employment history, education credentials, professional licences, and motor vehicle records. Drug screening can be arranged through their partner network, though this involves actual physical locations rather than some magical remote testing solution.

Criminal Background Checks

Searches multiple databases including county courthouses, state repositories, and federal records. The SSN trace automatically identifies relevant jurisdictions, saving you from paying for searches in places your candidate has never been.

Employment Verification

Confirms previous job titles, dates of employment, and eligibility for rehire. GoodHire makes up to five attempts to reach previous employers, which is more persistent than I am at trying to reach my own mother.

Education Verification

Validates degrees, attendance dates, and graduation status directly with educational institutions. Particularly useful when someone claims they have a PhD in ‘Business Excellence’ from the ‘University of Life’.

Identity Verification

Confirms SSN validity and checks for any aliases or address history that might require additional searches. This is included automatically, not sold as an expensive add-on.

Motor Vehicle Records

Checks driving history for roles that involve vehicle operation. Essential if you’re hiring drivers, less so if you’re hiring accountants (unless they’re really bad at their job).

Professional Licence Verification

Confirms active status of professional certifications and licences. Covers healthcare, finance, legal, and other regulated professions where having the right paperwork actually matters.

Here’s how GoodHire’s features stack up for different users:

Real Use Case: Last month, I needed to verify credentials for a freelance developer we were bringing on full-time. The criminal check cleared in 18 minutes (faster than my daughter’s bedtime routine), but the employment verification hit a snag when their previous startup had folded. GoodHire’s team actually tracked down the former CEO through LinkedIn to confirm the employment dates. The whole process took 48 hours, and I didn’t have to make a single phone call myself. That’s the kind of automation I can get behind.

Ease of Use

Setting up GoodHire took me exactly 11 minutes, and that includes the time I spent making tea halfway through. The onboarding process guides you through choosing screening packages, setting up your company profile, and configuring compliance settings without making you feel like you need a law degree. They even explain what each search type actually does, rather than assuming you’re already a background check expert.

The daily workflow is refreshingly straightforward. The dashboard shows all active screenings with colour-coded status indicators – green means go, yellow means wait, red means you might want to look into this. You can bulk-upload candidates if you’re doing multiple hires, set up automatic re-screening for existing employees, and download reports in formats that your ancient HR system can actually read. The search function works properly, which shouldn’t be noteworthy but somehow is in 2025.

The mobile experience deserves special mention. Candidates can complete everything on their phone, including uploading documents by taking photos. No printing, no scanning, no finding a library that still has a fax machine. My 68-year-old accountant managed it without calling me once, which is basically a miracle.

How Much Does GoodHire Cost?

GoodHire’s pricing is transparent with no surprise fees (mostly), though comprehensive checks can add up quickly if you’re hiring regularly. They offer three main packages plus à la carte options for specific searches. All plans include a 14-day free trial, and there’s a satisfaction guarantee if things don’t work out.

Here’s how GoodHire’s pricing stacks up for different screening needs:

The Basic+ plan works for simple screening needs, but most businesses end up needing at least the Essential package for proper due diligence. The Complete plan becomes cost-effective if you regularly need employment and education verification, which you probably do unless you enjoy hiring people who claim to have worked at companies that don’t exist.

UK employers can use GoodHire through its parent company Checkr’s international portal, though pricing converts to roughly £24-72 depending on the package. You’ll need to factor in currency conversion fees and potentially different search requirements for UK-specific checks. For UK-only hiring, you might want to consider local alternatives, but GoodHire works well for transatlantic teams.

Is GoodHire Safe?

GoodHire maintains robust security with SOC 2 Type II certification and full FCRA compliance, which basically means they take data protection seriously enough that auditors don’t break out in hives. They’ve never had a major data breach, unlike some competitors I could mention, and their handling of sensitive information follows both US and EU privacy standards.

The platform explicitly builds compliance into its workflow rather than treating it as an afterthought. Adverse action letters are automatically generated with the right legal language, Ban-the-Box timing is enforced where applicable, and the system prevents you from accidentally violating FCRA requirements. It’s like having a compliance officer who doesn’t judge you for not knowing what FCRA stands for.

Encryption & Certifications

All data is encrypted both in transit and at rest using bank-level encryption standards. GoodHire maintains ISO 27001 compliance and follows GDPR requirements for European data subjects. Their security team runs regular penetration testing, and they’re transparent about their data retention policies – reports are kept for seven years for compliance purposes, then securely destroyed.

GoodHire Mobile Apps for Phones & Tablets

GoodHire doesn’t have dedicated mobile apps, which initially annoyed me until I realised their web platform works flawlessly on mobile devices. The responsive design means everything scales properly whether you’re checking status on your phone or reviewing reports on a tablet. Candidates can complete their entire screening process on mobile without downloading anything, which eliminates the ‘I can’t install apps on my work phone’ excuse.

The mobile experience is actually better than many dedicated apps I’ve used. Documents can be uploaded by taking photos, forms save progress automatically (unlike some competitors where a misclick loses everything), and the interface doesn’t require pinching and zooming like you’re trying to read the terms and conditions on a insurance policy.

My Personal Experience with GoodHire

I’ve been using GoodHire for 14 months after getting fed up with our previous provider taking a week to tell us things we could have Googled in five minutes. The initial setup happened during my daughter’s nap time, and I managed to run our first background check before she woke up demanding snacks. That’s either a testament to GoodHire’s simplicity or my daughter’s unpredictable sleep schedule.

The platform has processed 23 background checks for us with only two notable hiccups. Once, a county courthouse in rural Texas took six days to respond (apparently they still use carrier pigeons), and another time the education verification failed because the candidate’s university had changed names three times since they graduated. GoodHire’s support team handled both situations well, keeping me updated without my having to chase them.

Response times from customer support average about 2-3 hours during business hours, though I once waited two days for a response to what I thought was a simple question about international screening. The support team clearly knows their stuff – they’re FCRA-certified and can actually explain compliance requirements in human language rather than legalese.

The standout moment was when we were hiring a contractor who’d worked at several startups that no longer existed. GoodHire’s verification team turned into corporate archaeologists, tracking down former employees through LinkedIn and confirming the work history despite three of the five companies being completely defunct. That level of thoroughness gave us confidence in a hire we might have otherwise passed on.

Who It’s Best For

GoodHire hits the sweet spot for growing businesses that need reliable background screening without enterprise-level complexity or pricing. The platform excels at making compliance accessible to non-experts while still providing the depth needed for thorough screening.

GoodHire for Personal Use

GoodHire isn’t designed for personal background checks – you can’t use it to screen your daughter’s new boyfriend or check on your suspicious neighbour. They’re strictly business-to-business, following FCRA requirements that prohibit using employment screening tools for personal purposes. For personal background checks, consider consumer services like BeenVerified or TruthFinder for general searches, or Checkr’s personal background check service which offers individual reports starting at $24.99.

GoodHire for Business

Perfect for small to medium businesses doing 5-50 hires annually. The pay-per-check model means no wasteful subscriptions, and the compliance automation prevents expensive mistakes. Particularly valuable for businesses in regulated industries or those hiring for positions of trust. The platform scales well as you grow – we started with two checks monthly and now average eight without any growing pains.

GoodHire for Family

GoodHire doesn’t offer family or household employee screening. For nanny background checks or household staff verification, you’ll want consumer-focused services like Care.com’s background check feature for childcare providers, or Checkr’s personal service for general household employees. For tenant screening specifically, services like TransUnion SmartMove or Zillow’s background check service are purpose-built for rental applications and include credit checks alongside criminal screening.

GoodHire Reddit & Forum Insights

Digging through Reddit threads and HR forums reveals what everyday users actually think when they’re not being polite in official reviews. The most common praise focuses on speed and simplicity, with multiple users noting that GoodHire ‘actually works as advertised’ – apparently a rare quality in this industry.

The r/humanresources community frequently recommends GoodHire for small businesses, with one user stating: ‘Switched from HireRight to GoodHire and it’s like going from a flip phone to an iPhone.’ Another thread highlighted how ‘the candidate experience doesn’t make applicants feel like criminals,’ which resonated with several hiring managers who’d lost good candidates to cumbersome screening processes.

Common complaints centre on cost for comprehensive packages and occasional delays with specific counties. One frustrated user noted: ‘Great until you need to check records in [rural county], then you’re waiting a week like everyone else.’ The lack of live chat support also generates consistent grumbles, though most users acknowledge email support is knowledgeable when you do reach them.

GoodHire Alternatives & Competitors

Here’s how GoodHire compares to other major screening platforms:

GoodHire distinguishes itself through superior user experience and transparent pricing. While Checkr (GoodHire’s parent company) offers similar features with more AI automation, GoodHire’s interface is notably more intuitive. Sterling and HireRight provide deeper international coverage and manual verification but require contracts and have dated candidate experiences. Certn offers lower entry pricing but lacks GoodHire’s compliance automation and integration options.

For most small to medium businesses, the choice comes down to GoodHire or Checkr, with GoodHire winning on ease of use and Checkr offering more advanced features. Larger enterprises needing extensive international screening might prefer Sterling or HireRight despite their dated interfaces.

What’s New in 2025

GoodHire’s 2025 updates focus on speed and mobile optimisation rather than flashy new features. They’ve reduced average turnaround time by 30% through expanded courthouse partnerships and improved automated verification. The mobile candidate experience now includes document scanning via phone camera and real-time status updates via SMS.

The biggest change is deeper integration with Checkr’s AI-powered tools following their 2022 acquisition. Continuous monitoring features are now available for post-hire screening, and the Fair Chance toolkit helps employers navigate Ban-the-Box compliance automatically. They’ve also expanded their API capabilities, making integration with HR systems smoother than my attempts to explain to my five-year-old why she can’t have ice cream for breakfast.

Final Verdict

GoodHire successfully balances thoroughness with usability, making professional background screening accessible to businesses of all sizes. The platform stands out for its transparent pricing, intuitive interface, and candidate-friendly process that doesn’t create unnecessary friction in your hiring workflow. While comprehensive checks can get expensive and some county searches still take time, the overall experience justifies the investment for most businesses.

For small to medium companies that need reliable screening without enterprise complexity, GoodHire offers the best combination of features, usability, and support. The time saved through automation and the confidence gained from proper compliance make it worth the per-check pricing. It’s particularly valuable if you’re moving from manual reference checks or struggling with more complex platforms.