Sterling review

Best for its specialized solutions in healthcare, finance, and retail.

Verdict

Sterling excels by offering deep, industry-specific screening solutions, including advanced identity verification and monitoring services that other providers lack.

What customers praise

Sterling's proprietary CourtDirect technology provides direct access to 70% of U.S. county court records, often speeding up criminal searches.

What customers criticise

The account setup and configuration process can be lengthy, sometimes taking over a week, and the platform has a steeper learning curve than more modern alternatives.

Best for

Companies in healthcare, financial services, and retail that require specialized, vertical-specific screening packages and identity verification services.

At a glance

• Integrations: Workday, iCIMS, Oracle, SAP SuccessFactors, UKG
• Compliance: FCRA, GDPR, Healthcare Sanctions (OIG)
• Regions served: Global
• Typical onboarding: 10 days

Red flags

Public risk signals as of June 2026: none. No material public risk signals as of 2026-06-13. See the full red-flag report.

Alternatives

See alternatives to Sterling, or compare against the next-ranked entry: Sterling vs Accurate.

Source: Top 11 The 11 Best Background Check Services, verified June 13, 2026 — no paid placement.