--- title: "Sterling Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about Sterling Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Accounting products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/165201/Sterling-Talent-Solutions/" page_type: "product" language: "en" --- # Sterling Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on September 16, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Integrations](#integrations)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Sterling ## What is Sterling? Sterling — a leading provider of background and identity services — offers background and identity verification to help over 40,000 clients create people-first cultures built on a foundation of trust and safety. Sterling’s tech-enabled services help organizations across all industries establish great environments for their workers, partners, and customers. With operations around the world, Sterling conducts more than 75 million background checks annually. ## What is Sterling used for? [Background Check](https://www.capterra.com/background-check-software/)[Reference Check](https://www.capterra.com/reference-check-software/)[Accounting](https://www.capterra.com/accounting-software/) Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 31 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 68% Neutral 26% Negative 6% Starting price $1 Per User, Per Month Free trial not available Free version not included Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for Sterling?[Manage this product listing](https://www.g2.com/products/sterling/claim_requests/new?auto=true) ## Sterling Overview Updated September 2026 AI summary Sterling provides background check and employment screening capabilities for organizations of all sizes, supporting HR and operations teams in verifying candidate identities and employment eligibility. Delivered as a cloud-based platform, it features compliance management, reporting, status tracking, onboarding support, and integrations with HR systems, while offering options like API access, batch processing, and a self-service portal. ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### Sterling 4.0 (31) VS. [4.4 (1,398)](https://www.capterra.com/p/130949/Paycom/reviews/) Starting Price $1 per user, per month Starting Price Contact vendor Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.2 (31) Ease Of Use 4.4 (221) Value For Money 4.1 (22) Value For Money 4.2 (145) Customer Service 3.7 (25) Customer Service 4.4 (192) ## Sterling alternatives [4.5 (304)](https://www.capterra.com/p/177814/Checkr/reviews/) Starting price $29.99 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 91% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.6 (36)](https://www.capterra.com/p/276237/AssureHire/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 92% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.6 (125)](https://www.capterra.com/p/127883/VidCruiter/reviews/) Starting price $5000.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 97% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars Highest Rated [Zinc](https://www.capterra.com/p/179293/Zinc/) [4.8 (221)](https://www.capterra.com/p/179293/Zinc/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 98% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/179293/Zinc/) [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/165201/Sterling-Talent-Solutions/alternatives/) ## FAQs about Sterling Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from Sterling? Sterling is most used by HR leaders, recruiters, onboarding coordinators, and people operations teams that manage background checks, hiring workflows, and employee screening. Operations managers, logistics staff, and general managers benefit from faster candidate clearance, while IT and administrative roles support secure implementation, tracking, and process visibility. Answer based on 30 reviews Overview ### What company size and specific industries is Sterling built for? Sterling is designed for organizations across healthcare and life sciences, retail and staffing, industrials, government and education, finance and business services, and technology, hospitality, entertainment, and media. The vendor description does not specify a company size, so the product appears aimed at a broad range of business sizes within these sectors. Features and Usability ### What are the key features of Sterling? Sterling offers background screening, employment screening, and employment eligibility verification, including E-Verify/I-9 forms and identity verification. It also includes employee onboarding, electronic forms, electronic signature, customizable forms, and online applications, plus compliance management, activity tracking, status tracking, reporting and analytics, and third-party integrations. Integrations ### Which third-party tools and platforms does Sterling integrate with? Sterling integrates with Greenhouse, BambooHR, and Infor Talent Science, and its catalog also includes applicant tracking and HR platforms such as Avature, Bullhorn, Cornerstone HR, Fountain, ICIMS, JazzHR, Jobvite, Lever, LinkedIn for Business, Mitratech TalentReef, Pereless, SmartRecruiters, and SmartSearch. Answer based on 4 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does Sterling offer? Sterling offers Email/Help Desk, FAQ/Forum, Knowledge Base, and Phone Support. Reviewer feedback on support is mixed: some users describe responsive, helpful service, while others report slow replies, inconsistent answers, and difficulty reaching someone when issues need quick resolution. Answer based on 8 reviews ## Features AI summary Based on 709 Accounting reviews Capterra reviewers highlight these as the features buyers care about most when choosing background check software: - **Background Screening** (**54%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Identity Verification** (**50%**) - **Criminal History Verification** (**56%**) Sterling supports **Background Screening** and **Identity Verification**, helping businesses review candidate records and confirm identities with more confidence. However, it does not include **Criminal History Verification**. Instead, it offers other important features that reviewers also value, including **Employment Screening** (**47%**), **Data Verification** (**44%**), and **Status Tracking** (**41%**), providing teams with ways to check work history, confirm submitted information, and monitor screening progress across hiring workflows. Background Screening 4.0 (8) 100.00% of 8 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Researching and validating a person's criminal, educational, job or financial records Employment Screening 3.5 (4) 100.00% of 4 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Screen and verify candidates for professional roles Data Verification 3.7 (7) 100.00% of 7 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Process of checking different types of data for accuracy to avoid errors or inconsistencies Status Tracking 4.0 (5) 60.00% of 5 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Track the status over time for a request, process, asset, or transaction Online Applications 4.0 (5) 80.00% of 5 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Ability to fill out and submit application forms on the web Alerts/Notifications 3.0 (4) 50.00% of 4 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Alerts or notifications of various types such as pop-up messages, sounds, banners, or badges Sterling 20 features ### All Features - Activity Tracking: Track and document all activities across devices, networks, and other systems - Alerts/Notifications: Alerts or notifications of various types such as pop-up messages, sounds, banners, or badges - API: Application programming interface that allows for integration with other systems/databases - Background Screening: Researching and validating a person's criminal, educational, job or financial records - Batch Processing: Software's ability to perform similar action on multiple similar files simultaneously - Compliance Management: Track and manage adherence to policies for any service, product, process, or supplier - Dashboard: Assembly of graphs and charts for visualizing and tracking statistics/metrics - Data Verification: Process of checking different types of data for accuracy to avoid errors or inconsistencies - Employee Onboarding: Process of familiarizing new employees with the company, their position, and responsibilities - Employment Screening: Screen and verify candidates for professional roles - Identity Verification: Validating the identity of an individual or entity through verification of personal information or credentials - Onboarding: Process of familiarizing new clients, stakeholders or employees with the company, a new location, or a service - Online Applications: Ability to fill out and submit application forms on the web - Records Management: Ability to record, store, update, and retrieve information - Reporting & Statistics: Collection, analysis, and representation of numerical data and generation of reports to understand various patterns - Reporting/Analytics: View and track pertinent metrics to find patterns and gain insights from data - Screening Services Integration: Screening performed by employees working for the vendor. Software functionality is offered on top of these services. - Self Service Portal: Online portal through which end users can access the system, manage tasks, or obtain information - Status Tracking: Track the status over time for a request, process, asset, or transaction - Third-Party Integrations: Set up connections to third-party platforms to improve business processes --- Get Advice We can help you find the software with the features you need. Features 4.1 (31) 4.1 Based on 31 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.1 (22) Basic $1.00 Value for money 4.1 (22) 4.1 Based on 22 reviews ## Integrations [ LinkedIn for Business](https://www.capterra.com/p/213505/LinkedIn-for-Business/)[ Bullhorn](https://www.capterra.com/p/140531/Bullhorn-Recruiting-Software/)[ ICIMS](https://www.capterra.com/p/93248/iCIMS-Recruit/)[ Greenhouse](https://www.capterra.com/p/133100/Greenhouse/)[ Lever](https://www.capterra.com/p/142452/Lever/)[ Jobvite](https://www.capterra.com/p/109268/Jobvite/)[ JazzHR](https://www.capterra.com/p/87750/JazzHR/)[ SmartRecruiters](https://www.capterra.com/p/123833/SmartRecruiters/) Connect with a Capterra advisor for a free 15-minute consultation Get a personalized software list aligned to your business needs with guidance from our expert advisors. Our team has helped 1 million+ businesses like yours find options that fit their needs. ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 3.7 (25) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 3.7 (25) 3.7 Based on 25 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.0 Based on 31 reviews Filter by rating 5(14) 4(7) 3(8) 2(0) 1(2) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent Stephanie M. Human Resources Specialist Architecture & Planning ### "Sterling Background Check key challenges and experience" 3.0 Overall Rating 3.0 3.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 September 15, 2026 Pros Sterling helps reduce manual steps and supports s smoother, faster background check process for both recruiters and candidates. Cons Some screenings can take longer depending on the jurisdiction or type of check. Some areas of the platform could be more intuitive and streamlined for recruiters. Reporting and result details could be more customizable to better support internal hiring needs. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. VW Victoria W. HR Generalist II Food & Beverages ### "Good for Background Checks and Reference Checks" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 January 15, 2026 Sterling was easy to use but did not offer other checks as part of the site which made it difficult because the organization had to rely on other vendors to get that information. Pros I liked the ease of using the program, and the verification process was always very timely. Reference checks can also be conducted by employees for the organization saving HR time. Cons I did not like that it did not integrate with the BOP which is a required check where we operate. I did not like that if there were a minor discrepancy or a reference check was not able to be completed, they would flag the account. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. JJ John J. Registered Nurse Hospital & Health Care ### "Bottom-dollar pricing represents bottom-barrel quality" 1.0 Overall Rating 1.0 1.0 Ease of Use 1.0 1.0 Features 1.0 1.0 Customer Service 1.0 1.0 Likelihood to Recommend 0/10 September 23, 2025 Checking on this company after my own horrible experiences, I wasn’t surprised to find that it is popular specifically because it costs less for client companies than most of their companies. However, bottom-dollar usually comes with bottom-of-the barrel quality, and companies need to recognize that before signing on with Sterling. — In my recent experience with two of their service sites for background checks and information verification, I found that accurate data entry is nowhere near the Sterling strengths, as they’ll literally list a college course completion as being 5 years before you even started attendance. Or past employers will be listed with dates up to TWENTY YEARS off! Trying to enter or correct info is a nightmare, with site connectivity/ operation simply dropping if you hit the “Next” tab at the bottom of page. And, as if their site being slower than dial-up internet weren’t bad enough, you may have to enter and re-enter the SAME data 6 or 7 times before it finally saves. . Oh, and customer service? There is none, as everything is automated, including their listed phone support service. You’re looking at a minimum of two days response, usually just in the form of a new link sent for your info entry process. (Yes, their site drops you — only on 2-3 pages into their 22-page required process — and then you can’t automatically get back into it.) So, the “twenty minutes” their site says it will take at the start is really more like 8 hours of the most frustrating and slow website design you’ll ever encounter. Literally, it takes longer to finish their required online data entry than it takes for them to collect your background results… which will be wrong because you couldn’t fully enter or edit your info on time. . And, it doesn't get any better after that, as the rest of the Sterling processes on other sites/ links will also be bad. Like where you’re asked to enter citizenship, you won’t find the United States or the United Kingdom among their options. Just entering a telephone number, finding your country code is difficult, and then you have to enter the area and the actual telephone number all in separate (slow) data boxes. And, OMG, just avoid entering dates if you can, because the site won’t let you just TYPE a date, instead giving a calendar for the current month… and making you go backwards month-by-month to provide a date. . Think about that. You going to enter your 30-year old wife’s date-of-birth in such a system? . Absolutely, the worst system I’ve ever seen… and I been around since before the internet. Pros Nothing. It was the slowest and most difficult website I have EVER encounter, in over 30 years online. Truly a bad and time-wasting experience. Cons The slow, low-quality website design in all their apps, and the horribly inaccurate data entry. Something as easy as entering a phone number or date is made excruciating frustrating with these people’s sites. You can’t even find the US or UK listed as nations one can have citizenship with. (US, just pick “American,” as it’s literally the closest option given.) Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AN Anonymous User TA Manager Insurance ### "Good Services, Poor Customer Service, Dated User Experience" 3.0 Overall Rating 3.0 3.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 2.0 2.0 Likelihood to Recommend 5/10 January 6, 2025 Overall, they are a good provider, and one of the only ones in Canada that doesn't a decent job at performing pre-employment checks. Their platforms needs updating as does their SLAs with customers. Pros They have a variety of service offerings that are available to their clients and they often get completed packages in a short period of time. Cons They customer service was slow to respond to requests. Their platform is dated, and it doesn't have the best user experience (customer or applicant) Alternatives considered [Certn](https://www.capterra.com/p/202028/Certn/) Reasons for choosing Sterling They were recently acquired by another organization that will position them to be a well known brand. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. CC Chris C. Director of Human Resources Automotive ### "Sterling is a solid product. Everything you want in a background screening provider." 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 August 15, 2024 Overall excellent experience. Salesforce is top notch and customer service has been responsive. Pros Sterling has a very nice interface and overall it's a smooth running program. Great network for drug screens and timely background screening results. Cons I would like the move to their Modern Hub completed. Right now we have the two options and can toggle between them. Do the Modern view and just continue to improve that. Switched from [HireRight](https://www.capterra.com/p/100993/HireRight/) Customer Service and Overall network available for Drug Screens Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. MP Matthew P. General Manager Staffing and Recruiting ### "Good Product. Beyond Terrible Customer Service" 3.0 Overall Rating 3.0 3.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 1.0 1.0 Likelihood to Recommend 3/10 August 2, 2024 As mentioned in my Pros section, running background checks were relatively easy but the customer service gets a 0/10/. Only option to pay is by ACH without a service fee. $5500 in background checks over the course of a few months and now I have to ear 3% using credit card. Pros Running background checks were relatively easy - single use and bulk Cons Customer Service and Payment Method - no online payment. 3% fee to use credit card Switched from [GoodHire](https://www.capterra.com/p/154690/GoodHire-Background-Checks/) They were purchased by CheckR and they raised the prices through the roof Alternatives considered [Crimcheck](https://www.capterra.com/p/196344/Crimcheck/) Reasons for choosing Sterling Came down to cost. They beat out their offer Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. LB Lisa B. Operations Manager Health, Wellness and Fitness ### "Sterling Review" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 July 15, 2024 I have had a positive experience with Sterling. Pros Sterling is very user friendly and the process is very timely. Cons Sometimes the different options available can be confusing. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AL Adjoh Lucie D. Assistante commerciale Building Materials ### "Logiciel de gestion" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 October 16, 2023 Pros Ce logiciel fait partie des fournisseurs de services d'antécédents et d'identité. Son avantage est la facilité de vente en détail et personnel sans aucun doute. L'hôtellerie, éducation, et les universités peuvent en bénéficier. Cons Pas d'inconvénients, je rassure l'utilisateur à en utiliser. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AN Anonymous User Recruiting Enablement Specialist Computer Software ### "Not the best with integrations" 3.0 Overall Rating 3.0 3.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 2.0 2.0 Likelihood to Recommend 2/10 July 14, 2023 So far, not great. The implementation and integration has not been a good experience. Pros I like that recruiters will be able to trigger the background check. Cons The implementation and especially the integration was not smooth. Sterling was limited in how they could integrate with our ATS which required our team to make process changes that we did not want. Plus, when we were trying to set up the integration, it didn't work in its full capacity as advertised by Sterling, and they couldn't figure out why. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. MC Monica C. Talent Consultant Information Technology and Services ### "Sterling Background Check Services " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 June 12, 2023 Pros One of the best features of Sterling is the fact that they have several different platforms to choose from and you can integrate with your current Applicant Tracking System. Another great feature is the quick turn around on report results. Cons Sterling's customer support can be improved upon. Turnaround time is quick, unless you are processing dozens of reports at once. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/165201/Sterling-Talent-Solutions/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. Popular comparisons [Checkr vs Sterling](https://www.capterra.com/compare/165201-177814/Sterling-Talent-Solutions-vs-Checkr)