Background Checks vs Identity Verification: Two Categories, Different Costs
Identity verification (document plus biometric) is cheaper per check than a full workforce background check. The categories overlap on the workforce side but solve different jobs. When to use each, and the cost difference at scale.
What each category does
- Identity verification. Confirms who someone is. Document verification (passport, drivers licence) plus a biometric face match. Optional layers: liveness check, watchlist screening, fraud signal scoring.
- Background check. A bundled workforce-screening package that includes identity verification (typically SSN trace, not full document plus biometric) plus criminal records, often plus employment / education verification and drug screening.
Cost comparison
| Category | Cheapest published | Typical use case |
|---|---|---|
| Identity-only (document + biometric) | Certn OneID CAD 4.99 | Account onboarding, consent capture, age verification |
| Tenant screening (credit + criminal + eviction) | TransUnion SmartMove $25 | Residential landlord application |
| Workforce background check (SMB Basic) | ShareAble for Hires $25, Checkr / GoodHire / Verified First $29.99 | Employment criminal records |
| Workforce background check (top tier) | $79.99 to $89.99 | Federal + state criminal + 7-yr employment verification |
| Workforce background check (enterprise) | Quote only | Fortune 500 with custom configuration |
When background check is the right tool
- You are hiring an employee or contractor and need criminal records as part of the decision.
- You operate in a regulated industry (healthcare, financial services, transportation) where specific check types are required by law.
- You need bundled employment verification and education verification.
- You need drug screening as part of the pre-hire workflow.
- You need ongoing post-hire re-screening on a scheduled cadence.
When identity verification is the right tool
- You are onboarding a consumer to a regulated-finance product (KYC) and need NIST 800-63 IAL2 identity proofing.
- You are gating access to age-restricted content (gambling, alcohol delivery, adult content) and need age estimation or age verification.
- You are verifying a one-off transaction (large purchase, identity reset) where criminal records are not relevant.
- You are onboarding a gig-economy worker and want to compress the friction by reusing a verified credential.
- You are running tenant screening and need credit checks alongside identity rather than criminal background depth.
How the categories overlap
Background check vendors typically include some identity verification component (SSN trace is the floor; some include document plus biometric at higher tiers). Identity verification vendors typically do not include criminal records (Onfido and Yoti, for example, do not check criminal records as part of their core offering).
For a workforce hire where you need both, a background check vendor is the simpler buy: one contract, one workflow, one invoice. For a consumer onboarding flow where you need identity only, an identity vendor is cheaper and faster.
Where to go next
- Run the multi-vendor background check calculator for your hire volume.
- Visit the sister sites for identity-only and KYC pricing benchmarks.
- Read the 2026 ultimate guide for the full reference.