Certn vs Sterling
Background Checks pricing comparison · 2026
Certn is quote-based, while Sterling is quote-based. These products use different pricing models ( vs ), so a direct price comparison isn't meaningful — costs depend on usage volume and mix.
Certn
Certn offers Self-Serve and Enterprise pricing plans, both with custom pricing.
verified 11w ago
View pricing →
Estimated license cost
at 25 seats
List price × seats. Click a tier below to lock it.
Pricing model unknown
Pricing model unknown
no public list price found
Usage-based
Custom rates
see vendor pricing for volume tiers
What buyers actually pay
median, annual
Vendr deal-flow data. The real benchmark, not list price.
No Vendr data
—
Not in Vendr's deal flow
Median annual
$564/yr
Vendr · n=408
REF · 01
Sources & confidence
Every dollar amount and contract clause below traces back to a sourced fact. We don't manufacture composite scores.
Where this data comes from
Vendr · TrustRadius · Reddit · BBB · official docs
Sources
3 sourced facts
1 hidden-cost · 2 contract
Last verified
2mo ago
Confidence
Medium confidence
Sources
9 sourced facts
6 hidden-cost · 1 contract · Vendr median · 1 review platform
Last verified
3mo ago
Confidence
Limited confidence
REF · 02
Plans at a glance
Every tier per product. Lock one to drive the cost row above and reveal a tier-specific outbound CTA.
Tier ladder
Click a tier to lock the cost row to it. Locking surfaces a tier-specific Visit CTA.
REF · 04
Contract terms
The fine print, surfaced. Green = buyer-friendly. Each clause backed by a quoted source.
Certn
Sterling
Auto-renewal
Yes
—
Cancellation
—
—
Commitment
✓
No setup fees or monthly minimums apply for self-serve tier and SMBs, while Enterprise plans may involve annual contracts with volume discounts.
annual minimum commitment
Price escalation
—
—
Can downgrade
—
—
REF · 05
What users say
Aggregated, with sample sizes. We use whichever review platform has data.
User reviews
TrustRadius · Trustpilot · G2
Decide
Get a quote from each vendor
Each link opens the vendor's pricing page in a new tab.
License cost is computed from publicly listed plans (real math, list price × seats).
Median annual cost is from Vendr's deal flow when available — see source badges.
Hidden costs and contract terms each cite their own sources. We do not invent composite scores.
VS
Certn and Sterling both operate in the background checks category. This page compares their list pricing.
Plan-by-Plan Pricing
| Plan | Certn | Sterling |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Serve | Custom | Custom |
| Enterprise | Custom | — |
Contract Terms
| Term | Certn | Sterling |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-renewal | Yes | — |
| Cancellation | — | — |
| Minimum commitment | No setup fees or monthly minimums apply for self-serve tier and SMBs, while Enterprise plans may involve annual contracts with volume discounts. | annual minimum commitment |