Checkr vs Certn
Eight of fourteen models named Checkr first on the direct prompt; one named Certn. Checkr was named by fourteen of the fourteen models and Certn by thirteen and Checkr carries 48 labels and Certn 29, so the shares are not directly comparable.
Named in two categories this edition.
Named in one category this edition.
Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts over all fourteen models, for a mid-market B2B company; rank is within the category; every quote names the model and the prompt it came from. Both figures come from the background screening page.
By framing
CheckrFirst choices, of fourteen modelsCertn
Across every category in the October 2026 Edition, Checkr and Certn were named in the same answer fifty-eight times, of the 164 answers naming Checkr and the 68 naming Certn. In those answers Certn took the first choice seven times and Checkr twenty-six.
Every model, every framing
| Model | Direct | Paraphrase | Comparative | Budget-constrained | Scale-constrained | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Haiku 4.5 | | | ||||
| GPT-5.4 mini | | | | | ||
| Gemini 3.5 Flash | | | | | ||
| Perplexity Sonar | | | | | ||
| Grok 4.1 Fast | | | | | | |
| Mistral Small | | |||||
| DeepSeek V4 Flash | | | | | ||
| Llama 4 Maverick | | |||||
| Qwen 3.7 Flash | | | ||||
| Kimi K2 | | | | | ||
| GLM 4.7 FlashX | | | | |||
| MiniMax M2.5 | | | | | ||
| GPT-6 Luna | | | | |||
| Muse Glimmer 30B | | |
Checkr Certn first choice named as an alternative argued againstblank: not namedEach cell is one answer, Checkr on the left and Certn on the right.The direct prompt
Both were the first choice
1 of 14 modelsThe answer named them together, and the judge labeled each a first choice.Checkr first, Certn an alternative
7 of 14 modelsCertn was named in the answer but not as the choice, or not at all.Neither was the first choice, one was named
4 of 14 modelsThe answer put something else first and named one of the two as an alternative.Neither was named
2 of 14 modelsThe answer made no first choice from these two in this category.Bold names in an answer are the products the judge labeled a first choice; a model naming several gives each of them that label. The full answer text for every row is in the record.
By buyer segment
What the models said about Checkr
Every negative label with a quote, up to three, then the highest-weighted positives, up to three. Six of eight in this category shown.
“Checkr is the most frequently sued background check company” Claude Haiku 4.5 · negative prompt · hard negative
“466 complaints in 3 years ... often about delays, errors, or unresolved issues in employment screening” Grok 4.1 Fast · negative prompt · soft negative
“Checkr has faced a sharp spike in CFPB complaints and numerous class-action lawsuits” Gemini 3.5 Flash · negative prompt · soft negative
“Market leader for high-volume / tech and gig hiring. "the best background check tools for recruiters in 2026 are Checkr (market leader with 120,000+ customers and AI-powered workflows)"” Muse Glimmer 30B · comparative prompt · first choice
“Checkr excels in speed/tech integrations; ... Fast (AI-powered), scalable for high-volume/gig economy, 200+ ATS integrations” Grok 4.1 Fast · comparative prompt · first choice
“API-first architecture — one of the most technically advanced platforms... Checkr for its API-first speed and automation” DeepSeek V4 Flash · comparative prompt · first choice
What the models said about Certn
Every negative label with a quote, up to three, then the highest-weighted positives, up to three. Four of five in this category shown.
“Cheaper options like Certn exist but have reliability concerns (e.g., login issues, variable support), making them riskier” Grok 4.1 Fast · budget prompt · soft negative
“recommended for lighter, pay-as-you-go needs, making them suitable for small businesses with budget constraints” Mistral Small · budget prompt · first choice
“If you need the absolute lowest per-report cost and can self-serve: Certn ~ $13.99-$17.99/check.” Muse Glimmer 30B · budget prompt · first choice
“Start with Checkr Professional or Certn Business for most mid-market B2B companies” GLM 4.7 FlashX · direct prompt · first choice
Comparisons are drawn for the top eight products in each category, each against each. The output is the models' output; nothing here is a recommendation by the index.