The short version
- Ask for the all-in price of 1 Canadian criminal record check, including ID verification.
- Ask about subscriptions, minimums and pass-through fees.
- Get turnaround times by check type, in writing.
- Ask whether the platform flags duplicate orders across your team.
- Ask whether you'll have a named contact or a ticket queue.
Most background check companies look the same on their websites. Fast results, simple pricing, great support. The differences show up later, on your first invoice or your first problem.
These 6 questions bring them out before you sign. They're the same questions we'd want any buyer to ask us.
Which background check companies are best in Canada?
There isn't a single best answer. The right provider depends on what you screen for, how many people you hire and who on your team orders checks. A staffing agency ordering checks every day needs something different from a nonprofit screening 5 volunteers a year.
So ask every provider on your shortlist the same 6 questions, then compare the answers side by side.
1. Do background check companies include ID verification in the price?
Not always, and it's the most common pricing gap. Some providers advertise a low criminal check price, then bill ID verification separately.
Ask for the all-in price of 1 Canadian criminal record check, from invitation to report. At Credibled, ID verification is included in every Canadian criminal record check. It's not a separate line on your invoice.
2. Is there a subscription, a minimum or extra fees?
Many employers hire in waves. A monthly subscription or volume minimum means paying in the quiet months too.
Credibled is pay per check, with no subscription and no minimum volume.
Also ask about pass-through fees. Some check types carry third-party access fees, such as the fees some schools charge for education verification. Ask which checks carry them and where the fees are listed. Ours are published at credibled.com/pass-through-access-fees.
3. How fast are results, in writing?
"Fast" means different things to different providers. Ask for turnaround times by check type, in writing.
For reference, most Credibled Canadian criminal record checks come back in about 15 minutes. Employment and education verification depends on how quickly employers and schools respond, so expect days rather than minutes. A vulnerable sector check can only be requested through the police service where the candidate lives, and no private provider can complete it for you.
Then ask what happens when a check stalls. Who chases the candidate? Who chases the referees? Credibled's reference checks follow up with referees automatically, so your recruiters don't have to.
4. Is the provider built for Canadian rules?
A lot of screening content and process is designed around US law. Canadian employers work under different rules: provincial police record check laws, human rights codes that protect certain records, and Canadian privacy law.
Ask who owns the company and where it's based. Ask how its process handles differences between provinces.
Credibled is 100% Canadian-owned and operated, based in Toronto, and our servers are in Canada.
5. What happens when 2 recruiters order the same check?
If more than 1 person on your team orders checks, duplicates happen. Same candidate, 2 recruiters, 2 invoices.
Ask whether the platform catches a duplicate before it's ordered. Credibled does. It flags when someone on your team has already screened that candidate, so you don't pay twice.
This matters most for staffing agencies, where the same candidate often applies through several recruiters.
6. Who do you call when something goes wrong?
Every provider says their support is great. Ask a sharper question: will I have a named person, or a ticket queue?
Some providers reserve account managers for their largest clients. At Credibled, every account gets a dedicated rep, including small ones.
While you're at it, ask whether the platform connects to your applicant tracking or HR system. Credibled offers a background screening API for that.
How to compare background check companies side by side
| Question | What to ask for | Credibled's answer |
|---|---|---|
| ID verification | The all-in price per check | Included in every Canadian criminal record check |
| Fees | Subscription, minimums, pass-through fee list | Pay per check. No subscription or minimum. Pass-through fees published |
| Speed | Turnaround by check type, in writing | Most Canadian criminal results in about 15 minutes |
| Canadian rules | Ownership and base | 100% Canadian-owned, Toronto-based, servers in Canada |
| Duplicates | A duplicate flag before ordering | Flags duplicates across your team |
| Support | A named contact | A dedicated rep for every account |
Put your current provider through the same 6 questions
If the answers don't hold up, create a Credibled account and compare for yourself. You pay per check, with no subscription.
Frequently asked questions
There isn't a single best answer. The right provider depends on what you screen for, how many people you hire and who on your team orders checks. Ask every provider on your shortlist the same questions, then compare the answers side by side.
Not always. Some providers advertise a low criminal check price, then bill ID verification separately. At Credibled, ID verification is included in every Canadian criminal record check.
Some do. Credibled is pay per check, with no subscription and no minimum volume.
Ask for turnaround times by check type, in writing. Most Credibled Canadian criminal record checks come back in about 15 minutes. Employment and education verification depends on how quickly employers and schools respond, so expect days rather than minutes.
No. A vulnerable sector check can only be requested through the police service where the candidate lives, and no private provider can complete it for you.