Short answer
Choose First Advantage if you need global reach. Choose VICTIG if you need a team that knows your account. Size is not the tradeoff, and VICTIG runs enterprise-scale programs.
First Advantage is the largest background screening company in the world, and since acquiring Sterling Check in October 2024 it is also the most consolidated. VICTIG, founded in 2006, is independent, PBSA accredited, and built around US-based people who answer the phone live and reply to email in a matter of minutes. On G2 as of August 2026, VICTIG holds 4.7 out of 5 and First Advantage holds 3.4.
Don’t take our word for it
More than 600 HR professionals have rated the two of us publicly on G2, and you can read every review. As of August 2026, VICTIG holds 4.7 out of 5 across 513 verified reviews. First Advantage holds 3.4 across 111. On quality of support, the gap is 9.7 to 6.9.
See the whole head-to-head yourself, including the categories where First Advantage scores well.
At a glance
Both VICTIG and First Advantage are PBSA accredited. The differences are structural.
| VICTIG | First Advantage | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2006 | 2003 |
| Ownership | Independent, same leadership since founding | Publicly traded; acquired Sterling Check for $2.2 billion in October 2024 |
| Footprint | United States, with a US-based delivery team | 200+ countries and territories, 200M+ screens a year |
| Phone support | A live person picks up | Global support organization; contact model varies by contract |
| Email response | About 7 minutes, on average | Not published; ask them |
| Average turnaround | 1.8 days | Not published; ask them |
| Client retention | 99.6% | Not published; ask them |
| Account treatment | Program tailored to each client, no support tiers | Tiered by contract size and region |
| PBSA accredited | Yes | Yes, BSOAP accreditation announced July 2024 |
| Best fit | US employers running anywhere from 50 hires a year to full enterprise-scale programs | Multinationals needing one vendor across many jurisdictions |
First Advantage details reflect their public materials as of August 2026. Rows marked not published mean the figure isn’t disclosed publicly, which isn’t a statement about their performance. Check their site for current specifics.
Scored by real reviewers
These aren’t our numbers. They’re G2’s, from verified users of both products.
| VICTIG | First Advantage | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 4.7 out of 5 (513 reviews) | 3.4 out of 5 (111 reviews) |
| Quality of support | 9.7 | 6.9 |
| Meets requirements | 9.6 | 7.7 |
| Ease of use | 9.6 | 7.7 |
| Ease of setup | 9.5 | 7.5 |
| Ease of admin | 9.5 | 7.4 |
| Product direction, positive | 9.2 | 6.1 |
About the size difference
The obvious question is whether a smaller company can carry a larger program, so here is the direct answer. First Advantage has the more enterprise-weighted reviewer base: 45.7% of their reviewers are enterprise companies against 18.6% of VICTIG’s. But VICTIG’s review base is more than four times larger, so in absolute numbers more enterprise companies have publicly reviewed VICTIG on G2 than have reviewed First Advantage — roughly 95 against roughly 51.
Being the largest screening company in the world is a genuine advantage for global coverage, and we say so plainly further down this page. VICTIG has the people and the infrastructure to run a large program. We are large enough to run enterprise-scale screening and small enough that no client’s attention gets rationed by account size. If you are evaluating us for a program at the top of the market, that is a normal conversation here, not an exception.
G2 scores as of August 2026, based on verified user reviews. Enterprise counts are derived by applying G2’s published segment percentages to each product’s total review count. See the live comparison on G2.
About the Sterling merger
If you are comparing providers because your Sterling account changed, this is why.
First Advantage closed its $2.2 billion acquisition of Sterling Check on October 31, 2024, creating a combined business with roughly $1.5 billion in pro forma revenue and a stated target of $50 to $70 million in run-rate synergies. Synergies are cost reductions. That isn’t a criticism, it’s just how these deals are underwritten, and it’s worth knowing before you renew. Four questions we’d put to your First Advantage rep:
- Which platform will my account sit on twelve months from now, and who pays for the migration?
- Is my account team the same team I had last year, and will they be next year?
- Are my contracted turnaround times carrying forward unchanged onto the surviving platform?
- Which support queue am I in now, and what is its actual first-response time?
If the answers are solid, stay where you are. If they’re vague, that’s worth a second conversation.
Where First Advantage fits
There are situations where First Advantage is the better call. We would rather tell you than waste your evaluation cycle.
- Global coverage. First Advantage screens across 200+ countries and territories under a single contract. VICTIG is built for US-based hiring.
- Very large scale. More than 200 million screens a year, which matters if your own volume runs into the millions.
- Vendor consolidation. If your goal is collapsing a dozen regional providers into one global contract, that is a structural advantage of a single global vendor.
Every one of those is about geography and raw volume. Each is a question of fit, not of capability. If your hiring is US-based, keep reading.
Where we’re different
Scale is great right up until you need something that isn’t in the playbook. Then you need a person who knows your account, which is where VICTIG comes in.
- At VICTIG, a person is accountable for your account. Call and a US-based person picks up. Email and you hear back in about 7 minutes. Reviewers score VICTIG’s support 9.7 against First Advantage’s 6.9.
- Enterprise capability without enterprise queues. VICTIG is resourced and staffed to run programs at the top of the market. What we don’t do is decide how much attention you get based on the size of your contract.
- Tailored, not tiered. We build your screening package around what you actually hire for, whether that’s fifty roles a year or many thousands.
- Humans review the records. More expensive to staff, and the reason VICTIG’s reports hold up when someone challenges them.
- Continuity. Twenty years, independent, same leadership. No ownership change and no platform migration for you to absorb.
Which fits you better?
The honest version, including when neither of us is the answer.
Choose VICTIG if
- Your hiring is US-based, at any volume from 50 hires a year to enterprise scale
- You’re a large employer who has been handed to a tier instead of a team
- You’ve been routed to a ticket queue by a large vendor
- You want your screening package built around your roles
- Compliance review needs a human, not just a rules engine
- You’re re-evaluating after the Sterling transition
- You’re in staffing, healthcare, technology, hospitality, or nonprofit
Choose First Advantage if
- You hire across many countries and need one global vendor of record
- Your volume runs into the millions of screens a year
- You’re collapsing regional providers onto one global contract
Choose neither if
- You need DAC-file trucking screening. That’s HireRight.
- You’re an individual checking on a person, not an employer screening a candidate
- You’re running a government RFP process
Common questions
Is VICTIG a good alternative to First Advantage?
For US-based hiring, yes. VICTIG is a PBSA-accredited consumer reporting agency founded in 2006 that runs criminal, verification, drug screening, and ongoing monitoring programs for mid-market and enterprise employers. First Advantage’s 200-plus country footprint makes it the better fit for multinational programs. VICTIG is built for US-based hiring, at any volume. For everything else, the difference is service model: US-based human support with live phone answer and roughly 7 minute email response.
Is VICTIG large enough to handle an enterprise screening program?
Yes. VICTIG is resourced to run screening programs at the top of the market, and being smaller than First Advantage as a company is not the same as having less capacity for any individual client. On G2 as of August 2026, VICTIG carries 513 verified reviews against First Advantage’s 111. Applying each product’s enterprise segment share to those totals, roughly 95 enterprise companies have reviewed VICTIG against roughly 51 for First Advantage. Where First Advantage is genuinely the better choice is multinational coverage, not US scale.
What happened to Sterling Check?
First Advantage completed its acquisition of Sterling Check on October 31, 2024, in a cash-and-stock deal valued at $2.2 billion. Sterling now operates as part of First Advantage. Employers formerly contracted with Sterling should confirm which platform their account will run on, whether their account team is unchanged, and whether contracted service levels carry forward.
How do VICTIG and First Advantage compare on G2?
As of August 2026, VICTIG holds 4.7 out of 5 across 513 reviews and First Advantage holds 3.4 out of 5 across 111 reviews. The largest gap is quality of support, where VICTIG scores 9.7 and First Advantage scores 6.9. VICTIG also leads on ease of use, 9.6 to 7.7, ease of setup, 9.5 to 7.5, and product direction, 9.2 to 6.1.
Is VICTIG or First Advantage better for enterprise hiring?
It depends on geography rather than size. First Advantage is the stronger option for programs spanning multiple countries, and its reviewer base is more enterprise-weighted, at 45.7% against VICTIG’s 18.6%. For enterprise programs concentrated in the United States, VICTIG runs comparable scale with materially higher reviewer-scored support: 9.7 against 6.9 on quality of support, and 9.2 against 6.1 on product direction.
Does VICTIG integrate with my ATS?
Most likely. VICTIG integrates with iCIMS, Workday, ADP, Greenhouse, JazzHR, Lever, UKG, Jobvite, PrismHR, and others, plus an API for anything not on the list.
Are both VICTIG and First Advantage accredited and FCRA compliant?
Yes to both. VICTIG is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association, and First Advantage announced its PBSA Background Screening Organization Accreditation Program completion in July 2024. Accreditation and FCRA compliance are table stakes in this category, so neither is a differentiator between these two. How much help you get staying compliant is.
Switching is easy
The main reason people stay with a vendor that isn’t working is that changing feels like a project. Here’s the actual process when you switch to VICTIG.
1. A conversation
We learn what you screen for and what isn’t working now.
2. A demo
You see the software with your use case in it.
3. Sign
Straightforward terms, no long negotiation.
4. We take it from there
Our team handles the ATS connection and package setup.
How hard is it to switch from First Advantage to VICTIG?
Not hard. Nothing to migrate, no new system for your team to learn, and VICTIG’s onboarding team handles the ATS connection and package setup. Most clients are running checks within days. If you are mid-transition from a legacy Sterling account, tell us where that stands and we will work around it.
Here is what our customers say
4.7/5 average across 512+ reviews on G2
Easy to Use and Very Responsive Customer Support
“Ease of use and responsiveness of customer support.”
User-Friendly with Exceptional Support
“I really appreciate the ease of navigating the platform, and I love the customer service associates. They are all so helpful and friendly.”
Easy to Use with an Incredibly Helpful Team
“It is very easy to use and the team has been incredibly helpful.”
Exceptional Service and Support for Preemployment Screening
“I like the quality service provided by VICTIG. Their good customer service stands out to me, and I also appreciate the regular updates.”
Outstanding Customer Service That Exceeds Expectations
“The customer service is outstanding and always quick to help.”
Great Service with Fast Results
“The price and speed of the background checks is very helpful. Especially international background checks — they come back very quickly compared to other vendors.”
Great Service, Easy Setup, Keeping It Simple
“Easy setup process with UKG integration. Excellent customer service support post-implementation and genuine care in helping our organization.”
Fast, User-Friendly, and Cost Effective
“The team that helped us implement and integrate were very professional and helpful, and the platform is very easy to use.”
They Do a Great Job Streamlining the Process
“Background checks used to be the bane of my existence. Because of VICTIG’s ease of use, we now run background checks for every role.”
Excellent Customer Service
“Even if we do not get background checks in the time we need them, we know the VICTIG team is on top of it!”
No Complaints!
“Super easy to request releases via email. Background checks come back really quickly, and the customer service is responsive and pleasant to communicate with.”
Great Service and Quick Results
“Any time I have a question, our rep gets back to me super fast. It’s great having an actual person to talk to instead of a generic help email address.”
Easy and Good Customer Service
“The customer service has been great. Any time I have a question it gets answered super quick.”
Easy and Great to Work With
“We can get them done in minimal steps, and they are quick to respond and update.”
Simple, Easy to Use, and Backed by Great Customer Service
“The service is simple and easy to use, and it comes with great customer service.”
Still deciding?
Talk to us for 15 minutes. We’ll tell you honestly whether we’re the right fit, and if we’re not, we’ll tell you that too.
Or call 866-886-5644. Someone will pick up. That’s sort of the point.
