What Verifile does

Verifile Limited is a UK-based background screening technology company founded in 2004 and headquartered in Bedford, England. The company operates a global employment screening platform that enables employers to verify candidate credentials across more than 150 countries, running thousands of international checks per month. Its core offering combines automated and manual verification across criminal records (Basic, Standard, and Enhanced DBS; AccessNI; Scotland PVG), digital identity verification (including ICAO-standardised global passport validation), employment and education history, credit checks via Equifax and Experian, sanctions and PEP screening, open media searches across 1000+ search engines, and driver/vehicle checks. The platform is delivered through a candidate portal, an enterprise client portal, a Background Check API, and pre-built integrations with applicant tracking systems.

The business monetises through four streams: subscription-based enterprise screening packages, transaction-fee individual checks, API and ATS integration licensing, and professional services. GTM combines enterprise field sales, self-serve online registration with direct debit/credit card/bank transfer payment, and an API-first distribution model through partnerships with Ashby, Bullhorn, Greenhouse, and Eploy plus the G-Cloud 13 and 14 procurement frameworks for UK public sector. Verifile serves 22 industry verticals with primary depth in Health & Social Care, Financial Services, Education & Childcare, and Security, and horizontal use cases covering contractors, global employers, KYC, and supply chain screening. The firm is privately held and bootstrapped, operating under a group structure that includes Verifile Holdings Limited, Verifile Limited (primary operating entity), and WorkPass Limited (an employment and income verification subsidiary).

Certifications and regulatory credentials include ISO 27001, ISO 9001, Cyber Essentials Plus, NSI Gold (BS7858), PBSA accreditation achieved June 2024, ICO registration (Z8845041), and two King's/Queen's Awards for Enterprise (2019 and 2024). Eyal Ben Cohen is identified as Founder/CEO. Named customer references include Ropes & Gray, Investec, Care UK, and CareMatch, spanning legal, financial services, and healthcare verticals.

Name

Verifile

Legal name

Verifile Limited

Website

https://verifile.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Verifile Limited is a UK-based, bootstrapped background screening technology provider founded in 2004, offering automated and manual employment, criminal, identity, and credit checks across 150+ countries to employers in 22 industry verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Background Screening Services

NAICS

Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Global / International Background Screening (BPACALAI)

Keywords

• Background screening
• Employment verification
• Criminal record checks
• Identity verification
• Compliance screening

Headquarters

HQ city

Bedford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Background Screening Services: Core revenue stream from providing comprehensive background checks including criminal record checks, employment history verification, education qualification checks, credit checks, identity verification, and global sanctions screening. Services are charged per check or as part of subscription packages.
2. Individual Check Services: One-time transaction fees for specific background checks such as criminal record checks (DBS, AccessNI, Scotland PVG), credit checks, driving record checks, and professional membership verification. Pricing varies by check type and turnaround time.
3. API and Integration Services: Background Check API and ATS integration services enabling automated workflow integration with client systems. Revenue from technology licensing and integration setup fees.
4. Professional Services: Consulting and support services including compliance advisory, custom check configurations, and dedicated account management for enterprise clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Verifile provides global background screening services covering identity, criminal, employment, education, credit, and right-to-work checks across 150+ countries, delivered through its proprietary web-based Verifile Platform and a system-to-system Verifile API. Offerings combine human-vetted analyst verification with automated Instant Checks, and extend to Continuous Staff Monitoring for ongoing workforce risk surveillance post-hire.

Product overview

Verifile is an award-winning global background screening technology company offering a comprehensive platform for employment screening and verification services. The core Verifile Platform serves as the central hub, supporting multiple product modules including Referencing and Verification Services (employment history, education, professional memberships), Identity and Documents Verification Checks (including Digital Identity Checks), Criminal Record Checks (DBS, AccessNI, PVG schemes), Credit and Financial Checks, Fraud Checks, Open Media Searches, Driver and Vehicle Record Checks, and Vendor Vetting. These modules are delivered through various solutions including screening for permanent/temporary employees, contractor screening, continuous staff monitoring, global screening (150+ countries), KYC, and WorkPass. The company operates internationally from UK headquarters, serving clients across diverse industries with both automated instant checks and manual verification processes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WorkPass: Employment and Income Verification solution offered as part of Verifile's screening services.

Products and services

• Verifile Platform Web-based background screening management platform that allows employers to order, track, and review screening checks on candidates and employees. Used by HR, compliance, and talent acquisition teams at regulated enterprises to manage pre-employment and ongoing screening workflows.
• Verifile API System-to-system API that allows HR, ATS, RPO, and onboarding platforms to initiate and consume background screening checks programmatically. Targeted at recruitment and HR technology providers that want to embed screening directly into their candidate journey.
• Instant Checks Automated digital background checks delivering fast-turnaround verification results for time-sensitive hiring decisions. Used by employers seeking to shorten time-to-hire while maintaining screening quality.
• Continuous Staff Monitoring Ongoing workforce screening service that monitors employee status changes after point of hire, enabling employers to manage ongoing people risk and duty-of-care obligations. Particularly relevant for regulated and safety-sensitive roles.
• Digital Identity Checks Digital identity verification checks aligned with the PAS 1296 standard, supporting right-to-work and identity assurance requirements for employers onboarding candidates in regulated environments.
• Global Background Screening Multi-jurisdiction background screening service covering identity, criminal, employment, education, credit, and right-to-work checks across 150+ countries. Delivered through a combination of in-house UK operations and an international partner network, used by employers hiring across multiple geographies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Instant automated background checks available for many check types, significantly reducing traditional turnaround times of weeks to hours/days

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AshbycoreTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2024ATS integration partnership enabling automated background screening workflows within the Ashby recruitment platform. Part of Verifile's expanded ATS integration portfolio.
• BullhorncoreTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2024ATS integration partnership with Bullhorn, a leading recruitment and staffing software platform, enabling seamless background screening integration for Bullhorn users.
• GreenhousecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2024Integration with Greenhouse onboarding platform enabling automated background check triggers within the hiring workflow.
• EploycoreTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2024Integration partnership with Eploy applicant tracking system for automated background screening integration.
• HR NinjasminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023Partnership announcement with HR Ninjas to elevate background screening standards, providing enhanced services to HR Ninjas clients.
• CPC (Child Protection Company)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2023Partnership to host a webinar on keeping children safe, demonstrating commitment to child protection in the education and childcare sector.
• G-Cloud FrameworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 September 2022Awarded a place on the G-Cloud 13 framework (2022) and G-Cloud 14 framework (2024), enabling UK public sector organisations to procure Verifile's background screening services through approved government procurement channels.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sterling Talent Solutions: Sterling (now Sterling Check) is a PE-backed, US-headquartered background screening and identity verification provider with strong enterprise customer base. Direct competitor in enterprise screening; comparable continuous-monitoring and identity product suites.
• First Advantage: Publicly-listed global background screening company offering criminal, employment, education, and identity verification across 200+ countries. Closest large-scale public peer to Verifile for product breadth and international reach; benchmark for valuation comparisons.
• Certn: Canada-based background screening provider offering pre-employment checks, identity verification and continuous monitoring via API. Direct competitor in modern, multi-country screening and continuous monitoring — a relevant comparable for Verifile's newer product lines.
• Veremark: UK- and Singapore-headquartered background screening startup with digital, API-led product targeting global employers. Closest size-and-stage peer to Verifile; competes for similar UK and APAC mid-market enterprise clients with a more software-native brand.
• HireRight: Global, PE-backed background screening provider offering pre-employment, criminal, identity and drug screening across multiple geographies. Directly comparable to Verifile in core product scope and enterprise customer base, but operates at materially larger scale and with deeper geographic infrastructure.
• Accurate Background: US-headquartered background screening provider serving enterprise and mid-market employers with criminal, employment, education and drug screening. Comparable in product scope and enterprise focus; useful benchmark for US-market expansion if Verifile scales abroad.
• Checkr: US-based, venture-capital-backed background screening platform known for API-first product and ATS integrations (similar to Verifile's Greenhouse/Bullhorn motion). Direct competitor in modern, technology-led screening; key benchmark for Verifile's product velocity and ATS-native go-to-market.

Regional players

• uCheck: UK-based DBS and background screening provider focused primarily on the UK market, serving HR teams across regulated sectors. Closest UK-only domestic peer to Verifile, useful for benchmarking share in the UK mid-market screening segment.

Broad incumbents

• Jumio: Large-scale identity verification and KYC platform serving financial services, gig economy and online businesses globally. Comparable to Verifile's identity and KYC capabilities but operates at a much broader enterprise scale across multiple verticals beyond employment.

Emerging players

• Onfido: Identity verification specialist (now part of Entrust) offering AI-driven digital ID and KYC. Closest comparable to Verifile's Digital Identity Checks and KYC modules; though more focused on financial-services KYC than employment screening.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/verifile
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-TKhlc5OudxGf_InjMbr2A?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/verifileltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verifile-ltd

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Verifile