Accurate Background
Accurate Background is a global provider of automated employment background screening, drug testing, and workforce compliance solutions serving 16,000+ customers across healthcare, financial services, transportation, retail, and staffing, with operations spanning six continents.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersIrvine, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Accurate Background does
Accurate Background is a global provider of automated employment background screening and workforce compliance solutions, founded in 1997 by Dave Dickerson and headquartered in Irvine, California. The company operates as the largest privately held, minority-owned background screening provider worldwide, serving more than 16,000 customers across six continents and supporting screening in 30 languages. Its core product offering comprises automated background checks, drug screening, occupational health testing, and ongoing workforce monitoring services, with the screening platform integrated into 70+ Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and HR technology platforms, enabling embedded ordering, status tracking, and compliance audit trails within customer hiring workflows. Industry coverage spans healthcare, financial services, transportation, retail, staffing, and the gig economy, with customers ranging from startups to government agencies.
The company's technology stack relies on live connections to court record repositories and government databases across multiple jurisdictions, processing 60M+ searches annually, with regulatory accreditations including ISO 27001, Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA) membership, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) accreditation, and Australian Federal Police (AFP) authorized-agent status. The most recent product release, the Accel platform launched in Australia in September 2024, represents a next-generation platform investment following the 2023 acquisition of VerifyNow. The geographic footprint has been built through a combination of acquisitions (Vero Screening in the UK, July 2022; VerifyNow in APAC, March 2023; Orange Tree Employment Screening, June 2024) and greenfield expansion (India delivery operations, 2022).
The business model is enterprise B2B with custom, quote-based per-search and per-package pricing; revenue is generated from employers and staffing firms ordering background checks, drug screens, and occupational health assessments on a transaction-by-transaction or subscription basis, supplemented by enterprise contracts with mid-market and large employers that bundle screening volumes. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales with channel distribution through ATS integrations, and the company has been privately held and PE-backed since Apax Partners invested in February 2020 to finance the international rollout.
Accurate Background firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Accurate Background
- Legal name
- Accurate Background LLC
- Website
- https://accurate.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Accurate Background is a global provider of automated employment background screening, drug testing, and workforce compliance solutions serving 16,000+ customers across healthcare, financial services, transportation, retail, and staffing, with operations spanning six continents.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Accurate Background industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Employment Background Screening Services
- NAICS
- Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611), Investigation and Security Services (5616)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pre-Employment Background Checks & Screening (BPAKAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Criminal Background Checks (National/State/County) (BPACALAA), Employment Verification (Work History & References) (BPACALAB), Continuous Monitoring & Post-Hire Screening (BPACALAJ), Credential, Education & Professional License Verification (BPAKAEAI), Credit History Checks (Permissible Purpose) (BPACALAF)
Keywords
Where Accurate Background is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Irvine
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Accurate Background business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Background Screening Services: The company generates revenue primarily through background screening services, including criminal history searches, employment and education verification, credit checks, and other screening services. Pricing is custom/quotes-based and not publicly disclosed. The revenue model appears to be a mix of per-search/transaction fees and potentially subscription-like arrangements for enterprise clients with volume commitments.
- Monitoring Services: Ongoing criminal and arrest record monitoring services for employed individuals, providing continuous protection for organizations post-hire.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom enterprise and SMB packages with tailored screening bundles |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Accurate Background product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Accurate Background is a provider of employment background screening services including criminal history searches, employment and education verification, credit checks, drug testing, identity verification, and ongoing workforce monitoring. The company operates its own technology platform (Accel) with an integrated API and pre-built integrations to 70+ applicant tracking systems, enabling employers to order, track, and manage screening results end-to-end.
Product overview
Accurate Background offers a unified employment screening platform with multiple integrated products and modules. The core offering includes Employee Screening Services encompassing criminal background checks, credit checks, drug and health screening, identity verification, verifications, global searches, and monitoring services. The platform includes technology products: the Background Check API for developer integration, Accurate ATS Integrations connecting to 70+ applicant tracking systems, Client Ordering Platform for high-volume screening, Candidate Portal for mobile-first candidate experience, and Automated Court Access for court record verification. The company provides industry-specific solutions for healthcare, financial services, transportation, retail, staffing, insurance, and gig/marketplaces sectors. Regional services are offered in the US, UK (via Vero Screening), and Australia/New Zealand (via VerifyNow). In September 2024, the company launched Accel, a next-generation Australian-based platform for enterprise and government clients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Employee Background Screening
- Accel Platform
- Background Check API
- Candidate Portal
- Automated Court Access
- Ongoing Workforce Monitoring
- UK Employment Screening Services
- Australia Employment Screening Services
- Healthcare Workforce Screening
- Financial Services Workforce Screening
- Transportation Workforce Screening
- Staffing Industry Screening
- Gig & Marketplace Worker Screening
Quantifiable outcome
- 16,000+ customers worldwide rely on Accurate Background for employment screening services
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Accurate Background
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments15 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Accurate Background technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Feature6 records
Accurate Background partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Orange Tree Employment ScreeningcoreAccurate Background acquired Orange Tree Employment Screening, a technology-driven background screening provider, in June 2024. The acquisition aims to enhance Accurate's service capabilities and global reach, particularly in key markets such as healthcare.
- VerifyNow Pty LtdcoreVerifyNow was acquired by Accurate Background in March 2023 to expand Accurate's presence in Australia and New Zealand. The acquisition added a new office in Australia and integrated VerifyNow's operations into Accurate's global strategy, supporting multinational clients. VerifyNow now trades as Accurate Background in Australia.
- Australia Post Screening CustomersminorFollowing Australia Post's screening division closure, Accurate Australia stepped in to serve Australia Post screening customers, absorbing those clients into its Australian operations.
- Vero Screening Ltd.coreVero Screening, the UK's largest independent employment screening provider, was acquired by Accurate Background in July 2022 to bolster its global expansion and vertical market expertise. The deal maintained Vero's brand and leadership while expanding Accurate's presence in the UK and regulated industries. Vero Screening Limited continues trading as Accurate in the UK.
- Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC)coreAccurate Australia is ACIC-accredited to conduct Criminal History Checks through the National Police Checking service. This is a core accreditation enabling the company to process Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Checks (NCCHC) for standard and volunteer roles in Australia.
- Australian Federal Police (AFP)coreAccurate Australia is AFP-authorized to conduct National Police Checks through the AFP service. This authorization is core to the company's ability to provide police check services in Australia.
- Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA)coreAccurate Background is a member of the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA), the industry body setting standards for employment background screening providers globally.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Accurate Background competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Checkr: Checkr is a venture-backed, API-first background screening platform focused on gig economy and tech customers. It competes with Accurate on turnaround time, developer experience, and transparent SMB pricing, representing the tech-native threat to traditional screening incumbents.
- First Advantage: First Advantage is a publicly traded global background screening company offering employment, tenant, and supply-chain screening. It competes head-to-head with Accurate in enterprise and SMB background checks and has a comparable international footprint.
- HireRight: HireRight is a global background screening provider serving enterprise and mid-market customers across regulated industries. It directly competes with Accurate in employment screening, ATS integrations, and multi-jurisdiction compliance capabilities.
- A-Check Global: A-Check Global is a mid-sized background screening provider with ATS integration capabilities and multi-jurisdiction coverage. It competes with Accurate primarily in mid-market and SMB segments with similar per-check pricing models.
- PreCheck: PreCheck is a background screening provider specializing in healthcare and regulated industries. It competes with Accurate specifically in the healthcare vertical (NDIS-style screening, credentialing, ongoing monitoring).
- Sterling Check Corp: Sterling is one of the largest US-based background screening providers offering pre-employment, identity, and monitoring services. It is the most direct large-scale competitor to Accurate, recently valued at $2.2B in its 2024 sale, with overlapping enterprise customer base and similar FCRA-compliant product suite.
Broad incumbents
- Pinkerton (Corporate Investigations): Pinkerton is a global security and investigations firm that offers corporate background screening and due diligence as part of a broader risk-management portfolio. It competes with Accurate in pre-employment and executive screening while serving larger enterprise security buyers.
Emerging players
- Certn: Certn is an emerging global background screening platform with developer-friendly API and AI-driven screening workflows. It represents the next-generation API-first competitor targeting mid-market employers globally.
- GoodHire: GoodHire is a Checkr-owned background screening service focused on small businesses and HR teams. It targets the SMB segment where Accurate's opaque pricing and enterprise GTM are weakest.
Regional players
- Veremark: Veremark is a background screening provider focused on EMEA and APAC markets. It is comparable as a regional competitor in the UK and Australia where Accurate competes via its Vero Screening and VerifyNow subsidiaries.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Accurate Background social profiles
Digital presenceAccurate Background compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Accurate Background financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Accurate Background leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Accurate Background subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Accurate Background funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Accurate Background M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A4 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Accurate Background
What does Accurate Background do?
Accurate Background is a provider of employment background screening services including criminal history searches, employment and education verification, credit checks, drug testing, identity verification, and ongoing workforce monitoring. The company operates its own technology platform (Accel) with an integrated API and pre-built integrations to 70+ applicant tracking systems, enabling employers to order, track, and manage screening results end-to-end.
Is Accurate Background a public or private company?
Accurate Background is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Accurate Background founded?
Accurate Background was founded in 1997. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Accurate Background based?
Accurate Background is headquartered in Irvine, United States, in the North America region.
How does Accurate Background make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Background Screening Services are the primary driver. The others are monitoring Services.
Who are Accurate Background's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Checkr, First Advantage, HireRight, A-Check Global, PreCheck and Sterling Check Corp. Pinkerton (Corporate Investigations) is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Certn and GoodHire. Veremark is listed as a regional player.
Does Accurate Background have an API?
Yes. Accurate Background offers a Background Check API that allows developers to integrate screening services into their web or mobile applications. The API enables compliant background checks and integrates with applicant tracking systems. Developer documentation is at www.accurate.com/solutions/background-check-api.
What industry is Accurate Background in?
Accurate Background's product category is Employment Background Screening Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAKAEAA, Pre-Employment Background Checks & Screening, with a secondary code of BPACALAA, Criminal Background Checks (National/State/County). Its NAICS code is 561611 and its SIC code is 7361.