Offendersearch vs Checkr
They solve different problems, and this page says so plainly. Checkr is a full, FCRA-regulated background-screening platform. Offendersearch is a self-serve API for searching sex-offender registries — instant key, free to start, all 58 US registries in one call, and a hosted MCP server for AI agents. If you want a registry-check layer you can integrate today without a sales call, this is the faster path; if you need FCRA-compliant employment screening, Checkr is the better fit.
Checkr is a full FCRA background-screening platform. Offendersearch is a self-serve registry-search API you can integrate today.
| What matters | Offendersearch | Checkr |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A focused search API over sex-offender registries — all 58 US registries in one call, plus a live criminal-records API (county, state and federal) on the same key | A full background-screening platform: criminal records, employment and education verification, driving records, drug testing and continuous monitoring |
| Getting started | ✓ Self-serve — create an account, get a key instantly, make your first call in minutes. No sales call, no contract | Sales-led onboarding with a compliance and credentialing review before API access |
| Free tier | ✓ 25 searches free, no card required — enough to evaluate the API before you commit | No self-serve free tier |
| Pricing | ✓ Public, usage-based — $0.15 per call, lower at volume. You can see it before you sign up | Quote / contract, arranged through sales |
| FCRA & consumer reports | Not a consumer reporting agency; results are public-record data, not a consumer report. Use the FCRA process where the law requires it | An FCRA-regulated consumer reporting agency, built for employment screening with adjudication and dispute handling |
| Registry-search depth | ✓ All 58 registries in one call, per-source provenance on every response, statute-level offence detail, and match scoring | Registry data is one input inside a broader report, not a first-class, itemized search surface |
| AI-agent native | ✓ A hosted MCP server, so Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and other agents can search registries directly | Not offered as an MCP server |
Checkr is a trademark of its respective owner; this comparison is for informational purposes and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Checkr. Offendersearch is not a consumer reporting agency and results are public-record data, not a consumer report — do not use them for employment, tenancy or other FCRA-covered decisions without the process the law requires.
Built for the one job you came for
Start today, no sales call
You get an API key the moment you sign up and a free tier to evaluate it — no demo to schedule, no credentialing wait. It is the reason a developer looks for a Checkr alternative in the first place: to start now.
Registry search as a first-class surface
One call searches all 58 US registries and returns scored, de-duplicated matches with per-source citations — not a registry line buried inside a broader report you cannot itemize.
AI-agent native
A hosted MCP server lets an agent run a registry search directly, so you can build registry checks into an assistant or workflow without wrapping a UI.
Switch to Offendersearch if…
- You need to search sex-offender registries from code, today, without a sales call
- You want a free tier and public per-call pricing before you commit
- You want all 58 US registries in one call, scored and source-cited
- You are building registry checks into an app or an AI agent (MCP)
- You need a registry-check layer alongside a broader process, not a full CRA
Stay with Checkr if…
- You need FCRA-compliant employment background checks with adjudication
- You need criminal, education, employment, driving or drug screening in one workflow
- Continuous monitoring and a compliance/dispute process are requirements
We would rather you pick the right tool than churn in a week. If that is Checkr, this page did its job.
For the specific job of “search sex-offender registries from my code, today” — instant key, free to start, all 58 US registries in one call, scored and source-cited, with an MCP server for agents — Offendersearch is the faster path. For full FCRA employment screening, Checkr is the right tool, and this page will not pretend otherwise.
What people ask before switching
Is Offendersearch a replacement for Checkr?
Not for what Checkr is built for. Checkr is a full, FCRA-regulated background-screening platform for employment decisions, with criminal, verification, driving and drug checks plus adjudication. Offendersearch is a focused, self-serve API for searching sex-offender registries. If you need an FCRA-compliant employment background check, that is Checkr's job; if you need a fast, developer-first way to search registries, that is ours. Some teams use both.
Why would a developer choose Offendersearch over Checkr?
Speed and self-service. An API key the moment you sign up, a free tier to evaluate it, transparent per-call pricing, and a single call that searches every US registry and returns scored, source-cited results — no sales call, contract or credentialing wait — plus an MCP server so an AI agent can run the search.
Can I use Offendersearch for employment or tenant decisions?
Offendersearch is not a consumer reporting agency and its results are not a consumer report. Do not use them as the basis for employment, tenancy, credit or insurance decisions without the process required by law, including the FCRA. For FCRA-covered employment screening, use an FCRA-compliant provider; Offendersearch fits awareness, safety, and as a registry-search layer within a compliant process.
What does Offendersearch cover?
All 58 US sex-offender registries — every US state, DC and the territories — in a single call, with per-source citations so you always know which registry answered. A criminal-records API across county, state and federal sources is live on the same key.
Search every US registry in one place — free to start
25 free searches, no card and no subscription. Your API key and the no-code dashboard both work the moment you sign up.