Sterling · FinOps Profile

Sterling Check Finops

FinOps view of Sterling spend. Sterling (a First Advantage company) is a background and identity screening provider; cost is driven by the screenings you order rather than by API calls. Billing is quote-based and contractual - effectively per background check / per screening package, with per-check price varying by the products bundled (criminal, verifications, drug/health, identity, continuous monitoring) and the screening region (US, EMEA, Canada, APAC). The API is the ordering channel, not a separately metered product. Downstream passthrough fees (e.g., court access or verification fees) may add to Sterling's own charges.

Sterling Check Finops is the FinOps profile for Sterling on the APIs.io network, aligned with the FinOps Foundation Framework.

It defines 4 billable meters, billed in USD, on a monthly cycle, and pricing category usage-based.

The profile maps 8 FOCUS columns for cost-allocation reporting.

Tagged areas include Background Screening, Identity Verification, Compliance, FinOps, and Cost Management.

Category: Background and Identity Screening Pricing: Usage-Based Billing: Monthly FOCUS v1.3
Background ScreeningIdentity VerificationComplianceFinOpsCost ManagementFOCUS

Framework Alignment

Framework
FinOps Foundation Framework
Data Spec
FOCUS v1.3

Charge Categories

UsagePurchaseAdjustment

FOCUS Columns

BillingCurrency
USD
ChargeCategory
Usage
InvoiceIssuerName
Sterling
PricingCategory
Usage-Based
ProviderName
Sterling
PublisherName
Sterling (a First Advantage company)
ServiceCategory
Background and Identity Screening
ServiceName
Sterling API

Meters

screenings
Unit: screenings
Background screenings (orders) submitted, billed per check.
report_items
Unit: items
Individual screening products run within screenings; contribute to per-check price.
continuous_monitoring
Unit: screenings
Recurring / continuous screenings that re-run on a schedule to monitor candidates over time.
passthrough_fees
Unit: charges
Downstream third-party fees (e.g., court access, verification fees) passed through on invoices.

Sources