Indicium vs. Sterling, Checkr and HireRight: The DACH Comparison

Anyone looking for background-check software in the DACH market quickly comes across the US heavyweights Sterling, Checkr and HireRight. This comparison shows which solution fits when — and why GDPR is central to the decision.

The providers at a glance

Sterling

• Founded: 1975, USA (New York)

• Focus: Enterprise customers worldwide

• Strength: Largest database, broad feature set

• Weakness: US-centric, GDPR compliance retrofitted

Checkr

• Founded: 2014, USA (San Francisco)

• Focus: Tech companies, gig economy (Uber, Airbnb)

• Strength: Modern API, fast integrations

• Weakness: Strongly US-focused, little DACH presence

HireRight

• Founded: 1995, USA (Irvine, CA)

• Focus: Global Enterprise, over 100 countries

• Strength: Global reach, broad compliance portfolio

• Weakness: Complex implementation, little DACH-specific functionality

Indicium

• Founded: 2020 in Zug (CH)

• Focus: DACH market, EU regulation

• Strength: GDPR-native architecture, BaFin fit-and-proper capable, German language/support

• Weakness: Younger company, smaller global data set than the US incumbents

The GDPR difference

This is the key differentiator for the DACH market.

US providers: GDPR retrofitted

Sterling, Checkr and HireRight were built for the US market. US data protection (FCRA, state laws) differs fundamentally from GDPR:

• Opt-out is the standard, not opt-in

• Data retention periods are longer

• Transfers to third countries such as the US are problematic under Schrems II

• Many US providers process data on US servers (CLOUD Act risk)

GDPR compliance was implemented later — often via sub-processing agreements and EU entities. This works, but is legally more fragile than GDPR-native solutions.

Indicium: GDPR by Design

Indicium was developed from the outset for EU data protection:

• Servers exclusively in the EU

• Opt-in as standard (documented consent for each check)

• Data processing under Art. 6 GDPR and Section 26 BDSG

• Data processing agreement under Art. 28 GDPR

• Automatic deletion after 90 days (configurable)

• No US data transfers

For data protection officers and legal counsel, this is a decisive difference.

Feature comparison

Price comparison

When each provider fits

Sterling or HireRight fit if:

• You are a global corporation with 1,000+ hires per year

• You have offices in 20+ countries

• You need checks in exotic regions (sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia)

• GDPR risk is accounted for in risk management

• Budget for enterprise contracts is available

Checkr fits if:

• You are a tech startup with high hiring volume in the US

• API-first mentality and fast integration matter

• You prefer pay-per-use instead of fixed packages

• DACH regulation is not a focus

Indicium fits if:

• Main market is DACH + EU

• GDPR compliance is mandatory (compliance function, legal)

• Regulated industry: banks, insurance, fintech, BaFin-licensed

• Personio, SAP, Workday are used as HR systems

• German support and German contract drafting are desired

• Mid-sized company (20–500 hires per year)

The Switzerland and EU regulatory advantage

European regulation goes significantly beyond GDPR — and that is exactly where Indicium's structural advantage over US providers lies.

Switzerland: revFADP + FINMA compliance

The revised Swiss Data Protection Act (revFADP, since September 2023) is close to GDPR, but not identical law. Differences exist, among other things, in notification obligations (72 hours vs. "as soon as possible") and fines (personal liability instead of corporate fines). Sterling, Checkr and HireRight do not have specific revFADP documentation publicly available. Indicium explicitly documents both GDPR and revFADP in parallel — crucial for Swiss banks under FINMA supervision and their fitness person checks under Art. 3 BankG.

EU regulation: CRD VI, EBA-ESMA, AMLR

The EBA-ESMA Joint Guidelines on Suitability 2024 and CRD VI tighten fit-and-proper requirements across the EU. The new AMLR (from 2027) and AMLA (Frankfurt) significantly expand the monitoring regime. US providers must map these requirements through European subsidiaries — structurally retrofitted. Indicium is designed in Europe and therefore adapts more quickly to new EU regulations.

Austria: EU law + national specifics

Austria applies EU law directly. Additional local requirements come via the FMA (financial sector), Section 10 AVRAG (employee data protection) and Section 1151 ABGB. Indicium supports Austrian customers with a German-language interface and can provide contract drafting under Austrian law on request.

Typical combinations

Many DACH companies use combinations:

• Indicium as the primary tool for DACH hiring + Sterling/HireRight for international executive search

• Indicium as a compliance layer (BaFin fit-and-proper) + existing HR screening for standard roles

• Migration from a US provider to Indicium after a Schrems II ruling and a GDPR audit

Summary

Sterling, Checkr and HireRight are strong tools for global enterprise use — but GDPR-retrofitted and US-centric. Indicium is the GDPR-native alternative for the DACH market with a clear BaFin focus.

For DACH companies with regulated roles or a priority on data protection, Indicium is the lower-risk choice. For global corporations with a US headquarters, Sterling or HireRight may still be the right decision.

Book a demo and compare Indicium directly with your current tool. Or take a look at the Trust Center for the compliance documents.