The closest anyone gets to our price — and still only half the protection.
National Crime Search offers genuinely low-cost volunteer packages. We respect that. But a database search isn’t a full screening program — there’s no applicant identity verification, no free address-history check, no application templates, and no volunteer-management platform around it.
Of every competitor on this list, National Crime Search comes closest to us on price, with "SafeChoice" volunteer packages roughly in the $13.95–$27.95 range. That’s worth acknowledging honestly.
But price is where the comparison ends. It’s a search, not a platform: no volunteer badge, no roster, no recruiting tools — and critically, no verification that the applicant is who they claim to be, and none of the free extras (address-history check, application templates) included with VolunteerBadge.
VolunteerBadge is still cheaper than the top package, and it wraps the search in the things that actually keep your program safe.
Reasons nonprofits switch from National Crime Search
A search, not a platform
No volunteer badge, no roster, no recruiting or compliance tooling. You get a result, then you’re on your own to run the program.
No identity verification in the volunteer packages
The SafeChoice volunteer packages confirm records against submitted identifiers, not the applicant’s real identity — the exact gap a determined bad actor exploits.
No free volunteer tools or platform
No free address-history check, no application templates, and no roster or recruiting tools — you get a result, then you’re on your own to run the program.
Price per background check
That makes VolunteerBadge up to 5.6× cheaper per check — SafeChoice Level I and Level II packages.
| Capability | VolunteerBadge | National Crime Search |
|---|---|---|
| Price per criminal check | $5 | $13.95–$27.95 |
| Identity verification in the volunteer package | Included + triangulated | Not in SafeChoice |
| Full volunteer platform (not just a search) | ||
| Portable volunteer badge profile | ||
| FCRA adverse-action workflow | Limited | |
| Address-history verification | Varies | |
| Volunteer roster & recruiting tools | ||
| Sex-offender registry search | ||
| Verifies reportable records (all FCRA CRAs) | ||
| Free address history check | Free, always | |
| Free volunteer application templates |
We verify the human, not just the paperwork.
A low price means nothing if the search runs on the wrong person’s clean record. National Crime Search’s SafeChoice volunteer packages run on submitted identifiers — they don’t include identity verification of the applicant. VolunteerBadge builds it into every check: a live selfie matched to a government ID, triangulated against the SSN trace and address history — so a borrowed identity can’t walk through your front door for a few dollars less.
Live biometric selfie
A real liveness capture — not a photo upload — proving a live person is present.
Government photo ID match
The selfie is matched face-to-face against their official ID document.
SSN-trace triangulation
Identity is cross-checked against the SSN trace and address history behind the check.
Why it matters: a name-, DOB- and SSN-only search can be passed with a borrowed clean identity. Tying a verified, living identity to the application is how you stop someone from screening as somebody else.
Everything you need — no add-ons, no surprises.
Free address-history check
An address-history lookup is included free with every application — no add-on fee.
Free volunteer application templates
Ready-to-use, sector-specific application templates at no extra cost.
Built-in FCRA workflow
Digital consent, disclosures, and automated pre-adverse & adverse-action notices with a full audit trail.
Money-back guarantee
If we can't confirm a record belongs to your applicant, we refund the check.
“It never sat right with me to watch nonprofits get charged enterprise prices to screen the very volunteers who keep their missions alive. Our margins are honestly razor thin — and we’re completely at peace with that.”
Matt Angerer · Co-Founder, VolunteerBadge
Read why we priced it this way — the full storyFAQ
VolunteerBadge is cheaper than even the budget option?
Yes — at $5, VolunteerBadge is below National Crime Search’s higher SafeChoice tier, and it includes a full platform and identity verification on top.
What am I missing with a plain database search?
Identity verification, guaranteed human review of records, a portable volunteer badge, and the roster and compliance tools that make running a program manageable.
Is VolunteerBadge’s data as broad?
Yes — a national criminal database search with sex-offender registry and address-history verification, FCRA-compliant, with human review of any hit.
An online volunteer background check for every kind of organization
Wherever you serve, VolunteerBadge is the affordable volunteer background check service that switches organizations off National Crime Search — a $5 volunteer background check with verified identity and built-in FCRA compliance for nonprofits.
Church volunteer background checks
Children’s ministry, youth groups, and missions teams — run a church volunteer background check that verifies identity before anyone serves.
Youth sports volunteer background checks
Coaches, team parents, and league officials. A youth sports volunteer background check at $5 keeps every season covered without blowing the budget.
School volunteer background checks
Classroom helpers, chaperones, and PTA volunteers. Meet school volunteer background check requirements with FCRA-compliant reports.
Background checks for nonprofits
From food banks to disaster relief, VolunteerBadge is the affordable volunteer background check service built for nonprofits of every size.
Compare other volunteer background check services
See how VolunteerBadge stacks up against the rest.
vs
Sterling Volunteers
$5 vs $19–$39
vs
Checkr
$5 vs $29.99+
vs
GoodHire
$5 vs $29.99–$89.99
vs
NCSI
$5 vs Quote / package
Make the switch from National Crime Search — for $5 / check
Create a free account, invite a volunteer, and run a fully FCRA-compliant, identity-verified check for $5. No contract. No monthly fee. No catch.