Sterling is one of the largest global background check providers, and for good reason. Their US domestic checks and broad international coverage are strong products. But when it comes to verifying Brazilian credentials specifically, Sterling faces the same challenges as every generic international provider: no integration with Brazil's digital verification infrastructure, variable turnaround times, and higher costs. VerifyBR is purpose-built for exactly this gap.
Pricing and speed comparison
Sterling uses package-based pricing for international checks. For Brazil, costs vary depending on the scope and can escalate quickly when combining multiple check types.
| Feature | Sterling | VerifyBR |
|---|---|---|
| Education verification | $50-100+ (variable turnaround) | Included in $49 flat rate (instant to 5 days) |
| Employment verification | $50-100+ per employer (variable turnaround) | $20 add-on, all employers |
| Identity verification | Included in some packages | Included (Gov.br-backed) |
| Criminal check (Brazil) | $50-150+ (variable turnaround) | Federal clearance included |
| Credential lookup | Not available | Free (instant) |
| Turnaround time | Variable (days to weeks for Brazil) | Instant to 5 business days |
| Countries covered | 200+ | Brazil only |
| Typical total (education + identity + criminal) | $150-300+ | $49 |
| Full package with employment | $200-300+ | $69 |
VerifyBR's Full Verification is a flat $49 regardless of how many institutions the candidate attended. Education verification, government-backed identity check, and federal criminal clearance are all included. Add employment verification for $20 total ($69 bundled). Sterling's Brazil packages typically start at $50 per check type and vary based on scope.
VerifyBR also offers a free Institution Lookup: search any Brazilian institution and instantly check accreditation status against Brazil's official e-MEC database. Sterling has no equivalent free product.
Key differences for Brazil
Breadth vs. depth
Sterling's strength is breadth. They cover 200+ countries, and if you need background checks across many geographies, that coverage matters. VerifyBR's strength is depth. We only do Brazil, and we do it better than any generalist provider can. Our entire team, infrastructure, and process are built around the specific challenges of verifying Brazilian credentials for US companies.
On-the-ground team in Brazil
VerifyBR has a verification team based in Brazil who contact university registrars directly via phone and WhatsApp, navigate bureaucracy in Portuguese, and follow up persistently. Generic international providers typically relay requests through third-party partners or email-only contact methods, which Brazilian institutions are slow to respond to. Our team knows how to get answers from a Brazilian university secretary in hours, not weeks.
Integration with Brazilian digital systems
VerifyBR integrates with Brazil's e-MEC database (4,328 institutions, 899,657 courses), verifies digital diplomas cryptographically (Portaria MEC 554/2019 for 2021+ graduates), and validates Gov.br digital identity attestations backed by biometric verification against government databases. Sterling does not integrate with any of these Brazil-specific systems. When instant digital verification is possible, generic providers still default to slower manual processes.
Variable turnaround for Brazil
Sterling's turnaround times for Brazilian checks are listed as "variable" because they depend on third-party response times and local institution cooperation. In practice, this can mean days or weeks with limited visibility into progress. VerifyBR delivers results in 1-5 business days from candidate response, with a defined SLA. Our free Institution Lookup returns results in seconds.
Portuguese-speaking verifiers
Every interaction with a Brazilian university, government database, or candidate happens in Portuguese. Our verifiers understand Brazilian academic terminology, degree structures (Bacharelado, Licenciatura, Tecnologico), and the nuances of Brazil's education system. Language barriers are one of the most common reasons international background checks produce incomplete or incorrect results for Brazil.
When to use Sterling vs. VerifyBR
Use Sterling for US domestic background checks and multi-country screening
If you need SSN traces, county criminal records, drug screening, MVR, and other US domestic checks, Sterling is a strong choice. If you are screening candidates across many countries simultaneously and need a single provider for broad international coverage, Sterling's global reach is valuable. They are a good default for companies with international hiring across dozens of countries.
Use VerifyBR for Brazil-specific credential verification
If you are hiring Brazilian developers or professionals and need to verify their education, identity, and employment history, VerifyBR is faster, cheaper, and more thorough for Brazil specifically. Our team is in Brazil, our database covers the entire Brazilian higher education system, and we integrate with digital credential infrastructure that generic providers do not access.
Use both together
Many companies run Sterling for their standard US-side background check and layer VerifyBR on top for the Brazil-specific credential verification that Sterling struggles with. This is the most common pattern we see. Sterling handles what they are good at (US domestic checks, broad international coverage), and VerifyBR handles Brazil in depth. The two products are complementary, not competing.
The bottom line
Sterling is a solid global background check provider. For Brazil specifically, VerifyBR costs 65-80% less, delivers results in a defined timeframe instead of "variable" turnaround, and leverages Brazil-specific digital systems that no generalist provider integrates with.
If you are already using Sterling and want better Brazil coverage, VerifyBR plugs directly into your existing workflow. Search any Brazilian institution for free with our Institution Lookup, or get full verification starting at $49.