Certn vs Forma
Side-by-side comparison of AI visibility scores, market position, and capabilities
Modern Background Screening for SMBs and Global Hiring
Modern API-first background screening platform for SMBs and international hiring; Vancouver BC; raised $52M+;
About
Certn is a modern, API-first background screening platform that provides criminal checks, soft checks, employment verification, identity verification, and international screening in a fast and candidate-friendly digital experience designed for SMBs, high-growth companies, and employers with global hiring needs. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Certn has raised more than $52 million and built a platform that emphasizes faster turnaround times, better candidate experience, and seamless integration capabilities compared to legacy background screening providers that rely on paper-based processes and manual verification workflows.\n\nCertn's platform delivers a digital-first candidate experience where screened individuals complete consent, upload identification documents, and receive status updates through a clean mobile-optimized interface — improving completion rates compared to cumbersome legacy portals. The company offers coverage across Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, and more than 200 countries for international background checks. API-first architecture allows HR software platforms, gig economy marketplaces, and ATS vendors to integrate Certn's screening directly into their hiring workflows as a seamlessly embedded capability.\n\nCertn competes with Checkr, Sterling, and regional Canadian background screening companies in the SMB and mid-market segment. Its Canadian headquarters and strong Canadian market coverage give it advantages in serving Canadian employers underserved by US-centric screening providers, while its global coverage and API capabilities differentiate it for companies with international hiring programs and for HR tech platforms seeking to embed background screening as a feature.
Forma (San Francisco) is a flexible benefits platform offering personalized lifestyle spending accounts across wellness, learning, and childcare categories; raised $40M Series B; formerly known as Twic.
About
Forma is a San Francisco-based flexible benefits platform that replaces rigid, one-size-fits-all benefit plans with personalized lifestyle spending accounts (LSAs). Employers set a budget and define eligible categories—wellness, learning, home office, childcare, and more—while employees spend through a dedicated Forma card or reimbursement portal. The platform integrates with major HRIS and payroll systems, giving HR teams real-time utilization data and compliance controls without administrative overhead. Founded in 2017 and formerly known as Twic, Forma raised $40M in Series B funding and counts hundreds of mid-market and enterprise employers among its customers.\n\nForma's product philosophy centers on benefit equity: every employee receives the same dollar value but can allocate it toward what matters most to their individual life stage and circumstances. The platform supports dozens of pre-configured spending categories and allows custom merchant rules, giving employers flexibility to align benefits with their culture and values. Employees access their balance via a mobile app, web portal, or physical card, and Forma handles receipts, compliance categorization, and IRS substantiation automatically.\n\nIn a competitive HR tech market increasingly focused on total rewards differentiation, Forma positions itself as an antidote to benefit fragmentation. Rather than managing separate vendors for gym reimbursements, tuition assistance, and commuter benefits, HR teams consolidate everything into a single LSA or multi-account structure. The company targets the 200-to-5,000-employee segment where benefits complexity is high but enterprise HRIS platforms often lack native LSA tooling.
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