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Pre-employment screening
Access Screening vs Giant Screening: SaaS Platform vs. Managed Service - Which is right for you?
When choosing a screening partner, the decision often comes down to two distinct models: a Managed Service Provider (MSP) like Giant Screening, where a specialist team handles checks on your behalf, or a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform like Access Screening, where your team manages workflows directly through an automated system. Both are legitimate, well-regarded approaches, and the right choice depends on your organisation's priorities, internal resources, and the level of control you want over the process.
Access Screening vs Giant: Core comparison
| Feature / Metric | Access Screening | Giant Screening | Strategic advantage for Access |
|
Business Model |
SaaS platform: your team manages workflows, automates tasks, and has direct visibility over every case via a self-serve dashboard. |
Managed Service Provider: Giant's specialist teams execute and quality-check checks on your behalf, supported by their own technology platform. |
The right fit depends on your team's capacity and preference. |
|
Check Depth |
140+ checks via trusted partner integrations. Covers Right to Work, DBS, Identity, Financial, Criminal, Social Media, BPSS, Directorships, Adverse Media, DVLA, International, and more. |
Comprehensive check library including: Digital Right to Work, DBS, Criminal (global coverage in 220+ countries), BPSS, BS7858, FCA/SMCR, NHS framework, Social Media, and many more. |
Both providers offer a broad range of checks. |
|
Global Coverage |
International checks via partner integrations. |
Supported delivery in 60+ countries, with coverage available in 220+ countries for criminal record checks. |
Giant has a well-established global screening footprint that is materially understated in the original page. |
|
Ecosystem Integration |
Open API (JSON) for integration with any system. Deep native integration with the broader Access Group. |
Part of the Giant Group suite. Branded candidate portals with document management and digital signatures. |
Both platforms offer ecosystem integration. Access's advantage is depth within the Access Group; Giant's advantage is a fully managed service that pairs naturally with its payroll and contractor management offering. |
|
Automation |
Fully automated candidate journeys, customisable workflows, automated reminders and escalations. |
Technology-assisted managed service: automated checks (including instant HMRC-based employment verification) supported by specialist teams who quality-check results and handle exceptions. |
Access's pure SaaS model offers maximum automation and direct team control. |
|
Candidate Experience |
Branded, personalised candidate portals. ReciteMe accessibility toolkit. Mobile-friendly. |
Candidate-centric by design: mobile-enabled application journey, 24/7 candidate portal access, branded experience. Cited by clients as a key reason for choosing Giant. |
Both platforms invest in candidate experience. |
See how to ensure trust with reliable background checks
Understanding the Two Models
SaaS Model (Access Screening)
With a SaaS platform, your HR or recruitment team manages the entire screening process directly. You can configure workflows, monitor progress, send reminders, and have full visibility at every stage.
This model is well-suited to organisations that have the internal resources to manage screening in-house, want deep integration into their existing tech stack, and benefit from the economies of high-volume, consistent screening.
Access Screening reports up to 50% faster time-to-hire and up to 40% reduction in admin time through automation.
Managed Service Model (Giant Screening)
With a managed service, a specialist provider handles the operational complexity of screening on your behalf, validating documents, chasing references, quality-checking results, and managing exceptions.
This model is well-suited to organisations that want to reduce internal resource demands, benefit from specialist expertise for regulated or complex checks, or are scaling rapidly. The trade-off is less direct day-to-day control over the workflow.
The hidden costs of the Managed Service Model
The primary challenge with the MSP model is the loss of control, which directly impacts your speed and cost-efficiency - the two cornerstones of successful recruitment.
The Giant Screening vulnerability: inconsistency and friction
While Giant aims for speed, the human element of an MSP can introduce delays and friction:
- Turnaround Time Risk: While they cite "instant verification," user reviews expose the truth: "10+ days to do basic checks and still counting, poor communication." MSP performance depends on agent capacity, leading to unpredictable delays.
- Lack of Transparency: When you outsource, your visibility is often limited to a status update. With Access Screening, your team has a full, auditable case history and direct control over reminders and escalations.
- Core Business Dilution: Giant's core business is payroll and workforce management (Umbrella/PEO). Screening is a service line. Access Screening's core focus is delivering the best screening and compliance technology available.
Access Screening: Your ROI-driven solution
By choosing to automate screening with Access, you gain efficiency that no outsourced service can match:
| Access Screening ROI Metric | The Value to Direct Control |
| Time to Hire Reduction | Up to 50% Faster - No waiting for an MSP agent to manually process the next step. |
| Admin Time Savings | Up to 40% Less Admin - Your HR team manages the dashboard, not a third-party relationship. |
| Feature Depth | 140+ Checks - Centralise all global and niche checks, eliminating MSP vendor proliferation. |
We didn't want to be managing different suppliers and stitching systems together. We needed one contract, one platform, and one trusted partner.
Access Group Customer
Who is best suited for your business?
Access Screening and Giant Screening are both credible, experienced providers, they simply operate on different models.
Giant Screening is best suited for companies whose primary concern is fully outsourcing their entire contingent workforce function (payroll, PEO, VMS). Giant Screening's strengths are its fully managed service..
Access Screening is the superior choice for recruitment leaders and HR teams who believe that control, speed, and maximised ROI are paramount.
If you need a 140+ check library, deep integration into your internal systems, and a guaranteed 50% reduction in time-to-hire without the unpredictable delays and handling fees of an MSP, Access Screening’s dedicated software is the only logical choice.
Ready to Stop Outsourcing Control and Start Automating Success?
See what Access screening software can do
Resources
5 Steps to digitising your candidate compliance strategy
A helpful guide to evolving your onboarding process and delivering a reliable compliance strategy through automation.
Candidate Screening Solutions in the UK
In this guide, we explore the importance of screening, the specific checks required by different industries, and how automated screening software can streamline the process.
Candidate onboarding checklist for UK temp agencies
This checklist gives you exactly that sector-specific guidance, automation tips, and practical steps to help you move at speed without slipping on compliance.