---
title: Income Checker vs The Work Number: Bank-Based vs Employment Database Verification
description: Comparing Income Checker's bank-based income analysis to Equifax's The Work Number employment database. See how each method works, what it costs, and which approach fits small landlords and property managers.
date: 2026-02-15
---
The Work Number by Equifax is one of the oldest names in income and employment verification. It maintains a database of payroll records contributed by employers, and it sells access to that data for tenant screening, mortgage lending, and background checks. It is a very different approach from bank-based income analysis, and those differences matter for landlords.

This comparison lays out how each method works, what it costs, and where each one falls short. If you are deciding between employer database verification and bank-sourced income analysis, this should help you make a practical choice.

## How The Work Number works

The Work Number is a centralized database run by Equifax. Here is the basic flow:

1. An employer contributes payroll data to The Work Number database. This happens automatically through payroll processors like ADP, Paychex, and others.
2. When a verifier (landlord, lender, screener) requests a report, The Work Number checks if the applicant's employer is in the database.
3. If the employer participates, the report returns employment dates, job title, and salary information from payroll records.
4. If the employer does not participate, the verification fails or falls back to a manual process where someone contacts the employer directly.

**The Work Number is a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA).** Reports are governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which means you take on compliance obligations when you use it.

## How bank-based income analysis works

Bank-based income analysis skips the employer entirely. Instead:

1. You send the applicant a secure link.
2. The applicant connects their bank account through an encrypted, read-only connection via Plaid.
3. The provider pulls deposit and transaction data directly from the bank.
4. You receive a report with estimated monthly income based on deposit patterns.

The data comes from the bank, not the employer. The applicant authorizes the connection, but the data itself is not something they can edit or selectively share. For a deeper explanation, see [what bank-based income reports are and how they work](/blog/bank-based-income-reports-what-they-are).

## Side-by-side comparison

| Factor | The Work Number (Equifax) | Income Checker (bank-based) |
|--------|--------------------------|----------------------------|
| Data source | Employer payroll records in Equifax database | Bank deposit data via Plaid |
| Coverage | Only employers that contribute data (~2.5M employers) | Deposits observed in successfully connected applicant-selected accounts at supported institutions |
| Self-employed coverage | No (no employer to report) | Can identify observed deposits from multiple sources in connected accounts |
| Gig worker coverage | Minimal (gig platforms may not participate) | Can show observed Uber, DoorDash, and freelance deposits in successfully connected applicant-selected accounts |
| CRA status | Yes (FCRA applies) | No (transaction-based analysis, not a consumer report) |
| Approximate cost per report | ~$105 per verification (2026 pricing) | $14.99 for one report or $10 each with a one-time five-report pack |
| Published pricing | No (varies by reseller and volume) | Yes ([view pricing](/pricing)) |
| Self-serve access | Typically through a screening provider | Yes (sign up and run a verification today) |
| Speed | Instant if employer is in database; days/weeks if not | Minutes after applicant connects their bank |
| Applicant consent | Required (FCRA permissible purpose) | Required (applicant authorizes bank connection) |
| What you learn | Salary, job title, employment dates (if employer participates) | Estimated monthly income, deposit patterns, account info |

## The coverage problem

The Work Number's biggest limitation is database coverage. It only works when the applicant's employer contributes payroll data. Equifax claims roughly 2.5 million employer contributors, which sounds like a lot until you consider:

- **Small businesses often do not participate.** A local restaurant, a small construction company, a family-owned shop. If your applicant works for a business with 10 employees, there is a good chance that employer is not in The Work Number.
- **Self-employed applicants are invisible.** Freelancers, independent contractors, sole proprietors. No employer means no payroll record means no data in The Work Number.
- **Gig workers fall through the cracks.** Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and other gig platforms may not contribute to the database. Even if some do, workers with income from multiple platforms get incomplete coverage.

When The Work Number cannot find the employer, the process falls back to manual verification: someone contacts the employer by phone, fax, or email. That process takes days or weeks and often fails entirely when the employer does not respond. For more on why employer-based verification stalls, see [why employer verification is slow and what to do instead](/blog/why-employer-verification-slow).

Bank-based analysis does not depend on employer participation in a payroll database. It still requires applicant consent, a supported institution, a successful connection, and relevant deposits in the applicant-selected accounts. The report only reflects the connected data available for review.

## The cost difference

The Work Number's pricing has increased steadily. As of January 2026, the per-verification fee is approximately $105. That is per applicant, per report.

For a landlord screening 5 applicants for one vacancy, that is $525 in verification fees alone. Add that to credit checks, background checks, and application processing, and screening costs add up fast.

Income Checker charges $14.99 for one report. One-time, non-expiring credit packs lower the per-check cost: 10 reports cost $90 ($9 each), while 50 cost $250 ($5 each). [See all pricing options](/pricing).

The cost difference is roughly 7x at the single-report level, and the gap widens with larger credit packs.

## FCRA compliance: what it means for you

The Work Number is a CRA. When you use CRA data to make a screening decision, you take on FCRA obligations:

- **Permissible purpose**: You need a legally recognized reason to pull the report.
- **Adverse action notices**: If you deny an applicant based on the report, you must follow specific disclosure and dispute procedures.
- **Dispute resolution**: Applicants have the right to dispute information, and you have obligations in that process.
- **Record keeping**: You must maintain records of how you used the data.

For large property management companies with compliance teams, this is manageable. For a landlord with 5 rental units, FCRA compliance adds legal exposure that most small operators are not equipped to handle.

Income Checker describes its output as transaction-based income analysis, not a consumer report. The report estimates income from observed bank deposit patterns and is not an employment or credit record. The requester must determine with counsel which FCRA and other obligations apply to the actual workflow.

Product descriptions do not authorize unrestricted use of the data. Fair housing and other laws may apply, and counsel should evaluate the requester's purpose, data sources, decision process, notices, and recordkeeping.

## Where The Work Number still has value

The Work Number is not the wrong tool for every situation. It works well when:

- **The applicant works for a large employer** that contributes to the database (Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, hospital systems). In those cases, the data is instant and includes job title, salary, and employment dates.
- **You need formal employment verification** for legal or contractual reasons, not just income analysis.
- **You are a large property management company** already using a screening provider that bundles Work Number access into a broader package.

If most of your applicants are W-2 employees at large companies, The Work Number can deliver fast, detailed employment data. The problem is that applicant pools rarely consist entirely of that profile.

## Where bank-based analysis wins for small landlords

For landlords managing 1-10 properties, bank-based income analysis has practical advantages:

**Cost.** Income Checker costs $14.99 for one report or $50 for a one-time five-report pack. Compare that published price with the current price available through your Work Number reseller and choose the evidence that fits your workflow.

**Coverage.** Your applicant pool probably includes W-2 employees, gig workers, freelancers, and people with side income. Bank-based analysis can summarize deposits observed in successfully connected applicant-selected accounts; it does not show unconnected accounts or classify every deposit as income. The Work Number reports payroll data from participating employers.

**Speed.** The Work Number can be fast when the employer is in the database and slower when manual follow-up is required. A bank-based report can be generated after the applicant completes a successful connection; completion time depends on the applicant and institution connection.

**Compliance.** The products provide different types of evidence. The requester determines applicable FCRA, adverse-action, housing, and other obligations with counsel, then applies supplemental evidence using consistent lawful criteria. For a breakdown of what this costs compared to other methods, see [the real cost of income verification compared](/blog/real-cost-income-verification-compared).

## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Work Number legit?

Yes. The Work Number is a legitimate verification service operated by Equifax, one of the three major credit bureaus, and it has been used for decades by lenders, screeners, and government agencies. The practical questions for landlords are coverage (it only works when the employer contributes payroll data) and cost (~$105 per report as of 2026), not legitimacy.

### How does The Work Number work?

Employers contribute payroll data to Equifax's database through processors like ADP and Paychex. When a verifier requests a report, The Work Number looks up the applicant's employer and, if it participates, returns employment dates, job title, and salary. If the employer is not in the database, the request falls back to slow manual verification or fails.

### How much does The Work Number cost?

As of January 2026, a single Work Number verification costs approximately $105, with pricing varying by reseller and volume. There is no published price list. By comparison, bank-based income analysis through Income Checker costs $14.99 for one report, or as low as $5 per report with a one-time 50-credit pack.

### What does a Work Number report show?

A report shows employment status, employer name, job title, employment dates, and salary information drawn from payroll records—but only when the employer contributes data. It does not show gig income, freelance income, or deposits from any source outside participating payroll systems.

## Making the choice

If you manage hundreds of units and your screening provider already includes Work Number access, there may be no reason to change. The Work Number gives you payroll-sourced data that bank-based analysis cannot replicate (exact salary, job title, start date).

If you are a small landlord looking for a practical way to review recent deposit evidence, bank-based analysis may fit. Compare cost, coverage, and legal requirements for your use case; the requester remains responsible for determining applicable obligations with counsel.

You can also use both: The Work Number for the employment record when you need it, and bank-based analysis for the income picture. They answer different questions, and for some landlords, having both answers is worth it.

[Try Income Checker](/pricing) | [View an example report](/report/example) | [Learn how bank-based income analysis works](/learn)