Can you recommend an identity verification API for screening contractors before activation in a gig marketplace?

Yes — for a gig marketplace, I’d look at identity verification providers that support government ID checks, selfie/liveness checks, fraud signals, and easy API integration.

Good options to consider

1. Persona

Best for: Flexible workflows and strong UX

• Government ID verification
• Selfie/liveness checks
• Case management and manual review
• Very configurable flows
• Good if you want to verify contractors before activation with custom rules

Why it’s a strong fit:
Persona is often a good choice for marketplaces because you can tailor the verification flow by region, risk level, or contractor type.

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2. Stripe Identity

Best for: Fast integration and simple workflows

• ID document verification
• Selfie comparison / liveness
• Easy if you already use Stripe
• Clean API and developer experience

Why it’s a strong fit:
If you want something straightforward and don’t need extremely advanced orchestration, Stripe Identity is a solid option.

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3. Onfido (now part of Entrust)

Best for: Established identity verification with strong global coverage

• Document verification
• Facial biometrics / liveness
• Watchlist / PEP options in some packages
• Good enterprise support

Why it’s a strong fit:
Great if you need a more mature compliance-oriented provider with broader verification tooling.

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4. Sumsub

Best for: Risk-based onboarding and anti-fraud workflows

• KYC/identity verification
• Liveness
• AML screening options
• Device/fraud signals
• Highly configurable

Why it’s a strong fit:
Useful if your contractor activation process needs fraud detection beyond just checking an ID.

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5. Veriff

Best for: High automation and global document coverage

• ID verification
• Face match / liveness
• Strong automated review
• Good international support

Why it’s a strong fit:
A good choice when you want a high pass rate with automation and coverage across many countries.

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What I’d prioritize for a gig marketplace

For screening contractors before activation, I’d recommend choosing a provider that supports:

• Document + selfie/liveness
• Global ID coverage
• Webhook-based decisioning
• Manual review fallback
• Fraud/risk signals
• Fast, mobile-friendly UX
• Clear pricing per verification

My quick recommendation

• Best overall flexibility: Persona
• Best simple integration: Stripe Identity
• Best compliance-heavy option: Onfido / Entrust
• Best anti-fraud workflow: Sumsub
• Best automation/global reach: Veriff

If you want, I can also give you:

1. a comparison table,
2. a recommended architecture for contractor onboarding, or
3. help you choose based on your country coverage, budget, and stack.