Fortunately, you can take preventative measures to ensure you don't become a fraud statistic. Online background checks will give you peace of mind that those you trust are not misrepresenting themselves. What's more, these checks have many uses, from contacting missing family members to identifying scam callers or investigating a possible date.
But how do you know which provider best suits your needs? We review and compare the 10 best online background check sites and companies to help you uncover the truth you're looking for.
Our Top 10 Best Online Background Check Sites and Companies:
- BeenVerified :Best overall background check site
- Intelius :Best for quick access to detailed reports
- PeopleFinders: Best for accessing billions of public records
- USA search: Best for unlimited reporting
- PeopleWhiz : Best for accurate reporting
- TruthFinder: Best for people searches
- PeopleLooker: Best for junk money searches
- CheckPeople: Best for criminal records searches
- Instant Checker: Best for reverse phone lookups
- ID True : Best for basic background checks
Our Review Methodology: Evaluating the Best Background Check Sites & Services
We used the same seven comparison factors to provide fair ratings for each of the 10 background check services listed in this review. However, some factors will be more important to you than others, depending on your needs and the type of search you are conducting. Here's how we compare these details of what we think are the best background check sites:
- Price: We look at how affordable the service is and how much you get for what you pay for. We have also taken into account available free trials and promotional periods (if any).
- Legal Status: We have verified that the site complies with the FCRA and may be used for employment, housing, or other federally regulated purposes.
- Recommended Reports: We check which services offer people searches (including criminal records and public records, as well as unsolicited money searches); business searches; and reverse phone, email, and address lookups.
- Search parameters: We look at how many search parameters the service offers. We also check to see if it supports social media username lookups, people lookups, reverse phone number and email lookups, and property searches.
- Smartphone applications. We check to see if the service has a smartphone app and, if so, how useful is it?
- Easy to use. We evaluate the usability of each service and the readability of its reports. We also check if it supports additional features that set it apart.
- Customer Support. We evaluate how many support channels there are, what their opening hours are, and how helpful the customer service is.
The Best Background Check Sites & Services – Quick Reviews:
BeenVerified's
BeenVerified's web search is extensive and returns results in minutes. It examines billions of records from public data sources and the deep web, uncovering a wealth of information such as address history, phone numbers, educational and employment history, and criminal history.
While most background check services require consumers to enter search terms such as name, phone number, or address, BeenVerified includes an additional social media search option (which analyzes over 120 social networks). This allows customers with just a person's username to complete a background check.
This is especially useful for anyone who does business through social media and wants to avoid falling victim to scams, which the Federal Trade Commission says are on the rise. More than 95,000 people reported losing nearly $770 million to social media fraud in 2021, up from $258 million in 2020.
Why do we choose BeenVerified? It also has a satisfaction guarantee that promises users personal help or a refund if they are not satisfied with the results.
Our experience. We like that BeenVerified allows users to monitor any changes to previously run reports. But while this service provides mostly accurate results, our report contained several addresses, email addresses, letters, and academic institutions that were not related to our search topic.
Read the BeenVerified Review
PROS
- Provides seven search options in one.
- Offers a seven-day trial for $1
- Search billions of records
CONS
- Monthly reports are set to 100
- Search results are not always completely accurate
Intelius
Intelius has a variety of search term options and pricing plans, making it the perfect place if you know exactly what type of information you're looking for. While many other background check providers charge a flat monthly fee for all services, Intelius allows users to choose a monthly plan specific to the type of search they are most interested in.
For example,
someone using the service to look up details about houses in their neighborhood might choose Intelius' unlimited reverse address lookup program. With it, they can find property history, ownership information, property tax information, property value, and contact information.
Conversely,
someone interested in running background checks can opt for the site's unlimited people search plan. For the price of the program, they get criminal records, social media, address history, photographs, family and associates, civil lawsuits and judgments, traffic violations, and financial history.
These search options, including criminal records search, public records search, and people search, can be accessed directly from the site's home page. But since the pricing structure varies depending on the type of search, knowing how much you should pay for a particular service can be confusing.
Why do we choose Intelius? Intelius regularly updates its search engine to ensure that it consistently provides fast, confidential and accurate results. It is one of the most comprehensive background check services available and has access to over 20 billion public records.
Our experience. We were impressed with the different types of unlimited searches that Intelius offers and the different pricing plan options. But we encountered several “special offers” during the initial billing process, which made it difficult to determine the monthly cost of each service. For example, the Unlimited Address Lookup plan was originally advertised at $29 per month, but was later reduced to a special price of $4.99 at checkout.
Read the Intelius review
PROS
- Provides multiple search options.
- Offers different trial periods.
- Has access to 20 billion public records.
CONS
- Confusing pricing structure
- Unsubscribing can take a long time
PeopleFinders
Launched in 1999, PeopleFinders is one of the leading online background check services on the market. It has over 120 billion public records from over 6,000 data sources with options for search terms, names, email addresses, data, and addresses.
It offers tools that allow certain users to refine their search results when searching for targets with common names.
PeopleFinders' people search shows contact information, criminal records, liens and property assets, educational history, employment references, marriages and records;
Why did we choose PeopleFinders? We are impressed by the company's long history in the service industry and its unparalleled access to records, making it easy to find lost contacts.
Our experience. We found the PeopleFinders search engine easy to use, both on the website and the smartphone app;
Read the PeopleFinders review
PROS
- Access to big data
- long service
- an introductory rate for the first month of the year of 9.95
CONS
- No trial period
- Reports do not include social media history.
US Search
US Search – and and.
and screen history, contact information, personal information, owned homes or cars, financial information, etc.
which allows users to be named by email address or patient name.
We select the search. In the United States, perform searches and enable and print reports when you need them.
Our experience. We liked that MTN Search got our results quickly and allowed us to check if a person had signed up for a monthly subscription. Service and it is very affordable.
the summary
PROS
- Economical monthly subscription
- Provides an easy system
- reports PDF reports
CONS
- No trial period
- Searches sometimes return duplicate results
PeopleWhiz
PeopleWhiz searches billions of public records for information including criminal records, marriage and divorce records, traffic violations, bankruptcies and convictions, address history, contact information, associates and family members, licenses and permits.
Also search popular social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest.
In particular, the site uses proprietary technologies to ensure that search functions do not return false results for people with the same name. PeopleWhiz has an internal team of “bad data” watchers to clean public records and filter out errors, increasing the accuracy of your reports.
Although PeopleWhiz provides comprehensive, easy-to-read background reports, the wait time was the longest of the background check sites reviewed here; We had to wait about 10 minutes for our report to be generated. The functionality is also limited to person searches, with no obvious option to search by phone number, email, or physical address.
Why do we choose PeopleWhiz? With access to 67 billion records, PeopleWhiz is a solid choice for comprehensive name-based background check searches. Its patented search technology, which reduces false positives for people who are not the target of the search, is also a must-have feature for those looking to find accurate results.
Our experience. We were impressed that PeopleWhiz searched over 100 social sites. During our testing search, we found no false positives, a common mistake with many other online background check services. However, we were a little disappointed by the long time it took to generate the reports.
Read the PeopleWhiz review
PROS
- Search over 100 social media sites
- Conduct an exhaustive search for people.
- Patented technology ensures accurate reporting
CONS
- Relatively long wait time to generate reports.
- Limited search functionality
TruthFinder
TruthFinder is one of the most popular background check services for people searches. It is an invaluable resource for consumers looking to reconnect with a friend, relative, or colleague because it supports multiple search methods and provides comprehensive background checks. Depending on the membership level, TruthFinder allows users to search by name, address, phone number, or email address.
Like other services we rate, TruthFinder's comprehensive background check report includes contact information, address history, social media usernames, academic records, employment history, associate information, dating profiles, personal assets, criminal records, business information and licenses.
A monthly membership provides unlimited background searches. However, some services cost extra, such as unlimited phone and email searches, printable PDF reports, tracking reports, and dark web searches.
Why choose TruthFinder? TruthFinder offers dark web monitoring services that crawl the dark parts of the web to see if your personal information is sold there. According to the 2022 Dark Web Price Index, more than 9,000 vendors are actively selling personal information products on the Deep Web. This includes approximately 4.5 million credit cards sold for $120 each.
Our experience. We liked the handy “chronology” feature, which shows the most important aspects of the report in chronological order, and the “report quality score,” which allows us to rate the accuracy of the information included in our report. Our test report, for example, had some additional email addresses, phone numbers, and photos that were not related to our search topic.
Read the TruthFinder review
PROS
- Variety of search options.
- Presents well-organized chronological reports.
- Allows unlimited searches in the background.
CONS
- Some additional services require additional payments
- No trial period
PeopleLooker
PeopleLooker offers a wide variety of search options. Users can search by name, phone number, email address, property, social media username, or business name. Additionally, they can also search for unclaimed money.
People who search this service dive into millions of public records to uncover information such as criminal records, contact information, employment verification, traffic violations, assets, family and associates, financial information, educational history, and social media profiles. .
PeopleLooker offers a useful tracking option that notifies you of updates to your previously submitted reports. It also has a mobile app that provides the same search term options as the desktop site, as well as an additional dark web search.
Why do we choose PeopleLooker? PeopleLooker's unique search options, such as unclaimed money search and business name search, set it apart from the competition.
Our experience. We had a positive experience using PeopleLooker's mobile app, which is easier to use than their desktop website. While both offer sleek and simple interfaces, the app more clearly presents the variety of search terms available to users, which is one of the best features of the service. We had a hard time finding the social media search feature on the desktop site.
Read the PeopleLooker review
PROS
- Provides unique search options
- Offers report monitoring functionality.
- Easy to use mobile app
CONS
- Requires additional payment for certain information
- Monthly reports are set to 100
CheckPeople
CheckPeople draws on public information from the deep web, such as court and sex offender databases, to provide a comprehensive background check report in an easy-to-read format. This report may contain contact information, social media profiles, address history, financial information such as bankruptcies and liens, personal asset information, business history, and registered licenses.
CheckPeople searches covering multiple jurisdictions can return a complete criminal profile of the subject of your search with updated information within minutes.
According to a recent study by Social Science Research, the number of people with criminal records in the United States has increased significantly. About 19 million people, or 8% of the U.S. population, have a felony conviction. 12 million of them served their time in the community on parole.
CheckPeople specializes in online criminal background checks. It allows users to search for arrest records directly from the home page and explore information from the superior court, county court, and county sheriff's websites. CheckPeople searches for arrests and convictions for felonies and misdemeanors, and even shootings.
Why do we choose CheckPeople? CheckPeople offers instant, unlimited searches for a flat monthly fee, meaning you don't have to pay for each search. And although its price is hidden in the fine print, you can access a three-day trial for $4.99.
Our experience. When we did a reverse phone number search on CheckPeople, it found social media sites and other deep web information related to the phone number. We think this is a valuable feature, especially since search subjects are often unaware that online checks can trace this data back to them.
Read CheckPeople's Review
PROS
- Allows unlimited monthly searches
- Offers a three-day trial for $4.99
- Ensures searches are 100% private
CONS
- Unclear pricing structure
- Does not provide 24/7 customer support
Instant Checke
Instant Checker analyzes millions of publicly available data points and information sources to provide detailed background check reports.
Its full monthly subscription gives users access to various search features that can collect tons of information on a given topic. This includes your family members and relationships, social media accounts, criminal records, employment history, bankruptcy and lien records, licenses, and address history.
In particular, Instant Checkmate's reverse phone lookup subscription is an affordable way to perform background checks on suspected scam calls. The service also allows its members to perform a search for relevant criminal records and obtain crime statistics by city, state or zip code.
Why do we choose instant checkers? This service provides detailed results in less than five minutes. Its ability to search for federal inmates, a unique feature we didn't find on other sites we reviewed, also sets it apart from other background check providers.
Our experience. Each search tab, both on Instant Checkmate's website and its mobile app, explained exactly what type of information the sections required. This helped us know exactly what to include. We also liked that we could search for traffic and criminal records right from the home page.
Read a review of Instant Chess
PROS
- Offers an affordable phone finder plan
- Collaborate in the search for federal prisoners
- Provides a personalized criminal record search option.
CONS
- Prices vary between the website and mobile app.
- Expensive monthly subscription plan
ID True
ID True is a good basic option for consumers looking for information about potential dates, old friends, lost relatives or neighbors. It even allows you to perform personal background checks on yourself.
There is no app for this service, but the site works well on mobile devices. Users can search by name or phone number on the fly, but unfortunately ID True doesn't offer the option to search by email or physical address like other services we've tested.
ID True searches millions of federal, state and local records and finds contact information, location information, criminal history and sex offender status, family and associates, convictions and fines, property information, marriage and divorce records. The service can also find dating profile and social media accounts.
Why do we choose ID True? With a mobile-optimized website that provides easy-to-read report details on any device, ID True allows users to perform thorough background checks instantly.
Our experience. We liked that ID True pulled together our initial search results in a minute, allowing us to select the right search topic based on name, location, age, and possible family members. However, we would like additional options to perform a more sophisticated search by email and physical addresses.
Read True ID Review
PROS
- Intuitive mobile interface
- Allows unlimited searches in the background.
- Good for basic background checks
CONS
- No online cancellation
- There is no option to search for email or physical address.
*Please note that these services do not comply with the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act and therefore cannot be used for employment or tenant screenings.
Comparing the Top Background Check Sites & Services
When comparing background check companies, you should consider your specific screening needs. Whether your search is to verify online businesses, find out who called you, provide personal security, or find people, you should consider comparison factors. It can include pricing, what types of reports are offered, the type of information you can use to perform a search, ease of use, mobile functionality, and customer support.
For each of the 10 background check services we offer, we have compiled all of these features in the chart below, giving you the opportunity to compare and contrast the different features and prices.
What Is a Background Search?
A background search uses various online tools and publicly available information to uncover details about a person's past, such as criminal history, location history, social media accounts, financial information, court and traffic records, education and employment history, and more. While it is possible to manually search public records, the process will be more difficult and time-consuming than using a background check service.
How Does a Background Check Work?
Typically, someone using a background check company enters the person's name into the service's online search tool. The company will then provide a detailed report with general information on the search topic. This process usually takes five minutes or less.
Some background check services also allow consumers to search by phone number, email address, physical address or social media username. And while many providers require users to sign up for a monthly subscription rather than purchasing a single report, some offer trial periods.
Reasons To Use Background Check Services?
There are many reasons to use an online background check service. Some people conduct background checks on new neighbors or potential online dates to ensure their personal safety. Others use tracing services to contact family or friends they've lost touch with, or to search their names and see what information is publicly available.
Background checks are also often used by employers to screen potential employees and landlords to screen potential tenants. But these reviews must be done through companies that comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act and other federal, state and local regulations.
Choosing the Right Background Check Company
When looking for a background check company, you should consider what you will be using the service for (such as finding a missing relative or investigating suspicious spam callers) and find a subscription plan that fits these needs and fits your budget.
For example, if you want to investigate criminal records, you should make sure that the service you use has access to federal, state, and local court databases. And if you need to use a background check service for employment or other federally regulated purposes, be sure to use a service that complies with the FCRA.
The background check service you choose should provide accurate reporting, customizable searches, an easy-to-use web and mobile interface, and excellent customer service that can be reached via phone, chat, or email. You should also include a variety of available options for search terms, such as name, phone number, email, etc. email, address and social media username.
Considerations When Selecting a Provider
Below are some important factors to consider when choosing an online background check company.
Accuracy of Report Information
You should investigate whether the online background check service has a reputation for providing accurate information in its reports.
Some background check services will display information about people who are not the subject of your search or include information unrelated to your target, such as social media accounts, addresses, or phone numbers. User reviews should give you a good idea of how accurate the information in the service report is. Of the services we tested, PeopleWhiz performed the most accurate background checks.
Search Customization
Search customization is important, especially for consumers who want to run a background check but only have someone's phone number, email address, physical address, or social media username.
Some background check services, such as Intelius and PeopleFinders, provide users with several search customization options in addition to people searches or allow users to perform a more personalized check, such as a criminal records search instead of a general background search.
Ease of Use
Your background check service should be easy to use and provide information in well-organized, easy-to-read reports. This is especially important for users who want to perform multiple searches. CheckPeople, for example, allows unlimited searches and offers well-organized reports.
Many background check services will provide an online dashboard where you can save and organize your searches; some, like US Search, will even let you print PDF versions of your reports.
Customer Support
Good customer support is vital to any online background check service, so users can rest assured that any issues they encounter will be resolved quickly. Find out if the service offers customer support online or by phone (ideally both).
Carefully review the background check service's cancellation policy to determine whether they allow online cancellation or require you to call the service line to cancel your subscription, especially if you plan to cancel before the trial period ends. We've found that TruthFinder and PeopleLooker offer excellent customer support with options to cancel your subscription online or over the phone.
How Much Do Background Check Services Cost?
Background check services typically cost between $20 and $30 per month. And many require users to sign up for a monthly subscription to receive unlimited reports rather than allowing one-time report purchases. Generally, the monthly price will be cheaper if you sign up for an extended subscription. However, many services require you to pay for an entire subscription upfront (for example, three or six months).
Some background check providers have cheaper subscription options for specific services, such as Instant Checkmate's unlimited phone search option, which will cost you just $5.99 a month. Others, like BeenVerified, also offer trials, making them practical for people interested in doing a single search.
Information Included in Different Types of Background Checks
Consumers can perform background checks and and .
To help you figure out what you need, we're the types they discover, too.
Criminal Background Checks
courts and databases for crime and and ‘for.
Background Checks for Employment
Conduct background checks on prospective employees during the hiring process to confirm and conduct a competent background check to confirm that they are working in the previous role listed on their resume.
Education Verification
potential employment by the employer.
Reference Checks
Link checking is often also multiple times as they work and work and work.
Universal Background Checks
and:
People who want to buy a dealer because of their bad reputation or other people's judgments?
OIG Background Checks
When hiring, health care employers typically look to the US Office of Health and Human Services Inspector General's Exclusion List for health care workers who cannot participate in publicly funded health care plans. Federal funds such as Medicare and Medicaid. Individuals on the OIG exclusion list may be convicted of serious charges such as fraud, abuse, or neglect.
E-Verify Background Checks
E-Verify is an online background check system that allows employers to compare a job candidate's information with US government records, such as those from the Department of Homeland Security and the US Social Security Administration. This verification is used to confirm whether a candidate is eligible to work in the United States.
Credit Background Checks
Credit background checks review a person's credit report, which contains information such as credit card accounts, debts, and on-time payment history. Landlords often run credit checks on prospective tenants to make sure they are financially responsible, but those checks must comply with the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Social Security Number Trace
A Social Security Trace verifies a person's Social Security number to ensure they are not using a fake or stolen identity. It will also show detailed address history. Employers can use this tracking to verify a candidate's identity or to determine which law enforcement agencies to look for during a criminal background check.
Personal Background Checks
A personal background check is when someone runs a search on themselves to determine what types of public information is available about them. This background check is a good option if you want to find out if there is false information about you so you can dispute and correct it.
Professional Licenses Background Checks
Employers often use professional license background checks to confirm that a potential job candidate's professional licenses are up-to-date and that the candidate has not misrepresented himself. For example, an employer hiring an accountant may want to verify the candidate's credentials with the appropriate state regulatory agency.
International Background Checks
International background checks can be found and remain foreign where the subject of the search has lived or worked;
Social Media Scans
Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, as well as many lesser-known sites: person's name, phone. The composition of the teams may be different.
Sources of Background Check Information
There is no public source that provides verification.
- repositories
- and certification data
- Social media pages
- Car records
- and:
- Property records
- online phone directories
Are Free Background Checks Legit?
– You can go to the local court to file.
The reason for the nona verification service is that you will do a lot more thorough just a few minutes reviewing many jurisdictions.
Many online that offer pre-orders charge money, and even though some sites say they offer it for free
Understanding Different Levels of Background Checks
In some industries, employers perform different levels of background checks depending on the type of job they are hiring for.
While most employers will want to verify a candidate's educational and work history, some jobs require an additional level of background checks.
For example, someone hiring a moving truck driver might want to check a candidate's driving record, while someone hiring for a finance position might want to review criminal records for fraud charges. These are the different levels of background checks.
Level 1:
Identity verification. Most employers typically follow Social Security to verify a candidate's name and date of birth. A social security trace will also provide a detailed address history.
Level 2:
Criminal Background Check. Many organizations will conduct a criminal background check by searching federal, state and local court records for felony or misdemeanor charges or convictions. But federal and state laws govern how criminal records can be used to make employment decisions.
Level 3:
Credit history and score check. Some employers may conduct a credit history check that will include credit card accounts, debt owed, and on-time payment history, especially for roles where financial responsibility is an integral part of job duties.
Level 4:
Vehicle registration. Some companies will use state motor vehicle records to verify a candidate's driving history. If the job duties include driving, the employer will specifically check the history of violations.
Level 5:
Verification of educational and professional background. Educational and professional background checks verify a candidate's degree at their university or by calling a previous employer to verify their position and job duties.
Level 6:
Fingerprint verification. Some professions conduct fingerprint criminal background checks for a more thorough criminal background check, such as in government or security. Someone's fingerprint can be compared to an FBI database to look for criminal records.
Step 7:
Verify Legal Employment Status in the US There are employers who use the government's online E-Verify system to compare candidate information with records from the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration. This verification ensures the candidate's eligibility to work in the US.
How Long Do Background Checks Actually Take?
Online background check services usually provide results in less than five minutes, although some take longer. Background investigation searches that analyze large amounts of information usually take the longest.
Employment background checks, which require contacting previous employers, academic institutions or officials, can take days or weeks. International background searches can take much longer depending on the country's process for accessing public records.
Factors That May Result in a Failed Background Check
Anyone performing a background check must determine what disclosures could be made to fail a background check on the subject of their search. For example, an employer hiring for a driving position may decide that anyone with serious traffic violations or drug offenses will not pass a background check.
Ultimately, failing a background check will depend on the type of background check (pre-employment in this example) and the reason the background check is being performed (for example, to find a responsible driver). Providing false or misleading information to a potential employer that is discovered through a background check will likely result in your failure.
Conducting a Background Check on a Romantic Partner
Do a background check on the person you're dating.
48% of Pew Research Center respondents believe that online dating is the most common online dating service background checks.
and and and and – is conducting inspections:
Additional Background Check Sites We Reviewed
and we
In addition to the 10 sites we've included here for reference (which are partners of Top10.com), there are a number of other online services.
- SearchQuarry – or to search for VINs
- Persopo. and:
- SentryLink – for those who want service
- Spokeo – for dating sites
- DeepSearchPro – to scan the billions ahead
Final Verdict: Discover the Truth in Minutes
Our picks for the top 10 background check sites include BeenVerified, Intelius, PeopleFinders, US Search, PeopleWhiz, TruthFinder, PeopleLooker, CheckPeople, InstantCheckmate and IDTrue.
and and and and and and and.
online service can make it easy by sifting through data and
the part to be subscribed are affordable , you should compare a number of companies and understand and “will be well equipped to thoroughly check who needs.