Websites that allow you to run a background check are publicly available. Some of these websites offer free background check services, while others require a monthly subscription. Nevertheless, these services are different from professional police or credit checks.
Contrary to popular misconception, the police are not the only ones that conduct background checks on people. There are other situations where doing a background check becomes necessary. The most common ones include checking what information about yourself is visible online or when meeting a new person for a date..
Regardless of the user’s intent, background check services are easy and convenient to use. Furthermore, whether you perform the search or someone else performs a search about you, no public record exists after the search is carried out.
In today’s post, we've narrowed down the top nine sites for free as well as paid background check services.
List of Top 4 Sites for Background Checks in 2021[Reviews]
- TruthFinder - Best Overall Site for Background Checks
- Intelius – Best Service For Finding Old Friends
- Instant Checkmate – Best Service for Social Media Checks
- US Search – Best Budget Background Check Site
#1.TruthFinder – Best Overall Site for Background Checks
Overview
TruthFinder allows users to conduct unlimited background searches with access to social media and public records. With over 60,000 five-star ratings on its website, TruthFinder provides top-notch search results with some of the most thorough information of any background check service.
In addition, TruthFinder also reports accurate contact information on the searched person. The site collects data from public and private databases, social media profiles, and federal records to get the most current information. TruthFinder is one of the few background check sites that provide information about relationship and location histories.
Another fantastic feature of this background check website is their dark web scan. This feature allows you to monitor any presence of your personal information on the dark web. Furthermore, TruthFinder’s self-monitoring tools are also an excellent feature as well as their iOS and Android compatible mobile apps.
Plans & Costs
TruthFinder is not a free background check service and requires a monthly fee of less than $30; however, purchasing a three month subscription to TruthFinder will lower this price to $26 per month.
Customer Care Support, Security, & Privacy
TruthFinder offers good customer care support to all its users from Monday to Friday 7am—7pm PST through a toll-free number: 800-699-8081. In addition, you can also use email to contact TruthFinder's team at [email protected]
When it comes to security, TruthFinder is among the best background check sites as it provides the most robust services. The Better Business Bureau gives TruthFinder an A+ rating. In addition, the entire website works through 128-bit encryption and an SSL certificate which makes the connection very secure.
Furthermore, TruthFinder goes to great lengths to respect the privacy of its members. It does not store members' credit card information. Therefore, even if TruthFinder's servers are compromised, your information is very safe.
Pros
- Comprehensive search options along with filters
- Very accurate and updated information
- Allows unlimited searches
- Compatible across different platforms, including mobiles
- Excellent security and privacy policies
Cons
- Does not a have free trial option
- Membership is mandatory to use the service
- Phone search requires a separate payment
Summary
TruthFinder provides best background check services for those who regularly run background checks. The search results are comprehensive and very accurate, which is an excellent feature. In addition, the search options at TruthFinder are also very effortless and user-friendly.
This service is also compatible with mobiles, making it a great choice for those who are constantly on the move.
⇒Visit the Official Website of TruthFinder for more information
#2. Intelius – Best Service For Finding Old Friends
Overview
Intelius is another great service for running background checks. The site also performs an exhaustive and comprehensive search, which is very similar to TruthFinder. Intelius combines public and criminal records to bring up the current addresses and even financial information.
In addition, Intelius also searches for educational history, making it a great place to find lost friends from school. Filtering the search options is also very effortless in this background check website. On this platform, you can run background checks using a name, phone number, and address.
Another great feature of Intelius is anonymity. Whether you run a check on others or someone runs a background check on you, there is no saved search history. Furthermore, Intelius also employs graphs to see the relationship between various information and data on the website.
Their seamless user interface can also perform a reverse phone lookup and address search for current information.
Plans & Costs
Intelius has one of the best pricing plans for background check services. A subscription for Intelius is $24.86 a month, but paying for two months in advance changes this price to $21.13 per month.
Customer Care Support, Security, & Privacy
You can reach the Intelius customer support team through phone and email. The toll-free number 888-245-1655 is open from Monday to Friday between 7am and 5pm PST. However, if you prefer to write, you can reach the customer support team at [email protected].
In terms of security, Intelius is very reliable. The website uses 256-bit encryption for its servers. Therefore, your information is safe on the website.
When it comes to privacy, you can trust Intelius. The service has an anonymity feature, so every search is confidential. In addition, when you run a background check with Intelius, no information about the search can be uncovered.
Pros
- Extensive search options and information
- Unique features including reverse phone and address search
- Data trawling service for accuracy of the report
- Interactive grid and graphs for easy understanding
- User-friendly interface
Cons
- The cancellation policy is a hassle
Summary
Despite their cancellation policy, Intelius has several advanced features that make it a great service for background checks. Intelius is one of few services that provide educational history, making it an ideal tool to connect with old friends from school or college.
⇒Visit the Official Website of intelius for more information
#3. Instant Checkmate – Best Service for Social Media Checks
Overview
Instant Checkmate is not free per se, but its $1 five-day offer is pretty close. In addition, it has several top features that give accurate results for less than some of its competitors
This platform uses data from several sources, including social media, federal records, public records, and many more. The search tools on Instant Checkmate are also very versatile, which makes the search easy. In addition, the results from the background checks are very comprehensive and include ownership of properties, relationship status, criminal records, and even bankruptcy reports.
The flip side of Instant Checkmate's comprehensive report is that filtering through so much data can be time-consuming. In most cases, you will have to run through a pile of reports before getting the result you want.
Plans & Costs
Instant checkmates offer membership plans with very reasonable pricing. The standard monthly membership is $35. However, you can opt for a quarterly option at $28. In either case, a full membership will give you access to unlimited searches.
In addition, the five-day free trial requires a payment of just $1, which is a great deal. Since Instant Checkmate's primary search criterion is through the name, you will need to pay an additional $5 for conducting a phone search.
Customer Care Support, Security, & Privacy
The customer care support at Instant Checkmate is among the best, and they are available from 7am—7pm PST, Monday—Friday. You reach the support team through the phone at 800-222-8985. Furthermore, Instant Checkmate also has multiple social media accounts, making them very accessible online. Alternatively, you can also email them at [email protected].
Instant Checkmate's security is also quite good, which has earned A+ from Better Business Bureau.
Similar to other services on our list, Instant Checkmate also has 128-bit encryption for its connection, making the servers very secure. In addition, the website has a verified Norton protection, so your systems are protected.
Pros
- Accurate information
- Five-day trial offer is very cheap
- Excellent tools for search options
- The user-friendly site and interface
Cons
- Multiple data results per search can be confusing
- Membership is mandatory for unlimited searches
Summary
Instant Checkmate's search results are relatively common when you compare them to other services. However, it has multiple pricing options, which are also very affordable. The five-day trial is also among its best features. So if you need a service for a one-time background check or occasionally need to use one, you can't go wrong with Instant Checkmate.
Instant Checkmate also relies heavily on social media data, so it can be very useful while running a check on a potential date.
⇒Visit the Official Website of Instant Checkmate for more information
#4. US Search – Best Budget Background Check Site
Overview
US Search is the only background check service on our list where membership is not mandatory to run a search. The site allows you to search people by phone numbers, email addresses, postal addresses, and locations. Besides, the search filters are also very versatile, making the searches very easy and effortless.
One of US Search's best features is that you only pay for the report that you want. This is a bit different from other background check services, where you have to deal with a paywall for search results. The search results include online as well as social media profiles and photos. The multiple pricing options available at US Search is also a top feature.
The biggest drawback of US Search is its lack of transparency while doing the searches. In addition, the service also does not provide the email address or phone number of the individuals you search for, which can be quite disappointing.
Plans & Costs
US Search offers multiple pricing plans, which is one of their best features. The different search plans and costs include standard background checks for $40, monthly subscriptions for $20, state-wide criminal record search for $15, and a basic people search for $2.45.
Customer Care Support, Security, & Privacy
US Search provides customer support through phone and email. You can reach them at 888-712-0108 and [email protected]. US Search's working hours are 7am to 5pm PST or 10am to 8pm EST.
US Search is not open about its security or privacy policy, causing some customers to leave negative reviews.
Pros
- No membership needed for a background check
- Comprehensive and accurate search results
- Affordable pricing
- Print reports are available at no additional costs
Cons
- Results do not include phone numbers
- Lack of transparency in security and privacy
- Cannot be used on mobile platforms
Summary
US Search's biggest drawback lies in its lack of transparency. In addition, the search options are very basic. However, US Search has one of the most affordable pricing options for background check services. In addition, you do not need a mandatory membership to use the platform.
Therefore, if you need to use this service a couple of times without spending much money, you might want to check out US Search.
⇒Visit the Official Website of US Search for more information
#5. PeopleLooker – Best Background Check Service for Beginners
Overview
With its easy to use interface, PeopleLooker is considered one of the best background check services for beginners. You can search people by phone number, email, name, or even address.
In addition to standard information, PeopleLooker also reveals information about relatives of the person you are searching for. You will also find the confidential search options very useful at this site. The pricing options of PeopleLooker are also among the most affordable.
However, the lack of search filtering options is a bit of a bummer. Nevertheless, this service has a clean interface, which you will appreciate, and their property search feature is unique in the industry.
Plans & Costs
PeopleLooker has excellent pricing plans and costs. Like Instant Checkmate, PeopleLooker offers a five day trial period for $1, while their standard monthly subscription is $22.86 a month. A three-month subscription reduces the price to $18.28 per month.
Customer Care Support, Security, & Privacy
Customer care support at PeopleLooker is available daily through their toll-free number 800-218-3309 from 6am to 11:30pm EST. They also offer basic email support at [email protected].
PeopleLooker has excellent policies in terms of security and privacy. This service follows Fair Credit Reporting Act rules and regulations, so they are very transparent.
Pros
- Beginner-friendly user interface
- Very affordable pricing option
- Confidential search option available
- Transparent and robust security and privacy policies
Cons
- Search options are a bit limited
- Search results can take time process
Summary
PeopleLooker is one of the best online background check services. It has a seamless and user-friendly interface. In addition, the $1 pricing for a five-day trial is something that few services offer. Overall, PeopleLooker is a fantastic service to run background checks for first-time and occasional users.
#6. PeopleFinders – Best Background Check Service For Extended Use
Overview
PeopleFinders combines data from multiple sources to find people. You can perform a search on this platform using a name, phone number, city name, email, or postal address. However, this search service does not incorporate data from social media, which can be a little limiting.
On the other hand, PeopleFinders’ report is very comprehensive. Apart from the standard information such as court and criminal records, this service also provides advanced information about companies owned by an individual, which other search services cannot do.
Furthermore, the pricing options at PeopleFinders are also very versatile. The three-day trial is a feature worth pointing out. In addition, the search options are straightforward and effortless to use.
PeopleFinders offers mobile apps for iOS and Android users.
Plans & Costs
PeopleFinders offers a three-day trial for only $3 and a membership for $24.95 a month. Their premium membership with more extensive search results is $29.95 a month.
They also offer professional and business services under their Enterprise Solutions plan.
Customer Care Support, Security, & Privacy
PeopleFinders’ customer care support is exceptional. They offer phone support from Monday to Friday between 7am and 6pm PST. In addition, you can reach customer support on Saturday and Sunday between 7am and 3:30pm PST. PeopleFinders' toll-free number is 800- 718-8997.
Additionally, you can also reach PeopleFinders' support team through email at [email protected].
Pros
- User-friendly website and interface
- Pulls up unique information not available on other websites
- Affordable pricing options
- Dedicated mobile apps available
- Exceptional customer support
Cons
- Does not collect social media data
Summary
PeopleFinders comes with accurate and comprehensive information, which is fantastic. Moreover, the pricing options are also versatile with options for both private and professional users. Nevertheless, the PeopleFinders service is also a great choice if you need to run background checks occasionally.
#7. GoodHire – Best For Hiring Companies
Overview
GoodHire’s easy interface brings you access to software built by a tech company to assist large corporations in their hiring processes. GoodHire works in conjunction with an Applicant Tracking Systems to give accurate and fast results.
This background check service portal is easy to use, despite its advanced features. Members of GoodHire can sign up to different tiers according to their business requirements. In addition, the website also has built-in compliance tools, which makes it very safe for users.
GoodHire also has excellent compatibility as it works across all platforms, including computers, mobile phones, and tablets.
Plans & Costs
As briefly mentioned above, GoodHire has excellent pricing plans that will suit various budgets. For users who run less than 25 background checks annually, they offer basic ($29.99), standard ($54.99), and premium ($79.99) plans.
For companies that require more than 25 background checks each year, GoodHire can provide a custom quote dependent on your needs.
You also get various add-ons such as identity verification, criminal records search, and civil court records. However, you will need to pay an additional fee to access these records.
GoodHire has one of the most accessible pricing plans, so feel free to check out their options and see what might work for you.
Customer Care Support, Security, & Privacy
GoodHire offers top-notch customer care support at 888-906-4284 from 7am to 7pm EST. You can also find support on their website in their Help Center and FAQ section.
In terms of security and privacy, GoodHire relies on their in-house team. The expert team monitors the entire process and makes sure that everything is compliant according to the FCRA. In addition, GoodHire also has accredited status from a couple of top agencies, so they are safe, transparent, and secure. They regularly conduct internal and external penetration tests to ensure the security of user information.
Pros
- Accurate and fast search results
- Personalized dashboard for seamless use
- Excellent pricing packages
- Multiple resources are available on the website
- Great customer support
Cons
- Pricing for background checks are on the higher side
Summary
GoodHire has several features that qualify it as an excellent background check service for businesses, big or small. Some of the noteworthy features are the versatile package pricing and professional tools to help with the employee screening process. In addition, the search results on GoodHire are very quick and accurate, which is everything you want from a reliable service.
#8. BeenVerified – Best Background Check Service for Properties Search
Overview
BeenVerified is another background check service that has excellent features. In addition to the usual information, BeenVerified also pulls up information about the properties, which is one of its best features.
The site allows you to run a background check in multiple ways. These include reverse phone, name, address, email, vehicle lookup, and even unclaimed money. Therefore, you can use BeenVerified to monitor your data online, connect with old friends, or simply run a check on a first date.
One feature that is unique to BeenVerified is the vehicle lookup. Using the 17-digit VIN, you can pull up information such as vehicle owner, accident reports, estimated value, and recalls, if any. BeenVerified also has apps for Android and iOS platforms so you can make your search on the go.
Plans & Costs
The BeenVerified site offers straightforward pricing plans and costs. Membership for a month's subscription is $23, where you can make an unlimited number of searches.
However, the three-month subscription that offers a 35% discount is a better deal in our opinion. In this package, the deal comes down to paying $15 a month.
Customer Care Support, Security, & Privacy
The customer care support at BeenVerified is among its best features. Unlike other free background check services with five working days, the BeenVerified support team is available all week from 6am to 11:30pm EST. 866-885-6480 is BeenVerified's toll-free number, and you can reach them through email at [email protected]
BeenVerified's stance on security and privacy is also worth pointing out. Searches are all confidential, and the connection is secured. In addition, the service’s privacy policies are transparent.
Pros
- Regular and advance background checks
- Multiple search options for easy use
- User-friendly website
- Excellent customer care support
- Mobile apps for android and iOS platforms
Cons
- No free-trial period
Summary
Some search results on BeenVerified are not the most accurate. However, it has some excellent features that are not available on other background search services. Overall, BeenVerified is a great service to use if you want to widen your search that extends to cars and properties.
#9. RentPrep – Best Background Check Service for Landlords
Overview
As the name suggests, RentPrep is a background check service that allows you to screen tenants. RentPrep's best feature is its user-friendly interface and different packages for landlords.
In addition, property owners can pull up various helpful information about potential tenants. This includes the eviction history, credit history, criminal history, and income information.
Plans & Costs
There are two packages of background checks on RentPrep. The basic background check package starts at $18.95. The second package, SmartMove Full Credit Card Report, is $38. This package offers more comprehensive results than the basic one. Both plans offer add-on services at an additional price.
Customer Care Support, Security, & Privacy
RentPrep's customer care support is excellent, with representatives available seven days of the week. You can reach the support team on the phone at 888-877-8501. RentPrep also provides email support at [email protected] and live chat on their website.
When it comes to security and privacy, RentPrep respects and protects users' data in all possible ways, so the chances of compromising your information on the site are pretty low. If you're still in doubt about protecting your privacy while running background checks, you can visit RentPrep's site anonymously.
Pros
- Specific features to screen potential tenants
- Easy to use website
- Two different plans offered
- Community page provides additional tips and information
- Great customer support
Cons
- The prices can quickly increase if you use an add-on
- Tenant-specific information features can be limiting for other information.
Summary
Unlike other background check services that provide comprehensive information, RentPrep's data is centered on tenants. This feature can limit your results to specifically those relevant to residency leasing.
However, if you are a property owner looking to rent out space, RentPrep is the best service to screen your tenants.
Conclusion
Access to free background check services can be a fantastic option not only for companies. You can connect with lost friends and relations or verify the identity of a new acquaintance by doing a simple search.
In some cases, using the services of these websites can mean keeping you and your family safe. To top it all, background check services are confidential, so you can use them with confidence.
