Best Background Check Site

BeenVerified is one of the best background check tools worth subscribing to for personal use. Read on to discover other great options.

How do you know if a background check website is good?

Whether you're running a search to verify a date with someone you met online or a business owner screening job applicants, your main priority is legitimacy and accuracy. However, extra perks can sweeten the deal.

In this article, you'll learn about the best background check services and the types of services they offer. Read on to find out more.

Best Background Checks For Individuals

Background check services have benefited users by uncovering more information about individuals by easily using a single platform. But just like any service provider, not all background check tools are created equal.

If you're ready to know which tools cut the mustard, keep reading.

BeenVerified For All-In-One Searches

BeenVerified uses billions of data from public records that may not be available through the usual search engine query. It offers multiple searches in one membership plan, providing information not just on people but also on properties and motor vehicles.

Having a reverse VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) lookup facility makes it stand out, as not too many background check tools offer it.

For example, if you search your own car details, you may discover important alerts to safety recalls and warranty coverage.

Meanwhile, you can access BeenVerified's various search tools on the website or mobile app after paying for the monthly membership. It comes with 100 reports every month, which do not roll over if you don't use it up.

Pros + Cons:

If you don't want to be restrained by BeenVerified's monthly cap, this next option may be appealing to you.

TruthFinder For Unlimited Searches

TruthFinder may not be as versatile as BeenVerified's, but it scores big points with its unlimited search capabilities.

This tool allows you to search using a person's name, phone number, email address, and address to discover useful information. For example, you can look up the details of a suspicious-looking neighbor who just moved in your vicinity.

Aside from a reverse email lookup, you can also check if your email address has been compromised through its Dark Web Scan facility. Or, consider subscribing to their Dark Web Monitoring plan. For $2.99 per month,^[2] it can detect data breaches and identity theft occurrences involving your details.

Pros + Cons:

Want unlimited searches for a little less? Check out this next background check company.

Intelius For Identity Monitoring

Intelius is a thorough background check service that allows you to search as many people as you want and get reliable results.

It has been around for more than 2 decades and belongs to the roster of people search brands by PeopleConnect, a trusted source in this industry.

This tool is great for those who want to:

• Assess a person's trustworthiness
  
• Trace relatives, old friends, or debtors
  
• Identify prank callers

Most background check services require payment, and Intelius is no exception. But you don't have to commit to a monthly subscription right away. You can try it for under a dollar for several days and see if it meets your expectations.

For an additional monthly plan of $9.95,^[4] you can get up to $1 million of identity theft insurance coverage with Identity Protect.

Pros + Cons:

This next tool is also on PeopleConnect's formidable lineup of people search engines.

Instant Checkmate For Bonus Features

Instant Checkmate is a popular people search tool that is a bit on the pricey side. Aside from compiling extensive public data, it can provide useful extra features that give more value to your subscription.

One of those features is report monitoring, which you can activate on any report generated to stay on top of its updates or changes. This ensures you get fresh outcomes around the clock.

It also has an inmate locator. Normally, you get criminal and court records. But with this facility, you can extract details such as the prison location and release date.

While it's not a free service, Instant Checkmate offers the cheapest dark web monitoring plan. For only $1.99,^[5] you can take action against identity theft by keeping track of your passwords and other personal credentials regularly.

Pros + Cons:

Not interested in getting a monthly plan or even a trial? You still have another option below.

Spokeo For One-Off Searches

Sometimes, you don't really need all that information. Spokeo is your answer if you are looking for a cheaper people search engine that satisfies basic needs.

It doesn't offer unlimited searches but does allow tailored plans. That said, monthly search quotas may vary.

Although its reports may not be as in-depth compared to other background check services, Spokeo offers useful property details like estimated market value, size, and other features for free.

In case you require more searches, an option to purchase additional reports is available. For deeper dives, you can upgrade to a Background+ Report. You get details such as public records, civil records, licenses, properties, liens, and more.

Pros + Cons:

Some of the best background check services provide customer support only on weekdays, but a few go the extra mile—like this one below.

PeopleLooker For Great Customer Service

If you don't need a VIN check, PeopleLooker is like BeenVerified lite, which isn't surprising because both have the same parent company (Lifetime Value Co.).

This tool has 6 search types, which you can have access to once you purchase a membership or a trial. It caps at 100 reports per month, allowing you to monitor up to 10 of them at a time.

PeopleLooker is among the few that offer daily live support for their customers. It isn't available 24/7 (although their chat is), but you can access it for longer hours. Aside from that, they have other customer channels; there is practically no excuse for them to be unreachable.

In addition, their website is chock-full of information on how to navigate their services. This is quite refreshing since many background check tools offer fewer details, keeping their sites as basic as possible.

Pros + Cons:

Next is a tool that's very useful, especially if you're in the real estate industry.

PeopleFinders For Realtors

PeopleFinders is perhaps one of the most reliable people search services out there. It has over a decade of experience under its belt and boasts an extensive network of databases with records that go back 40 years.

That said, you can expect the most comprehensive reports from their service. If you want to get notices related to your identity, you can activate the Identity Watch option for free. At the same time, you can be notified when new records are found for your reports.

But the perks don't stop there. It also has a Professional Plan that's perfect for real estate entrepreneurs.

Although there is a cap of 250 reports, it comes with useful features like MLS data and property insights. If you want to research properties, you can also go for the Premium plan, which provides granular details about the neighborhood and ownership history.

Pros + Cons:

Looking to stretch your dollar? Check out this next tool.

US Search For Basic Needs

US Search is a no-frills people search tool for the budget-conscious. At under $20 a month, you can enjoy unlimited online searches using a person's name to discover potentially revealing information about their identity.

If you use other data points, like a phone number or address, you will be charged a much lower fee since the results are only for that particular search type. For instance, with a reverse address lookup, you are provided with property-related details and some basic neighborhood data.

However, this also means if you want to know more details about neighbors, you need to run a name search, which requires a separate subscription.

Meanwhile, it must be noted that this service doesn't have a mobile app, so you can only access your account through its website.

Pros + Cons:

Best FCRA-Compliant Background Checks

An FCRA-compliant background check site follows the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), a U.S. law that protects individuals' privacy and rights. FCRA compliance is crucial for any employer who is using background checks.

If you want to ensure you're getting the right people for a certain job, you'll need one of these next 4 tools.

1. GoodHire For Employee Backgrounds

GoodHire not only provides companies with background reports on their job candidates, but it also helps you navigate compliance requirements so you don't have to worry about them.

You can choose from a variety of screenings that cater to different applications. If you are hiring a truck driver, for example, you'd want to include an MVR check and a criminal background check. Or, perhaps, add an education verification if the job calls for a specific expertise.

Like with most pre-employment background check providers, costs can easily run up the more screening types you need. Also, watch out for pass-through fees, which are basically additional charges you may incur from third parties to complete a background check.

Pros + Cons:

Since the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, this next service is actually GoodHire's parent company.

2. Checkr for AI-driven Screening

Checkr was established in 2014 and quickly became one of the top choices in pre-employment background checks. Thanks to its automated data retrieval and advanced compliance tools, it has modernized the industry with its optimized use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

As such, it offers multiple employee screening options, simplified workflows, and over 100 ATS and HR integrations like Workable and Greenhouse.

Checkr can reduce manual work when making hiring decisions. One way is through its Assess feature, which provides status recommendations for job candidates.

You can set your own criteria while the tool handles data processing so you view only the relevant results. This enables you to hire employees faster, saving you time and money.

Pros + Cons:

3. First Advantage For Global Searches

This is another background check company providing comprehensive background check services for employers.

But First Advantage's extensive global financial records check makes it ideal if you have international hiring requirements. It takes out the guesswork, letting you confidently perform allowable searches in the quickest way possible.

Its sophisticated technology and analytics are also designed to handle high volumes of online background checks efficiently.

In addition to ATS and HR integrations, First Advantage boasts a digital filing system that practically eliminates emails, folders, and paperwork. It also has an electronic fingerprint background check service, which directly submits criminal records checks to the FBI.

Pros + Cons:

4. Sterling For Businesses of All Sizes

As one of the more established background check companies, Sterling's services only continue to get better. It offers criminal history reports, MVR checks, and identity verifications, just to name a few.

With its global check capabilities, Sterling has access to criminal records from over 195 countries.

Aside from providing industry-specific solutions, it offers API solutions to help large-scale businesses manage a high volume of candidates.

Regardless of your industry, you can leverage its technology-enabled compliance tools to save precious time and meet your business objectives.

Pros + Cons:

What Is a Background Check Site?

A background check website is a tool that aggregates information about a person that is sourced from various databases.

This tool serves as a people search engine that individuals can use for personal reasons, such as tracing long-lost friends or relatives.

If it's a consumer reporting agency that is approved by the FCRA, it may be used to assess creditworthiness, screen property buyers/renters, and vet job candidates, among other official purposes.

What Shows Up on a Background Check Report?

Background checks may reveal a wealth of information about an individual, including:

• Identity records
  
• Possible relatives
  
• Photos
  
• Credit records
  
• Criminal records
  
• Civil records
  
• Driving records
  
• Social media profiles
  
• Misdemeanors
  
• Healthcare sanction records
  
• Education history
  
• Employment history
  
• Sex offender records

Information unearthed from the above may verify or refute the details provided by the person. Thus, these may affect decisions and eligibilities based on the purpose they serve.

Who Uses a Background Check Site?

Comprehensive background check websites are often used by various individuals and organizations for different purposes.

Here are some of the primary users of their services:

• Employers
  Job candidates are usually subject to background checks to ensure all the information they provide checks out.
  Non-FCRA-compliant services cannot be used for professional background checks requiring FCRA compliance, such as screening employees or tenants.
  

• Landlords/property owners
  A background check, which may include credit information, can give you confidence in a potential renter or buyer's character and payment capability.

• Financial institutions
  Of course, creditors want to ensure that their borrowers can repay their loans in a timely and diligent manner.

• Nonprofits
  Such organizations often screen volunteers, especially those working with children, the elderly, or disabled persons.

• Regular individuals
  For your peace of mind, you may conduct background checks on potential roommates, people you meet online, or suspicious new acquaintances.

How Does a Background Check Site Work?

A typical background check site pools multiple records from various databases on federal, state, county, and municipal levels using in-house technologies. This enables them to compile data in one report that an individual may access after paying a corresponding fee or subscription.

However, it's important to note that not all websites that present themselves as background check tools can be used legally for crucial situations other than personal use. These exceptions include determining property buyers/tenants, pre-employment, loan/credit applications, and educational qualifications.

According to the FCRA, only a consumer reporting agency can carry out checks for such purposes, given the strict compliance requirements that come with it.

How accurate are the results from background check sites?
Since not all background check sites are the same, legitimate ones are usually very accurate. For instance, the FBI NICS, which is one of the major criminal databases, has a 99.8% accuracy rate.^[19] Out of the 447 samples with negative results, only 1 was found erroneous.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Background Check Site

While reasons for seeking the services of a background check site differ, these 3 are perhaps the most important considerations.

• Accuracy
  Nobody wants to get false positives or false negatives—the consequences can be dire. But since no site can guarantee 100% accuracy, your background check site should come close.

• Turnaround time
  Turnaround time is important if your decision to approve an individual depends on the background check results. After all, time is money.

• Cost
  Although cheaper is often preferred, it doesn't necessarily mean it's the best option. However, always work within your budget.

Methodology

To create the list of the best background check sites, we ensured they were from reputable providers with a high number of users. Offhand, these are usually indicators of a good background check site.

At the same time, we tested each background check website that caters to personal use and evaluated how they performed.

On the other hand, we arrived at our top picks for pre-employment screenings by examining their features, comparing them to their competitors, and reading client feedback.

Lastly, we looked at the value they offer for the money you pay for. Some websites may be more expensive than others, but that's usually because they come with extra perks.

Bottom Line

All background check websites on this list offer a high degree of accuracy, making them worth using—whether it's for personal or professional reasons.

Most of these tools are priced reasonably, allowing you to conduct searches safely and conveniently. More importantly, they can help you achieve your purpose.

References