Brand Partner ContentA background check may seem unreasonable at first, but it can save you a lot of trouble later. People around you, who you work with or the ones you date, can affect your life and safety in a big way. The best background check services give you the assurance you need when making close connections with people.
These services are also used by people to find out how much of their own personal information is public. If you are concerned about your privacy on the web, a background check will reveal how much information about you is accessible by others on social media platforms.
Best Background Check Sites With Trials
Background check services are limited in their scope as they only reveal what you can easily find through a few Google searches. But you don’t have to pay for these services right away. Most of these top services offer a trial so you can understand how these work and do not have to go through cancellation if you don’t like their report.
Here is a list of the top background check sites with trials. Each of these sites may offer slightly different services and going through their trials will help you identify which one is perfect for your needs.
- Intelius – Quick Checks & 5 Days Trial
- TruthFinder – Best For Criminal Records
- Instant Checkmate – Best Trial for Social Media Checks
#1. Intelius – Quick Checks & 5 Days Trial
Brand overview
Intelius is one of the best background check services and offers a search tool that scans over 20 billion records to find a match. The site generates a report which contains the person’s criminal record, contact information, past and present addresses, date of birth, relatives, aliases, and other details.
Their service is tailored for those who are dating a person and want to look him or her up for background details. But you can also search your own name with their search tool to find out how much of your personal data is public and also whether your contact details are updated on the web.
You can also use Intelius to search unknown numbers or look up information about a property owner. The site has a very user-friendly interface and the search filter makes it extremely easy to search for background information about a person, address, or contact details.
Pros
- Pay a monthly fee for unlimited background checks
- Can find information about a person, phone number, or an address
- It ensures your anonymity when you search for someone
- It provides a comprehensive report
Cons
- You can only opt for a monthly subscription
- Customer service is only available during certain hours
⇒ Click Here to Visit the Official Website of Intelius
The Best Thing about Intelius
So why would you use Intelius over other best background check services? Their website is super easy to navigate and makes it easier to find the search option you are looking for. The site offers all the major and the best background check services.
It is a background check report contains all the data you will need to screen a person. The site is designed to make even the complicated features look really simple to the users.
Features
- Reverse phone lookup to find who is calling you
- Search criminal records of a person
- Find out how much of your personal information is public
- Find details of a property you want to buy
- Confidential checks to lookup potential dates
User Friendliness
The website has plenty of concise information to assist you in using their search tools. Their search tool may look quite basic, but once you click on the search button, you will be asked a few questions while the search progresses. These will help filter the search to find accurate information about the person you are looking for.
#2. TruthFinder – Best Paid Search For Public Records
TruthFinder background check site stands out in terms of accuracy and in-depth search report. The report it produces is so extensive that you can use it for a variety of purposes.
The background check reveals personal information like date of birth, aliases, education, jobs, relatives, associates, contacts, and more. But it takes it a step further by including details about location history, neighbors, financial information, public records, and so on.
It also lets you scan the dark web to find out if your private information is being sold online. With the increase in identity theft, it’s not uncommon for a criminal to steal information like bank account details, social security numbers, passport numbers, medical information, etc online for illegal purposes.
Pros
- It also scans the dark web for information
- It can look for information up to 15 years back
- Offers several membership options to best suit your needs
- A reverse phone lookup feature is also available
Cons
- Search results appear a little dramatic
- It doesn’t have a single search tool option for multiple types of checks
⇒ Click Here to Visit the Official Website of TruthFinder
Is Truthfinder a legit website?
They have one of the most reliable tools for finding people with just their names and addresses. Their detailed report with accurate information makes them one of the most trusted background check services. You don’t need any prior knowledge to use their background search tool.
Features
- It checks for relations and aliases to help screen a date
- It has the dark web scan tool to detect leaks of your critical information
- Can find criminal and financial records of a person
- You can also find details of a person by looking up their phone or email
User-friendliness
They have a landline number that you can call if you have a query. Their website has a good amount of information to help you carry out accurate checks with their tools. Their search result is compiled on a single page to make sense to beginners.
#3. Instant Checkmate – Fast Social Media Checks & $1 Trial
Brand overview
Instant Checkmate is best suitable for screening potential employees based on criminal records and other government data. But the vast amount of features and the detailed report allow you to use it for other purposes, where you need to uncover secret details about a person.
Its search option even makes it possible to find lost contact details of an old friend or colleague. The personal information part of their report is extremely comprehensive, and the entire report is tabbed and color-coded for easy reading.
For a deeper search, Instant Checkmate offers a private investigator for hire as a one-time service. The investigator will include drug screening and address verification. Their search tool also covers the dark web and can spot illegal activities related to identity theft.
Pros
- Online check is encrypted to protect your identity
- They specialize in searching criminal and arrest records
- Personal information like ethnicity and financial data included in their report
- No limit to the number of searches for a monthly subscription
Cons
- Search filter has limited options
⇒ Click Here to Visit the Official Website of Instant Checkmate
The Best Thing about Instant Checkmate
Instant Checkmate searches a lot of data and compiles a comprehensive report for you. Despite scanning an extensive list of federal, state, and county records, it takes less time than other services. Also, Instant Checkmate is quite reliable for legal and financial Checks.
Features
- It can uncover criminal or arrest record about a person
- This tool can expose a person if they are dishonest about their identity
- Find the estimated net worth of a person
User Friendliness
The website takes good care of its new users and offers detailed information about how to read their data. You can call on their toll-free number to get in touch with customer support. The search tools are also user-friendly and are easy to use.
#4. US Search – Best Reverse Email Checks
Brand overview
The primary function of US Search service is to locate your long-lost friends and family members. But the vast amount of data it scans is also very useful to check on people you wish to date or work closely with. You can also search a number to identify an unknown caller.
Its social network search or email search makes it convenient to look up anyone by entering just a single piece of information. You can use the latest contact information for a person to check their property records and public records.
Pros
- Its search tool can find social media accounts of a person
- You can use just an email to find a person
- It can find updated contact information
- This website scans criminal, public, and property records to build a report
Cons
- The website lacks ‘how to use it’ information
⇒ Click Here to Visit the Official Website of US Search
The Best Thing about US Search
It has all the tools you will need to perform a complete background check but has a clean and user-friendly interface. It also lets you search the criminal and property records of a person. In case you have little information about a person, you can search about him just by email or phone number.
Features
- It would reveal the address, relatives, criminal records, age, contact, etc
- Search social network accounts associated with a person
- You can also search a person by their address
- Reverse phone lookup enables you to find the identity of an unknown caller
User Friendliness
They respond pretty quickly by email, but you can also reach them out on their phone number. The website is easy to navigate and the single-page background report has quite concise information that you will have no problem understanding.
#5. BeenVerified – Best for Beginners
Brand overview
This is a powerful background check service that offers a single tool for 7 different types of searches. From property ownership records to a person’s personal information, just a single search will get you all the results you need.
Its intuitive platform makes it super easy to check anyone and confirm ownership of a property, know the person you are dating, or check criminal information before hiring someone. One of its services lets you check if there is unclaimed money in your name.
If you are a legal heir to an asset you haven’t claimed yet, BeenVerified is a good service to learn about it. The best part is, a single search will reveal all of these details about you or another person. You don’t have to make separate searches to find different types of information.
Pros
- Quite an affordable pricing
- Can lookup property information such as a vehicle for resale
- You can check if you’re owed funds
- A great tool to check the criminal record of a person
Cons
- Search filters are limited in number
The Best Thing about BeenVerified
If you want the usual tools too limiting, BeenVerified offers 7 different ways to look up information about people or properties. Besides finding background details about a person, you can also search for a vehicle or address to find ownership and financial details. You can also search for unclaimed money that is owed to you.
Despite so many search options, BeenVerified is beginner-friendly and not complicated to use. Their 7-features-in-one tool sets them apart from other background search services.
Features
- Search background details using the name or contact information
- Find if there is unclaimed money that belongs to you
- Lookup the VIN of a vehicle for details about it
- Check property records
- Search a phone number to find out who is calling you
User Friendliness
BeenVerified makes it easier to search different types of data with a single search tool. The site has a user-friendly interface, and it generates the report in just a few simple steps.
#6. GoodHire – Easy To Use
Brand overview
If you are looking for a more specialized best background check service, GoodHire is ideal for employment checks. Also, since time is a precious commodity for businesses, GoodHire produces results much faster than other services. 85% of the checks are completed within a minute.
They also offer various screening services like a drug test, criminal record check, education verification, credit checks, etc. These services are quite suitable for multiple different industries such as accounting, finance, banking, staffing, construction, IT, retail, healthcare, and so on.
GoodHire has several products tailored for small and large business organizations. Their user-friendly website and impressive background check service and accuracy make them the most preferred background check service for employers.
Pros
- Very accurate search results
- Faster turnaround time
- Prompt customer support
- Their modern system is easy to use
Cons
- A little more expensive than others
The Best Thing about GoodHire
GoodHire is meant for those who wish to perform background checks on their job candidates. Their faster turnaround time and accurate personal details about prospective employees make it the best option for businesses.
It can be used for background checks across multiple industries. Their screening service is suitable for the verification of candidates before hiring them.
Features
- Drug screening service available
- Service includes criminal background checks
- Education and employment verification
- You can also carry out international background checks
User Friendliness
The site is easy to use for businesses. You can talk to their sales team or customer care to understand their service and clarify queries.
#7. RentPrep – Best for Criminal History
Brand overview
It is another specialized background check service that aims to help owners screen their tenants before renting property. Their screening tool generates full credit reports, eviction and bankruptcy reports, and carries out SSN verification.
The website is designed to help users understand the data revealed during these background checks. There is plenty of support to understand how to read the data. Beginners can easily use this website to screen tenants and secure themselves. You won’t feel lost on their website.
RentPrep also has a Facebook community with over 10,000 landlords. Apparently, they take good care of their customers and offer resources to help landlords with legal remedies, and various insights to help stay out of trouble with their tenants.
Pros
- Services are specially designed for tenant screening
- Easy to use interface and helps users read data
- Tenant credit checks feature is available
Cons
- The report lacks personal information, as it’s solely designed for tenant screening
The Best Thing about RentPrep
RentPrep is one of the best platforms to screen tenants. From credit reports to SSN verification, its background check tool collects all the critical information you must know before renting your property. It is the ideal search tool for landlords to ensure their safety while offering their house space for rent.
Features
- The report consists of eviction records
- Income verification and credit reports are available
- Their background check helps screen tenants
- They have a helpful community with thousands of landlords
User Friendliness
Their website has a clean interface and plenty of content to help understand their background check tool. Almost any question you might have about their service will be answered on their site. They also share additional information to help you find the right tenant for your property. You can contact them through call or email for support.
#8. PeopleSmart – Best Customer Service
Brand overview
If you are a business looking for new leads to turn into customers, PeopleSmart is your best bet. It finds you sales opportunities in your target market and gets you the contact details as well as professional history. With this tool, you can spend less time compiling a list of leads and more time focusing on selling your product.
Besides this, it has other features such as LinkedIn search to hire new talent and partnership opportunities with bloggers, journalists, etc. PeopleSmart is suitable for businesses and is not meant for personal background checks. It is a platform offering services that are essential to growing a business.
Pros
- It offers a search tool to find targeted leads
- Has multiple filters to improve search
- You can search LinkedIn to hire employees
Cons
- Some business knowledge is needed to interpret data
The Best Thing about PeopleSmart
It has specialized functions to assist businesses in finding targeted market leads. It is a great tool to boost your sales by finding genuine leads to sell your product. It has a variety of tools to help businesses grow.
Features
- It finds the most relevant leads based on the search filter
- The website has a search tool to hire new talent on LinkedIn
- It helps build business connections or find partners
- You can lookup email or phone number to find details of a person
User Friendliness
Sales professionals love the site and its functionality to boost their sales. All the features on the site are quite easy to use and prepare a detailed report for you to understand. The site is very useful in finding potential customers with ease.
#9. PeopleLooker – Best Value
Brand overview
It runs an extensive search to find detailed information about people. This online background check service can be useful if you want to avoid fraud or ensure safety while meeting or dating new people. You may also use their search tool to look up a person when planning to do business with him.
People looker offers a range of personal details that you can’t find on Google. It is also a great tool if you are looking for lost contact details of a friend or relative. It’s a secure website that keeps your identity confidential while you carry out the background on people.
Their search tool also reveals information about a person’s education or career details. You can also find the present and past addresses of a person using People Looker. If you have just met a person and want to be sure that they are honest about their identity, this site can be really helpful.
Pros
- Helpful customer support
- Their website is easy to use
- Creates a comprehensive report with plenty of background details
Cons
- Only have monthly membership plans
- The site could have more search filters
The Best Thing about PeopleLooker
It is one of the most uncomplicated background check services we have seen. The report prepared is quite detailed and helps you avoid scams and protect yourself from criminals. Their background check tool looks into records that you cannot find with a Google search.
Features
- It includes court and criminal records
- Phone and email search option is available
- You can search details of a property
- With people search you can find a lot of personal information including relatives of a person
User Friendliness
Their helpful customer service staff makes using the website really easy. The user interface is as simple as a Google search, but it prepares an in-depth report containing personal and legal information about a person.
#10. PeopleFinders – Best Choice for Basic Checks
Brand overview
When you need quick, basic searches at affordable prices, you don’t need to go elsewhere. It covers all the basic details about a person like bankruptcy filings, property records, personal or business history, etc. This background check service searches over 45 billion US records just within seconds.
It has a simple website with a search tool that produces fast reports. Its advanced search filters help with accurate results. You can look up information for a name, phone, email, or address. The address search option can fetch information about the value of a property or who lives where.
If someone has recently moved down the street, you can look up their address to find contact information and other background details. People also use this search tool to learn how safe a certain neighborhood is. An address search also reveals whether sex offenders or other criminals are living close to a location.
Pros
- It is one of the fastest search tools
- Offers a 3 day trial period to new users
- Reverse phone and address lookups are available
Cons
- The background search tool does not use an encrypted connection
- Its advanced search could have more options
The Best Thing about PeopleFinders
Their reverse search tool is quite useful. It allows you to find information using the name, email, phone, or address. Their advanced search filter is quite impressive. The numerous search filters make background checks much faster and accurate.
Features
- Their deep search reveals uncommon background details
- You can look up an address
- You can find a person using the name or contact details
- You can also find the previous owner of a phone number
User Friendliness
PeopleFinders is a complete package for background checks on people or an address. Their high number of 5-star ratings makes it quite obvious that users have loved the experience. Their customer service responds promptly and does their best to help resolve an issue.
Are Online Background Checks Reliable?
You can get accurate information just about anyone. A background scan can reveal personal, professional, as well as legal information about a person. In fact, these services are often used to find lost friends or relatives. It’s like an encyclopedia of people.
A lot of the information is also sourced from official government records and is thus very accurate. There is a plethora of information about people that you can access through these sites. Data about criminal records, credit reports, property records, etc are derived from the court or government sources or other official agencies.
Is There an Effective Background Check Service?
You can find background check services, but there is a good reason you would want to skip them. The genuine background service providers pay hundreds of thousands of dollars each month to get access to millions of records from important databases in the country.
So, to sustain their services, they charge you for background checks. If someone is offering services, they are scanning some of the social media sites and not accessing other important records. Genuine background checks even scan the dark web to find hidden information.
Background checks rarely contain anything of value to you. They might save you time Google searching for information, but their reports lack in-depth information about a person to help you make the right choice.
Are Background Checks Legal?
Yes, background checks are legal as long as those are not based on color, race, religion, sex, or age. There is also a law regarding employment screenings. The Fair Credit Report Act makes it mandatory to use an official Consumer Reporting Agency to get a credit report.
This agency collects and provides information by following correct procedures to protect a person’s privacy. This report also ensures fairness.
How do I do a Background Check on Myself?
All the listed background check services are reliable and are packed with important features to help you find the needed information. However, based on your requirement, some of these may be more relevant for you than others. If you are a business, you might find GoodHire or PeopleSmart better suited for your needs.
RentPrep is a great background check service for landlords. However, if you don’t need specialized services and are looking for a basic background check to unearth the true identity of a person, you can find a more affordable option that will only report details like contact information, relatives, criminal records, current address, etc.
Intelius, TruthFinder, and CheckMate have powerful tools to find background information about people using their names, addresses, or other contact information. These sites search a vast number of data sources to reveal in-depth personal, financial, and legal information about people.
In Conclusion – Which Background Check Site Should You Choose?
While a background check is commonly used to look up a potential date or screen employees, these can serve many more purposes. A background search tool helps you look up any person you find suspicious, but it’s always better to perform checks on people you work closely with.
It might also help you find sex offenders or other criminal elements in a neighborhood. A lot of these background check companies offer unlimited checks for a monthly fee. That could be handy if you are in a business where you need to work with unknown people regularly. Although each background check site that has been mentioned above has its own unique specialty, we preferred the search results by Intelius and TruthFinder as the most accurate ones.
If you have been disappointed by background check services before, try these paid ones that really scan several trusted records to find all the personal and legal information about a person. Go ahead with their trial and see what you find about a person!
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