Which Background Check Service Is The Best?

I know how hard it is trying to distinguish and pick the best background check services from the many that exist online.

Maybe you have a new neighbor and want to know if you can trust them. Perhaps, a potential date you want to look up or you want to double-check information an acquaintance has given you.

Don't fret. We have compiled trustworthy sites that give detailed and accurate background check reports.

This article reviews the best background check services at the moment.

Best Background Check Services

1. Truthfinder – Best Overall Background Check Online

Wide variety of search options
Detailed reports
Great mobile/web interface
Toll-free call support

Truthfinder touts itself as the most trusted background service – which is quite deserving, considering they have over 45,000 5-star reviews and boast 9.5 million sessions every month!

You'll have access to a wide public records database, where you can find information about a case, criminal records, and lots of information that usually might be hard to find.

Want to find someone you lost touch with?

Do unlimited background checks on TruthFinder with People Finder. All you need is their name and volla! You can get their possible locations, relatives, and even social media handles.

Another interesting thing is you can find out whether your personal information is being used for illegal activities using the dark web scan.

Pricing

$28.05/month for 1 month
$23.28/month for 3 months

2. Intelius – Best Social Media Background Check Tool

Anonymous searching
Simple user-interface
Affordable
Great for finding old friends

Lucky you! Intelius is the HUB of social media and data reports with wide search options and access to more than 20 billion public records!

You'll have an unlimited people search tool to look up anyone; a friend, neighbor, family, date and see get to see their possible criminal, social media, educational, and even personal information.

The icing on the cake is that Intelius searches are anonymous, so no one will be notified when you look them up. Useful, right?

Does a strange caller keep calling you or a loved one? With a reverse phone search, you'll easily unearth deep details of the now not-so-mysterious caller.

Tip: If you don't want to get caught slacking, do a self background check and see what might come up.

Pricing

$24.86 for 1 month
$21.13/month for 2 months

3. Instant Checkmate – Best Criminal Background Check

Private searching
Over 1 billion searches
Great mobile app/web interface

Intelius is the FBI of background checks. It's literally the HUB of public records, with almost 1.5 billion total searches and over 70,000 5-star reviews from real Instant Checkmate users.

You can do background checks on any acquaintance, neighbor, date, and more; to not only get reports on possible state/county criminal records but also court records;

With just a person's name, you can find their possible location history, social media, date of birth (and place), and even phone number hints. Which is pretty helpful in reconnecting with old friends/schoolmates.

The cherry on top is that you can add personal information to help the search narrow down and give more accurate results.

And just in case you're skeptical, Instant Checkmate is completely private—so not a single person you look up will be alerted.

Pricing

$35.12 for a 30-day membership
$84.28 for a 90-day membership

4. Spokeo – Top Reverse Phone Number Background Check

Pros

Affordable prices
Over 12 billion searches
Great to find lost connections
Simple user interface

Cons

Limited criminal database

Want to protect yourself/family and need to do a background search on a neighbor, roommate, or maybe counter-check information from a date?

Spokeo is a reputable choice, with over 12 billion public records and over 20 million customers a month!

To start, you can use the people search tool and possibly find a person's address history, birthdate, phone number, location history, and even their criminal/arrest records. All without them ever knowing!

You never know what might happen, so stay ahead of the game; look yourself up and see what a background search might reveal.

Want to clear the mystery behind a strange phone number?

You can do a reverse phone background check on any phone number and clear the mystery behind that call.

Unfortunately, there's no trial, but the memberships are affordable.

Pricing

$13.75 – 3 month membership
$23.76 – 1 month membership

5. Infotracer – Best Site for Targeted Background Searches

Pros

5-day trial
Facial recognition search available
Intuitive app/web interface
24/7 support

Cons

Limited reports in some searches

Infotracer perfects the art of giving nitty-gritty information on search reports, with probably the best-targeted searches.

On top of that, you have access to over 5 billion public records on an A+ BBB (Better Business Bureau) rated platform!

With the people search tool, you can do a self background check on a date/roommate or even find out about old friends. And find information on their social networks, education, phone number, property ownership, and more!

Do you fancy a facial recognition search? Using someone's picture, you can get their background check report easily. Which is quite a sport when you need to look up someone fast. I mean, what are the chances of look-alikes having the same name?

Better yet, you can run a license plate search and unearth a car's VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and traffic violations. Which is quite helpful in case of a car accident!

However, Infotracer seems to give limited criminal reports, but that won't stand in your way much if it's not something you're looking for.

CHEAP trial? Yes. For just $2.95, you can test out all of Infortracer's best features.

Pricing

$19.95 for single reports
$19.95 monthly membership

6. Been Verified – Best Background Check Site for Property Searches

Pros

Email/username search
Great mobile app
Great vehicle records

Cons

Limited criminal records

Been Verified boasts over ten years of experience and a database of billions of records.

Been Verified has built its forte around vehicle and property records. So if you're looking to buy or sell a car or some other thing, this is the site to help you make that informed decision.

Not only can you do a background check on someone you're associated with or yourself. You can reconnect with loved ones just by searching up their name and probably get information on their location, job, age, education, and possible relatives.

Better still, there's a reverse phone lookup you can use to find out the details behind spam callers.

However, some search results might take a moment, but there's a 7-day trial! Yes. With just $1, unlimited records will be waiting for you.

Pricing

$26.89 for a 1-month membership
$17.48 for a 3-month membership

7. Good Hire – Best Background Checks for Employers

Pros

FCRA accredited
User-friendly website
Covers many work industries

Cons

Criminal checks take longer

Good Hire is the Godfather of employment and business-related background checks. With an FCRA accreditation, 10 years of experience, and over 80,000 employers using their services for employment services.

An employer/business can use the check service and uncover information like; criminal reports, education, identity checks, credit checks, driving records, civil court records, and much more!

Better still. You can do a personal background check so you're not blindsided by an employer. Cool, right?

Since Good Hire offers a lot of business/employment screenings, the prices are relatively high.

Pricing

$29.99 – $79.99 for personal background checks

For companies, screening services are tailored and depend on the type and number of checks.

8. BackgroundChecks.com – Best Background Check Site for Landlords

Pros

Detailed background checks
FCRA Compliant
A+ BBB rating

Cons

No trial

Does it get better than an FCRA accreditation and an A+ BBB rating?

Background Checks is another great check service not only for businesses but organizations and landlords!

Through a partnership with Backgroundchecks.com, you can do a background check on yourself, neighbors, colleagues, friends and gain access to their personal information, criminal reports, and more!

However, there is no trial, and reports are definitely on the more expensive side.

Pricing

$29.95 – $49.95

9. Infomart – Top Fast Background Check Online

Pros

Simple user interface
Covers many work industries
Great reputation

Cons

No trial

Infomart prides itself in being the bridge towards a qualified workforce, with more than 30 years of experience!

Not only does Infomart cover a wide number of industries, but they also offer a wide array of services including; criminal record checks, credit checks, verifications, social media checks, motor vehicle records, and more!

Also, you won't have to wait long to get even the most detailed results, Informart's average turnaround time is just 1.06 days.

There seems to be no direct information to show if Infomart is FCRA accredited. However, it is accredited by the National Association of Professional Background Screeners.

10. Publicseek – Great Self Background Check

Pros

Detailed and fast reports
Simple easy-to-use website
Phone/email lookup

Cons

Not FCRA accredited

Want to find a lost connection; friend, schoolmate, family, an ex? Then Publicseek was made for you, with a database of over 10 billion public records.

You can ensure the safety of your family by looking up people around them or even yourself and getting their possible age, locations, address history, history, relatives, and more.

On top of that, you can also do an email or reverse a phone search and get the details behind a puzzling number.

Best Background Check Sites: Your Questions Answered

What Is a Background Check Service?

A background check service is a platform that looks up information or attempts to verify that a person is who they claim to be, using public and even private databases on behalf of an individual or employer.

What Information Can Background Checks Uncover?

Background checks uncover a variety of information depending on the platform and FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act). Some that may be uncovered are:

Criminal Records

Most background check companies consider criminal records. A search on public/private databases, a background search can uncover criminal convictions, pending court cases, incarceration history, arrests that didn't lead to convictions.

Employment History

Especially when done by an employer, they may want to verify your job experience and learn your previous job positions and roles, job period, awards, and even your salary on some occasions.

Education History

Generally, most employers need their prospective employers to have a certain level of education. An education history can reveal; institutions attended, college degrees, training, awards, years attended, and any other related educational records.

Driving Records

Depending on the regulations stated on a platform, a background check can reveal; traffic violations, suspensions, restrictions, driver's license status, and any other information that might be related to driving records.

What Is the Best Site for Criminal Background Checks?

The best site for criminal checks is Instant Checkmate. The site has over 70,000 5-Star reviews and a wide criminal database with records of criminal arrests, convictions, pending court cases, incarceration history, and more.

Which Is Better, Spokeo or BeenVerified?

Spokeo is reputable, pretty easy to use, and quite affordable. However, it might have limited criminal reports.

On the other hand, BeenVerified has a great mobile app and an email search option. However, it also gives limited criminal reports.

Considering all the facts, Spokeo's affordability ($13.75/month) and simple user interface just pip BeenVerified's benefits.

What Causes a Red Flag on a Background Check?

Different factors might cause red flags on a background check, regardless of whether they were intentional or not. Examples include;

Criminal History

Job application forms often require one to fill a section on criminal history. However, an applicant with a criminal record might not fill it in because they fear being disqualified. Thus, when an employer finds a criminal history on a criminal records check, especially a serious one and not disclosed on the application, it might be a red flag.

Many Short Term Jobs

Too many short-term jobs might imply that an applicant is not reliable or might have bad qualities that make them not hold a job for long. Regardless of whether it is an applicant's fault or not, it might paint a bad picture.

Education Inconsistencies

An applicant might exaggerate their academic records on an application or a job interview. However, when a background search shows they are not as qualified as they claim to be, it might raise eyebrows and be grounds for disqualification.

Employment Gaps

Owing to the changing economic times like inadequate jobs or health issues, one might find themselves not working for quite some time. Hence, their resumes might have some gaps which might imply to a prospective employer that the person is not qualified enough.

The Takeaway: What is the Best Background Check Service?

Background check providers are a fast and accurate way to get to know or verify information on people. Whether you are an employer or an individual, these reviewed background search sites are accessible and efficient.

To start, Truthfinder has the best all-around service with over 60,000 5-star reviews and a wide records database.

However, for the best-detailed criminal and detailed social media and dating profile reports, then Intelius and Instant Checkmate are great options respectively.

Note: Though these services give reliable results, you should only use Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) approved background check platforms for tenant and employee background checks.

The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post's preparation.