The Best Background Check Sites in 2023

Some background check websites market themselves by pointing out all the horrible things that could happen if you don’t use their services. What if your date is a serial killer or your new colleague is a lunch thief? Spokeo, however, doesn’t use scare tactics. Instead, this background check service focuses on providing information about people that can help you reunite with family members and old friends.

This lighthearted approach is also evident in Spokeo’s visuals. The site is in blue and white, making it extremely pleasant to use. There are no flashy graphics or animations, and the search bar is neatly positioned in the middle of the screen.

Like most of the background checkers we’ve reviewed, Spokeo is not a consumer reporting agency and its services cannot be used for any purposes that require FCRA compliance.

Spokeo’s informative reports include personal details, location history, wealth, family members, social media, and criminal records. You begin the search by typing in the name, address, phone number, or email address of the person you’re looking for. You’ll then be presented with a list of matching results with information such as age, state, and county, which can help you narrow the search.

When compared to other top background checks, Spokeo is very quick. It can take as little as 20 seconds to compile the necessary information and get the report ready. Although the information provided is accurate and up to date, the criminal background check could use a bit more work.

Spokeo’s standout feature is that it updates your reports for the lifetime of your account. For example, if new information comes to light that wasn’t available when you ran your initial search, your report will be automatically updated.

As is usually the case with background checkers, you’ll see Spokeo’s price after you’ve conducted your first search. During our background check reviews, we learned that Spokeo offers monthly and quarterly subscription plans while allowing you to purchase individual reports. 

Unfortunately, the option to buy individual reports is surprisingly rare among background checkers. This can be annoying, as many users just want to find one specific person, not constantly do background checks on everyone they meet. When you consider that Spokeo is one of the cheapest background check online options around, it becomes evident how it reached this level of popularity.

All in all, Spokeo is a pretty capable background checker. While its criminal checks might be somewhat limited in scope, they make up for it with near-instantaneous reports.

Pros:

• User-friendly platform 
• Reasonably priced 
• Free basic searches 
• Reports available in PDF

Cons:

• Available in the US only

Intelius is a Washington-based background check company that has been in operation since 2003. We consider it one of the best background check sites because it provides a wide range of checking services - from people search, public records, and social media checks to comprehensive background checks. The company offers identity theft protection services too.

Intelius has access to more than 20 billion records containing information about individuals and companies, so you can rest assured that the site will provide accurate, in-depth information on your target. If this is your first foray into background check services, Intelius should definitely be one of the first stops you make. The sheer number of features and its user-friendly interface make it ideal for first-time users.

The simplicity and power of the Intelius website are impressive. Regardless of the type of check you want to conduct, there are just three ways of searching - by name, by phone number, or by address. If you are not sure which is best, the background search by name is our suggestion. You can narrow down the search by providing additional details as necessary.

Each report includes basic information about the person you check: name, age, birthdate, past addresses, phone numbers, and so on. In addition, you can request specific search reports like the reverse phone lookup, which shows everything about an anonymous phone caller. 

The full background check is for when you need to know if the person you’re researching has a criminal past or bankruptcies. 

Intelius also has an excellent background check app for mobile devices running on iOS or Android. You can install it easily, use it to conduct background checks whenever you like, and receive information instantly.

Intelius doesn’t publish its pricing plans, preferring that potential clients have a conversation with the sales team before learning how much the company’s background check services cost. 

We found out during our evaluation that the company’s comprehensive background-checking plan costs $39.95 per month. It includes detailed information about the person you check - from education history, professional licenses, marriage and divorce records, to criminal records. 

There is also a $29.99 plan that includes unlimited background checks and unlimited reports. 

Finally, Intelius also offers a one-time background check that includes basic contact details, but you’ll need to contact the company for the price.

When conducting searches, Intelius uses up-to-date federal, state, and local databases. If the person you’re investigating is in the United States, there’s an excellent chance Intelius can give you a detailed report with the freshest information.

Intelius reports are well organized, too, with clearly presented information.

Pros:

• 20 billion records
• Quick searches
• Easy-to-read reports
• Great interface

Cons:

• Pricey
• Lack of pricing transparency

Instant Checkmate definitely deserves a place in our review of top background check services. According to countless customer testimonials on the internet, Instant Checkmate is indispensable at helping people get accurate, timely information about connections such as new neighbors, dates, and school friends with whom they’ve lost contact over the years. 

Instant Checkmate has an A+ score on the BBB website, meaning this is one of the background search sites you can trust. Instant is also a good background check site for anyone who wants to conduct a background check on themselves, to see what information about them others can find on the internet. 

Instant Checkmate stands apart from other background investigation companies because of its detailed criminal reports. This is a somewhat rare feature among background checkers, with many of them being a bit more than glorified phone books.

This company is popular because it lets you conduct searches quickly and easily. The well-organized website lets even less experienced users conduct searches. The site’s instructions are almost superfluous.

This candidate for the best background check site has a modern, easily navigated interface. Just type the search target’s first name, surname, city, and state. A single click starts the online background check. If you don’t have all the information to conduct the search by name, you can give Instant Checkmate’s people search directory a try.

The company offers two online background checks - the “people search” and the “criminal record.” The first allows you to find out lots of information about your target: data and place of birth, current address, and more. The second provides a comprehensive criminal record.

A reminder: Instant Checkmate is not the best solution for businesses that look for employee background checks. You are legally prohibited from using information from this website when deciding if someone is a good candidate for a job. The FCRA protects consumer rights by ensuring that personal information cannot be used for certain purposes unless it comes from an official consumer reporting agency. 

The Instant Checkmate website clearly states that the company is not a consumer reporting agency. One of the consequences is that Instant Checkmate does not guarantee that the information it provides is completely accurate or regularly updated. 

Instant Checkmate is a great option for online criminal background checks. Searching for criminal arrest, records of traffic violations, drug screening results and conviction records is a breeze. 

The website actually starts searching your target’s records the instant you type the first and last name. The search takes only a few minutes, during which you can follow Instant Checkmate’s progress in searching federal, state, and county databases. You can customize the search to get a list of sexual offenders or vandals in your area if you’d like. 

This background check company reviews and reports on your target. The company has a 100% guarantee that the person you are checking will not find out about your search. It protects your privacy with 128-bit encryption, and it uses Norton security products as an extra layer of protection.

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Robust criminal background checker
• Comprehensive reports
• Record annotation

Cons:

• Sometimes slow

Established in 2007, BeenVerified is a reputable background check company offering services that include people search, reverse phone lookup, email lookup, contact information lookup, and social media handles search. 

The company reports that more than 100,000 people have used BeenVerified services to research people they communicate with, reconnect with old friends, or improve their own online reputations. Countless Been Verified reviews praise this company for its fast and affordable background checks containing accurate and detailed information. 

Refreshingly, BeenVerified displays its pricing plans openly on the website. Before you start researching people, you must sign up for BeenVerified and choose one of its pricing plans. The BeenVerified login takes you right to the search console. 

BeenVerified is among the cheapest background check providers. You can subscribe for $22.86 for a monthly membership or pay three months in advance for $17.48 per month. Each option includes background reports; phone, address, and email lookups; and court records. This background checker even monitors your completed searches and sends notifications when information is updated.

In addition to fast and affordable service, BeenVerified prides itself on its customer support. 

Customer support is often overlooked in reviews of background check services. We decided to check how its support staff fares in responding and resolving support tickets. We contacted the agents via phone and asked about the company’s services. They were nothing but polite and knowledgeable. Overall, we were more than happy with the responses we got from them.

We learned that in addition to the monthly subscription, BeenVerified offers one-time services too. For example, if you want to conduct a legit background check of your date, you don’t need to pay the full monthly fee. You can purchase a single report on one person. 

There’s a variety of search options. The BeenVerified interface supports standard searches by name, but you can also search by an automobile license plate number, email, or phone number. 

These searches, however, can result in incorrect information because they are less specific. You’ll guarantee yourself the highest background check accuracy if you provide as much information as you know – first name, surname, state, city, and so on. Then the site will list potential matches. There can be dozens of results. Once you specify which is the one you are searching for, BeenVerified will create a report for you. 

The background reports you get at BeenVerified are detailed and well-organized. Unlike other companies, BeenVerified doesn’t charge more if you want to print your report or download a PDF. 

BeenVerified is a perfect choice if you want to conduct a cheap criminal background check. This type of background check is the most common among customers.

Companies usually charge additional fees, but we were pleasantly surprised when we saw that the criminal record reports come with the BeenVerified basic subscription. Not only does the company provide police records in each state but it also allows you to get the list of sex offenders in your area so you can protect your loved ones.

Pros:

• Huge user base
• Transparent pricing
• Very cheap
• Quick

Cons:

• No free trial

Any list of reputable background check sites must include TruthFinder. 

The benefits of this website are numerous. Not only does the company gather together information from many sources - including social media data, email addresses, and databases - but it also provides information that is not easy to find. This includes criminal, arrest records, and insight into property ownership details.

The first question we need to answer is a serious one: Is TruthFinder legit? Is it safe to use? 

Like other top background check websites, TruthFinder is not registered as a consumer reporting agency. According to the FCRA, the information it provides cannot be used for screening tenants, hiring people, or deciding whether a candidate is eligible for loans and insurance policies. The website is completely safe to use so long as you keep those restrictions in mind. 

Moreover, TruthFinder guarantees privacy for its clients. You can search for details and historical records about anyone you want, and they will not be notified about it. 

TruthFinder allows using its background check service on both desktop and mobile devices. The mobile application can be installed on Android smartphones and iPhones, but you don’t need it – you can always access the company’s website directly from the browser.

Our testers were impressed with the appearance and usefulness of the user interface. Like other background check websites, TruthFinder presents a visual representation of the search for your target’s background information. Clear, easy-to-read progress trackers and reports are hallmarks of top background check sites, allowing you to review the provided information quickly and efficiently.

The display shows how far the search-in-progress has proceeded and which data sources are being checked. While TruthFinder conducts background checks in a timely manner, it’s useful to see how far the current search has progressed.

You can narrow down the search by providing more information about your target. TruthFinder accesses a huge number of data records to conduct a search. To do an accurate online background check, it thoroughly reviews online profiles, current and historic address info, arrest records, convictions, and much more.

The company offers its services through a subscription plan that costs $27.78 per month. You can conduct basic searches, reveal who is hiding behind unidentified phone calls, and peek at the social media profiles of your dates with this plan. If you pay for three months in advance, you can get the same services at a discount: just $23.02 per month. 

TruthFinder differs from the rest of the background check websites in one crucial aspect. The company provides advanced dark web monitoring services for detecting identity theft, online fraud, and suspicious activities that can jeopardize your safety. 

If you are a regular client at TruthFinder, you can also manage your personal background report as you wish. Other TruthFinder clients will see only the information you allow them to see. 

In addition to dark web monitoring, this background check company has a tool that can help you create a family tree from scratch. Just type your name, add the state and city you live in, and click on the search button to get background results. TruthFinder’s family tree maker will give you a list of potential relatives. Specify the relationship between you and the people on the list, and the website will create a family tree. This service is entirely free.

Pros:

• Scans numerous databases
• Reports include financial data
• Dark web monitoring
• Phone lookup

Cons:

• No individual reports

US Search is owned by PeopleConnect, the company behind the excellent Intelius service that we’ve also reviewed here. It has been around since 1998 and has a reputation as top background check company so it’s little surprise that US Search is an excellent website that features cutting-edge background check services. That said, US Search isn’t FCRA-certified as a consumer reporting agency.

US Search’s search options let you conduct a traditional people search, a reverse phone lookup, a social network search, an email search, or a background check. You can also check property and criminal records. 

The interface is simple and intuitive, with every screen showing the main search option and two related ones (usually search by person, phone, or address) with all of the options you’d expect (first and last name, street address, city, state, and so on). 

As some background check reviews point out, there is no US Search app for mobile devices. The site is well optimized for both Android and iOS devices, however, and searches are a breeze, just like on the desktop.

The information US Search reports depends on the type of search you select, of course, but the service will inform you about previous residences, relatives, aliases and maiden names, real estate value, felonies, misdemeanors, lawsuits, and more. Like Intelius, US Search bases all of its reports on updated local, state, and federal databases, so you can be sure you’re getting the latest info. 

Like other reliable public records search sites, US Search protects searches with state-of-the-art 256-bit encryption so you can be sure that those you have searched for won’t know about it.

US Search offers a five-day trial for just $1.99. After that, you’ll need to pay for a subscription - $19.86 per month. Your investment will get you an unlimited number of reports, which is a great value if you conduct background checks regularly.

The background reports are very detailed, and subscribers have access to an excellent dashboard that houses all previously downloaded reports. Even the top background screening companies rarely offer the option of accessing your reports for up to a year from when they were first downloaded as US Search does.

Pros:

• Up-to-date data
• One-year access to all downloaded reports
• Detailed property reports
• Unlimited monthly reports with a subscription

Cons:

• Expensive detailed searches

A lot of background check reviews mention InfoTracer, and with good reason. The company has been in the business for more than a decade, and it’s part of the Accucom family of brands, which also includes CriminalPages, InfoPay, and Everify.

While it may not be as well known as some of the other options on our list, InfoTracer offers some of the most extensive background check options on the market, including exotic options such as dark web search and facial recognition.

The site is accredited by the BBB, which has awarded it an A+ rating, making it one of the top-rated people search websites on the market. However, the customer reviews on the BBB website aren’t particularly stellar. You should be aware that InfoTracer is not an FCRA-certified consumer reporting agency.

Reports on the site can provide the following public background checks: full name, phone numbers, relatives and associates, marriages and divorces, address history, bankruptcies and liens, court and criminal records, property ownership records, birth records, and even VIN lookups.

With a database of more than two billion records, InfoTracer is one of the largest background check companies. The company has recently added social media account searches to its repertoire.

InfoTracer also offers a rare but very handy tool: dark web search. You can use this feature to unearth hidden photos and videos, compromised documents, and other unindexed but potentially useful information.

Speaking of the shadier side of people’s background searches, InfoTracer also offers facial recognition search. While it is legal in most states, it is not permitted in some jurisdictions. Searches are generally conducted by name, phone, email address, username, physical address, or photographic image. They typically take less than two minutes.

It is common for the market’s leading background check services to be optimized for mobile devices, and InfoTracer does not disappoint in this regard. There’s an Infotracer app available too. It performs most of the functions you can find on the web interface, barring the advanced dark web and facial recognition search features.

Security is top-notch. A DigiCert certificate and a Norton Seal demonstrate that the site has excellent encryption and is regularly checked for malware and potential vulnerabilities. 

In terms of pricing, while it may not be the cheapest online background check option, it is definitely one of the most affordable, especially considering the scope of its search functions. 

You can pay $2.95 for a five-day trial that provides unlimited searches and unrestricted access to all reports. After that, your best bet is to become a subscriber. This unlocks unlimited searches for $19.95 per month, which is the same amount you’d otherwise have to pay for a single background check after your trial has expired.

Pros:

• Immediate access to state and federal criminal databases
• Top-notch customer service
• A variety of search options 
• Affordable

Cons:

• Premium data requires additional payments

In 2012, Verispy launched a general-purpose online background checker. The company’s background check services have gained it a loyal following and notice from large media outlets such as ABC and Fox News. There’s a good reason for that.

While Verispy may not offer the cheapest or the most comprehensive background check online, the company does offer a very transparent and easy-to-understand pricing model with a seven-day trial period for testing what is quite possibly the fastest search engine on the market. 

Let’s start with the search options. You can search people by name, phone, or email, and while there’s no social media lookup option, the reports are about as detailed as you’ll find in any of the top background checkers online. 

In addition to names, phone numbers, and residence addresses, you can find a whole host of information, including arrests and warrants, sex offenses, criminal records, liens and judgements, birth records, ongoing and past lawsuits, bankruptcies, marriages and divorces, and more. 

The site also features reverse phone searches so you can find out who’s been harassing you and vehicle identification number searches using data from federal, state, and county databases across all 50 US states.

The interface is intuitive, and the search engine is one of the quickest ones on the market, typically returning results in less than a minute.

As do most cheap background check sites, Verispy lacks BBB accreditation. It is not certified as an FCRA consumer reporting agency. The company has a respectable B rating on the BBB website and few consumer complaints. 

While there is no Verispy app for mobile platforms, the site is optimized for both Android and iOS, so mobile searches should be just as easy and quick as those performed from your desktop.

The site’s security is excellent, featuring a Comodo SSL certificate that guarantees it is regularly checked for data leaks and is able to provide top-level encryption to ensure the privacy of your searches.

Finally, let’s talk about prices. For $4.95, you will get a week’s worth of unlimited access, which can be extended for $24.95 per month. Alternatively, you can pay $19.95 for a single report, which can be accessed for only 30 days; $24.95 for a one-week all-access pass; or $29.95 for 30 days of unlimited access.

Pros:

• Simple to navigate
• Transparent 
• No subscription auto-renewal 
• Pay-per-report options 

Cons:

• Potential report discrepancies

Since it was launched, NetDetective has undergone several ownership and name changes, including Urgent Detective, Web Detective, and eDetective. While it may not be the best option for searching public records, the intuitive user interface, quick search algorithm, and very helpful customer-support staff help elevate it above other services.

Search options are fairly limited at NetDetective. On the bright side, the reduced number of options undeniably makes it easier to navigate the site. You can do a background check, a reverse phone number, or a reverse email check. These options are pretty standard among the competitor companies, allowing you to find people based on any tidbit of information you may have.

While there is no support for social network accounts or dark web searches, the full background check is pretty thorough. You get to find out a person’s name, phone numbers, email addresses, Social Security records, birth records, marriages, divorces, and death records. 

The site is not FCRA-approved as a consumer reporting agency, and its current owners don’t have a BBB profile. 

The site features fairly standard SSL encryption but has no special seals from cybersecurity companies like Comodo or Norton. From what we’ve been able to gather, your searches are protected by adequate if unremarkable 128-bit SSL encryption, so whoever you are searching for should not be able to find out about it easily.

The site’s simple interface is well optimized for mobile phones, but there are no apps for Android or iOS devices.

When it comes to pricing, NetDetective likes to keep things simple. Most companies offer several subscription or pay-per-report deals. Here, you get a single membership tier, costing $29.95 per month. It gives you access to unlimited complete background check reports. NetDetective also offers a five-day trial at a nominal price.

Pros:

• Rigorous background checks 
• Extensive FAQ section
• Subscription allows for unlimited search

Cons:

• No free checks

PeopleLooker is almost regularly ranked among the top five background checkers as a valuable tool when you need in-depth reports about people in your life. The site has established itself among the top names in the industry.

PeopleLooker went with a minimalist website design. The background is white, and the search bar is clearly visible on the page. 

When it comes to search parameters, there are no surprises. You can search by name, phone number, email, or physical address. These are the same parameters used by other sites on our list. After you’ve entered the name, PeopleLooker will ask you for the person’s city and state to further narrow the search.

The search itself does take some time. During our test, the search took about 15 minutes in total. On the plus side, there are no additional questions to answer during the search. You’ll just have to provide your name and email address and confirm that you’re aware that PeopleLooker is not a consumer reporting agency.

While some of the competitors we reviewed were slower than PeopleLooker, we were still dissatisfied with the time it took to get the results. However, the site does make up for it with the quality of the information it provides. Their reports include public arrest records, criminal records, property information, addresses, relatives, and more. 

If you run a search and new data becomes available on that person at a later date, you will be automatically notified, and the report will be updated. PeopleLooker also has an iOS/Android app that allows you to search on the go.

The cost of the service is pretty much on par with what other popular background check services charge. As usual, pricing only becomes available after you run your first search. A one-month subscription costs $22.86, with the monthly fee going down to $18.28 if you subscribe for three months. A subscription allows you faster search results while running searches.

We found PeopleLooker to be a very robust background checker with neat features such as report updating and on-site encryption. Furthermore, we found its customer support to be extremely capable. We just wish it provided results a bit quicker.

Pros:

• Transparent
• User-friendly mobile app
• Unlimited searches 

Cons:

• Additional charges for specific information