Trusted Personal & Employment Background Checks in 2024

True to its name, TruthFinder is all about helping people find out the truth about an individual, whether it’s yourself, a long-lost love or family member, a military pal, a buyer or seller from a pawn website, a new roommate, or anyone you might suspect of a questionable past or not being 100% honest with you. It does so by scanning millions of publicly available records to generate a complete report on the person you want to find.

TruthFinder has been in the background check industry since 2003, making it one of the oldest services still around. It is also among the few BBB accredited companies within the background research industry with an outstanding rating of A+.

In addition to standard background checks, you can also do dark web scans and reverse phone number searches. The former uses an email address or other personal/contact details as a search parameter and determines whether any information related to the person is being sold or publicly exposed on the deep web. A typical background search only requires a name, surname, city, state, and, possibly, age and middle name.

TruthFinder’s in-depth background reports include all of the following information, and more:

• Birth and death records
• Possible relatives
• Possible associates, roommates, friends, or exes
• Location history
• Contact information
• Criminal arrest and traffic records
• Education
• Social media profiles
• Dating profiles
• Assets, including properties and vehicles

TruthFinder scours a huge range of sources, such as county, state, federal, and court records. The deep web scans and social media data searches put the TruthFinder service in line with the top background check sites for dating.

Truthfinder offers three pricing plans. If you opt for a 1-month membership, you’re getting unlimited background checks and reverse phone searches for $27.78/month. Two months of membership will get you the same thing but will cost you $23.02/month, while unlimited reverse phone searches alone will cost you $4.99 on a recurring subscription. Downloading a PDF report will costs an additional $2.

Read Detailed TruthFinder Reviews of Services, Pricing, Features & More

Disclaimer: TruthFinder is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act guidelines. You may not use the service or the information it provides to make decisions about consumer credit, employment, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance.

Instant Checkmate is a sister company to TruthFinder. Since TruthFinder is one of the most popular and well-established brands in the industry, you know Instant Checkmate is trustworthy. Furthermore, Instant Checkmate has been a BBB accredited company since 2014, with an outstanding rating of A+.

Like its counterpart, Instant Checkmate generates incredibly detailed reports that include all the publicly available information. It packs all the data it finds in a single document to save you the time. Despite the wealth of information, Instant Checkmate’s documents are well-organized and easy to follow.

Instant Checkmate is a relatively straightforward people search tool. You can search using two different sets of parameters: name, surname, and state or using a phone number. The search process requires fewer steps than many other tools and generally creates the report in less time.

Like most background sites offering criminal check, the public records search will allow you to find out:

• whether someone you have dealings with has a history of criminal activity
• is a known sex-offender
• who they are affiliated with
• where they have worked
• who are their friends and relatives
• certain information regarding their assets

Meanwhile, a reverse phone search will help you track down harassing or unknown phone numbers.

You can request an unlimited number of standard reports with an Instant Checkmate subscription. Premium reports with even more information can be purchased on a per-report basis. Instant Checkmate’s phone subscription starts at only $4.99/month, and it’s the only one allowing a reverse phone lookup. A quarterly subscription will cost you $27.82/month, and a monthly one $34.78/month.

Read Detailed Instant Checkmate Reviews of Services, Pricing, Features & More

Disclaimer: Instant Checkmate is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act guidelines. You may not use the service or the information it provides to make decisions about consumer credit, employment, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance.

Having launched in 2002, Intelius has a long and well-established reputation for providing public record search services. They are a BBB accredited company with an excellent A rating. Intelius falls under PeopleConnect, which is a technology provider that develops products involved in learning about or connecting people.

The website is fairly straightforward and cuts straight to the point – performing people searches using public records. Although Intelius provides a number of different search options, they actually only provide one type of report – a full background check. The upside of having only one option is that you get unlimited reports with all the possible information on an individual behind a phone number or address for a single monthly fee.

Using Intelius, you can find out about out-of-contact relatives, military pals, potential dates, online buyers/sellers, and more. The reports generated are exhaustive and contain all the public information you might find useful, such as:

• Personal details
• Contact information
• Criminal, arrest, and sex-offender records
• Photos and videos
• Current and past addresses
• Online activity and social media profiles
• Possible associates and relatives, and more

You can choose between unlimited people searches ($3.95), unlimited reports ($29.95/month or $19.95 for two months) and unlimited background reports ($39.95/month).

Like most background check options, Intelius is not regulated by the FCRA and can’t be used, among other things, to screen individuals for employment, tenant, or credit checks. Intelius keeps things simple and transparent with straightforward packages for either phone or background searches, or both.

Read Detailed Intelius Reviews of Services, Pricing, Features & More

Disclaimer: Intelius is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act guidelines. You may not use the service or the information it provides to make decisions about consumer credit, employment, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance.

The first thing you’ll notice about Spokeo is the sleek and minimalistic interface that’s a breath of fresh air compared to the cluttered and overwhelming look of most of its competitors’ websites. Similarly, its search function is a bit more modern with handy filtering and sorting tools that allow you to zone in more accurately on the person you want to find.

In their own words, Spokeo is a “people intelligence service that helps you search, connect, and know who you are dealing with.” Individuals may want to use Spokeo to find out about a future date, neighbor, online buyer or seller, etc. As such, Spokeo allows you to search for people using the following accessible parameters:

• Name
• Email
• Phone
• Address

Each comprehensive report also comes with lots of useful information that’s in the public records, such as:

• Contact information
• Personal details
• Location history
• Wealth data
• Family and associates
• Criminal records
• Social media accounts, and more

You can rest assured that your information won’t get outdated as you will be notified as soon as relevant public records are added or updated on any of the reports you have requested for the lifetime of your account.

Spokeo is one of the most trusted background check options offering a generous free trial to its new customers, too – try it out for seven days for only $0.95. Pricing as a whole couldn’t be simpler with a monthly subscription and three additional plans to choose from. One month will cost you $23.76 and get you 100 reports. A three-month membership will do the same for $13.95/month. Business plans range from $35.95/month to $119.95/month.

Spokeo is not only your everyday background checker but also a DaaS with enterprise search packages for companies. These packages come with advanced features, like unlimited PDFs, dedicated support, team dashboards, and flexible pricing. This information can be used for lead generation, customer verification, and other functions.

Read Detailed Spokeo Reviews of Services, Pricing, Features & More

Disclaimer: Spokeo is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act guidelines. You may not use the service or the information it provides to make decisions about consumer credit, employment, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance.

US Search doesn’t use any unneeded fluff when it comes to its people search tool. The website may not be the most modern or attractive, but don’t let that fool you. They shine when it counts. For one, they provide a wide variety of search methods, that include relatively rare ones, such as social media username and property record search functions.

While all searches turn up the same report, this isn’t a weakness. In fact, this means every report you generate with US Search will contain every ounce of publicly available information on the individual concerned.

To top it off, you get an unlimited number of any type of searches with a single low-cost subscription. US Search reports include all the information you can expect from a service designated for performing background checks, such as:

• Current address and history
• Personal information and contact details
• Aliases and maiden names
• Associates and relatives
• Criminal records, including lawsuits and misdemeanors
• Properties and home value
• Social network accounts

Like most of its competitors, US Search is not a consumer reporting company as stipulated by the FCRA and cannot be used for employee, credit, or tenant screening.

With a one-time search costing only $2.45, US Search is among the most affordable services for basic, one-off use. To get a 1-state criminal records search, you’ll have to pay $15. Unlimited basic search is $20/month, and unlimited OmniSearch $40.

Read Detailed US Search Reviews of Services, Pricing, Features & More

Disclaimer: US Search is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act guidelines. You may not use the service or the information it provides to make decisions about consumer credit, employment, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance.

As background checks are becoming the norm, InteliGator and the variety of checks it offers is becoming increasingly popular. Its background check software provides a whole range of public record information – names, addresses, marriages, divorces, bankruptcies, criminal records, etc.

In order to register on the InteliGator website, you must be at least 18 years old. Once you log in, you gain access to its extensive, nationwide database, where you can perform unlimited searches. Once you’re in the database, you can search for whatever it is you want to know – pull court records, research sex offenders, and look at prison records. In addition to this, you can view birth and death certificates, property records, and find out the financial state of the person you’re researching.

One of the most helpful features offered by InteliGator is Assisted Search. In case you can’t find any information on the person you’re researching, you can send a message to the support team, and they will assist you in the search process. As an InteliGator user, you can also request to have your information made unavailable in their searches or request that any incorrect information about yourself is changed or erased.

Although InteliGator is not BBB accredited, it has an 8.8/10 on the rating platform Best Review Guide, indicating that the majority of its users were satisfied with the services offered by this background check site.

Besides the basic background information, InteliGator provides a more in-depth look into some further background features:

• Criminal and arrest records
• Marriage and divorce papers
• Address histories
• Contact information
• Reverse phone number search
• Reverse email search
• Neighborhood search

If InteliGator is one of the choices you’re considering for a background check, you should keep in mind that all the basic searches are free, but if you want to conduct a more extensive search, the Premium subscription costs $19.95/month. When you opt for the Premium option, you get access not only to public records but to information from private data sources as well. In case you’re having doubts about the subscription, you can begin with the 4-day trial for only $1 per day.

Employers Choice Screening is a reputable company that offers its services to businesses of all sizes. Among their offerings for employers include employment screening, I-9 verifications, live scan fingerprinting, and drug screening. These services are proven to be essential in making sure that applicants are verified and any concerns about their identity can be proactively dealt with.

Employers Choice Screening can run a wide array of checks that will verify important applicant information that is crucial not only to decide whether they fit for a position but also for security as well. The record search can include credit history, civil history, driving records, military verifications, Social Security traces, education verification, etc. Security-related checks that may also be performed include terrorist searches, incarceration records, and criminal background checks for employers.

The record search covers national and international research across more than 200 countries using an extensive selection of information resources. Checks are done quickly with a turnaround time of 1 to 3 days.

There are four package options. Three of the options have a fixed menu of verification services that employers can choose from based on their needs. In case none of these options have the perfect mix of services you require, the fourth option lets you customize your own bundle of inclusions and exclusions.

Employers Choice Screening does not publish any rates on their website. All costs are given via private quotations.

BackgroundChecks.com offers nearly every type of check, from simple health screenings, motor vehicle records, and education verification, to more serious security investigations such as criminal histories and terrorist searches.

The company is used nationwide for obtaining employee background reports and covers searches in more than 200 countries. BackgroundChecks.com offers its services not only to employers who want to screen potential applicants but to individuals who wish to have a quick verification on themselves for whatever purpose.

Aside from pre-employment screening service packages, they also have post-employment checks, drug and health screenings, audits and monitoring, and even immigration verification. Searches are done through their extensive network consisting of millions of reports. These reports are updated daily, promising integrity and timely accuracy. Depending on the depth and scope of the record search being run, results can be delivered within minutes to a few days.

BackgroundChecks.com offers three options for criminal record screenings. The lowest in the tier costs $29.95 which gives you results within minutes but does not have a county-level search. The next tier costs $49.95. This has 1 county search and delivers results within 1 to 3 days. The highest tier costs $64.95 and can run a background check on multiple counties. It also takes about 1 to 3 days for results to be delivered.

ShareAble by TransUnion offers its services to small businesses. Despite their target customers, this background reports company aims to deliver top-notch service known to cater to larger enterprises and Wall Street conglomerates. One of the things that draw small businesses and startups to ShareAble is its pricing.

Unlike other background check websites, ShareAble does not require a monthly or annual subscription for use of their services. There are also no setup fees to get you started and background checks are done on a pay-per-view basis.

This company can run nationwide employee checks using crucial federal databases such as the US Office of Foreign Assets Control, US Customs and Border Protection, FBI’s Most Wanted, and National Sex Offender Public Registry. Results can be received within minutes for the majority of states. They don’t, however, have international searches.

ShareAble’s wide network of resources and digital algorithms enhance the accuracy of their background checks and identity verification results. This greatly reduces the possibility of mixing up applicants with someone else with a very similar background. Aside from criminal concerns, you can also use ShareAble to run credit checks if you’re hiring for a position that requires a great deal of financial integrity.

Using ShareAble is easy and convenient as everything can be done online. Their web app is highly intuitive and is even optimized for mobile. Packages come in three options in different pricing tiers. $25 is their most basic, followed by $40, and $60 options. Like many companies that do background checks, search activities are regulated by the FCRA and other federal laws.

RecruitScreen is a great option for small businesses and large enterprises. They offer pre-employment investigations for employers looking to hire new recruits which is an essential step in any selection process. Employers can verify the identity of any applicant and flag those with a criminal history. RecruitScreen’s searches are highly comprehensive on all 50 states across federal, national, and county levels.

Aside from criminal history, RecruitScreen also does drug screening, driving record checking, and credit history verifications. All searches and investigations comply with FCRA standards so you know that your background checks are done lawfully.

An edge of RecruitScreen compared to other popular background check vendors is that results are summarized by actual human consultants so you are not just getting raw output from a machine search. What you will get are digested reports prepared by in-house consultants which will help you analyze processed data a lot more efficiently.

While some of the biggest bg check companies offer services that are completely online, RecruitScreen capitalizes on a more personal approach. Clients will have to connect with a RecruitScreen consultant who will create a package that is most suitable for your business. This is in contrast to other companies’ listed set-menu-style offerings.

While this definitely has advantages, this could also be a disadvantage for those who just want instant verification results without having to go through extra steps that involve human interaction. Given the nature of their services, RecruitScreen’s rates for employment checks are not published. All costs will be subject to custom packages created by their consultants.

For any type of organization, whether you’re a business or a non-profit, GoodHire offers useful services for acquiring personnel. They provide criminal background checks for employers using an extensive network of databases linked to courts and other essential authorities that maintain criminal records.

Aside from criminal offenses, GoodHire can run other important screenings any employer will want to check on such as an applicant’s driving record and education record. They can also do a record search for credit backgrounds for those looking to hire for a financially sensitive position. Like all FCRA compliant bg check companies, all checks comply with federal laws.

What makes GoodHire stand out from the rest is its ease of use and convenience. As a technology company, GoodHire relies heavily on software. Their online portal is where all transactions and activities are conducted and it is optimized to be as user-friendly as possible making them one of the most accurate background check sites on the market. All record search activities are done simply and easily, although consumer reports note that some results might take weeks.

Verifying your company takes just about one day, after which, you can get started by choosing one of GoodHire‘s plans. Once you’ve paid the $49.99 setup fee, you can choose from among the three packages which cost $29.99 for the Basic Plan, $54.99 for the Standard Plan, and $79.99 for the Premium Plan. Each higher-priced web-based service plan has more inclusions which you can top up with extra add-ons.

One of the leading companies providing background checks for employers, HireRight provides a pre-employment screening service for various organizations. The company has a wide network of resources that are used to verify a person’s identity and other important information that may be crucial to employment.

HireRight is FCRA compliant, and all searches are backed by highly credible data and quality control. Criminal records are sourced on national, federal, and county levels. Their criminal background check for employers carefully takes into account every detail in order to avoid mixing up identities which casually happens with other background reports. Aside from criminal records, HireRight does education record searches and can verify professional accreditation records as well.

HireRight’s services span across the globe. They operate in different countries outside North America which include the UK, UAE, Estonia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Australia, to mention just a few. Such a network allows the company to screen internationally which draws in multinational conglomerates who use their web-based service.

HireRight’s interface is easy and intuitive both for web and mobile. They promise fast results, although several user accounts reported slower turnaround times than expected. HireRight does not publish prices on their website as quotes vary according to each client’s specific requirements.