Best People Search Sites & Engines in 2024
People finder engines can help you locate the person you’re looking for by offering a compilation of their publicly available information. In this article, we’ll give you an overview of the best people search sites we found, tell you how we decided which ones to include on our list, and wrap it up with some helpful tips.
Fact-checked
Last Updated: February 13, 2024
1. Truthfinder
Truthfinder’s easy-to-use interface is perfect for those who want to check up on a new neighbor or date. It provides accurate information on everything from basics to family tree, watchlist notices, and court records. Full Review
- Court records
- Criminal records
- Multiple public sources
Show More
Truthfinder’s easy-to-use interface is perfect for those who want to check up on a new neighbor or date. It provides accurate information on everything from basics to family tree, watchlist notices, and court records. Full Review
4/5
3.5/5
4/5
3.5/5
2. Spokeo
By generating data from over 60 social networks, and being the only one with access to the deep web, Spokeo is able to provide accurate and affordable information about court/historical records, as well as social media photos and profiles. Full Review
- Criminal records
- Historical records
- Access to the deep web
Show More
By generating data from over 60 social networks, and being the only one with access to the deep web, Spokeo is able to provide accurate and affordable information about court/historical records, as well as social media photos and profiles. Full Review
4/5
4/5
3.5/5
4/5
3. US Search
US Search is among the rare companies offering the most basic information for free. Via a simple interface, you can create customizable reports on someone’s property records, social media accounts, and even perform a 1-state criminal record search. Full Review
- Affordable price
- Trial period available
- User-friendly interface
Show More
US Search is among the rare companies offering the most basic information for free. Via a simple interface, you can create customizable reports on someone’s property records, social media accounts, and even perform a 1-state criminal record search. Full Review
4/5
5/5
3.5/5
4/5
4. Instant Checkmate
Instant Checkmate is an affordable people search site providing incredibly detailed reports. Besides emails and addresses, you can easily check someone’s criminal records and even find gun licenses and information about bankruptcies. Full Review
- Court records
- Bank statements
- Premium reports
Show More
Instant Checkmate is an affordable people search site providing incredibly detailed reports. Besides emails and addresses, you can easily check someone’s criminal records and even find gun licenses and information about bankruptcies. Full Review
4/5
3.5/5
5/5
4/5
5. Intelius
Thanks to reverse phone search and access to public records, Intelius will provide you with customizable, affordable reports on individuals and their property. It’s the only service providing a Single Report, meaning it doesn’t require a membership. Full Review
- Single report
- 5-day free cancellation
- Veteran in the market
Show More
Thanks to reverse phone search and access to public records, Intelius will provide you with customizable, affordable reports on individuals and their property. It’s the only service providing a Single Report, meaning it doesn’t require a membership. Full Review
4/5
5/5
3.5/5
4/5
6. PeopleLooker
If you're interested in learning more about someone's criminal history or arrest records, this site offers a free address lookup. Some even use this service to look for long-lost relatives! PeopleLooker performs detailed background checks and provides in-depth information on individuals to help people communicate with relatives.
- Free Address Look-up
- Free trial for $1
- Mobile App for iOS and Android
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If you're interested in learning more about someone's criminal history or arrest records, this site offers a free address lookup. Some even use this service to look for long-lost relatives! PeopleLooker performs detailed background checks and provides in-depth information on individuals to help people communicate with relatives.
$22.86 per month, or $18.28 per month for three months
No
No
Not disclosed
Phone support offered to US citizens only, open daily 6 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. EST, can also be contacted via email
Background reports Contact information Phone & email lookups Address lookups Criminal records
$1 for a free trial
Genealogy searches
7. Pipl
Pipl is a great choice for businesses, offering effective and straightforward searches. Start out with a free trial and find anybody’s contact info and social media accounts. The company even offers an API service. Full Review
- Searches the deep web
- Social media info
- Photo previews
Show More
Pipl is a great choice for businesses, offering effective and straightforward searches. Start out with a free trial and find anybody’s contact info and social media accounts. The company even offers an API service. Full Review
4/5
4/5
4/5
3.5/5
8. PeekYou
PeekYou is a free, international people search site that lets you look for long lost friends by their name, or use a social media username to find out who started following you on Instagram. Full Review
- Totally free
- Username lookup
- Good social media database
Show More
PeekYou is a free, international people search site that lets you look for long lost friends by their name, or use a social media username to find out who started following you on Instagram. Full Review
4/5
5/5
3.5/5
4/5
9. Whitepages
Whitepages offers detailed and comprehensive reports, with basic information being provided for free. Its FCRA-compliant Tenant Check option lays out in detail a potential tenant’s eviction and criminal histories, and even the state of their credit. Full Review
- Tenant Check
- iOS and Android app
- Comprehensive reporting
Show More
Whitepages offers detailed and comprehensive reports, with basic information being provided for free. Its FCRA-compliant Tenant Check option lays out in detail a potential tenant’s eviction and criminal histories, and even the state of their credit. Full Review
4/5
4/5
3.5/5
4/5
How We Created This List – Our Methodology
The criteria we used to compile the 2022’s list of search engines include:
-
Reports
People search sites offer reports that mainly center around the most important information about a person so they are more exhaustive and expensive.
-
Database
Different people lookup sites use different sources for compiling their reports. We looked at how trustworthy and updated their databases are and how well the information is filtered before being served as a report.
-
Performance With Common Names
We checked just how much additional info you need to know beforehand when given commonly used names as entries, and what the chances are of finding the exact John Smith you were looking for.
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How Current the Info Is
Apart from the details, it is important that the generated reports are up to date. We checked how accurate the reports were in terms of having the latest information possible.
Detailed Reviews
- Multiple public sources
- Court and criminal records
- Affordable
- Report compilation is a bit slow
- Mandatory monthly membership
- No free version
Overview
Truthfinder is a bit more than just a people finder since it provides very detailed information and public records about the person you are looking for.
It’s an exclusively US search website, which means that you can only look up people registered in the US. It has access to numerous databases, which allows it to compile detailed reports. In so many words, Truthfinder is more of a background checker than a people searcher.
Plans
This amazingly detailed search engine offers several plans and add-ons:
- 1-month Unlimited Background Search: $$28.05, automatically renewed if not canceled
- 2-months Unlimited Background Search: $23.28 per month, automatically renewed if not canceled
- Unlimited Email Reports: $7.99 per month
- Unlimited Reverse Phone Lookup: $4.99
- Dark Web Scan and Internet Monitoring: $2.99 per per month
- PDF Downloads: $2.99 per month
Reports
Reports compiled in Truthfinder are incredibly detailed. They include police records, court records (if any), background information, plus the usual basic info such as addresses, phone ownership and numbers, etc.
In the Criminal and Traffic section displays sex crimes linked to the person in question and also lists sex offenders who live in close proxiity to the individual. Truthfinder also offers a Sex Offender Watch option which will allow you to monitor an address for any newly registered sex offenders.
Customer Support
Truthfinder’s Member Support is available via email at help@truthfinder.com and phone ((800) 699 8081 Mon-Fri 6AM – 7PM. Though no support is available over the weekends or during night-time, Truthfinder provides an extensive FAQs section as part of their official website.
For many, Truthfinder is unmatched when it comes to people search. It’s a great tool for anyone looking for someone they lost touch with. Nonetheless, users are advised to verify with a second source before taking any further action.
Want to find out more? Read our full review of Truthfinder.
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.
- Criminal records
- Historical records
- Access to the deep web
- Good for connecting with people
- Affordable
- Easy to use
- Only basic results are free
- US-based
Overview
Here we have a US-exclusive website for searching people gathering data from several resources in order to help you find whoever you’re looking for.
Spokeo is a people search tool providing results only from the databases within the US. It combines publicly available information from several social media outlets and White Pages, to acquire results. Also, Spokeo claims to have access to data in the deep web, making it more accurate than mainstream search engines.
Plans
While the basic search does come for free, if you need anything more than a recent address, you will need to pay. Depending on the subscription duration, you can choose from:
- Monthly: $24.95/month
- 3-months: $19.95/month
Reports
If you are interested in court or historical records, that costs $2.95 for each document.
Since it generates reports using data from over 60 social networks and the deep web, Spokeo is one of the best people finder services for finding people in the US. It offers very detailed reports which include photos from social media, profiles, criminal records, and much more.
Spokeo also offers the Enterprise Plan. The pricing for businesses starts at $35.95/month with 200 reports included and these rise as the price rises. In addition to these plans, there is an option for a custom plan tailored to the company’s needs.
Customer Support
Spokeo offers support through a dedicated help center or through email and phone calls (during working hours).
We chose Spokeo because it is one of the best sites for looking up people in the US. While it may not provide as many details as Truthfinder, it is an excellent tool for finding long-lost relatives or just checking up on your friends. Read our full review of Spokeo here.
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.
- Available for personal and professional use
- User-friendly interface
- Automated filters
- Oldest database
- Quick service
- Affordable
- US search only
Overview
Next up is one of the simplest search engines to find people on our list. It provides a great trial option, and all you need is the person’s name.
US Search is another experienced company, rocking a simple interface allowing you to find people by simply entering their names. The more filters you add (state, zip code, etc), the more precise the results.
Plans
US Search offers a plethora of services, depending on your needs:
- Unlimited Person Reports Membership – $19.86 per month
- US Pro Unlimited Reports Monthly Membership – $59 per month
- US Pro Unlimited Reports Annual Membership – $599 per year
Alternatively, you can use their trial option and pay $1.99 for 5 days, keep in mind that if you fail to cancel your account you will be automatically charged a monthly fee of $19.86.
Reports
After trying out their Standard Unlimited Membership, we can say that their engine was quick to generate the report we needed. Reviewing the information in the report was also very straightforward due to its simple design.
However, we found that some features such as Assets and Criminal Traffic and Business Records are reserved for their higher tier plans only. Nonetheless, several upgrades such as Unlimited PDF downloads, phone, location, and email reports are available which can make for more comprehensive reports.
Customer Support
Much like its competitors, US Search offers customer support through a phone hotline (during working hours) and email.
US Search sparked our interest mostly because it boasts one of the oldest databases of all other people search companies. That combined with its user-friendly interface, is the reason we included it in our review.
Want to learn more? Read our full review of US Search.
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.
- Detailed and organized reports
- Court records
- Bank statements
- No option to purchase individual reports
- No free trial
Overview
The next entry on our list of public records search services helps you locate people in the US with ease.
Instant Checkmate is an incredibly handy tool in case you need quick access to:
Public or court records
Criminal records
- Inmate search
- Aliases and nicknames
- Immediate and extended family
- Sex offenders registration
- Licenses (weapon, FAA, DEA)
- Work and education background
- Dating profiles and social media profiles
- Basic information such as addresses, emails, and phone numbers
- Business and career-related information
- Ownership details regarding housing and vehicles
Plans
Depending on the plan you choose, the prices of Instant Checkmate’s subscription may vary:
- 5-day trial offer: $1 for 5 days
- 1-month membership: $34.78
- 3-month membership: $83.47
- 1 month of Unlimited Dark Web Monitoring – $1.99
- Add-ons: Phone Reports, Location Reports, Email Reports, PDF Downloads
Reports
Reports are what sets this people-finder apart from the competition. Depending on the plan and add-on you choose, the reports can be incredibly detailed and they can include everything from address to gun ownership or bankruptcy reports.
As you can see in the picture above, the report is carefully structured into several section each containing relevant information such as personal info of the person in question and his/her immediate family, a map history of his/her whereabouts, records of criminal activity, social media activity and so on.
Instant Checkmate also offers a Report Monitoring feature through which users may receive emails or sms alerts about any changes regarding the specific report they are keeping an eye on.
Additional add-ons such as Unlimited Phone Reports and PDF Downloads are also available, while their Dark Web Monitoring offer is a great way to safeguard your info and inspect the web for any stolen passwords or security breaches.
Customer Service
In the past there were some concerns regarding the limited availability of the company’s customer support team. Instant Checkmate has addressed this issue and now customers can get a hold of their teams through email, phone or by filling in a form on their official site.
We decided to include Instant Checkmate on our list because we believe that it is among the best public record people search sites. It is very useful in case you need to know a bit (or a lot) more about your person of interest.
Want to learn more? Read our full review of Instant Checkmate.
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.
- Veteran in the market
- On-site people directory
- 5-day free cancellation
- Affordable
- No free trial
- Only for the US
Overview
Here we have one of the veterans among the websites for finding people. Intelius has been one of the leading companies since 2003, staying ahead due to its offers and quality.
Intelius is a people finder and background check service that allows you to find information about individuals and their property, including phone reverse search, public records, etc.
Plans
According to their official site Inetlius is available in 2 Standard Background Report Membership Plans:
- 1-Month Unlimited Person Report Membership, which is set at $24.86 per month and automatically renewals every 30 days if you fail to cancel it beforehand.
- 2-Month Unlimited Person Report Membership which comes with a $42.25 recurring fee. If you fail to cancel your membership within the initial 60 days, you will be billed automatically for the next two months.
Intelius offers other monthly membership options as well including unlimited PDF Downloads, Unlimited Email Reports and an Identity Protect Option.
Reports
One of the biggest highlights among the recent changes is the option do download reports which gives users the chance to hold on to the information and freely share it with others. Conversly, one customers’ favorite from this service has been terminated and from what we gather the site no longer offers single-report opportunities and operates strictly on an unlimited search membership level.
Here is the type of information you can expect to find in Intelius reports:
- Contact information
- Approximate age
- Previous jobs and education history
- Family members and relatives
- Address history
- Birth certificates and death certificates
- Marriage and divorce certificates
- Residential address
- Assets
- Criminal records
- Sex offender records
- Civil cases
- Social media profiles
- Online databases and files
- Bankruptcies
Customer Support
Customer service is provided through a designated hotline (during working hours) or email.
Intelius found its place on our list due to its flexible pricing and the ability to choose what you want to be included in your reports. These can be very handy if you do not want to get buried in personal records or dating site profiles.
Want to learn more? Read our full review of Intelius.
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.
- Photo previews
- Searches the deep web
- Social media info
- Fast
- Effective
- Very expensive
- Limited free trial
Overview
Pipl is a very effective and straightforward engine for people search. All you need is a person’s name, email, or phone number, and it will provide you with their contact details, as well as some personal info.
Plans
Pipl used to be available for free, for a limited amount of searches, but it seems like nowadays there is only a free trial, and for everything else you need a paid account. Pipl Search comes in 3 versions, which differ in the number of registered users:
- 1 User: $298/month, on an annual subscription
- 5 Users: $198/month on an annual subscription
- 10 Users: $148/month on an annual subscription
Reports
The reports generated by this people lookup website include addresses, phone numbers, social media account info, and some photos if they were made public by the person searched.
Apart from the people search, Pipl also offers an API service that is available in 3 plans, with prices ranging from $0.10 to $0.40 per match.
Customer Support
Pipl offers only a preset customer complaint form and separate links to contact the sales team for inquiries, but no direct contact options.
Pipl can get you a very wide variety of info about the person you need. Anything from contact info to social media accounts and emails is at your fingertips in the blink of an eye.
Disclaimer: Pipl 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.
- Totally free
- Good social media database
- Username lookup
- Some inaccuracies in results
- US results are more precise
Overview
Finally, a free option on our list of people finding services. PeekYou allows you to get the basic information about someone, both in the US and around the globe.
This people finder allows you to locate people using their name (US) or usernames on social networks (worldwide). It does so by combining all publicly available info about the person in question (social media, emails, other accounts) and filtering the results.
Plans
PeekYou is a completely free international people finder, so there aren’t any plans to choose from.
Reports
While the reports are not as comprehensive as those of the competition, you will get more than just basic info, which includes location, social media accounts, etc.
PeekYou offers looking people up by their social media usernames, which can be very handy if you are trying to check who your latest Instagram follower really is.
Customer Support
Not much can be found on PeekYou’s site in this regard. There is a Terms of Service page and an open contact form, with a customer support email address.
PeekYou is probably the best option for international people search. It provides pretty reliable results, given the fact that it is absolutely free.
Disclaimer: PeekYou 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.
- Comprehensive reporting
- iOS and Android app
- Tenant Check
- Free basic search
- Easy to use
- Premium only in the US
- Can be pricey with add-ons
Overview
Last but not least, Whitepages is a very powerful search engine, whether you need to look up basic or detailed info. Whitepages provides you with a plethora of details, and what is more, it comes as an app too.
Whitepages is a great tool for everyone who needs a bit more than simply a person search database. It can provide you with a wide variety of details, should you require them.
Plans
You can acquire basic info about someone through Whitepages for free. However, should you need to do a full background check, you would have to use their Premium plan, starting at $19.95/month.
Please note that you can get the Premium plan only if you are currently located in the US.
Reports
Users have said that both Basic and Premium reports are very detailed and comprehensive, and they have proven helpful for various issues from looking up classmates to performing background checks.
There are several great features provided by Whitepages, the most interesting one being the Tenant Check option, which allows landlords to find out more about prospective tenants, through instant FCRA-compliant background reports with complete credit, eviction, and criminal histories. However, Tenant Check also only works in the US. If you want more options for tenant checks, we have you covered.
Customer Support
Customer Support is only available to Premium users, who can contact it through website forms, emails, or via phone.
We chose Whitepages because it offers comprehensive reports along with some really unique services such as Tenant Check. Even though it is limited only to people located in the US, the quality of service caused us to include it among the best online people search sites.
Read the full Whitepages review here.
Best People Search Sites – Buyer’s Guide
When choosing a people search website, there is a variety of criteria to consider.
How to Choose a People Search Engine
Learning from people search reviews, some of the most important ones are:
Does it work in your country?
Always check if the given website to look people up works worldwide, as we have seen that many of them are exclusively US-based. Make sure that the service you are using is available in the person’s country of residence, or even better – worldwide, in case you are not sure where they are exactly.
How accurate are the results?
Here you need to research what databases the site is using and how good the results are compared to what you need. The best site to find people will make sure that the databases are frequently updated, to avoid any errors such as an address from 5 years ago, or a phone number that is no longer in use.
How much information does it require to perform the search?
Some search engines only require a name, and they provide all the answers for you. Ask yourself how much you know and how much you need to know.
How many sources?
This is another important aspect to consider. The size of the database will determine if you can conduct a simple people search by name, or if you need more details. Some people searchers only use social media information, some use that plus public records and some even check the deep web. The more sources there are, the more precise your results will be.
Range of search options
Think about how much info you need vs. how much is offered. Also, look at just how much info you need to know before initiating the search. Can you search by name only, or is there an address search, phone number search, etc.?
Costs, pricing model, affordability
Always consider your budget. You don’t want to go bankrupt finding out if Josh from your history class made it in LA. To make sure you don’t spend too much, always make sure just how many searches you need. If you need a single search only to verify someone’s identity, there are sites that offer free trial people search option. If you need multiple basic searches, check what subscription offers there are. There are options for all types of budgets, you just need to search a bit further.
Processing time
Always ask yourself how urgently you need the information.
Free People Search Sites
In case you are solely looking for a free people search option, you should try first with:
These are just a few of the most popular free people search sites and apps but you can find out more on the hows and wheres in our article on how to do a free online background check.
Background Checkers vs. People Search Engines
There are a variety of reasons why you would want to look someone up on the internet. It may be a long-lost relative, an old friend, or a college crush you want to make sure is worse off without you. For these purposes, any of these websites for people search should do the trick for you.
However, if you require a more in-depth check on someone showing you their past actions, law violations, financial frauds, etc; even some of the best people search sites might not be what you are looking for. In these cases, we recommend that you extend your search and check what the best background check services are because what you need is more than merely locating someone.
Basically, a background check is useful if you want to find out something more about people you are already in contact with, while people searches are used to establish contacts with people you haven’t seen in a while.
Finally, you should also bear in mind that both people search and background check services aggregate public data on an individual that is available online and that there may be additional data about the person out of the online database.
How Do People Search Sites Work?
People search sites are very easy to use. The 4 basic steps you need to take are:
Step 1: Go to the website of the selected people search engine
Step 2: Enter the information you have on a person (name, last name, address, phone number, etc.)
Step 3: Register on the website (if required, if not, skip this step)
Step 4: View your results
Some things to have in mind:
- Not all people searching sites accept the same search information. Most of them will require at least a name and a surname to perform a search but for more advanced searches you should be able to provide at least a location, or a phone number, in order to eliminate irrelevant people with the same name and surname.
- None of the people search sites accepts search information such as school, grade, age, year although the reports on a person may include such data.
Who Needs People Search Sites?
People use search engines to find people i.e. to search for a family member, friend, colleague, and ex-boyfriend or girlfriend. These are also the people who can benefit the most from the people searches because their main purpose is to help you locate someone and contact them.
People search offers only the basic public information related to a person so if you need additional information such as criminal records, credit history, etc., background check sites are a better solution for you.
What You Shouldn’t Use People Search Sites For
People search sites are not FCRA approved which means that you cannot use them for employee and tenant screening nor for credit checks. FCRA has strict rules regarding these instances, and background check sites have to obey them. On the whole, people search sites shouldn’t be used to obtain personal information of someone in order to stalk and harass them, to intrude on their privacy or to harm them in any way.
Best People Finders at a Glance
- Truthfinder – Best Pipl alternative
- Spokeo – Best background check services
- US Search – The easiest to use
- Instant Checkmate – Best for checking public records
- Intelius – Oldest database
- Pipl – Best people finder overall
- PeekYou – Best free people finder
- Whitepages – Best for mobile/app use
Summary
Well, it may surprise you, but more often than not people still remember their old college friends and family members they haven’t seen in a long time, and they want to know what happened to them. Using some of these top-rated people search sites is a great way to get back in touch with people you thought you lost, or to give you a little bit more info on someone you’ve just met.
FAQ
Yes. Some of these search engines offer you to get the basic information about someone, including their phone number, simply by entering their name in the search bar. However, since it often happens that people share the same name, you might need some more info, such as city, state, or address.
There are more and more websites providing this service, the most prominent of which is Ancestry.com. This website allows you to order a DNA testing kit, put in a sample of your saliva, send it back, and within a few weeks, you get an email describing your ancestry, sometimes including your family tree.
There isn’t one correct answer to this question as none of the search engines provide the same information nor accept the same search information. Therefore, the best free search engine for you would be the one that tailors to your needs and information you have to search for a person. Nevertheless, in our review, you can find verified engines such as Pipl, Spokeo, US Search and PeekYou that are either completely free or have at least a free basic search option.
Yes, it is. Being on our list of the best people finding websites means that not only is TruthFinder a reliable website but it is also a popular website for searching people. For more information, you can read our detailed TruthFinder review.
Again, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this question because which search engine will be best for you depends solely on what type of information you are looking to find. However, our list contains the best of the best options there are on the market and we guarantee you will be able to find one to answer your needs.
There are numerous free sites for searching people online, but one of the best people search sites that operate with no charges is PeekYou. Other than that, you can always use the more mainstream method and look a person up on Google or Facebook.