The Best Background Check Services

Wednesday, December 11th

2024 Background Check Service Reviews

SpyFly

• Monthly fee of $29.97 includes unlimited basic reports (people, property, phone)
• Account includes proactive monitoring and email alerts for your own public data profile
• Very fast searches
• 24/7 customer service
• "A” rated and accredited by the BBB
• Over 1,000 5-star reviews
• In business since 2012

SpyFly is one of the newest background check services on our list, but they're no newbies in the industry. Around since 2012, SpyFly was founded to provide easy access to public records and background checks.

Phenomenal reputation

Let's start by looking at this background check platform's reputation. SpyFly has an "A” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, with just 12 complaints filed in the most recent 1-year period. As with most background check services, user feedback is mixed: some praise SpyFly for being quicker and more detailed than some rival services, while others don't feel like this platform goes far enough in detail on the people they were searching for. But, that rating from the BBB goes a long way to say that there's nothing about SpyFly that's shady or problematic overall. And, across over 1,300 ratings tracked by Google alone, SpyFly has a very positive average of 4.4 out of 5 stars.

Fast and accurate

We wholeheartedly agree with the speed and accuracy compliments: for our target individual, it took less than a minute after entering the first and last name for SpyFly to identify the correct person. (Bear in mind that we chose someone with a very uncommon last name, nothing like "Ashley Smith” or "Brandon Jones”.) What was even more interesting is that said individual had previously gone by a different name, and it also identified him under the original name when searching for the new one. Impressive!

Preview how much info you'll get

From there, it did take SpyFly about 3 minutes to process through the rest of the records databases, showing some of the possible types of records it might be able to return, from relatives and neighbors to criminal history and even voter registration. In our case, it said that our target had one piece of contact information and four "people connections”, but we had to create an account to go beyond that.

No free trial

Here's where SpyFly both let us down and won us over (yes, that's possible). On the next page, we found out that we'd have to pay $29.97 to access our target's report (and we were pretty sure that it was information we already had). We were hoping for a free or discounted trial of some kind, but SpyFly is super-direct: "Free reports don't exist.”

Includes monitoring of your own profile

The good news is that, even though you have to pay right off the bat, your account comes with unlimited reports on people, property, and phone numbers from day one. You also get proactive monitoring of your own public data: if SpyFly detects any changes, you'll be alerted via email. We absolutely love seeing a background check service that doesn't try to sneak in under the radar and hit us with a subscription we weren't expecting after getting "a free trial” (even if we really would like to get it for free...). Just be sure to cancel your account if you don't want it to renew after the initial 30-day period; SpyFly is available via phone 24/7 if you decide to close your account.

#1 for background checks

We're pleased to give SpyFly our highest possible rating among background check providers. This service is straightforward, affordable, and avoids all of the pressure-and-lurid-details messaging that you'll find as you search using rival platforms. The next time you need a peek behind the scenes of someone's life, make SpyFly the first resource you turn to.

Find Out The Truth

• Numerous background check options, including international criminal records
• FCRA-compliant reports available
• Pay per report: no subscriptions or monthly fees
• Prices range from $9.95 to $299.95 per report
• All reports processed by a licensed private investigator
• Results often delivered same-day (M-F)
• "A+” rated by the BBB
• In business since 2002

When you choose Find Out The Truth for your background checks, you're not just getting an automated database search; you're getting a thorough investigation by a licensed private investigator with at least five years of experience. This level of service sets Find Out The Truth apart from other background check providers on our list, where everything is processed automatically through online public records databases.

A la carte pricing for reports

With a wide array of background check options, Find Out The Truth can feel overwhelming at first. A basic people search starts at $9.95, employment and tenant background checks begin at $29.95, and a social media search costs $39.95. For the most thorough screening, the Due Diligence Background Check costs $299.95 and covers property ownership, marriage records, national sex offender and criminal records databases, evictions, foreclosures, and more. If you're unsure which report is best for you, reaching out to their support team might help you figure out exactly what you need (and prevent you from paying for anything you don't). Even better, you don't have to worry about canceling a subscription: there's no membership required (or even offered) here.

Done by licensed investigators

Find Out The Truth distinguishes itself by offering searches in Puerto Rico, Canada, and other international locations, and your background check is handled by a professional investigator. This meticulous process means you won't get instant results like some other services; expect to wait up to 24 business hours (about three business days) for your report, but know that the company says that "most reports [are] completed the same day if received by 3PM EST Monday through Friday.”

FCRA-compliant if needed

Another big difference is that Find Out The Truth can conduct FCRA-compliant criminal background checks. You know all of those disclaimers and "I agree” boxes you have to check when using the other services on our list? You won't see that here, because their investigators know exactly which reports require compliance with FCRA and which don't, and they'll make sure to adhere to the governmental regulations if your particular search needs it.

"A+” from the BBB but reviews are scarce

In terms of reputation, Find Out The Truth holds an "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau with no complaints in the past three years. However, customer feedback is tricky to come by. Their social media presence is locked down: Instagram shows over 700 posts and 800 followers, but the account is... private. The company is a little more active on X, with nearly 50K followers. But in all of the places we typically look to see how a background check service is doing (like Trustpilot and Google ratings), we came up empty.

Contact via phone/online form

Plus, Find Out The Truth still doesn't publish its direct phone line, providing only an email, online form, street address, and fax number for contact. We'd like to see more customer reviews or testimonials to better understand how well they meet their clients' needs, especially given their "no refunds” policy once research is completed.

Excellent for hands-on background searches

Find Out The Truth earns a high rating for its personalized approach to background checks. The variety of services and the professional handling of reports are unique, and the BBB rating is a good indicator that everything here is on the up-and-up. However, we still need to see more feedback from happy clients to move this background check option any higher. If you require a detailed, professional background check that complies with FCRA, Find Out The Truth is a fantastic choice. Just don't expect quick answers for casual inquiries.

US Search

• $19.86 per month for unlimited reports
• $1.99 for a 5-day trial
• Easy to start searching with a name, address, or phone number
• "A+” rated and accredited by the BBB under sister site's listing
• In business since 1994

US Search has helped people nationwide connect with family, friends, and loved ones since 1994. This is one of the original sources of online information for people searches, background checks, and reverse address/phone lookups. And, this is the highest-rated of the four services on our list that are part of the PeopleConnect portfolio (outranking sister sites Intelius, TruthFinder, and Instant Checkmate).

Straightforward searching by name, phone, or address

We like that US Search takes a more no-nonsense approach to background checks than its related PeopleConnect sites do. This platform makes it clear from the start that you can search by person, phone, or address, without trying to lure you in with over-the-top suggestions that your target might have "embarrassing” information or "graphic” images in their report.

Accurate and quick

It was also impressive that US Search was able to take just a name and no other identifying information (not age, state, or anything, just first and last name) and correctly land on both known aliases for the person we were background checking. We weren't forced to sit through minute after minute of progress bars and questions, either: after less than a minute and then entering a name and email address, we were able to see that US Search had tracked our individual to one phone number, one location, 22 email addresses, and four online accounts (which we think was fairly accurate).

Under $20/month or $1.99 for a 5-day trial

To get the full report on your individual, you'll have to pay $19.86 per month for unlimited searches, which renews automatically from month-to-month. More points for US Search: they're the only one of the four PeopleConnect background check services to come in under $20/month. And, like the other services in the family, US Search gives you a $1.99 trial for 5 days; if you wait around a little bit, it'll pop up. (By the way, we tried to trigger the single-report pricing we eventually got with the three other sites, but that never happened at US Search.)

Good reputation overall

We couldn't find a separate listing for US Search with the Better Business Bureau. It seems to fall under the listing for Intelius, which at least has an "A+” rating and accreditation. There's not as much user feedback for US Search either, but what we did find is much more positive than the other PeopleConnect background check platforms. On ConsumerAffairs, for example, US Search comes in with a surprising 4.7-star rating average. Verified customers described using US Search successfully for purposes of genealogy research, address verification for businesses, property ownership, and more.

Best of the 4 sister sites

However, that's not quite enough to move US Search up to the top of our list - mostly because "a Ford engine inside the body of a Maserati is still going to deliver Ford performance”. In other words, knowing that it has the same inner workings as the other PeopleConnect sites, two of which had absolutely terrible feedback from users, we can't get super-excited about US Search in the long run. Still, we are willing to give US Search a higher rating than in our previous evaluation because some people are getting the background checks they need when starting on this platform.

Intelius

• $25.11 per month for unlimited monthly reports
• $42.69 for 2 months of unlimited monthly reports
• 5-day trial for $1.99
• Single report for $29.95
• "A+” rated and accredited by the BBB

Intelius is the second of four background check providers on our list that are under the umbrella of PeopleConnect (with TruthFinder, US Search, and Instant Checkmate being the other three). While we're not huge fans of any of the four services, Intelius comes in as "almost the best of the worst”.

One of the most accurate in initial results

One of the big reasons Intelius outranks two of its sister sites is because its search results for our target person were much more accurate. We're not sure how that works when they're all owned by the same parent company and even the interfaces are almost exactly the same, but it's true. Intelius was able to correctly identify our target person under both known names, and to give us a third person to consider as a possibility (even though the name was slightly different and the age was outside of the range we'd specified).

Top marks from the BBB

Another reason is Intelius' BBB reputation: at the time of our visit, this background search provider had a perfect "A+” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, while two sibling sites were "not rated” and being reevaluated by the BBB. There were still 235 complaints filed with the BBB against Intelius in the last three years, but the good grade means that the BBB thinks the company is doing everything it can to operate responsibly.

Scanning process is annoying

Many of the other aspects of using this platform are just as irritating as its "siblings”: it'll take a long time for Intelius to work its way through "Key Information”, "Social Media Summary”, and lots of other details about the records Intelius scans. And, you'll have to keep your attention on the site: there are multiple checkpoints where you have to click a box and verify details. Navigate away, and the progress bar stops. Trust us when we say you'll think you've gotten to the end, but no, there's yet another thing to do before Intelius tells you what it'll cost to get the background check you're looking for.

About $25/month for unlimited background checks

When you finally do get there, you'll find out that it costs $25.11 per month to use Intelius, which comes with unlimited searches and reports. If you think you'll be using the background check service a lot in the near future, you can pay $42.69 for two months of access at a slight discount.

Get offers if you wait around

Play hard to get, though, and Intelius will give you more payment options. We waited about five minutes, browsing other websites, and came back to a 5-day trial offer for $1.99 here. That's almost a dollar higher than other PeopleConnect services on our list, but not exactly a huge dealbreaker. Hold out for even longer (maybe go play Candy Crush for a while?) and Intelius will make a final offer of a single report for $29.95.

Monthly fees higher after 5-day trial

Whether you subscribe month-to-month or just opt for the trial, your plan automatically renews unless you cancel over the phone or in your subscriber dashboard. And, in the fine print, Intelius seemed to be charging a higher month-to-month price after the trial ($29.63 instead of $25.11). So sure, you can do a $1 trial, but you'll pay more if you decide to keep the subscription.

Customer feedback is not super-positive

When it comes to user feedback, Intelius does better than its lower-ranking sibling sites. The news still isn't great - a 2.5-star average on ConsumerAffairs, 2.3-star average on Trustpilot, you get the gist - but it's better than the sub-2 scores we saw everywhere for the lower-ranking PeopleConnect background check services. You'll still see the usual complaints about the value (or lack thereof) of the information provided, but from what we can see, Intelius is actually answering the phones and processing cancellations upon request.

Just average for what you get

See what we mean about nearly being "the best of the worst”? If for some reason you just have to use a PeopleConnect-owned background check service, Intelius is one to go with. We still think you'll like the higher-ranking options on our list better than this one, though. Intelius gets a "just okay” rating.

Truthfinder

• $28.33 for one month of unlimited reports
• $47.03 for two months of unlimited reports
• 5-day trial for $1
• Access a single report for $29.95

There are several background check services offered by PeopleConnect, and TruthFinder is one of them. If you've already tried US Search, Instant Checkmate or Intelius, you're going to find TruthFinder very familiar.

Watch for prompts as the search runs

The process is almost exactly the same across all 4 services: enter the name, city, and state (though those last two are optional); click on the prompts as the search runs (like the individual's likely age range or confirming if they ever lived in a specific location) and eventually you'll be taken to the most likely result(s). We appreciate that, at least at the outset, TruthFinder doesn't try to lure you in by telling you there might be "embarrassing” results or graphic images in what they turn up (looking at you, Instant Checkmate).

Accurate but not always as thorough

In the case of our test subject, TruthFinder correctly identified the right individual, but failed to match him by both aliases (where some rivals did make the match). We also wondered why this service said we had three possible results but only let us see one of them.

Can opt out of marketing

When you click on "Open Report”, expect it to take TruthFinder several more minutes to finish its search. And that's where TruthFinder dips back into the lurid, saying that the report they provide might "shock” you. (*sigh*) You'll have to enter your name and email address next, along with your zip code (requested for undisclosed reasons), but at least TruthFinder doesn't make you opt out of marketing and instead lets you opt in if you wish. (We don't recommend it.)

Holds you captive while it scans

We don't have words to express how annoying it is to have to keep that window open while TruthFinder "scans for records” - if you click to another window, thinking the background check will just run in, well, the background, you'll be disappointed when you click back and see that the progress bar hasn't gone anywhere. And why did it have to do a whole "slide” for their Membership Satisfaction policy? (*sigh again*)

Pay for 1 month, 2 months, or a 5-day trial

When you finally make it past all of the "sliding”, you'll be asked if you'd like to pay $28.33 for one month of unlimited reports or $47.03 for two months. Now is the time for you to leave that window where it is and go check your socials, send an email, or top off your Stanley, because he who hesitates…gets additional offers. How about a 5-day trial for $1? You can opt for that, or wait again and see if you get the possibility of buying just a single report for a discounted rate; we saw that happen with two of TruthFinder's sister sites, but it never came up here.

Cancel via dashboard, or via phone during business hours

Whichever payment plan you choose, it's going to renew automatically until you cancel, which can be done either through your dashboard or through TruthFinder's toll-free number. Just be aware that they only have hours from Monday through Friday, 7A-4P Pacific if you're hoping to go the phone route.

Customer feedback is largely negative

We can't tell you what the Better Business Bureau currently has to say about TruthFinder: at the time of our review, the profile was marked as "being updated”. That's not usually good news. On Trustpilot, this background check service only earned a 1.8-star average, and reviews left within a few weeks of our evaluation were almost entirely negative. One person said that they tried to reach customer service through that toll-free number and only got an automated message, so refunds and cancellations may be much harder to come by than they advertise. That tracks with other rants on Trustpilot and in other places. We also saw frequent complaints about outdated information: users often say that TruthFinder comes up with data as "current” that they know for a fact is more than two decades old (an address where someone hasn't lived since the year 2000).

We don't really recommend it

We give TruthFinder a small advantage over one of its sister sites for at least offering a 2-month plan instead of a 3-month subscription. But, honestly, that's not enough to earn this background check service even more than a cursory glance from us. TruthFinder is just one more packaging of a PeopleConnect service that will likely be a waste of time and money. This platform earns a lower rating from us (and even that is somewhat begrudgingly).

Info Tracer

• 7-day trial of unlimited access for $2.95
• $24.95 per month for unlimited reports
• 24/7 customer service
• "A” rated and accredited by the BBB

InfoTracer thinks that background check information should be affordable and accessible. To that end, they provide access to 5+ billion public records, from marriage and divorce records to sex offender databases and more. Not sure where to start or hit a snag in your search? InfoTracer has help standing by 24/7 to answer your questions and get that background check run without any hassles.

$2.95 for a 7-day trial

It's nice that InfoTracer doesn't make you wait forever while it tries to run the background check on the info you've provided. It took just a minute or two for us to be given a list of 14 possible matches on first and last name alone. We were scrolling through the possible matches when we got a pop-up offering access to all 14 reports for just $2.95, plus 7 days of unlimited search access to over 5 billion public records.

Didn't identify our test subject

At first, that sounds great - but not when you consider that not one of the 14 reports matched our target, and it included options for individuals who would be 127 years old (no joke). Granted, we didn't enter the city or state where we knew our test subject lived, but rival services nailed it in one while InfoTracer choked.

Results didn't improve with more specifics

We took it a step further and entered that city and state. Nope. InfoTracer simply ran it for a while, asked if we wanted to expand our search to other states (where we know our target never lived), and then popped us over to a screen offering us unlimited access. Access to what, exactly, when you didn't find our subject?

Really good reputation otherwise

However, some users are getting everything they need with the background checks they run on InfoTracer. Across more than 3,100 ratings on Trustpilot, clients give this platform an average of 4.1 stars. People have left compliments for the 24/7 customer service at InfoTracer, said that this was the only background check service that had the information they needed, and said it was easy to cancel when they were done needing InfoTracer as a resource. And, the Better Business Bureau gives this service an "A” rating and accreditation, where the company averages 4.44 stars out of 5 across nearly 300 customer reviews, with just 93 complaints in the last three years.

Nice company but inferior results

We really want to like InfoTracer, because compared with many background check services on our list, it seems like they go the extra mile to not be scammy. In that regard, we'd give them a 4-star score. Unfortunately, we got vastly inferior results for what should have been a fairly easy search: a target individual whose location we know, who absolutely has a criminal background spanning more than two years, and who rival services identified right off the bat. InfoTracer didn't even get close.

Spokeo

• Over 12 billion records (and counting)
• Over 1,000 sources
• 500,000 searches per day
• $0.95 for a full name report and 7-day trial
• $29.95/month after trial period
• Extra fee for criminal records searches
• "A-” rated and accredited by the BBB
• In business since 2006

In business since 2006, Spokeo is a background check website that aggregates data from various online and offline sources, including social media, public records, and directories, to provide information about individuals. You can use Spokeo to find contact details, addresses, and background information on people. It aims to help users reconnect with friends and family, conduct background checks, and verify information. Pretty basic stuff.

Failed to hit the target

This used to be one of our highest-rated background check services. Unfortunately, Spokeo really let us down this time. As our target, we used an individual with a known location, criminal history, and relatives, to see how each provider fared with results and accuracy. This person has a very unique name, making it easy to determine if the service landed in the right place or even in the general vicinity. Spokeo did not. On first-and-last-name alone, Spokeo only turned up one person (and it was the wrong one). Other platforms came up with over a dozen matches, or asked clarifying questions to zero in and correctly match the results. If we really needed to find out if the individual in question had a criminal background (which he does, dating back two years prior to our search), Spokeo would not have given us the information we needed.

Under $1 to try it for a week

But, just to see what it would have been like if Spokeo had identified the right individual, we clicked for the report. We were pleased that right off the bat, Spokeo offered a $0.95 full name report and 7-day trial - instead of first trying to get us to subscribe and then only providing lower-cost options if we waited around (like so many other background check services do). Unless we canceled prior to the end of the trial period, we'd automatically be subscribed to Spokeo's monthly plan at $29.95.

Feedback from users is mixed

Spokeo has been given an "A-” rating and accreditation by the Better Business Bureau. That was surprising, seeing the 550+ complaints that the background check platform has received over the last three years, but the BBB's grade means that they think Spokeo is doing an appropriate job of responding when complaints arise. And what are those complaints? On both the BBB and in other places (like Trustpilot, where the rating average is a less-than-encouraging 2.8 stars out of 5), they tend to be what's common in the background check industry: "I felt tricked into a membership after a trial” and "I didn't get the value I was expecting from my subscription”.

You'll pay extra for deeper background check details

Those last folks may have missed a detail that Spokeo spells out (unlike many rivals who don't disclose it until later, if at all): criminal records and some other background check-type information are an add-on fee "beyond the basic report or membership fee”. That's called the "Background+ Report”, and unfortunately you'll have to wait until you get to that point in your search for Spokeo to tell you how much it costs.

Below average results

Unfortunately, if you can't even come up with the right person, we can't give you a very good rating, Spokeo. And since you failed to locate not only our target but the handful of other people in the US with the same name, you earn a lower rating.

Instant Checkmate

• $29.95 for a single background report
• $35.47 for 1 month of unlimited reports
• $85.13 for 3 months of unlimited reports
• $1 for a 5-day trial offer
• Search by name, reverse phone, criminal records or inmate name

Instant Checkmate is one of several background check services owned by PeopleConnect. You'll find several sister sites on our list (US Search, TruthFinder, Intelius), which tend to outrank Instant Checkmate despite being very similar (read all of the corresponding reviews to find out why). Instant Checkmate leans heavily into the "criminal and traffic records” aspect of background checks from the get-go, but you can also use the platform for a basic people search or reverse phone lookup.

Correctly located our target person

The best way to describe the search process at Instant Checkmate is "possibly accurate and definitely annoying”. You can't click away from the page as it runs your search, because you'll be asked clarifying questions along the way that require you to answer yes or no. Our most recent search didn't take as long as we've experienced in the past, but it was still a head-scratcher to see that "2 matches found” notification…with just one matching person. Instant Checkmate wasn't able to identify the individual we had in mind by his previous name (which was known to us), but the end result was indeed correct.

Over-the-top teasers for what you might learn

When we clicked to view that report, we got taken to yet another processing page (and Instant Checkmate promised that the report contained "a LOT” of information). You, too, will get tantalizing prompts and checkboxes, like "Due to the potentially graphic nature of [PERSON'S NAME]'s report, we must verify that you are 18 years or older” and questions about if you suspect the person has a criminal background. Eventually, you'll be asked for your name, email, and zip code (not sure why Instant Checkmate needs that); we recommend unchecking the box for agreeing to receive marketing/promo emails while you're at it.

Background check process takes too long

...aaaaaand then you still have more screens to click through. See what we mean about "definitely annoying”? After working through them for about 10 minutes, we got another "access your report” timer countdown of another 2.5 minutes. At this point, we think most people would quit using Instant Checkmate altogether, unless they were roped in by all of the "juicy” hints at what might be revealed in the end.

More expensive than most rivals

We had enough to know that the right person had been identified, but then Instant Checkmate asked us for $35.47: the price of one month of unlimited reports. If we considered ourselves a "power user”, we could sign up for 3 months of unlimited reports for $85.13. We waited a little longer and got a 5-day "full access trial membership” offer for just $1. Waiting a bit more, Instant Checkmate finally gave in and offered the $29.95 price for a single background report. (We knew to expect those offers from previous evaluations of this service.)

Thousands of people would say "don't use this site”

Tempted? Maybe not. We found thousands of 1-star reviews for this background check platform. The complaint that convinced us not to even do the $1 trial here: "they have fake points of contacts for canceling your account”. We also found a lot of comments saying that the reports they got had nothing in it, and Instant Checkmate just had more questions for the subscriber. "Waste of money” and "scam” are two of the most common ways that people have described this company, and we haven't found a reason to disagree. And, for what it's worth, the Better Business Bureau profile for Instant Checkmate was designated as "being updated” at the time of our evaluation: that usually means that it's much better than before or much worse. We'll let you guess which one we think is the case here.

Go with a different background check provider

Our conclusion regarding this background check service is the same as it ever was: once in a lifetime, it may have been decent, but all signs point to "no” now. If you've found yourself thinking "this is not my beautiful wife” and wondering how to discover the truth, Instant Checkmate is one of the least-recommended ways to go about it. Turn to the more reliable platforms on our list instead.

PeopleFinders

• $1 for a 3-day trial, then $29.95/month after
• $19.95 for the first month, then $29.95/month after
• $38.85 for a 3-month membership
• Good previews of preliminary information
• In business since 1999

PeopleFinders is one of the largest sources of public records data nationwide. In operation since 1999, the company's database contains billions of records from the last 40+ years. Whether you want to find out who owns a number that keeps calling you, find a friend or family member, or run a background check on your latest match on Bumble, PeopleFinders has got your back.

Couldn't find our test subject

Or so they say. We found that PeopleFinders didn't do so well in terms of our comparison across background check platforms. We used a specific person as our test case: an individual we knew had at least two known aliases and a criminal history going back two years, and for whom we knew at least one address and two relatives. Should be easy, right? Not for PeopleFinders. Where some of its rivals got it in one, and even identified both aliases, PeopleFinders didn't identify a single person by that name in the state where we know the person is. (How do we know he's still there, you say? He's incarcerated.)

Good effort

But, we got 10 matches of people by that name who weren't the right guy, which is better than competitors who failed to find more than one or two possible matches. We also liked that PeopleFinders took it a step further and continued listing people with just the same first initial and last name, showing possible relatives, ages, and residence locations. If only our person had shown up on that list!

Lots of options for subscriptions and a trial

Let's say that PeopleFinders does a better job for you. When you click on the green box to select the person you want to background check, it'll take a minute or two to generate a report containing all known names, addresses, aliases, professional licenses, and so on. Once that's done, here comes the "fun” part: what will it cost? At first, we were shown two options: a special promo of $19.95 for the first month (and then $29.95 afterwards, though it didn't disclose that to us right away) or $38.85 for a 3-month subscription. It didn't take much browsing, though, to get a pop-up "special limited time offer” of $1 for a 3-day trial, then $29.95 per month.

Sketchy billing practices

Not bad, right? Maybe not on the surface, but many users would tell you to stay away from PeopleFinders. This is one of those background check services that has a reputation for billing subscribers even after they cancel, but here's a new one: we found reports of people who signed up for a trial of, say, 3 days. They cancel before it ends and think they're in the clear, only to find that they've been billed for a monthly plan. When they reach out to PeopleFinders to say "What gives?!”, they're told they signed up for both a 3- and a 7-day trial, and since they only canceled the former, they were automatically subscribed to a membership. Really?! PeopleFinders may have a 4.4-star average on Trustpilot, spanning more than 2,000 reviews, but almost every single one from within a month of our evaluation gave this service just 1 star.

Trial isn't exactly 3 days

And, the Better Business Bureau concurs. PeopleFinders got a "can't get any lower” rating of "F” from the BBB for having 150 complaints over the last 3 years (and failing to respond to a few of them). We also spotted this gem in the negative reviews posted on the BBB's website: your trial ends at 12:01AM on the third day, which is an "internal policy” not disclosed when you sign up. So, if you start your trial on December 1 in the afternoon and cancel it on December 4 in the morning, guess what lovely surprise you'll have. You've got a subscription! Talk about sneaky. We're not here for it.

Not a background check option we trust

So, to sum up: deceptive practices. Missed the mark on our known subject for a background check. "F” from the Better Business Bureau. Easy-to-use website, though. What do you think? Worth trying? We don't think so either. PeopleFinders only gets a lower rating from us, and our recommendation is that people go elsewhere to run background checks.

BeenVerified

• $36.89 for a 1-month membership
• $71.94 for a 3-month membership
• Get up to 100 reports per month on either membership
• $1 for a 7-day trial membership
• Satisfaction guaranteed
• Customer support available by phone 7 days a week
• In business since 2007

BeenVerified has been offering background check services for nearly 20 years. Based in New York City, the company claims to have been "tried by millions” and to have over 1.5 million subscribers. They offer customer support from 6a-11:30p every day via phone, to answer your questions and guide you through using their service.

Lots of records in the database

What kinds of records are in the BeenVerified database? They call it "8 products in one”, including people search (which includes criminal and court records), email lookup, username search, vehicle lookup, reverse phone, address lookup (which includes property deeds, owner information, and assessments), unclaimed money, and obituaries search in their service.

It takes a long time to run a background check

To get started, you'll enter your target person's name, plus city and state of residence if you've got a guess for that. It'll take a few minutes to process; in the meanwhile, you'll see some interesting graphics with statistics on the various reasons people use BeenVerified and the types of databases and sources they consider. To "save the results” of your search, you'll then provide your name and email address…and then BeenVerified goes back to searching more databases and "completing results”.

No way of knowing if who they found is the right person

Unfortunately, at the end of that process, you don't get any kind of inkling as to what BeenVerified has turned up. There's no preview of a report, no blurred-out sample of the records they think are a match for your target person, just a "final step” of paying to access whatever it is they think they've found. That puts this background check service way behind its rivals on our list.

Expensive, and searches aren't unlimited

And, over the years, the cost of using BeenVerified has gone up by about 50% You'll now pay $36.89 for a one-month membership or $71.94 for a three-month plan, and each month gives you up to 100 reports. The one upside we found is that the service has added a 7-day trial period for just $1, so you can see for yourself if the reports render the results you're expecting.

Hard to cancel subscriptions

However, all three sign-ups come with automatic renewals, and previous users warn that you might have a hard time getting BeenVerified to follow through with your request to cancel your ongoing subscription (or to not continue after the week-long trial).

Satisfaction isn't really guaranteed

BeenVerified's reputation has dropped even further since our last evaluation. The company now has a "C” rating from the Better Business Bureau (down from a "B” last time), with 161 complaints filed in just the last year alone. The BBB also had an alert from back in 2019 that still showed no signs of being resolved: complaints are "still alleging surprise charges by the company…as well as a lack of cooperation with information opt-outs and cancellation/refund requests.” So much for that satisfaction guarantee that BeenVerified likes to brag about.

"Icky, sneaky, and scammy”

We also found it a little funny that BeenVerified brags about its 5-star reviews on Trustpilot, despite the fact that 45% of ratings there are 3 stars and below (with 26% giving the platform the lowest possible score of 1 star). One 3-star review left within a few days of our evaluation called BeenVerified "needlessly icky, sneaky, and scammy”, and that's a good summary of the overall consensus.

Use a different service for your background checks

BeenVerified still lands at the bottom of our list of background check services. Its reputation continues to plummet while costs rise, and despite the addition of a $1 trial, they still don't give users any cost-free way to see if their initial results are even coming close to hitting the target. Skip BeenVerified and use a more reputable platform for your background checks.