Top 10 Best Online Background Check Sites and Companies

The world of online background check sites has significantly evolved, offering diverse solutions to meet various needs – from reconnecting with lost relatives to enhancing personal safety. This guide delves into each service’s unique features, pricing, and strengths, emphasizing the level of detail provided, whether you’re looking to find family or verify a potential date.

Our evaluation, informed by expert opinions and current industry trends, aims to equip you with the necessary knowledge and options. Our curated list of the Top 10 Online Background Check Services for 2025 is designed to guide you toward peace of mind and informed decision-making.

Our Top 10 Best Online Background Check Sites and Companies:

Here’s our expert-curated list, highlighting each service’s primary strengths:

• BeenVerified – Best for detailed reports with extensive data points
• Intelius – Best for quick access to comprehensive reports and flexible pricing
• TruthFinder – Best background check site overall, excellent for reconnecting and dark web monitoring
• Spokeo – Best for speed and flexibility with various search types
• PeopleFinders – Best for accessing billions of public records and scalable options for businesses
• US Search – Best for obtaining unlimited reports at an affordable price
• PeopleLooker – Best for unique searches like unclaimed money and social media profiles
• CheckPeople – Best for comprehensive criminal record searches with easy-to-understand reports
• Instant Checkmate – Best for immediate access to detailed results, including reverse phone lookups
• ID True – Best for accurate and up-to-date basic background checks

The Best Background Check Sites & Services – In-Depth Reviews:

Our expert team rigorously evaluated various background check services based on reliability, effectiveness, pricing, legal compliance, report variety, search flexibility, mobile functionality, user experience, and customer support.

1. BeenVerified: Millions of Data Points Scoured Instantly

BeenVerified’s web search is incredibly extensive, delivering results within minutes. It combs through billions of records from public data sources and the deep web, providing a wealth of information that can include locality history, phone numbers, and education history. A standout feature is its social media search option, which scans over 120 social media networks, making it ideal for users who only have a person’s username. This is particularly useful for verifying individuals in online business transactions and protecting against rising social media fraud.

• Best for: Detailed reports, social media username searches
• Pricing: From $26.89/month
• Reports offered: People searches, social media searches, vehicle lookup

Pros:

• Provides seven search options in one subscription
• Offers a seven-day trial period for $1
• Searches billions of records
• Allows monitoring of changes on previously run reports

Cons:

• Reports per month are capped at 100
• Search results may not always be completely accurate (e.g., stray data)

2. Intelius: Intelligent Background Checking

Intelius offers a variety of search options and pricing plans, making it ideal if you know exactly what kind of information you’re seeking. Unlike many providers that charge a flat monthly fee, Intelius allows users to choose a plan specific to their primary search interest. For example, you can opt for an unlimited reverse address lookup plan for property details or an unlimited people search plan for criminal history, social media, address history, and more.

• Best for: Quick access to detailed reports, a variety of pricing options and trial periods
• Pricing: From $24.86/month
• Reports offered: People searches, reverse phone lookup, criminal records searches

Pros:

• Provides multiple search options and trial periods
• Has access to over 20 billion public records
• Regularly updates its search engine for quick, confidential, and detailed results

Cons:

• Confusing pricing structure due to varying costs by search type and “special offers”
• Subscription cancellation can be lengthy

3. TruthFinder: Finding the Truth is a Few Clicks Away

TruthFinder is one of the most popular background check services for people searches, making it an invaluable resource for reconnecting with friends, family, or colleagues. It supports multiple search methods (name, address, phone number, email address) and provides thorough checks. Full background check reports include contact information, address history, social media usernames, academic records, associate information, dating profiles, personal assets, criminal history, business information, and licenses. A monthly membership grants access to unlimited background searches, though some services like dark web searches may cost extra.

• Best for: Reconnecting with friends and family, dark web monitoring, comprehensive background checks
• Pricing: From $28.33/month ($4.99/month for reverse phone lookups)
• Reports offered: People searches, social media searches, reverse phone lookup

Pros:

• Variety in search options (name, address, phone, email)
• Delivers well-organized, chronological reports with a “timeline” feature
• Allows unlimited background searches
• Offers dark web monitoring for personal information

Cons:

• Some add-on services require additional payments
• No free trial period

4. Spokeo: Speed and Flexibility

Spokeo stands out for its speed, affordability, and flexibility. It offers six types of tailored searches, allowing you to get either a broad overview or specific details like court judgments and arrest records. You can search by name, phone number, email, address, or even social media username.

• Best for: Speed and flexibility, social media username searches, real-time data
• Pricing: From $19.95/month
• Reports offered: People searches, social media searches, historical records, property records, criminal records

Pros:

• Search by social media network username
• Real-time searches
• Low monthly subscription fee
• Offers a broad range of data categories

Cons:

• Limited number of searches per month on some plans
• Some search options can be difficult to locate on the interface

5. PeopleFinders: Best for Accessing Billions of Public Records

Launched in 1999, PeopleFinders is one of the most established online background check services. It boasts access to over 120 billion public records from more than 6,000 data sources, with search options including names, email addresses, phone numbers, and physical addresses. It also provides tools to refine searches for common names. PeopleFinders’ people search reveals contact information, criminal history, liens and judgments, property and owned assets, education history, work references, and marriage records.

• Best for: Accessing immense public records, businesses seeking scalable options, reconnecting with lost contacts
• Pricing: From $24.95/month
• Reports offered: People searches, reverse phone and email lookup, public record searches

Pros:

• Access to an immense amount of data
• Long-standing and reputable service
• Offers a first-month introductory rate of $9.95
• Easy-to-use search engine and fast results

Cons:

• No trial period
• Reports do not include social media history

6. US Search: Best for Obtaining Unlimited Reports

US Search has been operating for over 25 years, quickly sifting through millions of public records from federal and local sources to provide detailed reports. These reports include criminal history, traffic infractions, address history, contact information, personal assets (homes, cars), financial info (bankruptcies, liens), social media profiles, relatives and associates, and date of birth. Its intuitive web interface allows searches via name, phone number, email address, or physical address. It also offers detailed preliminary reports to confirm the correct search target, which is useful for common names.

• Best for: Easy and affordable access to public records, obtaining unlimited reports
• Pricing: From $19.86/month
• Reports offered: Criminal record searches, reverse phone, email, and address lookup

Pros:

• Inexpensive monthly subscription
• Easy-to-use search engine
• Allows unlimited access to printable PDF reports
• Stores all previous searches on users’ dashboards

Cons:

• No trial period
• Searches occasionally produce duplicate results

7. PeopleLooker: Best for Unclaimed Money Searches

PeopleLooker provides a wide variety of unique search options, allowing users to search by name, phone number, email address, property, social media username, or business name. Notably, it also offers an unclaimed money search. Its people search crawls millions of public records to uncover criminal records, contact details, traffic violations, assets, relatives and associates, financial information, education history, and social media profiles. PeopleLooker also offers a useful monitoring option for report updates and features a mobile app with additional dark web search capabilities.

• Best for: Running background checks on a potential date, unique search options like unclaimed money and business name searches
• Pricing: From $22.86/month
• Reports offered: Social media searches, business searches, unclaimed money searches

Pros:

• Provides unique search options (e.g., unclaimed money search)
• Offers a report monitoring feature
• User-friendly mobile app

Cons:

• Requires additional payments for certain information
• Reports per month are capped at 100
• Social media search functionality can be hard to locate on the desktop site

8. CheckPeople: Best for Criminal Record Searches

CheckPeople draws from public information on the deep web, including court and sex offender databases, to provide comprehensive background check reports in an easy-to-read format. These reports may contain contact information, social media profiles, address history, financial information, personal asset information, business history, and registered licenses. CheckPeople specializes in online criminal background checks, allowing users to run arrest record searches directly from the homepage and scouring information from superior courts, district courts, and county sheriff websites for felony or misdemeanor arrests and convictions, and even mug shots.

• Best for: Criminal record searches, easy-to-understand organized reports
• Pricing: From $29.16/month
• Reports offered: People searches, reverse phone lookup, criminal record searches

Pros:

• Allows unlimited monthly searches
• Offers a three-day trial for $4.99
• Ensures searches are 100% confidential
• Delivers comprehensive criminal profiles quickly

Cons:

• Unclear pricing structure initially
• Doesn’t deliver around-the-clock customer support

9. Instant Checkmate: Best for Immediate Access to Background Check Results

Instant Checkmate sifts through millions of data points and publicly available information sources to provide thorough background check reports. Its full monthly subscription offers various search functions that can pull up extensive information on a subject, including relatives, social media accounts, criminal history, bankruptcy and lien data, licenses, and address history. Its reverse phone lookup subscription is an affordable way to conduct quick background checks on suspected scam calls. The service also allows members to run tailored criminal history searches and pull crime statistics by city, state, or zip code.

• Best for: Immediate access to detailed results, reverse phone lookups, federal inmate lookups
• Pricing: From $35.12/month ($5.99/month for reverse phone lookups)
• Reports offered: Criminal history searches, inmate lookup, reverse phone lookup

Pros:

• Offers an affordable phone search plan
• Supports federal inmate lookup, a unique feature
• Provides a tailored criminal history search option
• Delivers detailed results in under five minutes

Cons:

• Price points can vary between the website and mobile app
• Expensive monthly subscription plan for full access

10. ID True: Best for Basic Background Checks

ID True is a good basic option for consumers seeking information on potential dates, old friends, lost family members, or neighbors. It even allows you to run personal background checks on yourself. While there isn’t a dedicated app, the website is mobile-friendly. Users can search by name or phone number, though it lacks the option to search by email or physical address found in other services. ID True searches millions of federal, state, and local records, providing contact and location information, criminal history, sex offender status, relatives, verdicts, property information, and marriage/divorce records. The service can also find social media and dating profile accounts.

• Best for: Accurate and up-to-date information, basic background checks, mobile-friendly searches
• Pricing: From $24.95/month
• Reports offered: Reverse phone lookup, people searches, criminal records

Pros:

• Intuitive mobile-friendly interface
• Allows unlimited background searches
• Suitable for basic background checks
• Generates preliminary results within minutes

Cons:

• No online cancellation (requires a call)
• No email or physical address search option

How Does a Background Check Work?

A background search utilizes various online services, tools, and publicly available information to uncover details about an individual. This can include locality history, social media accounts, known aliases, criminal and traffic records, and more. While it’s technically possible to search public records manually, using a background check service is significantly more efficient and less time-consuming.

Typically, you’d enter a person’s name into the service’s online search tool. The company then processes this information, sifting through vast databases, and delivers a detailed report. This process usually takes five minutes or less. Some services also allow searches by phone number, physical address, or social media username. Many providers require a monthly subscription for unlimited reports rather than single-report purchases, though some offer trial periods.

What Are Some Reasons To Use Background Check Services?

There are numerous reasons to use an online background check service:

• Personal Safety: Conducting checks on new neighbors or potential online dates.
• Reconnection: Finding lost family members or friends.
• Self-Monitoring: Looking up your own name to see what information is publicly available about you.
• Due Diligence: Verifying information related to online transactions or potential acquaintances.

Choosing the Right Background Check Company

When selecting a background check company, always consider your specific research needs. Whether you’re finding a lost relative or investigating suspected spam callers, find a subscription plan that meets your needs and budget.

The ideal background check service should offer:

• Detailed reports with a reputation for accuracy and privacy.
• Customizable searches (e.g., by name, phone number, email, address, social media username).
• A user-friendly web and mobile interface.
• Excellent customer support accessible by phone, chat, or email.

Disclaimer: If you need to investigate criminal and traffic records, ensure the service has access to federal, state, and local court sources. Crucially, if you require a background check service for federally regulated purposes (e.g., employment or tenant screenings), you MUST use a service that is FCRA-compliant. None of the services listed above are FCRA-compliant and therefore cannot be used for employment or tenant screenings.

Here are a few important factors to consider:

• Detail of Report Information: Research a service’s reputation for delivering detailed, accurate information and its commitment to privacy. User reviews can offer insights into report quality.
• Search Customization: Look for options beyond just name searches, such as phone number, email, physical address, or social media username. Some services allow more tailored checks like specific criminal history searches.
• Ease of Use: The service should be user-friendly with well-organized reports, especially for multiple searches. Many provide online dashboards to save and organize searches, and some allow PDF downloads.
• Customer Support: Good support is vital for issue resolution. Check if they offer online or phone support, and specifically review their cancellation policy to understand how to end your subscription, especially during a trial.
• Legal Compliance and Privacy: Understand the legal framework. Background checks involve public records but must respect individual rights, adhering to regulations like the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Consent from the person being checked is often required for regulated uses. Transparency and safeguarding privacy are key.

How Much Do Background Check Services Cost?

Pricing for background check services typically ranges between $20 and $30 a month. Many require users to sign up for a monthly subscription for unlimited reports rather than single-report purchases. Generally, the monthly price decreases if you commit to an extended subscription (e.g., three or six months paid upfront). Some providers offer cheaper subscription options for specific services, like Instant Checkmate’s unlimited phone search option for around $5.99/month. Some, like BeenVerified, also offer trial periods, making them practical for initial assessments.