Top Background Check Services Accuracy Reliability Trustworthiness

Today’s world allows us to access more information than ever. With only a couple clicks of a button you are able to look up places to eat, travel destinations, answers to pressing questions, and so much more!

It can be a bit more challenging, though, to get accurate information on certain people and their personal history. This is where background check services come in. Background check sites are specially designed to help you research people, helping you to make much better and more accurate judgments about them.

When you are planning to look somebody up, you need to make sure you are using a background check service that is not only cost-effective and easy-to-use, but that is trustworthy as well. This is easier said than done though, as there are tons of background check sites operating today, and very few are worth your time.

This is why, in this article, we will go over the best background check sites, helping you to find the service that is perfect for your needs. We will also spend some time answering the most common questions people have regarding background check services and how they can be used.

The Best Background Check Services

Truthfinder: Overall Best Background Check Service
Instant Checkmate: Best for Conducting Multiple Searches:
Spokeo: Best for Estranged Friends and Family

Reviews of Our Picks for Best Background Check Services

1. Truthfinder: Overall Best Background Check Service

Pros

Comprehensive background check site; a one stop shop
Powerful search features that are very intuitive to use
Amazing customer service and customer-friendly features
Allows you to quickly search by name, number and more. You can even narrow the search down by city.

Truthfinder is our top choice when it comes to the best background check sites, and for good reason. With Truthfinder you have almost everything you could want in one place. From detailed and exhaustive background check reports, to their outstanding customer service, Truthfinder makes sure you are getting the absolute best service possible every step of the way.

With only a few clicks you will be able to effectively search through tens of millions of reports, as well as social media data, allowing you to gain a comprehensive understanding of your subject person – all at prices that are incredibly fair and always competitive. With as little as a name, phone number, or email address, you can access a plethora of information and a detailed report.

What Sets this Best Background Check Site Apart From the Rest?

Having been in business for nearly a decade, the people at Truthfinder know exactly how to guide and assist you through your background checks, and know precisely how to best service any other needs you may have.

At the same time, Truthfinder doesn’t stop at surface level info like many other budget services. Instead Truthfinder is able to help you see what information can be found when you know how to look behind the curtains. As Truthfinder describes it, they know where to look in the “deep” web.

One of the best selling features offered by Truthfinder is the reverse phone lookup option. The information that may be found through a reverse phone lookup could include the owner’s name, address, and other contact information, as well as any criminal records, bankruptcies, or other public records associated with that individual.

This type of search can be particularly useful for individuals or organizations that need to verify the identity of someone they are communicating with or who may be engaging in suspicious or illegal activity.

What are Customers Saying About This Background Check Site?

Truthfinder presents their background checks in an easy-to-read format and this has also been a big part as to why the company is surrounded by five-star reviews and maintains an A+ rating with the BBB.

The things that customers seem to be most impressed with are the accuracy, speed, and ease at which these background checks can be run – and all at an incredibly fair price. Users also love that Truthfinder can handle almost all aspects of a search themselves, meaning you only need a single background check service in order to get a comprehensive background check.

Learn More About Truthfinder

2. Instant Checkmate: Best for Conducting Multiple Searches

Pros

Each background check provides an impressive amount of info
You can subscribe to get access to unlimited background checks
User-friendly with a great support team
Great prices when you can justify subscribing

Cons

Needs more starting info about the subject to get very detailed results.

Instant Checkmate was built to help people quickly and easily learn about their friends, neighbors, and contacts and will even help you look up yourself and what information about you is currently floating around online. Instant Checkmate also takes the extra time to ensure that their service offers more than the standard background checks you find online.

This best background check company has a number of specialized databases that they are able to access, on top of the normal public records and social media accounts. They do not alert the person you are tracing and encrypt all of their servers with a 256-bit encrypted connection so you can search worry free.

What Sets this Best Background Check Site Apart From the Rest?

The real selling point that helps Instant Checkmate standout from the pack is their overall quality with each search, and the fact that they allow you to subscribe to their service for unlimited searches.

Unlimited searches can be a useful feature for a background check service, as it offers users the ability to conduct thorough and comprehensive research on individuals or organizations without any restrictions or additional costs. Unlimited searches also eliminate the need for users to keep track of how many searches they have already conducted or to worry about running out of searches before they find the information they need.

What are Customers Saying About This Background Check Site?

When it comes to this best background check service, there is no shortage of positive reviews to pull from to get an idea of why people love the service. In fact, with roughly 70,000 5-star reviews, Instant Checkmate is possibly the best reviewed background check service online today.

Part of this highly positive reception is the fact that this background check service does the basics better than almost anyone. Fast, easy-to-use and full of details, there is very little to complain about with this service. Then you add on the extra quality of life features like unlimited searches and you have a background check service that is perfect for a huge swath of people.

Learn More About Instant Checkmate

3. Spokeo: Best for Estranged Friends and Family

Pros

Fast, simple, and powerful background search engine
People-first brand that is fueled by connecting people and communities
Specialized systems designed to help the search for family and friends

Cons

You may need to run multiple types of searches to get fully comprehensive information

While this best background check service has many uses, Spokeo was primarily designed around helping people reconnect with their long-lost family and friends. They offer you highly detailed searches with critical information, such as contact info, criminal records, and anything else that can be derived from the public record – more than enough to effectively reconnect.

By focusing on a niche service, while still offering a powerful background search engine for general use, Spokeo has been able to stand out and earn itself a great deal of positive notoriety.

Spokeo also has a very robust reverse phone lookup system, so you can track that number that’s been calling you -or that has been calling your significant other.

One feature that has also helped Spokeo make such a good name for itself, is its username search feature. With a general piece of contact info you can get the details on someone’s entire social media history, or if you only have a username, you can find out who may be behind the account.

This is just one example of how the powerful search Spokeo offers can be leveraged for your benefit and why it has become so popular.

What Sets this Best Background Check Site Apart From the Rest?

Spokeo goes out of its way to try and benefit people and their communities. Through scholarships, pro-bono services, and a passion for reconnecting people all over the world, Spokeo is a highly unique and easy-to-love brand that is doing a great deal to change the way its industry is perceived by the wider public.

Just one example of how this background check service works hard to connect people, is with their programs that are built to help adoptees find their birth parents.

What are Customers Saying About This Background Check Site?

Spokeo is regularly voted amongst the best background check sites by customers for many of the reasons we just listed. Not only are the general searches done by Spokeo amongst the best in the industry, but they offer a great deal of specialized services and programs built around reconnecting people. Spokeo even has a scholarship program designed to help certain people and communities.

When it comes to background checks, Spokeo offers you the best of several worlds, and although we ranked them behind the other options on this list, you could easily argue that they are currently the best background check service operating today.

Learn More About Spokeo

How We Picked Our Best Background Check Sites

To create a list of the best background check services available today, we needed to sort through a huge number of poor-quality sites or those with prohibitive costs. To cut through all of the noise and find good background check sites, we needed to develop two sets of criteria.

The first criteria were basic and easy-to-verify necessities, such as fair pricing and a lack of legal issues. These criteria allowed us to quickly separate out the background check sites that were simply not up to the challenge of being considered amongst the best. This eliminated a large portion of the lowest-quality background check sites.

The second criterion was more complicated and required us to closely examine the remaining background check services. This criterion required us to examine the types of services, customer reviews, legal track record, and reported accuracy. By the end, we were left with a list of sites that were in the running for the best background check sites. After some debate and deliberation, we came up with the three background check sites on this list today.

What is a Background Check?

Background checks allow one to view a large portion of a person’s personal history, including information like criminal records, public records, property records, employment history, criminal history, social media profiles, and more! Simply put, background checks allow you to view a large amount of info about someone that you would otherwise not be able to see.

Not all background checks are made the same, either. You can get specific criminal background checks or more generic and broad background checks. Before buying a service, you should figure out what type of background check you need, as not all services will offer criminal background checks, for example.

Why Use a Background Check Site?

While it is possible to do background checks yourself, this is more challenging than it may initially sound. On top of that, background check services may also offer a number of benefits that you may have yet to think about.

Here are just a few reasons why using one of the best background check sites is a good idea.

Accuracy

Background check services have access to specialized databases and resources that are not available to the general public. This helps ensure that the information you receive is accurate and up-to-date.

Efficiency

Conducting thorough background checks can be a time-consuming process. By using a service, you can save time and ensure that the process is completed quickly and efficiently.

Legal compliance

There are many legal considerations to keep in mind when conducting background checks. Background check sites are familiar with the applicable laws and regulations and can help to ensure that the process is conducted in a legally compliant manner.

Objectivity

When conducting background checks yourself, it can be challenging to remain objective and avoid bias. Background check services use their data sources to present detailed reports in an impartial and objective manner.

Depth of information

Background check sites often have access to a wider range of information than what is available to the general public, including social media data. This can help to uncover additional information that may be relevant to your search.

Overall, using one of the best background check services can ensure that you receive accurate, reliable information quickly and efficiently while also avoiding potential legal issues and maintaining objectivity.

What are the Benefits of a Background Check?

While most people immediately think about criminal history and a search through criminal records when they hear about a background check, they are often so much more. Background check services can provide a significant number of benefits, even if they only give you access to basic public records and social media profiles.

Deciding on the quality of a job offer

Something many people don’t realize they can do with background check services is to ensure that the company you may be planning to work for is legit. A detailed report from a background check site can give you a review of the company’s history and service quality so you can know exactly what to expect.

Finding lost friends and family

Another very common usage for background check services are the searching and locating of long-lost friends or estranged family members. A good background check site can locate people with only very limited information. When you use an unlimited searches feature, it becomes even easier to locate lost friends and family. Background check services are especially useful if the lost family or friends are not the type to have social media profiles.

Researching a potential date

Running a background check on a potential date can be a useful precautionary measure to ensure your safety and protect yourself. Background check services tap into criminal records to reveal a possible criminal history, including arrests, convictions, and restraining orders. It can also help confirm their employment history and education, which can help you determine if they are who they say they are.

A background check can also reveal red flags that may not have been disclosed by your potential date. This could include financial problems, social media groups, bankruptcy filings, or legal judgments that could impact your relationship or your safety.

Controlling your reputation on the internet

A background check service can also help you control your reputation on the internet by providing you with information about what personal information is available online and what others may be able to find out about you.

A background check can reveal any negative information about you that may be available online, such as embarrassing social media photos or comments, negative reviews, or criminal records. This can help you identify potential risks to your reputation and take steps to address them.

Background checks can also help identify inaccurate information about you that may be available online. This could include incorrect personal information or false accusations. You can then take steps to correct this information and improve your online reputation.

Peace of mind regarding your neighborhood

It used to be that people knew who lived in their neighborhoods, but today we often have very little contact or limited interactions with those who live around us. For those who have kids playing in the neighborhood or who are just wary of others, this can be very stressful.

A background check service allows you to know who your kids are sharing carpools with, who owns the homes they are staying over at, etc. For many, ensuring that the people you are surrounding your kids, or self, with do not have scary criminal records.

What Shows Up in a Standard Background Check?

Public records that may be used in a background check can vary depending on the scope of the check and the purpose for which it is being conducted. Here are some examples of public records that may be used.

Criminal records: Criminal records have details of a person’s criminal history including criminal convictions, arrests, and charges. Criminal records are usually maintained at the county, state, and federal levels. In some cases, such as youth crimes, criminal records may be sealed and destroyed after a certain amount of time, so you may not ever know someone’s full criminal history.
Court records: Court records may include civil cases, bankruptcies, judgments, and liens. These records may be maintained at the county, state, or federal level.
Driving records: Driving records check an individual’s driving history, including any traffic violations, accidents, or license suspensions.
Property records: Property records can reveal an individual’s ownership or rental history. These records may include information such as property ownership, rental agreements, and mortgage records.
Professional licenses: Background checks may include verification of an individual’s professional licenses, such as medical or legal licenses.
Education records: Education records that are publically available can show an individual’s education credentials, such as a high school diploma or college degree.
Voter registration records: Voter registration records may be used to verify an individual’s identity and residency.

Other things that may show up in a modern background check are things like social media profiles. It’s important to note that not all public records or social media data sources may be used in every background check. The specific public records or social media profiles used will depend on the scope and purpose of the check, as well as any legal or regulatory requirements.

What Can’t Background Checks Be Used For?

Simply put, background check services like the three we’ve recommended here are designed for informational purposes and are not to be used as the basis for deciding things like whether to hire someone or if a lease applicant should be granted housing. Most background check companies will clearly state in their disclaimers what you can and cannot use the services for.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) outlines certain limitations on how background checks can be used. There are many limitations, especially for companies who are hiring and landlords.

For example, background checks cannot be used by employers to discriminate against individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability. Employers cannot use criminal history checks or any other checks to make a decision, but they can be used to help form identity verification or past employment verification.

If an employer or other organization intends to take an adverse action based on the results of a background check (such as not hiring an applicant), they must notify the individual and provide them with a copy of the report and a summary of their rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. For the most part, this is to be avoided and most services have disclaimers warning against such actions.

Overall, the Fair Credit Reporting Act is designed to protect individuals from discrimination and ensure that background checks are conducted in a fair and accurate manner.

What is the Fair Credit Reporting Act?

The Fair Credit Reporting Act is a federal law that regulates the collection, dissemination, and use of customer information and consumer reporting. The FCRA was enacted in 1970 and has been amended several times since then.

The law is designed to protect consumers from inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated information in their credit reports and to ensure that the information is used fairly. This Act heavily affects how consumer reporting agencies and background check sites operate and how the information is used.

For example, when it comes to employment background checks, an employer may not discriminate against a potential hire based on the information collected in a background check, but they can be used to confirm the accuracy of the information given, like their employment history. Employment verification is an integral part of this process because it confirms that the candidate actually worked at the companies they claim to have worked for and that the provided employment history is accurate.

What Info Does a Background Check Service Need to Begin?

When using a background check site, the information you provide will depend on the type of background check you are conducting and the service you are using. The best background check services are able to get a lot done with minimal information, while the lower-value ones will need much more info to give you good results.

Generally, you should aim to provide at least the following information:

The name: You should try to provide the individual’s full legal name if possible, including first, middle, and last names. If the individual goes by any other names, such as a maiden name or a nickname, you may need to provide those as well.
Date of birth: The individual’s date of birth is often used to verify their identity and ensure that the background check report is accurate and not being conducted on the wrong person.
Address history: Knowing the individual’s address history can help you conduct a more comprehensive background check. You will need to provide information on the individual’s previous addresses, including street addresses, cities, and states.

Of course, some background checks may need to be done in order to obtain this information. For example, a reverse phone number search may be able to give you a name to go along with the number. From there, you can use the name to conduct a further background check on the person. The best background check services will often group these searches together, going down the rabbit hole and finding any important info you may need.

How Do I Know a Background Check Site is Safe?

When using a service for your background checks, you need to ensure that it’s safe and trustworthy.

A good service, especially the best background check services, will ensure that both your personal information, as well as the content of your inquiry, will remain private. Of course, you also want to be sure they have a safe connection by checking the URL to see if it starts with “https” instead of “http”.

User reviews are another way to see if a site is up to the same standards as the best background check services we listed in this article. Read user reviews to see what others have experienced. Look for reviews from reputable sources, such as independent review websites.

The best background check services will also have BBB certifications. A background check service that has a good rating from the BBB is more likely to be transparent in its practices. This means that the service is more likely to provide accurate and complete information and be upfront about any limitations or restrictions in its data.

Are You Ready to Use the Best Background Check Sites?

Using the best background check sites ensures that the background checks you conduct will be accurate, timely, and relevant to the subject matter you are searching for -something that very few services can claim.

All of the background check companies on this list offer outstanding services and have amazing support teams that will ensure your efforts are fruitful. So, are you ready to start your background checks today?