Investment Insights

What to know about background checks Nearly one in every three adults have some form of a criminal record according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. This highlights why employers and landlords are increasingly relying on background checks to screen candidates. Only some types of background check are regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which places limits on the kind of information that you can obtain on others. People search sites can be a useful tool for finding relatives or doing reverse phone searches. For background checks on potential employees, domestic workers, or tenants, you’ll need to work with an FCRA-compliant company. Social media background checks have become a more common part of the recruitment process for many employers despite the ethical and privacy concerns surrounding them. How we chose our top picks Our editorial team draws on its extensive knowledge and experience in the background check industry to independently assess screening companies. We evaluated over 40 data points across 20 vetted background check companies to ensure readers have accurate and helpful information about this type of service. Read the full methodology below to learn more. Our top picks for the best background check sites People search background check sites Unlike FCRA-compliant companies, these background search sites cannot be used for employment or tenancy purposes. You can, however, use them to conduct personal searches. TruthFinder – Best Background Check Site Overall Instant Checkmate – Best for Unlimited Reports BeenVerified – Best for Vehicle Searches Spokeo – Best for Budget Searches FCRA-compliant background screening sites The following background screening sites all comply with FCRA regulation on consumer reporting agencies, namely the information they can provide and what it can be used for. This means you may use them for employment and tenancy purposes. Backgrounds Online – Best Background Screening Site Overall Checkr – Best for Pre-employment Screenings TransUnion SmartMove – Best for Tenant Screenings GoodHire – Best for Small Businesses Pros Comprehensive reports with detailed personal data User-friendly interface with mobile app support Add-on for report downloads and monitoring Sample report available Cons Flagged for FCRA violations and deceptive marketing practices Subscription required to access reports No free trial or single-report option Why we chose it: TruthFinder offers highly detailed reports that cover a wide range of information, from personal assets to criminal records and employment history. Its intuitive app with a straightforward interface makes starting new searches and viewing existing reports easy. Although the service only offers monthly plans — you won’t be able to pay for one-off reports — the price of TruthFinder’s services is slightly below that of other background check memberships. And for an additional $3.99/mo, it also lets you download reports as PDFs and monitor reports online for updates to their information. It bears mentioning that TruthFinder was one of two background check sites which were penalized by the Federal Trade Commission in 2023 for deceiving users about the accuracy of their reports and violating FCRA guidelines. Although it has been some time since, this is something to keep in mind as you consider the companies on our list. TruthFinder Pricing Membership Price Benefits People Search $28.33/mo or $47.03 bimonthly Unlimited person reports, unlimited location reports Reverse Phone Lookup $4.99/mo Unlimited phone reports Reverse Email Lookup $29.73/mo Unlimited person reports, unlimited email reports Reports may include: first and last name, known aliases, physical address, photos, social media profiles, location history, associated persons, related persons, birth information, phone numbers, email addresses, employment history, educational history, possible associates, business ownership, assets, criminal records, traffic records, court records. *See disclaimer below for more information. Pros Unlimited person or phone reports Transparent pricing structure Sample report available Quick turnaround times Cons Flagged for FCRA violations and deceptive marketing practices Expensive people search membership No options for single reports Why we chose it: Instant Checkmate offers unlimited searches, making it ideal for anyone who needs to conduct background checks regularly. It’s especially thorough when it comes to criminal information, featuring search functions for inmates and traffic, criminal and arrest records. Another highlight of the platform is its streamlined interface that makes navigation easy — both on browsers and on the handy mobile app. On the other hand, Instant Checkmate’s lack of single-report purchase option means it isn’t as cost-effective for those who only need occasional searches. Like TruthFinder, Instant Checkmate was penalized by the Federal Trade Commission in 2023 for deceptive business practices and breaking FCRA guidelines. This isn’t necessarily a deal breaker — both companies were placed under monitoring by the FTC — but it’s worth considering while choosing a background check site. Instant Checkmate Pricing Membership Price Benefits Person Reports $35.47/mo or $85.13 every three months Unlimited person reports, unlimited location reports, report monitoring Phone Reports $5.99/mo Unlimited phone reports Reports may include: birth information, photos, phone numbers, social media profiles, email addresses, address history, employment history, educational history, business ownership, assets, criminal records, traffic records, court records. *See disclaimer below for more information. Pros VIN, license plate and owner detail lookup Mobile app designed for vehicle searches Well-organized reports with multiple data sources Niche services like unclaimed money search Cons Less comprehensive people searches Limited to 100 reports per month Lack of transparency in pricing Why we chose it: BeenVerified does VIN and license plate lookups, which provide valuable insight into a car’s past, including accidents, market value, recalls, warranty and ownership history. This makes it a go-to option for used car buyers, automotive professionals and others who may need to run a vehicle history check. Like other popular background check sites, BeenVerified also features a mobile app to search people, phone numbers, emails and physical addresses. However, it also offers an app specifically for carrying out vehicle checks, making it even easier to keep track of several car records at once. While the platform is excellent for vehicle searches, it offers less detailed reports in other fields. It’s also easy to miss that BeenVerified’s membership costs $32.89/mo, not $1 or $5 (which are

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