Background checks offer a convenient way for someone to know who their potential roommate is or for a business to help in their hiring endeavors. There are various services that allow you to perform background checks on an individual through trusted sources and public records. Of course, knowing which to choose can be difficult, especially if you have never used a background check site before.

So, to help you make the best choice, we’ve reviewed a selection of background check sites that can provide you with the best results. With Been Verified on #1, we have carefully curated the list of best background check sites based on the services these sites offer and various results-oriented criteria. Without further ado, let’s begin.

Best Background Check Sites of 2024

• • Been Verified: Overall Best Background Check Site
  • People Finder: Best For Criminal Background Check

• Find Out The Truth: Most Affordable & Comprehensive Background Checks

The top five best background check sites that ticked all the checkboxes in our list of criteria are Been Verified, People Finder and Find Out The Truth. Each of these brands offers something unique that makes them worth using for professional or personal use.

Let’s explore each of these top-rated background check websites to see which can perform a background check best.

 

#1. Been Verified: Overall Best Background Check Site

Been Verified is an easy-to-use background check service that searches through public records to provide you with detailed information available on public records. With a simple and easy-to-navigate user interface and detailed reports, Been Verified allows you to search for lost relatives, verify the identity of a date, and more.

The combination of a highly accessible interface and a wide user base of over 1.5 million subscribers makes Been Verified the best background search site.

A. Services Offered By Been Verified

Been Verified can be used to draw information from various public resources, allowing you to find information for personal use. You can use this background search website to take advantage of the following services:

• People Search
• Reverse Phone Lookup
• Email Lookup
• Reverse Address Lookup
• Property Owner Search
• Public Records
• White Pages Lookup
• Names Directory

With these services, you will be able to find information pertaining to someone’s contact details, employment history, criminal records, property records, and more. 

B. How Does Been Verified Work?

Been Verified sifts through the various publicly available databases to create a detailed report, which is checked for factual accuracy before being sent to you. With its one-month membership, you can find out the name, phone number, email address, and physical address to background check someone for a month.

By opting for a higher subscription tier of 3 months, you will be able to generate 100 reports per month and run 7 search types.

C. Advantages Of Using Been Verified

One of the main reasons why Been Verified is at the top of our list is the high-quality data that it provides for every search. It cross-references millions of records for factual accuracy and scans the dark web to produce the final report for background check reviews, making it highly reliable.

Another benefit of using the Been Verified background check website is that it allows you to be notified if there are any changes in your report. This is so that you will be in the know about any development that might be important.

D. Types Of Information Been Verified Provides

Been Verified provides the following information in easy-to-digest sections:

• Full name
• Aliases, if any
• Location History
• Contact information
• Employment history
• Criminal records
• Sex offender status
• Vehicle checks
• Social media profiles
• Possible Relatives
• Bankruptcies

=> Click here to visit the official website “Been Verified”

 

#2. People Finder: Best For Criminal Background Check

If you are looking for in-depth information about an individual, then People Finder is a background search company that fits the bill. The company by Intelius goes beyond simple background checks and offers a suite of services that allow you to perform a thorough background check on someone, making it the best criminal background check site.

The website uses robust technology and goes through federal, state, and country sources to provide the information you need, making it one of the most trustworthy and credible online background check services.

A. Services Offered By People Finder 

People Finder allows you to look up various aspects of background checks online, with a particular focus on criminal records and someone’s run-ins with the law. The services that cover criminal records will provide you with information on civil records, inmate information, arrest records, criminal history, traffic violations, court records, etc.

What follows is a brief list of services offered by People Finder:

• General people search
• Criminal reports
• Traffic records
• Reverse phone search
• Social media profiles
• Contact details
• Financial records
• Past addresses
• Location History

B. How Does People Finder Work?

People Finder accesses state and national records while performing its best background checks. This, combined with its ‘no alert policy,’ ensures that the people you are checking out are not informed of these checks.

Additionally, it offers unlimited reports for members and provides users with low-cost subscription plans as per the service they need, for example, background checks, phone numbers, addresses, etc.

C. Advantages Of Using People Finder 

People Finder is one of the best options on the internet to background check people for a criminal record. It is fast, accurate, and cost-effective, making it suitable for someone who needs the best criminal records search regularly.

Additionally,  It uses a 256-bit encryption system that prevents people from knowing that you are looking for information about them.

D. Types Of Information People Finder Provides

You can use People Finder to find out the following background search information in a premium report:

• Civil judgments
• Corporate affiliations
• UCC filings
• Owned properties
• Voter registration
• Old phone numbers
• Email addresses
• Tax liens
• Professional licenses
• Weapons permits
• Foreclosures
• Financial hardships
• Evictions 
• Business associates
• Social Media presence

=> Click here to visit the official website “People Finder”

 

#3. Find Out the Truth: Most Affordable & Comprehensive Background Checks

If you are looking for an affordable yet thorough background check service, Find Out the Truth is the right fit, specializing in criminal background checks. A team of experienced private investigators runs this website and provides services without membership fees or subscriptions. Instead, you can pay per search. 

Find Out the Truth is one of the best online background check services, providing accurate and detailed information from billions of public databases and research techniques.

A. Services Offered By Find Out the Truth 

Find Out the Truth offers high-quality data for customers based on their needs, offering a service-based purchasing model. You can purchase the following services separately and save your money while getting in-depth insights from the best background check site:

• Build Your Own Background Check
• Basic & Extensive Background Check
• Employment & Tenant Background Check
• Worldwide Business Background Check
• International Check
• Due-diligence Check
• Criminal Database Searches
• People Search
• Social Media Searches

B. How Does Find Out the Truth Work?

Find Out the Truth provides its users with highly detailed data, including names, contact details, phone numbers, criminal records, and more. The background check site checks multiple databases and uses research techniques, providing the exact information you need about a certain individual.

This makes it the best site for personal background check services, verifying potential dates and roommates, making criminal history searches, and more.

C. Advantages Of Using Find Out the Truth 

This background check website is highly secure offering custom checks while being highly accurate. Plus, you get your detailed background check report on the same day if you submit your request before 3 PM EST between Monday and Friday.

The website also provides a guarantee on their countrywide criminal record searches. This makes it one of the best websites for background checks.

Additionally, it offers the lowest prices in the industry. For example, you can get a criminal database search starting at $9.95 and a background check report starting at $14.95. Thus, the website allows you to perform accurate and cheap background checks online while being highly convenient.

D. Types Of Information Find Out the Truth Provides

Find Out the Truth background check site can help you learn the following and more in a premium report:

• Full name
• Traffic records
• Employment and education history
• Marriage Records
• Relatives and relationships
• Issue year and location of Social Security Number
• Location History
• Criminal records
• Sex offenders registry
• Social profiles
• Financial information

=> Click here to visit the official website “Find Out the Truth”

 

What Is A Background Check Service?

Background check services are companies that perform various checks on individuals to ensure that they are who they claim to be. This also serves to check someone’s educational background, employment history, criminal record, and other activities. 

In addition to these checks, the best background check online services offer information on various aspects of one’s life, such as driving record, social media behavior, drug screening, etc. Since these checks cover various aspects of one’s life, the method of performing them can vary heavily. 

When a company or an individual requests a background check, they are required to provide the background check service with signed consent before checks begin. After their signed consent is obtained, the services sift through records that include various details about the subject of these tests.

Online background check services are not required to be compliant with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) rules, unlike their offline counterpart. These rules exist to prevent the misuse of sensitive information, which is why online background check services can’t provide intricate details like credit reports.

How We Made The List Of Best Background Check Websites?

1. Data Accuracy

The best background check website ought to offer accurate information to be reliable. 

Providing the wrong information can pose a serious safety risk. Having a criminal visit your home or accompany you to a date can be a threat to you and your family’s safety, at the very least.

Moreover, along with information accuracy, the website should also be able to provide you with details of the subject of the best background checks online. It should provide details in a thoroughly comprehensive manner, such as the severity of the crime for a person with a criminal record.

2. User Interface & Search Customization

The best background checker website should be easy to navigate, with clear indicators and menus that make accessing its services easy. Its user interface can make or break the website browsing experience, and the best site for background checks pays special attention to the UI.

Additionally, since these websites have access to a wealth of information, it’s important that they offer users various search filters. These search filters simplify information access by a significant degree, which makes them an essential part of any background check website.

3. Ease Of Use

The best background check website presents information in an easily digestible format while presenting the user with clear navigation directions. These websites take special care to prevent any instances of vague information or confusing directions for ease of use and access.

4. Efficiency

In addition to a user-friendly design, it’s important for the best background check app and website to be highly efficient when procuring relevant information for its client. The more time it takes to present the pertinent background check report, the less useful it becomes.

A non-efficient background check website will cost you plenty of time, which can cause delays in tenant agreements or employee hires. This makes it crucial to gauge the speed and accuracy of the website at the same time.

5. Costs

A pricey background check service is often not worth the money if there is a similar service that offers a better user experience. Additionally, certain pricing tiers offer services that may not be useful for everyone, making it wise to avoid them entirely.

We compared the service charges of various websites to ascertain that our final list would include no overpriced services. The background check websites on our list include various payment options that make them suitable for all kinds of users, covering as many bases as possible.

How To Select The Best Background Check Site?

As a first-time user of a background check website, it can be a little difficult to select a site that is both reliable and accurate. If you ever find yourself unable to choose the right service provider, then read through the following important features to look for in such websites.

1. Access To Non-Public Information

Public records include basic information like names, phone numbers, and addresses, and these can be accessed by anyone online. But for non-public information, you will need the services of a background check website.

Of course, not every private background check service has access to such information, which is why it’s important that you choose the service that does. The best background check services can provide you with detailed information by accessing local records, scans of the dark web, etc.

2. Access To State Records

Certain state websites include a free or low-cost database that contains information on criminal records, cases awaiting judgment, arrest records, etc. Using these websites can be a little complex for someone unfamiliar with the system.

This is something a good background check service makes a lot more convenient. An easy-to-use background check service provider will provide you with a comprehensive report on the desired subject in a single, convenient spot. And, if you are performing a people background check, using such services will eliminate the need to become familiar with state-specific databases.

Most of the websites that offer in-depth background check services include details pertaining to a person’s legal history. You can view professional licenses, civil lawsuit judgments, and marriage and divorce records, to name a few points of information.

3. Social Media Searches

There is a wealth of information available on social media accounts, ranging from a person’s name and date of birth to more personal information. You can learn about their employment history, associates, friends, family members, and more through a social media account.

So, when looking for a background check service, it’s essential that you choose the one that makes good use of the information on social media accounts. These services should be able to provide you with even more information, such as the number of accounts, favored platforms, and the like.

4. Accreditation

One of the most important aspects of a background check service is its affiliation with a screener’s organization. Being accredited by an organization like the National Association of Professional Background Screeners can be a sign that the website can be trusted.

5. Customization

Customization is a critical part of any background check service, as it allows you to pick and choose the information you need. Through customization, you can filter out plenty of useless data and streamline the generated report.

What Are Background Checks Mostly Used For?

1. Online Dates

Online dating has broadened the horizons of dating by a significant margin, but it is accompanied by certain risks. As the online dating scene expanded, fake profiles and instances of catfishing have become increasingly prevalent, causing frustrations that range from minor annoyances to major scams.

The most accurate background check on the person you match with can be a good way to ascertain that they are who they claim to be. You can find out their criminal record, past addresses, etc., to check for any red flags before going out on a date with them.

2. Find Roommates’ History

When living with roommates that you aren’t familiar with, it can be a relief to be certain that they are not shady individuals. And that’s where a simple background check can allay any fears of your new roommate being a criminal, giving you peace of mind.

3. Personal Safety

Performing a background check on yourself can be very useful, pointing out any factual errors in your personal record that can be rectified easily. After all, even small inaccuracies can be quite troubling when a potential landlord or employer performs a background check on you.

These errors often arise from clerical errors or more serious issues like identity theft, causing harm to your reputation and issues for your future prospects. Therefore, it’s important not to dismiss personal background searches as silly tasks. 

4. Legal Investigations

Background checks are often a part of legal investigations; they often require precise information on all parties involved. Legal investigations can make use of legitimate background checks for criminal records, finding out past associations with troublesome individuals, and more. 

Many background check services offer thorough and fast background checks for a fee, utilizing publicly available databases to collect relevant information.

5. To Find Family And Friend Connections

It’s easy to lose track of friends and distant family members for various reasons. But with background checks, finding family members or friends whom you haven’t met in a while can be made simpler.

You can use these services to search for a family member or friend, allowing you to use various pieces of info to ascertain their identity.

6. Phone And Email Lookup

Phone and email lookup background checks are some of the more common applications of a background check. For missed calls from unknown numbers or emails from unknown senders, you can use a background check service to perform a reverse phone and email lookup.

You will be able to view detailed information on the person who sent the emails or made the calls, such as name, associated businesses, and more.

7. To Check Employees

Employers almost always perform a background check on potential employees before hiring them. 

Background checks are exceedingly useful to determine all kinds of information about a candidate, such as financial history, previous addresses, criminal records, and more. Employers typically conduct thorough searches before hiring someone, particularly if they belong to the healthcare or law enforcement fields.

Of course, the background check site you use must be compliant with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) while screening employees. And since most websites don’t need to be compliant with the FCRA, it’s important to use a legal consumer reporting agency for this. 

8. Address & Property Records

Checking the validity of someone’s address is often complicated, as it requires a field agent to examine the address in person. This can take time and may require specialized background checkers to perform.

As for property records, many legit background check services have access to state records that contain the number of properties that one has owned in the past.

What Does A Pre-Employment Check Show?

1. Identity Verification

Background check services often use databases like the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records to check the validity of the candidate’s Social Security number. Additionally, the services can identify if the number has been used previously or not.

This information can be used to check for inaccuracies in the applicant’s profile and determine whether they are trustworthy or not.

2. Criminal History Records

Pre-employment checks sift through the regional criminal databases to find out about a candidate’s criminal past, which prevents the chances of hiring someone untrustworthy. Moreover, the best criminal background check sites help businesses hire employees while avoiding cases of negligent hiring.

An employer can learn about the details of an applicant’s criminal offenses at the county, state, and federal levels. The reported details of their offenses can include current pending charges, felony convictions, misdemeanor charges, acquitted charges, and dismissed charges.

3. Employment And Education Verification

Education verification typically involves the employer or a background check service making a phone call to the university mentioned in the candidate’s CV. During this phone call, the employer or the service representative will confirm the candidate’s graduation date, ensuring the lack of any misrepresentation on the applicant’s part.

As for the employment verification process, the employer makes background checks that are relevant to the job application. They may check whether the applicant has worked in a similar field previously or not and confirm if they have worked for previous employers.

4. Driving Records

A candidate’s driving records are stored in a dedicated report known as Motor Vehicle Records (MVR). These records detail a complete history of the applicant’s track record with road safety laws, including infractions, DUIs, license suspension or expiration, license class, accidents, etc. 

Pre-employment checks for driving records are of particular importance for jobs that are directly related to driving. Delivery drivers, truckers, taxi drivers, and the like typically face checks for driving records and are required to have a spotless background check online report.

5. Credit History

Employers obtain an applicant’s credit history from one or more credit assessment organizations. These records showcase the applicant’s spending history, debts (if any), active and paid loans, bankruptcies, collections or liens, etc. Depending on the employer, the credit score may or may not be a point of assessment.

Screening a candidate’s credit history during a background search requires an employer to obtain consent from the applicant by law.

6. Civil Litigation And Judgments

It’s common for employers to check for an applicant’s history with legal disputes, civil lawsuits, or judgments if the candidate was a part of them.

7. Fingerprint Background Check

Highly secure and classified areas typically provide the people working there with security clearance in order to ensure that they handle classified information with care. This takes the form of a more involved criminal background search, where the employees’ fingerprints are cross-referenced with the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System from the FBI.

8. Social Media Check

Certain businesses require their workers to have no signs of controversial and inappropriate content or behavior on their social media profiles. This is usually for PR reasons, where one instance of inappropriate behavior could have a major impact on the image of a company.

9. Levels Of Background Checks

Background check services offer checks in various levels that range from basic information searches and criminal records to more complex ones like court judgments, bankruptcies, and more. Each service organizes its background check levels differently, but the idea behind these tiers is the same. 

How Much Do Background Check Companies Cost?

Background check companies typically operate on a subscription model, with the prices ranging anywhere between $20 and $30 per month. These subscriptions are often tiered, providing the customer with unlimited reports of a particular level of background check based on the tier they purchase. The subscription model is also often the more cost-effective option.

That said, for those who want to perform a background check only a handful of times, it may be better to opt for a one-time purchase. Alternatively, you can opt for using the services of a background check company in the trial period if you only need to perform a single background search.

What Are The Sources Of Background Check Information?

The best background check services use a multitude of sources to provide you with information about the subject of a search. And the higher the number of reliable sources that they rely on, the higher their accuracy becomes.

When performing a search on a background check website, expect them to draw results from sources like the federal, state, and local judiciary databases. These databases hold plenty of information about a person’s interactions with the law, be it in a positive or negative way.

Additionally, you can expect a service to use professional certification and license databases to verify a person’s employment or licensing records. This is important if you are an employer looking to background check someone.

Other sources include social media sites, credit reporting bureaus, property records, motor vehicle records, and more.

FAQs About Background Check

1. What social media info can I get on the best background check sites?

A background check site can provide you with a person’s social media presence on platforms like Twitter (X), Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and others. You can find out particular details of a person as well, such as their contact information, personal details, relationship and family details, etc.

2. Will the best background check services show me employment history?

The best background check service does show the employment history, albeit to varying degrees, based on the level of background check and the service itself. It shows details that can include job titles, the start and end employment dates, and responsibilities the subject handled in the past, to name a few.

3. Do background check sites offer free services?

Free background check services can be rare to find, but many services offer basic information for free. More detailed reports are often locked behind a subscription or require you to purchase the report individually.

4. How can I hide my details from the background check services?

Many paid background check services allow members to hide their details from showing up on others’ search results. That said, there are plenty of these services, and opting into each of them is extremely impractical and expensive. 

As such, there is no easy way to hide your details from background check services, particularly the information available in public records.

5. Are background checks legit?

Background checks are useful and sometimes legally required in several instances to keep yourself or your company safe from potential harm. While not mandatory in many countries, background checks of people are certainly legitimate in most areas of the world. Feel free to look up guidelines created by the government regarding legitimate background check sites.

6. How long does a background check take?

Depending on the level of background check, it can take anywhere from a few hours to several days for a background check service to provide results. On average, a background check service can take up to seven days to produce accurate results.

7. How many years does a background check cover?

On average, a background check can cover up to seven years of personal records, including criminal and court records. More specialized background check services can cover a longer period of time based on the chosen subscription tier.

8. Which background site is the best?

Been Verified is the best background check service on the internet, offering a convenient way to find information about a job applicant, roommate, online dating partner, etc. The information it provides is quite accurate and apt, making it a good way to ensure that you aren’t being presented with false information.

9. Can you check your background by yourself?

It is possible to perform a self-background check in one of three ways. You may opt for a free background check service, purchase a single report from a third-party self-background check service provider, or collect the information manually.

10. What are the factors that may result in a failed background check?

There are six main factors which may lead to a failed background check, as listed below:

• Past criminal activity
• Failed drug test
• Falsified information 
• A lack of strong references
• Inappropriate social media behavior
• Poor credit history

What Is The Best & Most Accurate Background Check Site?

Background check websites are a highly useful tool in the modern era. They can be used to find and reconnect with old friends, get in touch with lost family members, or simply check a new date or roommate’s background.

So, what is the best background check site? From the multiple top background check sites that we reviewed for personal use, we found Been Verified and People Finder to be the best options. Combining affordability and various data points, these background check websites can be a reliable and accurate way of gaining more information about someone.

With Been Verified and People Finder, you will be able to stave off future problems or perhaps reignite an old flame, thanks to their safe and secure operation.