6 Best Background Check Services For Accurate Criminal Background Checks Online (How to Search Arrest Records and Public Databases)

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PerformInsider.com announces the release of the report "Top Background Check Services"

Trusting the wrong people in your personal life, e.g., new roommate, romantic interest, babysitter, etc., can lead to all sorts of personal issues and troubles.

Finding the right background check service is crucial if you want to avoid those issues and maintain some sort of normalcy for both your business and your family. The problem is finding one of the best services as there are thousands to choose from, and they all don't offer the same level of service or quality.

Click Here To View the Top-Rated Background Service Online

How The Best Background Check Services Were Evaluated

Value for Money - Price is a top priority for almost any customer. That's why this article made sure to take into consideration what each service offered in relation to how much they charged.

User-friendly - An overly complicated interface will irritate customers and cause unnecessary complications. As such, background check sites that boasted an intuitive interface and were easy-to-navigate were preferred over others.

Reports - How quickly can the site provide a report? Is the information detailed, accurate, and easy to follow? Answers to questions like these and more affected the ranking of this list.

Customer Support - Support is a crucial element of any website or service. That's why background check platforms that offered access to an active customer care team and/or helpful guides and posts scored well on this list.

The Best Background Check Services

1. Truthfinder - Best Background Check Service Overall

This company offers a variety of background checks that cover both private and public databases. Their services are professional, confidential, and users can log in o the website or through Facebook.

Truthfinder Positives

• Very in-depth reports
• Identity theft protection
• Family tree maker

Truthfinder Drawbacks

• No free trial available
• No one-time check option

Truthfinder has an easy interface to use. And customers have two options to sign up: the monthly plan or the two-month plan, with the latter giving users a nice discount.

Truthfinder Best Features

Ease of use is just one of the top features users get when they sign up with this company. The site makes running background checks, plus multiple other searches, straightforward. Plus, customers should be able to log in easily as the company allows multiple sign-in sources.

Another top feature is the sites' ability to scan millions of documents to find the right information, no matter how long the person has lived in the US. Plus, customers can check their own data history to find out what information about them is public.

Truthfinder Prices

• Monthly plan: $27.78 per month
• Two Month Plan: $46.04 bi-monthly (works out to be $23.02 per month)

Truthfinder: The Bottom Line

Truthfinder is a great background check service that has numerous check options at your disposal. Although the platform lacks a free trial and 24/7 support, with this companies software, customers can easily find all the information they need, including creating a family tree that allows them to connect with lost relatives.

2. Intelius - Best for Verifying New Friends

A tough competitor to Truthfinder, this background service is compatible with Mac, Windows, and Android operating systems. Linus users are not going to be able to use this service, though.

Intelius Positives

• Monthly subscription available
• Various background check options
• Mobile app

Intelius Drawbacks

• Hard to cancel once signed up
• Additional services cost extra

Intelius may be the best option to find long-lost high school friends or relatives. But moreover, it does do a handy job at criminal checks and so on. Customers can also track the entire background check process, which includes a review of county, state, and federal records.

Intelius Best Features

One of the best features this company offers is its romantic background checks. Not sure about the person you met online? Intelius is the service to help users find the right information. Users can also check a person's marital status.

Another good feature is the reverse address lookup. This should give users peace of mind when contacted by suspicious-looking addresses. There is also a reverse phone number option, which is useful when an incoming call's phone number is blocked.

Intelius Pricing

The unfortunate news about this company is that the site does not display any costs on its website. While this could change in the future, at the moment, customers have to make an initial request first before they are quoted a price.

• Monthly fee: $22.86
• 2-month fee: $38.43
• Download report fee: $3.99

Intelius: The Bottom Line

Intelius is a choice to look up criminal histories, employment, and educational backgrounds, but also great at finding long-lost relatives as well as checking out potential romantic partners. However, the lack of financial transparency can be a drawback to using this company.

3. Instant Checkmate - Best for Criminal Background Checks

Not everyone is honest about their past; when you run into those types of people, this company is the one to turn to. Instant Checkmate conducts criminal background checks very well and finds all the facts so users can make a well-informed decision.

Instant Checkmate Positives

• Trial period
• Criminal and arrest records for all 50 states
• Inmate search function

Instant Checkmate Drawbacks

• Can be pricey to use
• Interface may not be easy to use

Plus, customers can check educational claims, property titles, and more. This company has been around since 2010 and has made its mark in this industry.

Instant Checkmate Best Features

One of its better features is the speed at which this company operates. Just type in the name and location of the person, and in minutes you should have results.

Though one of the problems with this company is that it's not FCRA rated or compliant, meaning users are limited in using the information it provides.

Nevertheless, it's great at uncovering whether a person has a criminal history. The site delves into a person's sex offender status, arrest records and usually covers all states.

Instant Checkmate Pricing

• Monthly Plan: $34.78 per month
• 3 month plan: $84.47 or $27.82 per month

Other charges may apply, and memberships are automatically renewed.

Instant Checkmate: The Bottom Line

Since this company is not FCRA compliant, this site shouldn't be used to conduct background checks on employees. Still, it's a great option for anyone worried or curious about whether their new neighbor or someone they know has a criminal past.

4. BeenVerified - Best Background Check Service for Finding Lost Relatives/Friends

This company has been around since 2007, and in that time, it has built a vast network of databases to make sure customers get accurate and complete information on the person they are investigating. Its specialty is finding lost relatives, friends as well as digging up criminal histories and a lot more.

BeenVerified Best Features

This company's best feature is its straightforward and simple operation. Just type in basic information about the person, and it will search millions of databases to get everything pertaining to the specific search you want.

Other features include reverse address and phone number lookup, as well as offering a court runner service. Plus, the site boasts a helpful iOS and Android app, which is useful for users who would like to review reports while on the go.

BeenVerified Pricing

• One month plan: $28.69 per month
• Three-month plan: approx $53 or $17.48 per month
• $1 five-day trial

BeenVerified: The Bottom Line

In short, BeenVerified offers a quick turnaround time on reports as well as a subscription-based account that, unlike other main-stream sites, is easy to cancel.

5. PeopleLooker - Best Value for Money

This company's wide reach allows users to investigate civil records, criminal pasts, contact information, previous addresses, and so on. It offers a very extensive report, including unlimited searches. Unfortunately, this is another company that is not FCRA compliant, and the use of the information found is restricted.

PeopleLooker Best Features

One of its most attractive features is that this service is very affordable. Also, customers can get social media activity included in their searches. Plus, court judgments, marriages, bankruptcies, and more are included in its array of features users can access.

PeopleLooker Pricing

• Monthly plan: $22.86 per month
• 3 month plan: $54.83 or $18.28 per month
• $1, five-day trial

PeopleLooker: The Bottom Line

This site's lack of FCRA compliance does hurt its business somewhat. Still, the platform is great value for money, and users receive highly accurate and detailed search results.

6. PeopleFinder - Most Experienced Background Check Service

Founded in 1999, this company is one of the oldest background check services users can use. With age comes experience and this longevity in the industry means this company can be trusted to provide customers a high-quality service.

This site specializes in finding people, friends, colleagues, etc., that users have lost contact with over the years. PeopleFinder provides plenty of useful information, including bankruptcies and marital status.

PeopleFinder Best Features

PeopleFinder is a great option for the less tech-savvy individual. The interface is easy to navigate, and customers can sign in from their laptop or mobile device. It is possible to use your desktop browser to sign in or your mobile phone.

Plus, there's a useful email lookup function, which is handy when users receive an anonymous email in their spam or junk folder. Moreover, the property search and other search options make this company very versatile.

PeopleFinder Pricing

• 3 day trial: $3.95 + $2.95 cancellation fee
• Monthly Plan: $24.95
• Premium membership: $29.95

PeopleFinder: The Bottom Line

This is one of the few companies that offer customers a trial period to check out its quality. Just be aware that there is an additional cancellation fee for users who don't continue with the service.

Using a Background Check Service

Generally, these background check options are considered illegal if users use a company that's not FCRA compliant for employee checks or do not have permission from the person to search their background. To avoid being sued, make sure you meet those two requirements.

When can users use a background check service? Here are just a few reasons explaining when conducting a background check is the ideal solution.

• You need information on a potential romantic interest
• You are using a babysitter for your children
• You want to run a check on yourself
• You want to check out an online business or buyer
• You want to try to find lost relatives or friends
• You need to check out new roommates
• You are being hassled by spam through your phone or email
• You are hiring a new employee (service must be FCRA compliant)

When Shouldn't You Use a Background Check Service?

• You are trying to decide who gets promoted or fired
• You are deciding on granting a scholarship or grant

Best Background Check Service: The Bottom Line

Using a background check service for the wrong reasons can cause a lot of unnecessary issues, especially if the site is not as legitimate as they seem. To ensure you have all the information you need and stay within the law, using only the best background check service is essential.

All of the top picks above offer various features and tools to help users find all the information they need and to help them determine if they're trusting the right people.

Make sure to check out customer reviews, whether the site offers support and advice, and find out how to cancel your subscription before signing up. Plus, it's always a good idea to take advantage of trials and discounts where available.

SOURCE performinsider.com