Several firms and websites offer background check services. So, there is a lot of confusion about the best background check service. Background checks are essential for everyone but may not be for you if you're trying to find information about yourself online.
Background check services are one of the best ways to do this because they allow you to get a clear picture of your past without giving up too much information.
We'll tell you what background check services you can find, what you can find out there, and how they work so that you don't have to waste time searching for yourself.
You want to ensure that the person you are hiring has no prior criminal record and is clear of immoral crimes or other red flags before putting them in your inner circle.
That's why we've done some research and created this guide for you. In this article, we'll go over all the best types of background check providers available out there, explain what they do, and offer an extensive list of references so you can choose the best possible fit for your business.
Best Background Check Services: Reviewed & Ranked
1. Overall Best Background Check Service Provider: Truthfinder
2. Top Rated For Accurate Background Check: Intelius
3. Highly Recommended For Smart Background Check: InstantCheckmate
4. Best For Fast Background Check Of A Person: USSearch
#1. Truthfinder: Overall Best Background Check Service Provider
Truthfinder is a background check service that offers affordable, personalized services to help you find the best candidates for your job openings.
Finding suitable candidates for your business can be an uphill battle, especially if you're unsure what kind of person you want. That's why Truthfinder created a system that matches your needs with the right person in seconds—and it works well!
Truthfinder's service is straightforward: it provides some basic information about you. It then searches its database of millions of people who have been convicted of a crime or lived in any of the 50 states. And then send you a list of candidates who match your requirements. It's easy to 1-2-3.
Features
Criminal Record Reports: Truthfinder provides criminal record reports for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The company's criminal record reports are available at no cost to consumers who request them through Truthfinder's website.
A consumer can also order a report from a local police department or sheriff's office in their state if the report is not available online.
Employment Screening: Truthfinder also provides employment screening services, which allow employers to verify an employee's current employment status before hiring them.
In addition, the company offers fingerprinting services, which allow employers to obtain employees' fingerprints at their convenience so they can be used for background checks at any time during their employment history with the company.
Multiple Locations: You can choose between multiple locations to find a local provider near your home or work. It saves you money on transportation costs and time spent driving around looking for a provider when one isn't right.
Detailed Reports: Truthfinder offers detailed reports on each candidate, which include age, location, and more information about their background. You can also create customized reports based on your specifications — for example, all candidates living in New York City but with a specific job title or education level.
Anonymized Results: Truthfinder's database contains no personally identifiable information about any candidate, which means it's perfectly safe to run searches that could reveal personal information about yourself or others (such as your address).
Pros
- Free to use
- Easy to use
- Available for mobile and desktop devices
- Fast
Cons
- Not available internationally
=> Click here to visit the official Truthfinder
#2. Intelius: Top Rated For Accurate Background Check
Intelius provides a wide range of background check services. It is one of the most popular companies in this field and has been doing this for more than 15 years.
These days, Intelius offers comprehensive background check services to people who need past information.
The company was founded in 2006 by Peter Paul De Vries. He was an entrepreneur who wanted to provide a better service for people who needed information about themselves.
He started with a website that allowed users to look up their criminal records and other information about themselves.
The website became very popular among people who needed this kind of information about themselves, so he decided to expand the business model and offer other services as well.
Intelius offers more than 100 different services from its various departments, including criminal records, consumer reports, employment verification, education verification, and more.
The company also has partnerships with other companies, such as Equifax and TransUnion, which means that it can access even more sensitive data than it does on its own. It means they have access to all kinds of personal information, including social security and bank account numbers.
Features
Public Records Report: The public records report is one of the most popular Intelius background checks.
It provides a list of all the public records available on an individual in their name, including criminal history, legal action taken against them, and other information like bankruptcies and judgments. The report also includes social security number lookup.
Property Records Report: The property records report is one of the most popular Intelius background check services because it gives you access to information about someone's home address, phone number, and email address.
You can use this service to find a current or former employee's contact information and their school and other contact details. If you need to verify whether someone is a resident of a specific city, this is an important feature that will help you find out if they are telling the truth or not.
Criminal Record Report: The criminal record report is another helpful Intelius background check service that provides users with access to their criminal history.
It includes information such as arrests, convictions, and even warrants issued by police departments across the country. The database also includes details about crimes committed by minors, such as arson, assault, and theft.
Credit Reporting: The credit risk assessment helps you determine how likely it is that someone will be able to pay back loans in full or on time based on their credit score, debt levels, and other factors.
The service includes a credit profile report that provides information about customers' payment history from significant lenders like Equifax and Transunion.
Pros
- Free version
- Wide range of background checks
- Large public database
- Name Search
- No hidden fees
Cons
- Only available in the US
=> Click here to visit the official Intelius
#3. InstantCheckmate: Highly Recommended For Smart Background Check
InstantCheckmate is a background check service that allows you to run a background check on someone in just a few seconds without having to go through the hassle of sending a form and waiting for it to be processed.
Instead, you can run a background check on someone anywhere in the world—on your phone, on your computer, or even with InstantCheckmate's free app!
It's so easy to use that anyone can do it! Just enter their name, date of birth, and Social Security number into the search bar at InstantCheckmate, and we'll give you results within seconds.
So, no matter where they are or what they're doing, they'll be able to see their criminal history immediately.
Features
Criminal Record Report: InstantCheckmate's criminal records database is vast, contains more than 4 million criminal records and is enough to provide a detailed criminal record report.
These records are updated daily to include the latest arrests, convictions, and other legal actions that have been made in the United States.
The site also includes information about individuals who have been arrested for various crimes, including DUI/DWI, drug possession, domestic violence, and more.
Sex Offender Registry: The InstantCheckmate sex offender registry can help you find out if an individual has been convicted of a sex crime in your state or if they are currently under investigation by law enforcement officials.
However, this service does not include information about juveniles accused of sexual assault or any other type of sex crime.
Public Record Locator: InstantCheckmate can help you find any public record in the United States, including criminal, civil, and arrest records. Search by name, date of birth, social security number, and more to find out if someone has been arrested or convicted of a crime. You can also search for court records by jurisdiction.
This tool lets you search for public records that include criminal, employment, and military history information. You can also find out whether there are any pending litigation issues associated with a particular person's name.
Credit Reports: InstantCheckmate can check your credit report for free. To get started, you must create an account with one of the major credit reporting agencies, including Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. After logging in to your account, InstantCheckmate will pull up a list of all available reports for you.
The report will show each piece of information listed on your report, such as payment history and whether or not you have opened new accounts within the past six months.
You can access this feature through the website by clicking on "Credit" in the navigation bar at the top of the page.
Data Suppression: InstantCheckmate has a feature called data suppression that limits the number of users who can access your background check. You can use this feature to prevent your information from being shared with other companies or organizations.
InstantCheckmate offers several data suppression methods to conceal your personal information from the public record, including:
Legal Name Change – This service allows you to change your name on documents such as your driver's license. You can also request a street address change.
Social Security Number – This service allows you to re-assign or remove your Social Security number from various records, such as employment application forms.
Birth Date – If you are looking for an accurate birth date, this service can provide one for you with some additional details about yourself included. And is an excellent alternative to using other services which may not provide all of these details for free.
Pros
- Instant Results
- Not expensive
- Easy to use
- Wide database
Cons
- Open five days a week.
=> Click here to visit the official InstantCheckmate
#4. USSearch: Best For Fast Background Check Of A Person
The first thing you need to know is that US Search has been providing services since 2003. It started as a small company but has grown into a large and successful one.
Their goal is to provide their clients with the best possible service at all times. Therefore, they always look for ways to improve their product or service to meet their customers' needs.
They have a database of over 3 million records and can provide you with all your background checks. The company also offers a free trial for all their services, allowing you to see if you like what they offer without committing to anything.
US Search offers different levels of background checks depending on what you need. For example, you can get criminal records, employment reports, address history, etc. The company also offers customized searches if you have an unusual name or address history that needs to be researched.
Features
Criminal History Reporting: The US Search feature provides complete criminal history reports for all states. The report includes arrest, detention, and conviction information for the past five years. In addition, it includes arrests that are not adjudicated and convictions that have been sealed or expunged in the past five years.
You can use this information to find qualified job candidates who may have a criminal history but were not convicted of any crimes. In addition, it can help you avoid hiring someone with a criminal record who will continue to be a liability for your company.
Employment History Reporting: This tool can be used by both employees and employers to check and report employment histories and their locations. It can be helpful for businesses who want to see how candidates performed in their previous job.
You can also see how long you worked at each location, your job titles, and the dates on which you started and left each job. If you have ever been fired from a job, you will have an option to click on it so that it will show up on your resume.
Educational Check Service: The educational background check service provides a complete list of the applicant's educational history. It includes the applicant's name, address, phone number; date of birth; schools attended, and grades earned.
This information is compiled into a report that you can use to decide whether or not to hire an applicant.
Data Suppression: This feature allows you to hide data from the public record search engine. It means that applicants will not appear on your website or any other online resource if they have been fired from their last job or have never worked.
You can also choose which high schools, universities, and colleges are added to this list so there won't be any surprises when hiring new employees later on down the road.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Easy to navigate
- Fast report
- Real Time searching
Cons
- Only available on business days
=> Click here to visit the official USSearch
Guide To Selecting The Best Background Check Service
Background checks are a great way to help your business stay safe and secure. You can also use these services to determine if your employees have a criminal background. However, it is essential not to take this process lightly.
If you are unsure where to start or what type of background check service is best for your needs, read on for some helpful tips:
Know the Different Types of Background Checks
There are a few different background checks, but the most important one is a criminal background check. You can use this type of check to determine a person's criminal record or if they have been arrested in the past.
A civil background check will also show whether someone has paid child support or alimony. The third type of check is called an employment verification, which shows whether or not someone has been fired or terminated from their job.
There are also financial background checks, which look at your credit report, bankruptcy history, and other financial information.
Another type of background check is a sex offender registry search. These searches are performed by law enforcement agencies and are designed to identify convicted sex offenders within a specific geographic area.
Consider What You Need
Before you start comparing services, consider what you need. For example, do you want to know if the person has a criminal record? Are you concerned that your new employee might be a terrorist? Do you want to know if they have a driving record? Whatever you're looking for, there are services out there that can provide it.
If you have any concerns about your employees' backgrounds, it's best to get them checked out before hiring them. It will help ensure that you're hiring people who don't pose any threat to your business.
It can also help if you're planning on making changes within your company and want to ensure all employees are on board.
Compare Costs Between Services
There are many different background check services out there; however, not all of them offer the same level of service for their prices.
Some companies may only offer basic background checks without any additional benefits such as credit reports or fingerprinting services; other companies may offer more extensive services but at a higher price point than others. If possible, compare prices between different companies before deciding which is best for your needs.
The cost of background checks varies significantly from one service to another. For example, in some companies, background check costs range from $25 to $100, while others charge upwards of $200 or more.
If your company does not have access to this type of money, hiring someone without any kind of background check could likely mean financial loss and bad publicity (and possibly even lawsuits).
Many websites will provide you with this information free of charge; however, if you want an accurate account of all records available at the time of an arrest or conviction, it may cost a small fee.
Find out The Depth of Their Database
Find out the depth of their database because the more information provided on a person, the better. This information can include things like criminal records, lawsuits filed in court, and any other sources that may have been available at the time of their arrest.
The best background check services will have a database to find out if someone has been convicted in the past of certain crimes such as theft, fraud, drug use, and more.
They will also have access to state databases that can help them determine if a person has been arrested within the last few years for any reason.
Review Your Results
The final step in the background check process is to review your results. Again, it's essential to know if a company can access your personal information and what types of records they can obtain. Knowing this can help you decide whether or not you want to proceed with their services.
If you don't find anything suspicious, then consider using them again in the future. It may take several checks before you find something that looks suspicious on your own, so be patient and keep your eyes open.
You should do this before deciding on the employee. For example, if you find that one background check service does not have information on the person, don't use them.
How We Made This List of Best Background Check Service Providers
There are a lot of background check services out there. We've reviewed them all, and this is the result.
In addition, we've taken the time to put together a list of the best background check services for your convenience, so you can find the one that works best for you.
Here are some of the things we looked at when deciding which companies made our list:
Ease of Use
We want to ensure that if you're looking for a background check service, finding one that is easy to use will be a priority. As such, we checked with experts in each field to find out what features they thought would be most helpful.
The best background check services are easy to use and understand. They should be intuitive and self-explanatory, so you can access the information you need without having to spend hours trying to figure out how they work.
We also considered how well each provider integrates its services with other products (such as credit card companies) so that if someone wants to do more than just run a few searches on their own, they have access to all the tools they need.
Customer Support
Customer support is one of the most important aspects of any service, and we're happy that so many companies are offering excellent customer support.
We did our research and found some companies that provide customer support for their customers. These companies offer different levels of support, from the basic to the premium. They also have different times for a response, from immediate to 24 hours.
Some services offer standard features of live chat, phone, and email support. Others may go above and beyond with unlimited free chat or even free phone support for life.
It is important because everyone has a different schedule and needs to know how long they will be waiting for the service provider before contacting them.
Accuracy
We looked at the accuracy of the results, how long it took for results to arrive and whether there were issues with the service. We also spoke with several leading employment lawyers to find out what they think about these services.
We looked at the customer reviews on each company site to determine which offered the most accurate results. We also considered how easy it was to submit your information and get an instant response from the company when needed.
Compatibility
We also examined how the background check service works with other services such as tax preparation and real estate transactions.
For example, if you are looking for a company that can help you with your taxes or helps you find a home, it is essential to know that these companies work together.
For example, if you hire someone to do your free background check and then buy a house, they can provide you with information about whether or not the seller is currently renting out their property. It will make it easier for you to compare housing prices between neighborhoods in your area.
Hidden Fees or Charges
It's easy for companies to trick people into thinking their service is free when they're charging for something else — like a credit report — behind the scenes.
But unfortunately, you might not even realize this is happening until you try to cancel your account or move on with your life elsewhere.
For this reason, reviewing your options before signing up with any company or service provider is essential because hidden costs are involved (even if they're not obvious).
Best Background Check Sites FAQs
Q1. What Is a Background Check Service?
Background check services are companies that provide information about an individual's criminal history.
A background check service provider does background checks. A background check is a process that involves the review of official court records, property records, public records, and other public documents to determine if an individual has a criminal record or disqualifying history.
The most common types of background checks include:
Driver's License Verification Services -Verify whether someone has been convicted of driving under the influence or while intoxicated.
Education Verification Services -Check whether someone is eligible to receive government grants or loans based on their educational background.
Employment Verification Services -Check whether someone has been terminated for misconduct or has a history of workplace violence.
Immigration Verification Services -Check whether an individual has been deported from the United States.
Municipal Income Tax Audits and Review -Determine whether an individual is eligible to receive government benefits by verifying their income and filing status.
They do this by searching databases such as the National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) or National Crime Information Center (NCIC) for public records of arrests, convictions, and other information. The information is then used to determine if there are any red flags in the person's past.
Q2. How Long Does a Background Check Take?
Generally, it takes about 3-5 business days to complete the background check. However, this is not always the case. It can depend on the type of service that you select and how long it takes for them to gather information.
With some companies, it could take longer than others due to the volume of requests that they receive from customers. The time it takes to conduct a background check depends on the information you are looking for, the resources available to you, and how quickly your agency can access this information.
If your position requires a higher level of security clearance, then most background check companies will need more time to complete your background check.
Q3. What Is Included in a Background Check?
A background check is a comprehensive investigation of your past, including criminal history and financials. In addition, it will include the following information:
Credit History: Credit bureaus collect information on those who apply for credit, including those who could be a risk to lenders. You can use it to evaluate whether someone is likely to pay back their debts or not.
A credit report can provide an overview of your credit history, including negative accounts that have been charged off or closed in the past, as well as current balances and payment history.
Criminal History: A criminal record is more than just a conviction for breaking the law; it's also the result of being arrested or charged with a crime.
Most states have laws that prohibit employers from hiring individuals with felony convictions on their records, so it's essential to know if you have one before applying for jobs or taking on new responsibilities at work.
Financial History: All too often, people overlook this part of their background checks because it doesn't seem like something that would matter until after they've been hired and given access to sensitive information like payroll information or client records.
Q4. Will a Credit Report Affect My Credit Score?
No, credit reports do not affect your FICO score. A credit report alone does not affect your FICO score. However, the information contained in your report can negatively impact your score.
If you have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, it will show up on your credit report and affect your credit score.
In some cases, even if you have never been convicted of any crimes, an arrest record that includes charges related to illegal activity may show up on your report and damage your score.
Q5. How Much Does a Background Check Cost?
Costs vary depending on your situation and what kind of background check service provider you choose.
For example, some companies offer free initial consultations while others charge a fee based on their services or services offered by other providers in their area.
In some cases, upfront fees are applied to any future services the company provides during your membership period.
Q6. Are Background Check Services Legal?
Yes. Background Check Services, also known as criminal background checks and credit reports, are legal in most states.
Background check services are legal under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and can be used by employers, landlords, and potential employers to screen job applicants.
However, the act does not allow background check companies to sell consumer reports for employment purposes.
Q7. Can My Employer Conduct a Background Check on Me?
The short answer is yes, but it depends on what type of background check you are reviewing. For example, if you are discussing a criminal history search, your employer can do one for you.
However, you should know that some employers may not want to hire you if they find out about your criminal record. Therefore, you must inform your potential employers about any criminal convictions before asking for your records.
If you don't want to disclose your criminal history, then it might be better if you do not apply for jobs at all or only apply for positions with companies willing to overlook the fact that you have been convicted of a crime in the past.
Concluding About The Best Background Check Services
And that's it! The top background check services ranked. With each of these data points, you should have a pretty good idea of which company is best and most qualified to provide you with the service you seek.
While selecting a background check service that fits your needs, you also need to ensure that the results you receive from them are as accurate as possible.
Nonetheless, we hope this article has opened your eyes to some options and helped point you in the right direction.
