Free Background Check Services - Top 10 Sites For Quality Background Checks

According to a solid study by SHRM, 2 in every 3 HR professional revealed that their organization had hired people with a criminal record at some point. Sometimes it gets challenging to bypass a job applicant to learn all the activities they have indulged in.

To hire employees with a clean record, organizations perform background checks and ensure that the incumbent is not involved in any unlawful or undesired activities over time. This is important for maintaining a safe working environment and allowing other staff members security at all times.

Background check is mandatory in some areas, especially jobs with complex security requirements. It also allows employers to overcome the threat of hiring a person with a criminal record.

However, not all free background check services are up to the mark. Some websites do not provide a complete background check on people and may reflect inaccurate results. Hence, we have listed the top 10 free background check services that can inform you entirely about a person from head to toe.

Read this article till the end to learn more about these popular background check services.

Best Free Background Check Services On The Market

Truthfinder - Overall Best Background Check Service, Editor's Pick

Intelius - Free Background Check Service with a Variety of Features

Instant Checkmate - Best Website to Check Criminal History and Records

US Search - Popular Criminal and Arrest Records Checker in the USA

Spokeo - Fast Background Check Service with Billions of Records Database

BeenVerified - Best Property Records Background Check Service

GoodHire - Powerful Data Check Services with Up to Date Information

PeopleFinders - Best Comprehensive Background Report with Complete History

People Trail - High-Quality Background Check Services with Human Guidance

Sterling - Big Scale Employment History Background Check Service

#1. Truthfinder - Overall Best Free Background Check Service, Editor's Pick

Truthfinder

Truthfinder is the way to go for most organizations when it comes down to background checks. The company has been one of the leading websites running quality background checks on people in the United States of America. Apart from background checks, they offer various services such as reverse address lookup, reverse phone lookup, and more.

Truthfinder is a freemium model that allows you to run a few free background checks and then starts to charge you. Their monthly subscription option offers excellent value for money and is a deal breaker for mid-sized and large organizations.

The site allows you to learn a lot about a person, including personal details such as family members' information, friends, business associates, neighbors, etc. From a more professional standpoint, you can know about the person's assets, criminal records, sex offender registry, previous job history, etc.

Truthfinder is a reliable free background check service that offers accurate information on all its searches. The company is entitled to an A+ rating from the business bureau. Furthermore, it provides complete safety to organizations and individuals being surveyed. Thanks to complete encryption and a valid SSL certificate, it keeps your information anonymous.

A monthly membership option is available in which you have to pay $28.05 for two months, giving you unlimited reports and many other perks. The membership renews in the span of every 60 days. Apart from that, Truthfinder has also kept the membership cancellation process a lot easier and hassle-free.

Pros

Popular background check service in the USA
Offers various features such as address history and employment history
Have a valid ID protection system
The company has an A+ rating

Rated 4.1 out of 5
Provides detailed and accurate reports
Have a completely functional mobile application
Best for mid-sized and large organizations

Cons

You have to pay extra money to download PDF reports
Pre-employment background checks for employees are difficult

Click here to visit the official website of Truthfinder

#2. Intelius - Free Background Check Service with a Variety of Features

Intelius

Intelius is a free background check service that allows users to dig out a considerable amount of information about themselves. The company was launched in 2003 and had an entirely free service.

Organizations and individuals can learn about an employee's criminal history, credit reports, property records, bankruptcy information, marriage information, and more.

With just a click, you can uncover a lot of information about a person, including their phone numbers, email address history, photos, and more. The best part about Intelius is that it is a public data provider that is free to use. Intelius also maintains a valuable reporting feature that helps generate detailed reports about people.

The website keeps your information completely confidential and classified. It is secured with an SSL certificate and high-grade encryption, protecting user data at all costs. If you work for an organization and are supposed to conduct background checks on other people, it does not require you to enter your details.

Intelius is rapidly fast in terms of presenting information from its database. Secondly, instant reports are established through the site, which is easily accessible. The Intelius connection option is a fantastic feature with great perks. It allows you to extract more details about a person, uncovering its connections and other people who might be related to them.

The credit check feature allows you to learn about the financial position of a particular person, which can come in handy for various situations and decisions. Overall the website is an excellent option for learning more about people to make better decisions.

Pros

Completely free background check site
Requires no credit card
A wide range of checks is available

The database includes billions of people
You can earn money through affiliate programs
Completely safe and secure background check service

Cons

The service is only available on working days (Monday to Friday)

Some information is outdated

Click here to visit the official website of Intelius

#3. Instant Checkmate - Best Website to Check Criminal History and Records

Instant Checkmate is a background check website that allows an organization to investigate information about new incumbents and past employees. The service is most suitable for organizations that wish to learn more about their employees. The service is also highly used in employment firms and by contractors.

Instant Checkmate is your go-to website if you wish to create a workforce of trusted and authentic individuals. The portal features over a billion records from all across the United States of America. It does not matter if the individual has just relocated to the US, as the database tracks them down most effectively.

The best part about Instant Checkmate is its accuracy of information. The company frequently updates its databases to incorporate new people, updating their current information. With just a click, you are entitled to an expansive view of data about a person, which can help you to make a well-informed employment decision for your organization.

Once you purchase their service, you can get unlimited searches. The monthly subscription fee is $34.78. You can save big by getting a multiple-month or annual subscription.

Instant Checkmate allows you to investigate yourself through the system. The best part is that you can edit your information and remove personal details which you wish to keep confidential from the rest of the world.

From a security point of view, Instant Checkmate is perfect as it offers complete anonymity to the searcher and does not notify the person being investigated in any manner.

Pros

Offers 5 days free trial period
Best website for employers
Does not notify the person being investigated
Have an operational mobile application
Extremely user-friendly interface

Various subscription options are available
Completely safe and secure public records site

Cons

Only available in the USA
Phone records and addresses are not instantly updated

#4. US Search - Popular Criminal and Arrest Records Checker in the USA

US Search offers a complete background check for organizations to investigate their employees and learn about any court records, criminal records, or dark web history they might have. The company is amongst the pioneers of employment history searches in the United States of America. US Search offers a detailed report on the people you survey.

US Search has joined hands with the best companies in the world to provide you with up-to-date and accurate information about a person's background and employment history. The background check service has been operating in the US since 1993 and is still among the most popular options.

The largest database of US-based people is available at US Search. You can search according to your ease to uncover helpful information about people. You can either search by names, emails, or even phone numbers. Complete public records are at your disposal with a click.

US Search presents information regarding various consumer reporting agencies, which includes basic information about people from a consumer's perspective. A complete background report is also available through the company's advanced portal, which allows you to discover potentially critical personal details.

The check services are secured through 256 encryption and a valid SSL certificate on the website. It keeps your browser history safe and maintains anonymity when searching for people.

US Search has an outstanding customer care team where representatives can answer your concerns or queries.

This background check service is very economical. A monthly subscription plan starts from $19.95, which gives you unlimited searches and access to reports.

Pros

Largest database of US residents

Low prices
Simple to use interface
A variety of background checks are available
Allows free printing of reports
The easy membership cancellation process

Cons

Only suitable for US residents
Recent information about employees is not available

#5. Spokeo - Fast Background Check Service with Billions of Records Database

Spokeo is a round background check service that offers a wide range of check services such as property, historical, business, court, consumer, and personal details. The company has billions of records fed into its database.

With Spokeo, you can instantly get a hold of a person's contact information, including phone numbers and email address history. You can also learn about the person's current location, including their location history. You also have complete information about the person's background and knowledge about their family and associates.

Spokeo allows you to investigate the social media accounts of a person in a go to learn about what they post and whether they are related to a shady organization. Personal information such as credit reports, marital information, and divorce records are available through the portal.

Spokeo has a handy feature that allows you to continuously learn about your past investigated people. It alerts you if certain information is updated about a person in the database. This will enable you to get hold of the latest information seamlessly.

Another dimension of using Spokeo is finding your unforgotten friends from schools and colleges. The extensive database allows you to easily connect with your old friends by only entering their names.

You have various options when searching for information about a person. You can enter their name, email address, phone number, or residential address. Overall, it is a complete security solution for your organizational and personal needs.

Pros

Fast, safe, and reliable background check service
It contains billions of records
A variety of information is available
User-friendly website

Update notifications option
7 days a week customer support (8 to 5)
It allows finding old friends and relatives

Cons

Information not updated instantly

24/7 customer support is not offered

#6. BeenVerified - Best Property Records Background Check Service

Another one of the check services on our list is BeenVerified. This background check service provides vital records about an individual relating to their past employment history, criminal records, social media account information, and much more.

The USP of BeenVerified is the ease of access to essential data. You can get necessary information about a person quickly by entering their name, contact number, email address, or vehicle identification number.

A potentially helpful feature offered by BeenVerified is the unclaimed property and money option. It allows you to search yourself and learn if you have any unclaimed property or money to your name. According to solid research by Fool, over 33 million in America have unclaimed property. Most of these people are unaware of this information.

To run a background check, you must enter a person's name, and you can get a list of potential matches. Select the closest match and learn more about the person. However, BeenVerified does not offer the option of downloading the report. To access that feature, you have to buy a monthly subscription.

There are various subscription options, such as a 1-month or 3-month subscription. An additional discount is offered if you go for the 3-month subscription offer. BeenVerified is not very costly and provides adequate information about a person. It does not provide extra detailed information, such as weapon licenses and traffic violations.

Pros

Offers employment history service
Allows you to learn about criminal records

Multiple input options are available
Unclaimed property and money options available
Value for money
Cheap subscription packages
Useful for organizations

Cons

Mandatory to enter your credit card before start searching
You need to get a subscription before accessing reports
You cannot buy a single report

#7. GoodHire - Powerful Data Check Services with Up-to-Date Information

Moving on, GoodHire is the following background check service on our list. This website offers various services, such as credit reports, criminal records, drug screening information, and personal details. GoodHire has an extensive database of people's information, allowing organizations to make better hiring decisions.

GoodHire covers a large number of companies from popular industries. All type of valuable data is stored in the database. What makes GoodHire stand out from other background check sites is the availability of data to support hiring decisions.

Most background check companies do not contain adequate information about a person, which leads to poor hiring. However, the case is entirely different with GoodHire.

This background check site also has a user-friendly mobile application. This application allows you to continue your searches on the go. To gain access to critical information about prospects, you must enter their email address, phone number, or name. A list of close matches will appear before you. You may also use identification numbers to run a background check more efficiently.

GoodHire gives you rapid access to essential information about a person. However, complex data such as criminal records and convictions take at least a few days. Once you make an online background check, you get a notification whenever your results are ready to view.

The company has a shallow dispute rate and is one of the top-used background check companies by various organizations and firms.

Pros

Offers a variety of security checks
User-friendly website interface
Mobile application is also available

Rapid access to basic information
Useful for hiring functions of a company
Searches results directly
An extremely low dispute rate

Cons

Other complex information takes longer to process
Complete information not available

#8. PeopleFinders - Best Comprehensive Background Report with Complete History

PeopleFinders is a platform that allows you to learn a lot about a particular person with as much as their name or any other essential information. This service is suitable for pre-employment background checks. It allows you to learn about the education history, credit report, and more.

PeopleFinders is a simple tool to use. It allows organizations to uncover important information about job candidates through their names. Apart from it, you can even search for a person through their phone number, email address, or residential address.

The website scans its large database and looks for potential matches against your search query. PeopleFinders is also associated with various public databases that allow you to get information about anyone living in the USA.

Once you find the person in the database, you can access relevant information through a detailed report. An excellent option offered by PeopleFinders is the ability to buy a single report rather than signing up for a subscription.

The company not only tells you about the person you are searching for, but you also get information about their family members and close associations to learn if they are involved in any criminal activity.

Various pricing options are available on PeopleFinders. You can get a basic report that includes basic information such as name, contact number, and address. Or you can sign up for a detailed report that includes criminal history and other detailed checks. You can download unlimited reports with a monthly subscription.

Pros

Easy-to-use service
Able to find information about anyone in the USA
Various types of information are available
User-friendly mobile application available
Single report purchasing option available

Various subscription packages are available

Cons

It does not offer social media information

#9. People Trail - High-Quality Free Background Check Service with Human Guidance

People Trail is another popular background check service on our list. The company is known for its human-guided background checks, which offer the most authentic information to users.

People Trail is mainly used to learn about the ethical background of a person. It allows organizations and individuals to learn about criminal records, consumer reports, sex offender registry, drug screening, education background, credit records, identity verification, and more. All this information is filtered through the human guidance system to provide the best results.

Many government organizations use People Trail as their go-to background check service because of the range of data it offers. From traffic violations to severe crime, everything is present here.

You can get information about people reigning in different states all across the United States of America. All you need to do is enter their name, email address, or identification number. People trail is rated one of the best and most accurate background check services by the better business bureau.

Furthermore, if you are part of an organization and wish to find information about people concerning employment, you can filter out relevant information such as criminal records and credit checks. You can remove it from the filters if you do not need specific details.

Pricing is also affected by the number of options you select. The more options you opt for, the higher your price for a background check will be. You can get a free quote from the customer care representatives of People Trail.

Pros

Used by various government agencies
Makes use of human guidance
You can use it to learn about all types of offenses
A large number of industries included

You can filter fields accordingly
Flexible pricing options
Certified by the better business bureau

Cons

Only available in the USA

Clear pricing options not available

#10. Sterling - Big Scale Employment History Background Check Service

The last background check service on our list is Sterling, a popular employment history check service operating since 1975. The company educates organizations by giving them information about new incumbents and employees.

Information presented by the company includes criminal records, civil court checks, identity checks, drug screening, health screening, and workforce monitoring. All information given by the company is up-to-date and accurate.

Sterling partners with huge organizations and provides them with the information necessary to make well-informed and effective hiring decisions. Furthermore, the company also performs global checks on the person, which tells us about any shady activities the person might have conducted in any part of the world. This is a valuable feature for screening immigrants.

The company offers big-scale packages for multinational corporations and agencies. However, it also provides personalized packages for small businesses and enterprises. Flexible pricing options are available concerning the requirements of your business.

Sterling offers special packages and pricing options according to your requirements. The firm provides you with a quote to work on. With that, Sterling provides seamless customer and technical support to all its users.

Overall, Sterling is the best pre-employment background check service available in the United States of America.

Pros

Suitable for big corporations and agencies

Personalized packages for small businesses and enterprises
Offers a comprehensive background report
Fast and easy-to-use background check website
Allows complete screening of an employee
Most background check companies are available

Flexible pricing options are available

Cons

Customizable services not available

How We Made the List of the Top Free Background Check Services

Since safety and security needs are becoming permanent requirements for recruiting employees, the demand for background checks has soared.

Hence, many background check companies have joined in the competition of providing various services. Poor options are also making their way into the market.

Therefore, we set certain benchmarks and criteria to evaluate the best background check services in the market. Our careful evaluations ultimately led us to our top 10 picks of the best free background check services.

Here is what we looked for:

Information Provided

Our focus was to look for companies that provided a variety of services. We did not only have concerns for criminal records. We were more into credit scores, pre-employment history, and minor offenses, which allowed us to know more about a person from a recruiter’s point of view.

Our list of background check companies is perfect for organizations that are looking to hire employees with a clean record and positive employment history. Hence, we focused on companies that provided a plethora of background checks to know a person in a much better way.

Reports

Background checks have no value if reports and records do not back them. Therefore, we searched for companies that provided accurate reports of people, which included all types of activities there are indulged in. This includes police records and bank records of all sorts.

Many companies that we found were not providing reporting of any sort. We discarded these companies and went for websites that offered a formal report for each individual searched.

Pricing

Pricing is a significant factor for a company that wishes to run background checks on thousands of employees regularly. We looked for companies that offered great benefits to businesses and enterprises.

All companies in our list offer some type of subscription model, which provides flexibility for organizations on when to sign up for a particular service.

Service Quality

Quality of the service is the direct determinant of user satisfaction. We chose websites that had an extremely user-friendly interface. These websites made information search a piece of cake. Any individual with even minimal knowledge of computers can perform a background check without difficulty through these platforms.

Furthermore, we have also included companies that have functional mobile applications. This allows users to perform background checks on the go.

Accuracy of Results

Accuracy is one of the critical requirements for a background check website. The background check is invaluable if the website fails to deliver accurate information.

We skimmed through the internet to find out companies that provided accurate results. To learn in-depth about a particular’ companies’ accuracy, we searched ourselves and saw if the results were up to the mark.

Up-to-Date Information

A background check service must update its databases as new information is continuously added. All companies we have listed in this article update their databases relatively faster than other businesses out there.

Buyer’s Guide – How to Choose a Good Background Check Service

Background check is a crucial step in the selection process of an employee. Since jobs are becoming more complex and value-driven, organizations need to perform the necessary background checks on incumbents to ensure they hire the best people.

Furthermore, background checks are made to learn the honest side of an employee and see if an employee is entirely transparent with you. However, choosing the background check service in terms of accuracy and reliability is difficult.

Here is an expert guide on how to choose an excellent free background check service.

Look What Information They Provide

Before signing up for one, learning your objectives concerning a background check service is vital. What do you require from such type of service? Now compare the information you get from the background check service with what you want.

If you wish to learn about a person to employ them in the future, you need as much information as possible. Data including educational history, pre-employment history, criminal records, and any minor offenses is necessary to get.

Search for free background check services that provide all the relevant data. More importantly, it covers all of your required employees. Most of the companies discussed in this post offer background check services for people based in the USA.

Find Out the Accuracy of Their Results

It is recommended to try out multiple services at first. Perform background checks on the same people through these numerous companies.

Analyze their performance side-by-side. This will give you a crystal comparison of the companies, and which background check provides better information regarding accuracy and reporting.

We have included free background check options in this list. Compare their performance with paid services to find out the accuracy of their services. You can also put your details on these platforms and see whether the information is accurate.

How Long Do Reports Take

The key feature for which background investigations are so valuable is their reports. Reports give us a complete blueprint about a person, including his past activities. However, reporting takes time since companies must accumulate data from various sources to formulate an effective report.

Companies that take 24 hours to a week are considered genuine ones. Immediate reports are mostly a scam because a company cannot assemble all information in such a little time frame.

Compare your reports and find out which background check company offers the most accurate report in the least time.

Customer Reviews Regarding Companies

If you don’t wish to spend money on a background check company before getting a complete view of what they offer, browse through customer reviews. Customer reviews will tell you a lot about a company.

People post their experiences on online forums and review websites. Find out any such forum and see what experiences prior customers had. Once you are satisfied by the honest reviews of customers, you can invest in a company.

Safety of Information and Anonymity

Many organizations do not wish to disclose their credentials to third-party services and websites. On top of that, they want to conduct a silent background investigation without letting the other person know they are being investigated.

Furthermore, the safety of the person investigating is also essential. Websites with valid SSL certificates and complete encryption are solid examples of good background check companies.

Also, read the terms of service to learn what type of data is shared with third-party applications and how it will affect you.

FAQs Related to the Background Check Companies

Q1: What is a background check?

A background check is a complete investigation of a person or an entity to learn about the past activities and records they have been a part of. In our context, we perform background investigations on people to comprehend more about them.

A background check includes identifying past criminal activities, credit scores, traffic violations, pre-employment history, and much more. This allows employers to find the right fit for their organization.

Q2: Why run a background check?

According to a recent study by Tech Target, almost 93% of all organizations in the world run background checks during the hiring process. This helps the recruiter to uncover helpful information about an incumbent, such as any past criminal record, which can be vital for the hiring process.

Finding these can help reduce the risk of theft and harmful activities within the workplace. It keeps the work environment safe for everyone around. Furthermore, background checks also reveal information such as education history and records, which helps the employer to learn about the incumbent.

According to a survey by Business News Daily, 28.5% of employees stated that they lied on their resumes. Background checks allow organizations to find out the real side of an employee and see how honest they are.

Q3: How much does a background check service charge?

The price of a background check service depends on the type of information you are looking for.

A basic background check that includes name, phone number, and email address can cost around $10. In contrast, an extensive background check, including history, criminal records, credit scores, and more, can go anywhere up to $500.

Q4: What does a background check show?

A background check shows the honesty of an incumbent during the hiring process. Furthermore, it informs organizations regarding any misconduct and misdemeanor criminal activities that the incumbent may be involved in. It also shows an individual's past arrests, credit ratings, and incarceration history.

Q5: How long does a background check take?

According to a study by Indeed, a background check takes between 2 to 5 working days. Sometimes this time frame can be lengthened by the amount and complexity of information asked for. In most cases, a basic background check may take less than 24 hours.

Q6: How much does a background check cost?

A background check can cost anywhere between $10 and $500. It all depends on what type of information you are looking for and how difficult it is to get that information. Many background checks require taking information from government bodies. Hence, the cost of the check rises.

Q7: Is background check just a formality?

No. Background check holds immense importance for organizations during the hiring process.

According to Scout Logic Screening, companies, on average, spend around $5,000 annually on background checks. It allows organizations to make better hiring decisions.

Q8: What types of companies perform free background checks?

Industries in the IT and healthcare sectors conduct most background checks. Additionally, the automotive, finance, and food departments also conduct background checks during the hiring process.

Conclusion – Final Thoughts

Background check services offer multiple services when it comes to checking someone's history. You must be aware of what you require from such a service since they'll surely have a solution to your queries. Make sure to use them in the best ways possible and ensure safety for yourself, your organization, and the people around you.

We hope our list of the top 10 options for free background check services will prove helpful for you. Always read customer testimonials before subscribing to such a service.