A criminal background check is a vital step in ensuring the safety of yourself and your family.
By checking the criminal records of someone you are considering hiring for a job or inviting into your home, you can help protect yourself from potential harm.
There are many different criminal background check services available, each with its own unique benefits and features.
We’ve compiled a list of the top five criminal background check services to help you choose the right one for your needs.
What Is A Criminal Background Check Service?
A criminal background check service is a company that provides a comprehensive report on an individual’s criminal history.
Employers can use this report to screen potential employees, landlords to screen potential tenants, and other individuals who need to assess someone’s criminal history.
There are many different types of criminal background check services.
Some services only provide information on felony convictions, while others provide detailed information on all arrests and convictions, regardless of severity.
It is important to research the different services available and choose one that meets your specific needs.
5 Best Criminal Background Check Services
1. Instant Checkmate — Best Overall
Instant Checkmate’s reports are the most thorough, accurate, and up-to-date.
Each one includes email addresses, contact information, addresses, as well as details on criminal records, assets, and marriages.
Most background checks cost around $40 and $50. Instant Checkmate charges roughly $35 per month for unlimited reports and searches.
This is a great deal because you can generate as many reports as you like at Instant Checkmate for the price of one report that other services charge.
When compared to other similar search engines, one of the best things about this service would be that you receive a wide range of data.
However, using Instant Checkmate might be aggravating because you have to click through more than twelve pop-ups before seeing the final report.
Overall, Instant Checkmate is relatively easy to use if you can overlook this problem.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Affordable monthly subscription
- Accurate and up to date information
- Easily find a person’s criminal background
- User-friendly interface
Cons
- Lackluster free version
- Cannot download single reports
2. TruthFinder — Best For Comprehensive Reports
TruthFinder provides complete criminal report information and a thorough understanding of a target individual’s employment history and social media accounts.
There is also a self-monitoring feature that lets you search your information on the dark web to see if you’ve been a victim of a data breach.
Paid members are also able to hide their data from other TruthFinder users if they are concerned about their privacy.
TruthFinder delivers a wealth of information on the individual you’re looking for. Users can also conduct an unlimited number of background checks per month.
The primary disadvantage is that TruthFinder is not a cheap service, but if you plan on using TruthFinder frequently, it will be well worth the investment.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Excellent for checking criminal records
- Self-monitoring and dark web search
- Accurate data
- Easy to use
Cons
- Costly
- Mediocre support
3. Intelius — Best All-in-One Background Check Service
Intelius’ background check reports are thorough and include details such as email addresses, mobile numbers, marriages, as well as other legal information.
Many of the essential information that a background check should include are relatives, addresses, and criminal history, which are all included in Intelius’ reports.
Intelius’ reports are also easy to read and well-formatted, although the information is not ordered chronologically, which could be a problem based on the report’s intended use.
However, the information isn’t always accurate or up-to-date, so you need to keep this in mind if you want the most current information.
All in all, Intelius has an above-average accuracy rating and is ideal for all your criminal background checking needs.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Easy-to-read reports
- No customer funnel
- Options for multiple data input
- Affordable
Cons
- Cannot purchase single reports
- Results are not the most comprehensive
4. Infotracer — Best For Arrest Warrants And Public Records
Users can find a wealth of information on any person in InfoTracer’s databases with a simple search.
Criminal histories, arrest and warrant records, marriage and divorce documents, social media profiles, property records, contact details, and court documents are among the types of information that users can access.
InfoTracer compiles its information from billions of records from numerous sources, including courthouses, registries, county sheriff offices, the Internet, and consumer databases.
Instead of providing each consumer with different reports from various sources, InfoTracer uses the data it collects to create a single digital profile for each person.
InfoTracer’s databases are updated regularly to ensure that the information included therein is as accurate and up-to-date as possible.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Provides a wide array of information
- Easy to use
- Mobile app available
- Provides accurate data
Cons
- Expensive
- Need to pay for downloading reports
5. PeopleFinder — Best For Affordable Monthly Subscription
Since it combines precise background check results with a reasonable monthly charge, PeopleFinders is the best choice for an affordable criminal background check service.
Paying for a background check subscription has some benefits, especially if you expect to run multiple reports over a long period of time.
However, you should be aware that this information cannot be used to make employment decisions.
PeopleFinders’ reports detail probable relationships, contact information, marriages, divorces, criminal records, and bankruptcies. The data is reliable and quite well-organized.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Highly accurate information
- Low monthly price
- User-friendly website
- Great value
Cons
- Reports cannot be downloaded
- Lacks work history information
Conclusion
A criminal background check is an important tool that can be used to protect yourself, your family, and your property.
When you need this type of information, it is crucial to choose a reputable and reliable service.
The five services mentioned above are excellent choices for a criminal background check.
Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages, so be sure to choose the one that best meets your needs.
FAQs
Are criminal background checks always accurate?
No, criminal background checks are not always 100% accurate. They are based on information that is collected from various sources, so there may be some inaccuracies or missing information.
Do all background check companies have the same information?
No, all background check companies do not have the same information. They each use different sources to gather their data, so the information included in their reports may vary.
Are there any free criminal background checks available?
Yes, there are some free criminal background check services available. However, these services usually only provide limited information and may not be very reliable.
Amit Gupta is the founder of PublicRecordsSearch.org. Amit has spent half a decade learning about and working in the background screening industry. After completing his high school certification, Amit decided to focus on helping others make informed decisions by creating PublicRecordsSearch.org.