When it comes to certain positions or people in life, it is essential to trust but verify. If you are allowing someone to potentially move in, planning to meet a date, or looking into a sketchy neighbor, background checks are vital.

Unfortunately, there is no shortage of sketchy background check websites with little privacy and unreliable search engines.

To better understand the more established names in the market, we will briefly examine a few of the largest background check companies operating today.

Biggest Background Check Companies

For those needing clarification about a background check, it is a detailed report of someone’s past. These reports range from basic details such as previous crimes and work experience to more in-depth information like credit history. Certain restrictions are set in place per the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and different checks yield different results.

Read on to learn about some of the largest background check companies.

Information.com

While Information.com isn’t necessarily a service you can use for professional background checks, like part of a pre-employment process. It is, however, great to use for running personal background checks to learn more about newcomers to your life or to find contact information for those you may have lost touch with over the years.

Information.com not only provides complete contact information, but you can also find details like criminal records or sex offender status, all in one easy-to-read report.

This site itself offers many different search functionalities, like reverse phone lookups and criminal records checkers. Additionally, their returned results pages are some of the easiest to navigate.

GoodHire

In a digital landscape full of poorly made and deeply suspect sites, Goodhire is delightfully dependable. The Better Business Bureau has positively received the company and it follows FCRA guidelines. Its list of background checks is dizzyingly extensive, and they even offer private investigators for specific checks.

The site’s layout is simplistic and easy to navigate, and they are regularly praised for their consumer support.

Premium plans sit between $30 – $80, depending on which you choose, and individual plans can be worked out with a member of the GoodHire team for multiple checks. The limited number of checks makes this option better suited for businesses requiring extensive information.

SterlingOne

This company specializes in criminal background checks and goes out of its way to acquire information. If the details you need cannot be found online, SterlingOne will send employees to brick-and-mortar courthouses to obtain the requested information. They are not exclusive, however, and offer checks for several other variations of digging into people’s past.

Prices are comparable to GoodHire, with $30 – $80 background screenings. SterlingOne follows the guidelines of the FCRA, and while it may be better suited for small businesses and companies, individuals could easily use the service with little issue.

Checkr

Another highly trusted company, Checkr, is a relative newcomer widely adopted for its efficient service that is simple to use and easy to access. Like all companies in this list, it follows the guidelines of the FCRA.

Checkr utilizes AI to hasten checks, and the quick turnaround of their background checks has brought in several delivery companies such as Uber and Doordash. If you need to hire several people at once and quickly, Checkr is an excellent choice. The pricing is $30 for the Basic package, $55 for the Essential package, and $80 for the Professional.

Intellicorp

Operating in a couple of hundred countries, Intellicorp is a background check business not limited to the States. Its services are incredibly broad, from drug tests to checking employee references; if you need anything related to employment verification, they likely have you covered.

They also have a comprehensive educational program that details how to comply with FCRA guidelines and steps to get the most bang for your buck with their packages. They are the winner of several awards which are available to the public. Sadly, prices for their background packages are not.

You can get quotes from them during their business hours of 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.

Final Thoughts On Background Checks

Background checks are essential for business owners, concerned parents, and cautious romantics, though you should shop around before selecting any. There are a lot of background check services available, not only digitally but also very likely locally as well, though the largest background check companies typically provide extensive online services.

While a site like Checkr is excellent for in-depth reports, it may be overkill if you want to learn about sex offenders in your area, for personal-use Information.com is likely your best bet. Similarly, check that the company you are using will be as extensive as you require it.

Remember that when using these services, you must follow the FCRA guidelines. It’s important to remember that background checks for employment are only legal with the potential employee’s prior written consent. Please check your state’s specific hiring laws to ensure fair hiring practices.

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