Leading Background Investigation Platforms
In the realm of background check services, several options are available to help individuals and businesses gather information about people. Here's a comparison of key features, benefits, and differences between GoodHire, Spokeo, Free People Search, Intelius, BeenVerified, and PeopleFinder.
GoodHire
- Transparent, pay-per-report pricing
- Built-in dispute resolution tools
- User-friendly interface with mobile-optimized candidate results view
- Screens include SSN trace, sex offender registry, national and county criminal checks
- Tiered pricing from $29.99–$89.99 per report for varying depth of checks
- Industry-specific packages tailored for IT, banking, healthcare, nonprofits
- Compliance support including FCRA compliance and adverse action workflows
- Integrates with ATS and HR systems, useful for small businesses
- Limited international screening; no phone customer support
Spokeo
- Focus on people search aggregating social, public records, and online data
- Includes address history, emails, phone numbers
- Good for finding contact details and social profile insights
- More consumer-oriented and less compliance-focused
- May lack detailed criminal and employment background checks typical of professional services
Free People Search
- Free-to-use for basic contact and address information
- Aggregates data from public records
- Easy starting point for casual or initial searches
- Limited data depth; mainly basic contact info
- Not designed for professional or compliant screening
Intelius
- Comprehensive background reports including criminal, financial, and contact info
- People search, reverse phone lookup
- One of the largest databases available
- Has included some credit reports and reverse phone lookups
- Pricing can be higher and less transparent
BeenVerified
- Aggregates data from multiple public sources for background checks
- Includes criminal, financial, contact, social media info
- Mobile app for on-the-go checks
- Subscription plans available for regular use
- Good mix of consumer and professional features
PeopleFinder
- Offers people search and background check reports
- Access to criminal records, court records, and contact information
- Pay-per-report pricing
- Good for quick lookups
- Less compliance support compared to GoodHire
Summary
- GoodHire stands out for professional, compliant employment background checks with industry-specific options and detailed criminal screenings.
- Spokeo and Free People Search are better for casual, non-professional lookups mainly focusing on contact and social info rather than detailed background checks.
- Intelius and BeenVerified offer extensive databases with multiple search and report types; BeenVerified is more mobile-friendly and subscription-based, while Intelius has some credit and phone lookup functions.
- PeopleFinder provides easy access to public records for quick checks but lacks advanced compliance features.
GoodHire is ideal for businesses needing compliant, role-specific screening, while the others cater more to general people search and consumer background check needs. Pricing, compliance support, data depth, and interface usability are key differentiators.
[1] Money (2025), "GoodHire Review: Comprehensive Background Checks for Businesses", [accessed on April 15, 2023]. Available from: https://www.money.com/goodhire-review/
In the context of lifestyle choices and personal technology, GoodHire's comprehensive and industry-specific background check services can provide valuable insights for making informed decisions about potential employees, ensuring a safe and secure work environment. On the other hand, Spokeo, Free People Search, Intelius, BeenVerified, and PeopleFinder cater more to technology that streamlines the process of finding contacts and uncovering public information, enhancing everyday lifestyle management.
