How Much Does a Background Check Cost? Pricing & Factors

In today’s increasingly connected world, trust plays a pivotal role in personal relationships. A solid background check can often be the linchpin to building that trust. But how much does a background check cost to ensure that the person you’re dating has a clean record and is who they claim to be? 

Moreover, what tools and resources are available to help you make the most informed decision possible? The answer might be more complex than you think. The purpose of this article is to discuss the costs of background checks. Background checks can be expensive, and the costs vary depending on the type of check and the provider. 

Understanding the different costs involved in a background check can help you make an informed decision about choosing the right type of check, providers, and tools, and avoid unnecessary expenses. So buckle up, and let’s dive into the fascinating realm of background check costs!

What Is a Background Check?

A background check is a process of investigating an individual’s past records and activities, including criminal records, employment history, educational qualifications, credit history, and more. 

How Much Does a Background Check Cost?

The cost of a background check can vary depending on the type of check, the provider, and the level of detail required. Basic checks can cost as low as $20 to $50, while comprehensive checks can cost hundreds of dollars. Fees may apply for expedited processing or accessing certain databases. Quality and accuracy are also important factors to consider when choosing a provider.

Here is how much a background check costs with some of the best background check services:

• PeopleFinders: Membership plans starting at $24.95 per month, with a trial available for $0.95.
• WhiteBridge AI: Pay-per-report pricing starting at $19 for a single report, with discounted rates as low as $6 per report for high-volume business plans.
• Spokeo: Trial searches starting at $0.95, with monthly memberships around $19.95 for unlimited basic searches.
• BeenVerified: Subscription plans starting at $22.86 per month, and $14.86 for a 3-month membership.
• PeopleLooker: Subscription plans starting at $22.86 per month, and $18.28 for a 3-month membership.
• TruthFinder: Subscription plans starting at $28.05 per month.
• Intelius: Subscription plans starting at $21.13 per month.
• Instant Checkmate: Subscription plans starting at $35.12 per month, and $28.09 for a 3-month membership.

Factors That Affect the Cost of a Background Check

The factors that affect the cost of a background check include:

Scope of the Background Check

1. Criminal History: Investigating an individual’s criminal record, including arrests, convictions, and incarceration. The depth of this search may vary, and the cost may increase depending on the number of jurisdictions searched.
2. Employment Verification: Confirming an individual’s employment history, including previous employers, positions held, and dates of employment. The cost can be affected by the number of employers verified and the level of detail required.
3. Education Verification: Verifying an individual’s educational background, such as degrees earned, institutions attended, and dates of attendance. The cost may vary based on the number of institutions checked and the level of detail requested.
4. Credit History: Reviewing an individual’s credit history, including payment history, debts, and credit score. The cost of a credit check may be influenced by the specific reporting agency used and the comprehensiveness of the report.
5. Driving Records: Examining an individual’s driving history, including accidents, traffic violations, and license suspensions. The cost may differ depending on the jurisdictions searched and the period covered by the search.

Type of Background Check

1. Basic: A simple background check that typically includes a limited criminal history search and basic identity verification. These checks are often more affordable but may not provide a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s background.
2. Standard: A more thorough background check that may include criminal history, employment and education verification, and credit history. The cost of a standard check may be higher than a basic check, but it offers a more detailed overview of an individual’s background.
3. Comprehensive: An extensive background check that may encompass criminal history, employment and education verification, credit history, driving records, and additional searches as needed. These checks are the most expensive but provide the most in-depth insight into an individual’s background.

Jurisdiction & Geographic Location

1. Local Checks: Background checks are conducted within a specific city or county, typically involving a search of local criminal records. Local checks are usually less expensive but may not capture information from other jurisdictions.
2. Statewide Checks: Background checks that include a search of criminal records within an entire state. Statewide checks are generally more costly than local checks but provide broader coverage.
3. National Checks: Background checks that encompass criminal records from multiple states or nationwide databases. National checks can be more expensive due to their wider scope but offer a more comprehensive view of an individual’s background.
4. International Checks: Background checks that involve searches in foreign countries, which may include criminal records, employment, and education verification. International checks are typically the most expensive due to the complexity of accessing information across borders and varying legal systems.

Volume & Frequency of Checks

1. Single or Occasional Checks: Background checks are conducted on an as-needed basis, typically for individuals or small organizations. These checks may be more expensive per check due to the lack of volume discounts.
2. Frequent Checks: Background checks are performed regularly, often by larger organizations or those with ongoing hiring needs. The cost per check may be lower than single or occasional checks due to the higher volume.
3. Bulk Discounts for Large Orders: Many background check providers offer discounted pricing for organizations that require a large number of background checks. The more checks ordered, the lower the cost per check, resulting in significant savings for the organization.

Top 6 Background Check Tools

The cost of a background check can vary depending on the specific tool you choose to use. Here are three popular background check tools, with a brief explanation of their features and an overview of their pricing. Remember that these tools are not FCRA-approved and hence can’t be used for employee or tenant screening and any other purpose that requires FCRA compliance. 

PeopleFinders

PeopleFinders is a long-established background check service that helps individuals and businesses uncover essential details quickly and reliably. Whether you’re reconnecting with friends or family or verifying someone’s history, PeopleFinders provides access to billions of public records for accurate and up-to-date insights.

Features

• Extensive searches covering criminal records, court records, address history, and contact details.
• Large, trusted database with billions of public records for thorough results.
• Quick turnaround time with easy-to-read reports.
• Flexible tools for both casual users and businesses needing bulk searches.

Pricing
PeopleFinders offers affordable membership options with access to unlimited searches. Monthly plans start at $24.95, and users can try the service with a $0.95 trial before committing.

WhiteBridge

WhiteBridge is designed for individuals and businesses who need precise and reliable background information. Whether you’re hiring, reconnecting with someone, or verifying personal details, WhiteBridge ensures you get accurate, up-to-date reports from trusted data sources.

Features

• Comprehensive checks covering criminal records, public records, and address history.
• Fast search results powered by advanced data-matching technology.
• Easy-to-read, organized reports with verified details.
• Privacy-focused, your search history is not shared or stored publicly.

Pricing

WhiteBridge offers flexible pricing based on search volume and report type. Individual searches are available for a flat fee, while subscription plans provide unlimited checks for frequent users.

Spokeo

Spokeo specializes in making background checks simple, fast, and accurate. By aggregating billions of records from public sources and online data, Spokeo helps you uncover the most relevant and trustworthy information about an individual.

Features

• Multi-source data collection for maximum accuracy.
• Detailed reports including social media profiles, phone numbers, and location history.
• Intuitive search filters for refining results.
• Mobile-friendly platform for on-the-go searches.

Pricing

Spokeo offers affordable subscription plans for unlimited background checks, as well as pay-per-search options for occasional use. Pricing varies depending on the depth and frequency of searches.

BeenVerified

Features:

BeenVerified is an online background check service that provides users with access to public records data. Its unique features include a mobile app, reverse phone lookup, social media search, bankruptcy records search, criminal records search, and people search. These features can be useful for verifying identities, investigating potential fraud, locating people, and identifying criminal activity or financial risk.

Pricing:

• BeenVerified offers two subscription plans: a one-month membership (around $26.89) and a three-month membership (around $17.48 per month).
• Both plans allow for unlimited background checks during the subscription period.

TruthFinder

Features

TruthFinder is a background check tool that offers unique features, such as deep web searches for comprehensive results, a user-friendly mobile app, optional Dark Web Monitoring, family tree reports, and responsive customer support. These features make TruthFinder a versatile and reliable option for users seeking in-depth background check information.

Pricing

• TruthFinder charges a monthly subscription fee (around $28.05) for unlimited background checks.
• A two-month subscription is also available at a slightly reduced rate per month.

Instant Checkmate

Features

Instant Checkmate offers a user-friendly platform for performing background checks, including criminal records, contact information, social media profiles, and more. The tool provides a comprehensive report on the subject and offers unlimited searches within the subscription period.

Pricing:

• Instant Checkmate offers a trial membership at a low cost for five days.
• After the trial period, the service charges a monthly subscription fee (around $35.12), allowing for unlimited background checks during the subscription period.
• Instant Checkmate also offers a three-month subscription plan at a reduced rate per month.

Cost Breakdown of Different Types of Background Checks

The cost of different types of background checks can vary depending on the scope and depth of the search. Here’s a general overview of the cost breakdown for various types of background checks:

1. Basic Background Check

Features & Limitations

• Limited Criminal History Search: This usually includes a search of local or statewide criminal records but may not cover national or international databases.
• Basic Identity Verification: Verifies an individual’s name, age, and Social Security number, but may not include in-depth checks like employment or education verification.
• Limited Scope: This may not provide a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s background due to the limited searches conducted.

Typical Cost Range

Costs can vary depending on the provider and specific services included, but basic background checks typically range from $10 to $50 per check.

2. Standard Background Check

Features & Limitations

Criminal History Search: Covers local, statewide, and sometimes national criminal record databases, offering a more in-depth view of an individual’s criminal background.

Employment & Education Verification: Confirms an individual’s employment and educational history, providing a more complete picture of their background.

Credit History (optional): This may include a credit check to assess an individual’s financial responsibility, depending on the purpose of the background check.

Some Limitations: This may not include driving records, professional license verification, or international checks, depending on the provider and specific services chosen.

Typical Cost Range

Costs for standard background checks can vary, but typically range from $30 to $100 per check, depending on the provider and the specific services included.

3. Comprehensive Background Check

Features & Limitations

• Extensive Criminal History Search: Includes local, statewide, national, and potentially international criminal record databases for the most comprehensive view of an individual’s criminal background.
• Employment, Education, & Professional License Verification: Provides a thorough examination of an individual’s professional and educational background.
• Credit History & Driving Records: Covers an individual’s financial responsibility and driving history, offering additional insight into their background.
• Customizable Checks: Comprehensive background checks may be tailored to include additional searches as needed, such as reference checks or social media screening.
• Limitations: This may not always include international checks or industry-specific checks unless specifically requested, and the cost can be significantly higher than basic or standard checks.

Typical Cost Range

Comprehensive background checks can be considerably more expensive due to their extensive nature, with costs ranging from $100 to $300 or more per check, depending on the provider and the specific services included.

Factors to Consider When Selecting a Provider

• Pricing: Compare the cost of background checks among different providers, taking into account the services included and any additional fees that may apply.
• Turnaround Time: Assess the average time it takes for a provider to deliver background check results, as faster turnaround times may be crucial for certain hiring or leasing decisions.
• Accuracy: Consider the provider’s reputation for delivering accurate and up-to-date background check results, as inaccurate or outdated information may lead to poor decision-making.
• Customer Service: Evaluate the quality of the provider’s customer service, including responsiveness, support, and user-friendliness of their platform or tools.

Conclusion

In conclusion, background checks are an essential investment for businesses, landlords, and individuals to ensure safety and security. Costs can vary significantly depending on the type, scope, provider, and volume of checks required, ranging from $10 for basic checks to over $300 for comprehensive checks. 

Choosing the right background check provider and utilizing the appropriate tools is crucial to obtaining accurate and relevant information. By comparing providers and tools based on factors such as pricing, turnaround time, accuracy, and customer service, you can make informed decisions that cater to your specific needs. 

Ultimately, this investment in background checks and tools will lead to better decision-making in various aspects of your professional or personal life while managing costs effectively.

DISCLAIMER: You may not use the non-FCRA approved services mentioned in this article or the information they provide to make decisions about consumer credit, employment, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance. These services don’t provide consumer reports and are not consumer reporting agencies. (These terms have special meanings under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 USC 1681 et seq., (“FCRA”), which are incorporated herein by reference.) 

The information available on our website may not be 100% accurate, complete, or up to date, so do not use it as a substitute for your own due diligence, especially if you have concerns about a person’s criminal history. The services we mention do not make any representation or warranty about the accuracy of the information available through our website or about the character or integrity of the person about whom you inquire. For more information, please review each service’s Terms of Use.