Best Background Check Services: Roundup

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We know that different businesses have distinct background check needs. Our staff researched and reviewed dozens of background check services and websites, and came up with the ones we think are best for a variety of business types. Here is a roundup of our best picks and an explanation of how we chose them.

Ready to choose a background check service? Here's a breakdown of our complete coverage:

Background Check Service Buyer's Guide
REVIEW: Best for Small Business Overall
REVIEW: Best for Very Small Businesses
REVIEW: Best for Do-It-Yourself Websites
REVIEW: Best for Household Employees

Best Background Check Service for Small Businesses Overall: Pre employ

Pre employ provides small businesses with a wide range of background check services. Its large selection of background check packages gives you the ability to pay only for the services you deem necessary. We were most impressed with the high level of customer service the company offers and how easy its background reports are to read and navigate. Go here for a full review of Pre employ's background check services.

Best Background Check Service for Very Small Businesses: GoodHire

Of all the services we reviewed, few were more forthcoming about their service packages and pricing than GoodHire. We liked that the specifics of each background check package the company offers and all of its pricing, which is very affordable, were readily available on its website. The company gives very small businesses the ability to purchase background checks one at a time and as needed. Additionally, its online system is extremely user-friendly. Go here for a full review of GoodHire's background check services.

Best Do-It-Yourself Online Background Check Website: BackgroundReport.com

BackgroundReport.com is one of only a handful of background check websites that can be legally used for pre-employment screening. We especially like that the website is convenient to use, and also follows all of the Fair Credit Reporting Act requirements. The website involves job candidates in the background screening process — for example, it has them agree to the background check and gives them an opportunity to respond to any red flags that are uncovered. Go here for a full review of BackgroundReport.com's background check services.

Best Background Check Service for Household Employees: eNannySource

eNannySource offers background checks that can be conducted on any household employee, not just nannies. We like that the company offers several levels of screening options and the ability to build your own packages. The service makes the background check process very easy by completely handling the candidate approval process and returning results via email. Go here for a full review of eNannySource's background check services.

Our methodology

To determine the best background check services for both small businesses and very small businesses, we started by listing more than 50 of the vendors that conduct employee background checks. These included a combination of vendors we found via online searches and those we found through interviews with small businesses.

We then narrowed down that list by eliminating vendors that didn't specialize in background checks and those that didn't work specifically with small businesses. We ultimately settled on 12 services to consider as best picks: HireRight, GoodHire, Employment Screening Resources, Proforma Screening, Accurate Background, EBI Inc., InfoMart, Justifacts, Pre employ, Private Eyes, Employment Screening Services and Background Info USA. (See the full list of background check services and their websites below.)

Next, we reviewed sample background check reports, read user comments and interviewed more business owners. We also contacted each company's customer service department and posed as would-be business owners. In all, we analyzed each service based on the following factors:

Cost
Types of criminal searches conducted
Types of verification services conducted
Other types of searches conducted
Ease of use
How easy the final reports are to access, read and understand
How long the searches take
Customer service
The extra services the company offers, such as drug testing and I-9 verification management
Better Business Bureau complaints

For the methodology for our best pick for the DIY online website category, see our review here.

For this category, we used a methodology similar to that detailed above. However, we only considered websites that abide by the Fair Credit Reporting Act and are legally allowed to conduct background checks for pre-employment purposes. We ultimately settled on four websites to examine further: BackgroundChecks.com, FindOutTheTruth.com, BackgroundReport.com and BackgroundSearcher.com.

For the methodology for our best pick for the household employees category, see our review here.

For this category, we also used a methodology similar to that detailed above. However, for this category we only considered companies that offered specific options for household employees. The companies we examined were Background Checks for Nannies, Childcare Background Check Research Corp., GoNannies, HireSafe, eNannySource, ESR Screened Caregiver, NannyVerify and Safelutions. (See the full list of background check services specializing in household employees, and their websites, below.)

Here is a full list of background check services and a summary of what each company claims to offer. This alphabetical list also includes our best picks.

Accurate Background — Accurate Background is a provider of comprehensive employee screening and human resources support services, including international background screening, drug testing and health screening, electronic I-9 and E-Verify, and Applicant Tracking System integration services. Its client base covers a wide spectrum of industries and includes businesses of all sizes, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. Specific types of screening include criminal searches, employment and education verification, Social Security number traces, civil searches and motor vehicle reports. accuratebackground.com

Advanced Research Systems — Advanced Research Systems (ARS) employment screening services extend throughout the United States, Canada and more than 100 countries. The company's Quickhire program is designed to meet the needs of small and medium-sized businesses that don't hire in large numbers yet still want to implement a comprehensive background screening program. The company conducts criminal court record searches, employment, education and professional license verification, civil court searches, driving-record searches and drug testing. arsbackgrounds.com

Advanced Surveillance Group — Advanced Surveillance Group is a full-service licensed private detective agency that provides, among its other services, pre-employment screening. The company offers complete pre-employment screening and current employee screening, ranging from a basic overview to a comprehensive background investigation. Some of the specific services offered include name, address and Social Security number verification; driving-record and driver's-license searches; criminal conviction searches; prior employment, education, past earnings and professional license verifications; and civil court record searches. The company also conducts character reference interviews. asginvestigations.com

Aurico — Aurico provides background screening, drug screening, selection assessments and other related HR solutions. Its clients range from small startups to Fortune 500 enterprises. The company conducts criminal and civil records searches; identity and credit checks; and employment, education and license verification. aurico.com

Background Info USA — Background Info USA is a provider of on-demand employee screening services, tenant background checks, volunteer background checks, drug screening, employee screening and I-9 employment eligibility solutions. Employee background check services include credit reports, Social Security number validation, address trace searches, National Sex Offender Registry searches, education and employment verification, driver's license history, and statewide, federal and county criminal record searches. The company also conducts substance abuse screening. backgroundinfousa.com

BackTrack — BackTrack offers a variety of services, including background checks, drug screening, I-9 employment verification, assessment testing, exit interviews, payroll services and applicant tracking. The company's background checks include criminal and court record searches; employment, education and credential verification; credit history checks; and driving history searches. hbacktracker.com

Corporate Investigations — Corporate Investigations Inc. (CII) is a national provider of background check services. The company works with both small and large employers in a variety of industries. The services offered include criminal records checks; Social Security number verification; I-9 employment verification; motor vehicle record searches; government sanctions checks; education, employment and professional license verifications; reference checks; credit checks; and drug screening. ciilink.com

Data Facts — Since 1989, Data Facts has been a provider of extensive background screening, assessment screening, drug testing, volunteer/student screening and applicant tracking. Its new offerings include infinity screening, social media screening, Social Security verifications direct through the Social Security Administration and tax-return verifications directly through the Internal Review Service. In addition, the company offers a full suite of criminal record searches and employment verification. datafacts.com

EBI Inc. — EBI's suite of pre-employment background checks is available in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. Its services are completely customizable to match your exact needs and corporate objectives. EBI's brand of background screening employs SMART Screening Technology to ensure all possible results are found, even if a candidate's full name, nicknames, aliases, date of birth and former residences are unknown. Specific types of searches include Social Security number traces, credit report checks, criminal record searches, driver qualification services, and verification and credentialing. ebiinc.com

Edge Information Management — Edge Information Management Inc. is a national provider of employment screening services. The company serves a variety of industries, including health care, retail, home services, manufacturing, construction, transportation, government, financial and nonprofit. Edge conducts criminal records searches, employment and education verifications, Social Security number traces, civil court record searches, driving history searches and credit check reports. edgeinformation.com

EmployersChoiceOnline.com — EmployersChoiceOnline.com offers an extensive range of screening searches, including employment, tenant, vendor and nanny screening. The company provides access to an array of information in more than 200 countries. Employment screening services include credit history searches; on-site civil and criminal record searches; driving history record searches; education, employment and license verifications; Social Security number traces, verifications and workers' compensation searches. employerschoiceonline.com

EmployeeScreenIQ — EmployeeScreenIQ is a global employment screening resource that provides clients with information needed to make smart hiring decisions. The company employs in-house verification and criminal research staff and maintains a nationwide network of more than 3,500 professional court researchers, as well as thousands of patient service centers for substance abuse screening. Specific screening checks include those for identity and credit, driver's records, criminal records, reference and credentialing, and substance abuse. employeescreen.com

Employment Screening Resources — Founded in 1997, Employment Screening Resources (ESR) is a nationwide background screening firm located in the San Francisco area and is accredited by the National Association of Professional Background Screeners. The company offers a variety of background screening services and solutions to promote safe workplaces. The specific types of searches conducted include identity and credit checks, Social Security number traces and verifications, criminal records checks, sex offender registry searches, civil records checks, driving records checks, and employment and education verifications. esrcheck.com

Employment Screening Services — Employment Screening Services LLC has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience and more than 20 years of industry experience. The company conducts drug testing, criminal record searches by county, national criminal database searches, Social Security number verification, and employment and education verification. esswny.com

First Advantage — First Advantage delivers more than 18 million background screenings annually, with solutions designed to ensure job candidates have the background skills, attitudes and aptitudes for the positions they are interviewing for. The company conducts identity verifications, criminal record searches, fingerprinting and drug testing. fadv.com

GIS — GIS is a nationally accredited background check company. In addition, to background checks, the company provides drug testing, onboarding and tax credit solutions.. GIS serves a wide variety of clients, from small organizations to Fortune 100 companies. geninfo.com

*GoodHire — GoodHire was our best pick for very small businesses. GoodHire is a background screening service offering scalable FCRA-compliant solutions to meet the needs of organizations of all sizes. The company features a proprietary online platform designed to ensure fast results and data security. The specific types of services offered include Social Security number traces; address history; national criminal records checks; county criminal courts checks; domestic and global terrorist watch list checks; sex offender list checks; education, employer and professional license verifications; and motor vehicle records checks. goodhire.com. Read our full review here.

Hirease — Hirease has been providing background screening solutions since 2002. In addition to its background screening services, the company offers a suite of human resources onboarding services. Hirease also provides drug testing and vendor management services. hirease.com

HireRight — HireRight specializes in helping organizations of all sizes efficiently implement, manage and control their background screening programs. The company offers flexible, tailored employment screening solutions, encompassing more than 150 different service offerings. Specific screening services include criminal background checks, identity checks, verifications, drug and health screening, I-9 and E-Verify, candidate experience and extended workforce screening. hireright.com

HireSafe — HireSafe has been conducting background checks for businesses of all sizes in a wide range of industries since 1997. It offers a pay-as-you-go format. The background screening services offered include national criminal database searches, county court criminal record searches, federal court criminal record searches, statewide criminal record searches, Social Security number validation and verification, and employment, education and professional license verification. hiresafe.com

Human Assets South — Human Assets South provides background screening and drug testing services to companies nationwide and internationally. Specific background screening services include employment, education, license and credential verification; credit reports; motor vehicle reports; workers' compensation claim histories; National Sex Offender Registry searches; and county, state, civil and federal criminal history searches. hasouth.com

InfoMart — Founded in 1989, InfoMart is a background screening company that provides criminal history, credit and driving records, as well as education and employment verifications, for businesses worldwide. A certified Woman-Owned Business Enterprise, InfoMart is a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS), and has achieved NAPBS accreditation. infomart-usa.com

Insperity — For more than 28 years, Insperity has been providing human resources services, including employment screening, human capital management, payroll software, insurance services, retirement services, organizational planning, recruiting services, expense management, and time and attendance systems. The company's employment screening services include Social Security number traces, criminal record searches, driving records and employment, education, credential and reference verification. insperity.com

Integrated Screening Partners — Integrated Screening Partners is a public-records research company that provides customizable pre-employment screening services. Services include criminal history checks, employment and education verifications, drug screens and physicals. integratedscreening.com

IntelliCorp — IntelliCorp has been providing background checks and employment and volunteer screening services for more than 14 years. The company provides background screening for businesses in a variety of industries, including business services, construction, educational services, finance, insurance, health care, hospitality, manufacturing, nonprofit and social assistance, and retail and consumer services. Specific types of searches conducted include criminal records; sex offender records; Social Security number verification; education, employment and professional license verification; civil records; credit reports; and motor vehicle reports. IntelliCorp also conducts drug testing. intellicorp.net

Justifacts — Founded in 1982, Justifacts has been providing background screening services to companies ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies worldwide. Services include employment history and license verification, criminal record searches, reference checks, motor vehicle records, address history, drug testing and sex offender searches. justifacts.com

Kroll Background Screening — Kroll Background America Inc. (KBA) provides on-demand employment background screening, drug and health screening, and employment eligibility solutions. The company's employment screening services include criminal record checks, motor vehicle records/driver abstracts, credit checks, and verifications of employment, education and credentials. It can also provide insight into the backgrounds of extended workforces (like temporary and contract workers) and conduct specialized background screening services for executive-level hires. krollbackgroundscreening.com

Peopletrail — Peopletrail has been providing employment background and screening services to businesses since 1994. The company provides a broad selection of background and employment screening solutions, including credit and identity reports, driving records, employment and education verification, criminal and civil record searches, corporate investigations and drug screening. peopletrail.com

*Pre employ — Pre employ was our best pick for small businesses overall. Pre employ offers background screening services to companies large and small. The services offered include county, state and federal criminal record searches; national and international criminal database searches; Social Security number traces and validations; sex offender registry searches; education, license, credential and employment verifications; credit report searches; and motor vehicle record checks. The company provides small business packages via its mybackgroundcheck.com website. preemploy.com Read our full review here.

PreHire Screening Services — Oklahoma-based PreHire Screening Services is a nationwide pre-employment screening services provider to companies of all sizes. The company's wide range of background screening services are utilized for numerous purposes, including pre-employment screening, tenant screening, volunteer screening, student screening and contractor screening. Pre-employment services include criminal record searches, driving record searches, and employment and education verifications. prehirescreening.com

Private Eyes — Private Eyes Inc. provides comprehensive pre-employment screening services, such as background checks, education verification, Social Security background checks, drug screening, physicals, driver qualification file maintenance and motor vehicle record checks. The company works with more than 500 organizations of all sizes in health care, transportation, retail, food and beverage, and other industries. privateeyesinc.com

Proforma Screening Solutions — Proforma Screening Solutions delivers a wide range of background checks and background screening services for companies large and small. For the needs of smaller businesses, the company offers an express online background screening system called E-Authorize Express, which enables managers to select from among its most popular background screening packages. Packages include Social Security number validation, address history, national criminal database searches, terrorist watch list searches, sex offender registry searches, county and federal criminal records searches, and motor vehicle reports. proformascreening.com

Research Associates — Research Associates Inc. has been conducting employee screening services since 1953. Among the details the company provides are personal interviews with former employers and references, chronological review of work and education history, education and license verification, credit and financial information, criminal history reports, driving records, and civil and bankruptcy court records. researchassociatesinc.com

Sarma — Sarma is a nationwide provider of employment screening services. The services the company provides include county criminal reports, credit reports, drug screening, education verification, federal criminal reports, I-9 verification, multistate criminal searches, motor vehicle reports, sex offender records and Social Security number trace. sarma.com

Shield Screening — Shield Screening is a full-service background screening firm. The company offers Social Security number traces; credit report checks; motor vehicle report checks; national, state and county criminal searches; National Sex Offender Registry searches; drug screening; and employment, education and professional license verification. shieldscreening.com

SingleSource Services — SingleSource Services is a national employment screening provider. The company offers a wide range of employment screening services, including federal, state and county court record searches; motor vehicle driving record searches; credit checks; employment, education and professional credential verification; and drug screening. singlesourceservices.com

TalentWise — TalentWise offers a range of human resources services, including pre-employment screening. The company's screening portfolio includes hundreds of different FCRA-compliant products and services, ranging from commonly used criminal and civil searches, to domestic and international background verifications, to adjudication and adverse-action services. When all screening results are in, the company's bar-certified lawyers triple-check all screening findings, including potentially adverse information, for absolute accuracy and compliancy. The company also offers a set of on-demand, preconfigured employment background check and drug screening offerings specifically for small businesses that can be purchased online with a credit card. talentwise.com

Trak-1 — Trak-1 is a screening intelligence company accredited by the NAPBS and offers FCRA-compliant screening services and reports for clients in multiple industries. The company conducts a variety of screening services, including criminal court record searches, Social Security number checks, motor vehicle reports, education and employment verifications, workers' compensation reports, credit history, past financial practices, and drug and alcohol screening. trak-1.com

Universal Background Screening — Universal Background Screening is a provider of background screening solutions, including a comprehensive selection of employment background checks and verifications, employee drug testing, employment physicals and compliance management services. The company conducts background checks on vendors, temporary staff, consultants, volunteers, students, executives and extended workforce. It also conducts employee re-screening to help ensure it learns about employees who commit crimes after a pre-employment background check is conducted. universalbackground.com

Here is a list of online background check websites:

BackgroundChecks.com — BackgroundChecks.com offers all types of background checks, including criminal background checks. The service's criminal database contains more than 500 million criminal records from more than 1,000 sources, including county court records, state repositories, departments of corrections, administrative office of courts, state sex and violent offender registries, government exclusion and terrorist watch lists. This website abides by the FCRA regulations and can be used as part of the pre-employment hiring process. backgroundchecks.com

*BackgroundReport.com — BackgroundReport.com was our best pick for do-it-yourself websites. BackgroundReport.com provides online access to background reports for either yourself or someone else. The service offers instant online access to background information such as Social Security number validation, criminal and arrest records, bankruptcies, judgments, liens, address history, alias names and evictions. This website abides by the FCRA regulations and can be used as part of the pre-employment hiring process. backgroundreport.com Read our full review here.

BackgroundSearcher.com — Members of Background Searcher get instant, unlimited access to the site's entire comprehensive selection of links to investigative databases, resources and search sites, including state, federal and local government public records resources. Background Searcher doesn't state on its website whether it abides by FCRA regulations. backgroundsearcher.com

BeenVerified — BeenVerified provides instant access to public records. The company aggregates the most up-to-date public record databases available through its Web-based software. The service is not FCRA-compliant and is not intended for pre-employment screening. beenverified.com

eVerify — eVerify's information is derived from updated information resources of governmental and private search listings, and is specialized in four informative search options: people, background, criminal records and social media. The service is not FCRA compliant and is not intended for pre-employment screening. everify.com

FindOutTheTruth.com — FindOutTheTruth.com provides private-investigator-assisted background checks, criminal records, employee screenings, tenant screenings and international criminal background checks. The service's reports are compiled using several different databases that contain billions of records across a variety of subjects. This website abides by the FCRA regulations and can be used as part of the pre-employment hiring process. findoutthetruth.com

Instant Checkmate — Instant Checkmate is a people database that can instantly perform a background check online. You can search for anyone in the U.S. and get immediate access to the person's criminal records, addresses, real age, known aliases, lawsuits and social media profiles. The service is not FCRA compliant and is not intended for pre-employment screening. instantcheckmate.com

Intelius — Intelius is an information commerce company founded in 2003 that provides comprehensive online information about individuals, their histories and their connections to others. The company's reports and services range from basic people search results to detailed background reports to a comprehensive identity-theft protection service. The service is not FCRA compliant and is not intended for pre-employment screening. intelius.com

Intelligator — Intelligator allows you to conduct background checks, people searches and public records searches. By subscribing to the website, you have access to a nationwide search system that will check public and private data sources to compile a report on the individual. The service is not FCRA compliant and is not intended for pre-employment screening. intelligator.org

KnowX — KnowX is used for finding information about businesses, people and assets, and discovering any critical relationships between them. With this website, you can run a background check on a business, locate assets or investigate property value through public records. The service is not FCRA compliant and is not intended for pre-employment screening. knowx.com

PeopleFinders — PeopleFinders is an online site used for finding people and obtaining public records about them. You can find people by name, phone number, address or email. The service is not FCRA compliant and is not intended for pre-employment screening. peoplefinders.com

PeopleSmart — PeopleSmart is designed to help find people and learn about others. The service, which provides search access to contact information and public records, allows you to try to find someone by name, email, phone number and address. The service is not FCRA compliant and is not intended for pre-employment screening. peoplesmart.com

PeopleWise — PeopleWise uses public records to help you find information about people, businesses, assets, neighborhoods and any critical relationships among them. The service is not FCRA compliant and is not intended for pre-employment screening. peoplewise.com

US Search — US Search is an online provider of people search, background checks, phone number lookups and public records. The service is not FCRA compliant and is not intended for pre-employment screening. ussearch.com

Here is a list of background check companies that specialize in household employee screening and weren't listed above:

Background Checks for Nannies — Background Checks for Nannies offers background screening services from True Hire, a nationwide provider of background checks, pre-employment screening, comprehensive drug testing programs and a wide range of applicant tracking systems. Its services include identity reports; credit reports; driver's records; reference and credential reports; and criminal records at the county, state and federal levels. backgroundchecksfornannies.com

Childcare Background Research Corp. — Childcare Background Research Corp. focuses exclusively on conducting in-depth nanny background checks. Its nanny background checks are designed especially for child care candidates. The checks include national and county criminal checks, sex offender checks, driving history and college education verification. childcarebackground.com

ESR Screened Caregiver — ESR Screened Caregiver, a service from nationwide accredited background check firm Employment Screening Resources, provides background screening services for employers of caregivers. The company offers three different background screening packages, which range in price from $150 to $250 per check. Screening services include criminal history checks, sex offender searches and motor vehicle records. screenedcaregiver.com

*eNannySource — eNannySource was our best pick for household employees. eNannySource has been conducting household employee background checks since 1994. The company's background checks — which include criminal history records, address history, Social Security number traces, driving reports and reference checks — are fully compliant with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. eNannySource also serves as a job posting site for families looking for household help. enannysource.com Read our full review here.

GoNannies — GoNannies is a subscription-based service that serves as an alternative to placement agencies. The company helps match families with nannies, sitters, housekeepers, personal assistants, elder caregivers and other domestic personnel. In addition to its matching services, the company offers three levels of background checks. Included in the various packages are criminal history searches, employment and education verification, and driver's license checks. gonannies.com

NannyVerify — NannyVerify has been providing families with comprehensive, FCRA-compliant pre-employment background screening services since 1998. The company offers a variety of background screening packages, as well as a la carte services, which include in-court county criminal records checks, motor vehicle reports, and education and employment verification. nannyverify.com

Safelutions — Safelutions offers a range of security services, including background checks to businesses, schools, organizations and household employers. The company offers three different nanny background check packages that include thorough investigations into previous employment, tax records, references, criminal records, driving records, lawsuits and sex offender registries. safelutions.com

Are you a background check service that would like to be added to this list and possibly considered for our next round of reviews? Please feel free to contact Chad Brooks at cbrooks@purch.com.