In movies, when a detective or reporter wants to find a missing person, they thumb through a few public records or newspaper clippings and find that person by the next scene. In real life, if you wanted to find a friend, family member or former coworker, you'd have to go through thousands of public records, some of which may not be free, and if the trail goes cold, your frustration may cause you to quit the whole endeavor. Fortunately, for a low price, people search services do all the work for you by going through thousands of records and documents.
People finders deliver a plethora of information about the people you're trying to find in only a few days. The best of these services can find someone with only a name search and give you results in seconds. While most of the data that these services use are public documents or information, you will not have access to the private documents that these people search services have secured. Also, these services charge you one fee for the search, and you won't have to pay additional duplication fees associated with some public records.
When we compared the best people search services, we found that the easiest to use and most detailed people finders are US Search, Intelius and Spokeo. Below, we explain what to look for in these services, and if you want useful search tips or ideas, you can read our articles about people search services.
Information and data are the most valuable commodities today, and the best people search services help you make sense of it all. Our reviews discuss the kind of information that people finder services provide, how easy that information is to find and how accurate it is once you get it. The best services will give you enough information to identify the person you're looking for and will present current contact information. Ultimately, the people search engines you use should have good customer support and a website that is easy to navigate and includes detailed information about the services available.
Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to evaluate people search services:
Reporting
The most important aspect of our reviews was the actual reports. We tested for accuracy, ease of use and available information. We tested accuracy by using a test subject for whom we had 100-percent accurate information. This test subject was used for every search site, and we marked a service down if it offered false or incomplete information. We also graded the clarity of the reports given, since all the data in the world means nothing unless you know how to read it. Finally, we looked at the information provided by the reports. Complete reports included aliases, address history, relatives and social networking information, among other details.
Search Criteria
The first step for tracking a person is to use the search tools provided by a people search service. The best people finders used simple and intuitive search tools. If you do not know where a person lives, the address finder needs to allow you to search by name and age. We ranked these services by the search options they offered.
Help & Support
A vital factor in comparing search people sites involves finding help and customer service in case you run into trouble. One of the most important support resources we found is the FAQs page. Good email, phone and live chat support are also useful for solving problems, and it's ideal if the representatives you speak with are knowledgeable and quick to respond. We also checked if they require you to create an account to see some results, if they save your personal information or send you ads and if they are involved in any pending or recent legal action.
People search services are an ideal way to locate people and stay connected in the digital world. The best services make finding people easy and quick, and they provide accurate and comprehensive information.
At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don't Have To.™
| Rank | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 | #7 | #8 | #9 | #10 |
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10-9 Excellent
8-6 Good 5-4 Average 3-2 Poor 1-0 Bad
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US Search | Intelius | Spokeo | FindOutTheTruth | PeopleFinders | PeopleSmart | Veromi | PrivateEye | People Search Now | Public Background Checks |
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Price |
$2.45 |
$1.95 |
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$6.95 |
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$1.95 |
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$1.95 |
| Ratings | 10.00 | 9.45 | 9.13 | 8.95 | 8.70 | 8.25 | 6.45 | 6.25 | 6.20 | 6.00 |
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| Pricing | ||||||||||
| One Basic People Search | $2.45 | $1.95 | $0.95 | $6.95 | $1.95 | $7.95 | $9.95 | $1.95 | $4.95 | $1.95 |
| 24-hour pass | N/A | $19.95 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | $14.95 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 30-day pass | $16.65 | $19.95 | $3.95 | N/A | $24.95 | $2.95 | $39.95 | $24.95 | $5.99 | $24.95 |
| Reporting | ||||||||||
| Accuracy | 100% | 90% | 80% | 75% | 50% | 75% | 25% | 25% | 0% | 10% |
| Report Clarity | 100% | 75% | 100% | 75% | 100% | 75% | 50% | 50% | 75% | 50% |
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| Search Tool Rating | 100% | 100% | 100% | 50% | 100% | 75% | 75% | 50% | 75% | 50% |
| Number of Required Search Items | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
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