Best Tenant Background Check Sites in 2023 | Screening Tools for Landlords

The best tenant background check sites enable landlords to screen potential tenants and find out what nasty secrets they might be hiding. These websites offer a variety of services, including criminal background checks, eviction history, and credit reports. By using these services, landlords can ensure that they rent to responsible and trustworthy tenants.

We’ve reviewed and compared the best tenant background check sites to help you find the right one for your needs – looking at features, pricing, and customer reviews – and put together a list of our top 5 picks. Read on to find how providers like US Search, CheckMate and Intelius can help you avoid problematic tenants.

The Best Tenant Background Check Services in 2023 | Quick Answer

Many tenant background check services promise accurate reports but don’t deliver. Our analysis found that US Search is the #1 pick among tenant screening services and you can put it to the test with a five-day trial. Here’s a quick breakdown of all our top choices:

1. US Search — Our top pick for the best tenant background check site in 2023. Take advantage of its five-day trial for only $1.99.
2. CheckMate — An easy-to-use and very user-friendly website. You can do unlimited searches for only $35.12.
3. Intelius — A cheap but very comprehensive background check site. Try it for six days for only $0.95.
4. TruthFinder — The best site for detailed criminal background checks. It costs $28.05 per month with unlimited searches.
5. Certn — A robust background checker with fast turnaround time. Request a demo to try it yourself.

Top 5 Tenant Background Screening Services for 2023 | In-Depth Reviews

Here’s a deeper look at our top picks for the best tenant screening sites:

1. US Search — By Far The Best Tenant Background Check Site In 2023

US Search is a premier online background screening service. With more than 20 years of experience, they offer an industry-leading platform that provides landlords with instant access to public records and other vital information about their applicants. US Search is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee. They also have an A+ rating from the BBB.

USSearch gives you everything from a comprehensive background check to a simple criminal record check. As a landlord, you can quickly see if an applicant has any eviction history, criminal convictions, or outstanding warrants. The extensive data pulled from US Search shows you who you’re really renting to – letting you protect your property and other tenants from serial offenders.

You also want to check your potential tenant’s bankruptcy reports, civil judgements, and liens. These issues might not seem important, but if your tenant ends up defaulting on their rent, you could be left with a huge financial burden.

Plus, you can use US Search’s online tools to run a quick credit check and verify your applicant’s identity – so you can make sure the person you’re renting to is who they say they are. A good credit score is also a good indicator that they’ll be a responsible tenant.

Lastly, what makes US Search is the best tenant background check site in its database. Since the company began operating in 1993, it has amassed an impressive database that includes millions of public records. That means you can be confident that you’re getting accurate and up-to-date information about your applicants.

Overall, US Search is the best tenant background check site because it offers instant access to public records, is accredited by the BBB, and has a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Pricing

For only $19.95, you can get an unlimited number of criminal background checks. This is an incredible deal, especially when you compare it to other sites that charge upwards of $40 for a single check. You can also take advantage of the company’s 5-day trial for only $1.95.

2. CheckMate — Easy-to-Use and Very User-Friendly Website

CheckMate is one of the best tenant background check websites, with over 1.4 billion searches and counting. It’s easy to use, user-friendly, and provides comprehensive information.

CheckMate’s basic plan comes with unlimited searches that include:

• Social Security Number Trace
• National Criminal Database Search
• Address History
• Sex Offender Registry Search
• Global Watchlist Screening
• Eviction Records Search

This extensive search tool will give you a great idea of who your potential tenant is and whether or not they would be a good fit for your property. Not only that, this information is updated on a regular basis, so you can be confident that the information you’re getting is accurate and current.

You can also search using other methods:

• Reverse phone lookup and email search. These searches can help you find out more about a person’s identity, which is vital in tenant screening.
• Social media profile search function. This tool lets you see what your potential tenant says and does on social media.
• Android app for those who want to do their searches on the go. This feature is very beneficial for landlords who don’t have time to sit in front of a computer.
• Global Watchlist is another outstanding feature from CheckMate. This search will tell you if your potential tenant has any warrants or is on any terrorist watchlists – perfect for renting out property in a high-crime area without the risk. Not every site offers this type of search, so it’s definitely a perk that CheckMate offers.

Overall, CheckMate is at once user-friendly and highly comprehensive, making it one of the best tenant background check websites available today.

Pricing

At $35.12 per month, Checkmate can be considered one of the more expensive screening service providers compared to other websites offering similar services. But since it provides much more comprehensive searches, the price is definitely worth it.

You can get it cheaper if you opt for their 3-month plan for $28.09/month. It will save you $105.48 in total. There is also a 7-day trial for $1, which gives you full access to all features for a week. After that, you’ll be automatically charged for the monthly plan unless you cancel.

3. Intelius — Cheap But Very Comprehensive Background Check Site

Intelius is an A+-rated website with the Better Business Bureau. This website provides various services such as public records, reverse phone lookup, email search, and people search. With Intelius, you can find out if your potential tenant has a criminal record, is on the sex offender registry, or has any outstanding warrants.

Compared to other websites, Intelius is cheaper, but it doesn’t sacrifice the quality or quantity of information. With its extensive database, Intelius is one of the best websites for conducting a thorough tenant background check.

It doesn’t just stop at criminal records; you can also:

• Verify an applicant’s Social Security number and address. This is very helpful in weeding out identity theft and fraud.
• Bypass the line with fast-pass and go straight to your report, skipping any lengthy waits.
• Use infinite search capabilities and excellent customer privacy, so the individuals you are looking for are never made aware of your search.
• Receive a well-organized report in a matter of seconds.

In addition to its online services, Intelius also offers an app for both iPhone and Android devices. It’s very user-friendly and has the same great features as the website. This comes handy when you’re on-the-go and need to quickly check someone out. Because not all of us have the time to conduct in-depth research, the app is a great alternative for when you need to do a quick check.

Finally, unlike many other background check providers, Intelius offers a direct channel for its customer care team. When you first visit the Intelius website, the upper right-hand corner of the page will display a customer service phone number.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page to locate a link to the Intelius help center email address. If you encounter any problems with their website or need to ask a question, you can be sure that you’ll be able to reach a customer service representative quickly and easily.

Pricing

For only $0.95, you can try Intelius for six days and then cancel if you decide it’s not for you. This is an incredible deal considering what other companies charge for their tenant background check services. Their regular People Search plan costs $21.13 per month. This search is unlimited, and you can cancel at any time.

4. TruthFinder — Best for Detailed Criminal Background Checks

TruthFinder bills itself as one of the most reliable and superior background check providers in the United States. The business claims its background check process is more thorough than that of its competitors since it looks at owned assets, relationship histories, and educational backgrounds. It was established in 2015 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

What makes TruthFinder different from other websites that provide background checks is the fact that it offers an in-depth look into the Dark Web. The Dark Web is a part of the internet that can only be accessed through special browsers and is where all the illegal activity occurs. So, if you want to know if your tenant has any involvement in criminal activity, then this is the website for you.

Its unlimited people search also includes information such as a person’s aliases, social media accounts, and criminal records. You can also see if the person has any outstanding warrants or has been involved in any civil lawsuits. This is very comprehensive and will give you a good idea of whether the person is someone you want as a tenant.

Another great feature of TruthFinder is its reverse phone lookup. This can come in handy if you want to know who owns a certain number or if you’re trying to find out if a phone number is associated with any suspicious activity. You can use this as an additional background search tool on top of its people search tool.

Lastly, not all checking sites have their own self-monitoring tool. This is a great feature that TruthFinder offers, as it will keep an eye on your tenant even after you’ve rented to them. So, you’ll be the first to know if they get involved in any legal trouble.

Overall, we think that TruthFinder is an excellent tenant background check website. It’s thorough, offers great features, and is very user-friendly.

Pricing

It’s not surprising that TruthFinder is one of the more expensive solutions because it provides a more complete service than the majority of other providers.

Unfortunately, TruthFinder does not have a single search option. You must sign up for a monthly subscription in order to use the website’s features. This costs $28.05 per month and includes unlimited searches, social media monitoring, and email alerts.

5. Certn — Background Check With Fast Turnaround Time

Certn is one of the best-known background check companies in the world. It has a strong reputation for offering precise and thorough information. This makes it a fantastic option for anybody who wants to be certain (no pun intended) that the person they rent to will be a good match for their business.

Certn boasts AI capabilities that help to automate the screening process. This can be an excellent time-saver for landlords who are dealing with numerous applications. Compared to other companies, Certn’s chief strength is the speed and accuracy of its results.

The company offers:

• International and national criminal record checks
• Credit checks
• Employment verification
• Eviction history
• Free to try-before-you-buy

Finally, Certn’s database is regularly updated, so you can be confident that the information you’re seeing is current. It consolidates information from a variety of sources, including public records and direct sources.

Overall, Certn is an excellent choice for anybody looking for a reliable and accurate tenant background check site. The company offers a wide range of services, and its AI capabilities make it a great time-saver.

Pricing

In terms of cost, Certn is a little more expensive than some of its competitors. However, many landlords feel the extra expense is worth it for the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re renting to a responsible individual. The price for its basic unlimited plan is $24.99, its database is across North America, and the turnaround time is 1-3 business days.

Comparison Table

Since it’s fairly difficult to digest all the information above, let’s look at our head-to-head comparison of the best tenant background check site.

Why You Need a Screening Service as a Property Manager

If you’re a property manager, you are responsible for the safety and well-being of your tenants. That means finding good, qualified renters who will take care of your property and follow the rules. The best way to do that is to use a tenant screening company. Part of your potential tenant’s application should include a background check.

There are many reasons to use a screening company; let’s dive deep into 10 of them:

Save Time

A screening company will do all the work for you when it comes to conducting a background check. This includes verifying employment, checking rental history, and running a credit report. All you have to do is provide the potential tenant’s information, and the screening company will take it from there. This saves you a lot of time and energy that you can put toward other aspects of being a property manager.

Prevent Fraud

When you use a screening company, you can be sure that the information you are getting is accurate. They will verify employment history and rental references so you can be confident that your potential tenant is who they say they are. This reduces the risk of fraud and tenants not paying rent.

Avoid Problem Tenants

A screening company will help you avoid problem tenants by looking for red flags in their background checks. This could include a poor credit score, a history of eviction, or a criminal record. By avoiding these tenants, you can reduce the risk of damage to your property and save yourself the headache of dealing with difficult renters.

Peace of Mind

Knowing that you’ve done everything you can to screen your tenants will give you peace of mind. You can be confident that you’ve chosen a good, qualified tenant who will take care of your property. This will allow you to focus on other aspects of being a property manager.

Protect Your Property

When you use a screening company, you are taking steps to protect your property. By avoiding problem tenants, you can reduce the risk of damage to your property. This will save you money in the long run and help you keep your property in good condition.

Build Good Tenant-Landlord Relationships

When you use a screening company, you are more likely to find tenants who will respect your property and follow the rules. This helps build good tenant-landlord relationships and creates a positive rental experience for everyone involved.

Save Money

In the long run, using a screening company will save you money. By avoiding problem tenants, you can reduce the risk of damage to your property and spend less on maintenance and repairs.

A screening company is the best way to find qualified tenants. They will do all the work for you and help you avoid problem renters. This will save you time, money, and energy in the long run.

Comply With the Law

As a property manager, you are required to comply with fair housing laws. A screening company can help you do this by ensuring that your tenant screening process is non-discriminatory. This will help you avoid potential legal problems down the road.

Customized Screening Packages

Not all tenants are the same, so not all background checks need to be either. A screening company can provide customized screening packages that are tailored to your specific needs. This way, you can be sure that you’re getting the information you need to make a well-informed decision about your potential tenant.

Access to Expertise

When you use a screening company, you have access to their expertise and knowledge. They can answer any questions you have about the background check process and help you interpret the results. This can be very helpful when making decisions about potential tenants.

How We Chose the Best Tenant Background Check Sites for 2023

As mentioned earlier, there are thousands of options when it comes to online tenant background check services. Some will deliver what they promise, while others will give you false information or overcharge you. To simplify your search, we narrowed down the field to the five best contenders based on the following criteria.

Ease of Use

You shouldn’t have to be a tech expert to use an online tenant background check service. The best ones have user-friendly interfaces with intuitive navigation. A great example is CheckMate, which walks you through each step of the process so you know exactly what you’re getting.

Accuracy

Of course, the whole point of a background check is to get accurate information. We looked for companies that use data from reliable sources, such as courthouses and law enforcement agencies. We also considered whether the company updates its records regularly. For example, US Search pulls data from millions of different sources and updates them every 24 hours.

Price

No one likes to overpay for anything, least of all a service that’s supposed to save you money. We looked for affordable options that still provided comprehensive reports. We also considered companies that offer unlimited searches for the best price or a la carte pricing for those who want to keep costs down.

Customer Service

It’s always frustrating when you can’t get help when needed. That’s why we looked for companies with responsive customer service representatives available by phone, email, or live chat. A great example is Intelius, which offers a direct channel for customer support and even has a dedicated team to help landlords with questions about the screening process.

Reputation

We read online reviews to get a sense of what actual users think of the background check service. We also looked at each company’s BBB rating and other industry awards.

Technology

Screening websites now have AI-powered features that can help you make better decisions about your tenants. We looked for companies that offer these features, such as the ability to scan social media profiles and public records.

Features

We looked for companies that offer comprehensive reports with important information, such as eviction history and criminal records. We also considered whether the company offers additional features, such as sex offender registry searches and credit checks.

Turnaround Time

You don’t want to wait weeks to get information about your potential tenant. We looked for companies that deliver reports quickly, usually within 48 hours. The average turnaround time for the background check services we reviewed is three to five days. This is very important when you’re trying to fill a vacancy quickly.

Robust Database

The best screening services have access to a large database of public records. This gives you the most accurate information possible and increases your chances of finding what you’re looking for. Some providers scour even private databases that most people can’t access. Some others even scan the Dark Web for any information that might have been left there.

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