The Best People Search Sites in 2020
Want an efficient tool to search for old acquaintances or check potential professional relations?
Our reviews of the best people search sites will help you find exactly what you need.
We used the following ranking methodology:
- We started by finding all the relevant sites.
- We checked what search features & prices they offer.
- We tested them to find real people and evaluated their effectiveness.
Ready to start exploring? Find the best people search site for you in the list below!
Last Updated: November 20, 2020
Top 8 People Search Sites
1. Intelius
Intelius is one of the best people search engines available! Its robust database and great accuracy will provide you with a detailed report on millions of people. It’s best for background checks. Available only for US-based clients, it offers reliable and extensive reports. There is a 7-day free trial period. FULL REVIEW
- Includes education records
- Detailed and accurate background check when providing information on criminal and court records
- Another consumer favorite looking at people search websites is the reverse phone and the address lookup
Show More
Intelius is one of the best people search engines available! Its robust database and great accuracy will provide you with a detailed report on millions of people. It’s best for background checks. Available only for US-based clients, it offers reliable and extensive reports. There is a 7-day free trial period. FULL REVIEW
7-day trial
No, only USA
No
Yes
2. Truthfinder
Truthfinder is at the top of many best people search websites lists, with its extremely detailed reports going back for years. Truthfinder is best for getting the most recent and correct data. A free mobile app is available. There is no trial period, and a PDF copy of the report is available at a small fee. It’s now available in Australia as well as the US on the free Truthfinder app. FULL REVIEW
- Recent correct data
- Free mobile app
- Affordable pricing
Show More
Truthfinder is at the top of many best people search websites lists, with its extremely detailed reports going back for years. Truthfinder is best for getting the most recent and correct data. A free mobile app is available. There is no trial period, and a PDF copy of the report is available at a small fee. It’s now available in Australia as well as the US on the free Truthfinder app. FULL REVIEW
No
US and Australia
Charged extra
Yes
3. InstantCheckmate
InstantCheckmate is the website with people’s information to turn to when you need to investigate whether someone’s violated the law. It’s best for a criminal records search, and it will provide you with an in-depth report like no other. With its five-day trial for only $1, you will get to test its reports on arrest records, warrants, convictions, court records, inmate records, and traffic violations. It does not have a free trial, and PDFs are charged extra. It’s a cloud service, which also offers web-based iOS and Android apps. FULL REVIEW
- 5-day trial for only $1
- Unlimited reports
- Simple & easy to use
Show More
InstantCheckmate is the website with people’s information to turn to when you need to investigate whether someone’s violated the law. It’s best for a criminal records search, and it will provide you with an in-depth report like no other. With its five-day trial for only $1, you will get to test its reports on arrest records, warrants, convictions, court records, inmate records, and traffic violations. It does not have a free trial, and PDFs are charged extra. It’s a cloud service, which also offers web-based iOS and Android apps. FULL REVIEW
$1 trial
US
Charged extra
Yes, for Android
4. PeopleFinders
PeopleFinders is best for running in-depth background checks. Its interface is simple and very easy to use, The information search goes well back and provides the client with an abundance of data. PeopleFinders is available on all devices (free mobile apps, laptop, and desktop). Downloaded files come at a small fee. FULL REVIEW
- Rich information search
- Good historic data
- Simple & easy to use interface
Show More
PeopleFinders is best for running in-depth background checks. Its interface is simple and very easy to use, The information search goes well back and provides the client with an abundance of data. PeopleFinders is available on all devices (free mobile apps, laptop, and desktop). Downloaded files come at a small fee. FULL REVIEW
$1 trial
Yes
$0.50 to download
Yes
5. US Search
US Search is one of the first search engines for people ever created. Reliable and practical, it will offer you a US-based search, with the option to run the check in a specific state only. The reports are precise and detailed, and the design practical and easy. FULL REVIEW
- Very low prices for basic searches
- Accurate and up-to-date address finder
- Accurate and up-to-date telephone information
Show More
US Search is one of the first search engines for people ever created. Reliable and practical, it will offer you a US-based search, with the option to run the check in a specific state only. The reports are precise and detailed, and the design practical and easy. FULL REVIEW
No
US Only
No
No
6. Spokeo
Spokeo is one of the best people lookup sites if you need social media and location info. It’s a US-only service that will provide you with in depth reports offering even personal interest insight. Basic searches are free and you can receive reports in PDF format. There is a free Spokeo app available for Android users. FULL REVIEW
- Mobile app
- Easy to use, uncluttered interface
- Elegant and straightforward search
Show More
Spokeo is one of the best people lookup sites if you need social media and location info. It’s a US-only service that will provide you with in depth reports offering even personal interest insight. Basic searches are free and you can receive reports in PDF format. There is a free Spokeo app available for Android users. FULL REVIEW
Free for basic results
Mostly US only
Yes
Yes
7. Pipl
Pipl is top of the list of free people search engines. This global service available internationally gathers the data and directs you to other people finding services. One of the fastest and easiest engines to use out there will provide you with an abundance of basic data. It’s web-based, and you can use it on Windows and Mac. FULL REVIEW
- Great accuracy
- Super fast & easy search
- Large amount of easy to obtain data
Show More
Pipl is top of the list of free people search engines. This global service available internationally gathers the data and directs you to other people finding services. One of the fastest and easiest engines to use out there will provide you with an abundance of basic data. It’s web-based, and you can use it on Windows and Mac. FULL REVIEW
Yes
Yes
No
No
8. Zoominfo
Zoominfo internet people search is best for B2B people searches. Its business database is unparalleled, and the UI is seamless and elegant. It’s a global contact data vendor with a free trial, free Community edition, and Android and iOS mobile apps. Its Pro version is considered to be one of the best out there. FULL REVIEW
- Global database
- Provides accurate locations of businesses
- Works on mobile devices, the Web, cloud, and as SaaS
Show More
Zoominfo internet people search is best for B2B people searches. Its business database is unparalleled, and the UI is seamless and elegant. It’s a global contact data vendor with a free trial, free Community edition, and Android and iOS mobile apps. Its Pro version is considered to be one of the best out there. FULL REVIEW
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
The Best People Search Sites – Something for Everyone
People search sites help you reconnect with family members, old friends, or classmates and find out vital information about people you don’t know. They’re also a valuable tool for avoiding fraud and staying safe.
Imagine how time-consuming it would be to find your long-lost cousin’s current address. Or to run a real-life, non-digital background check on someone you have just met and are unsure if they are truthful about who they are. It would take days or weeks to gather information yourself. Perhaps you would end up finding nothing at all.
That’s why we at HostingTribunal decided to review and rate the best people search sites, which gather the publicly available data from government agencies and databases and compile it for you for a fee.
Here’s what we found.
Disclaimer: The services work better in certain countries. Make sure to check whether yours is part of their coverage before purchasing a product.
Legal Disclaimer – The sites on this page are NOT Consumer Reporting Agencies (CRA) according to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The services listed below can’t be used for employment, credit or tenant screening, or related purposes.
The 8 Best People Search Sites
- FREE PLAN 7-day trial
- GLOBAL PEOPLE SEARCH No, only USA
- DOWNLOADABLE REPORTS No
- MOBILE APP Yes
- Includes education records
- Detailed and accurate background check when providing information on criminal and court records
- Another consumer favorite looking at people search websites is the reverse phone and the address lookup.
- US search only
- You can’t download the reports
- Marriage and address information inaccuracy
What Is Intelius?
Intelius is a public records search service and one of the easiest tools to use to acquire information about individuals. Intelius serves 300 million requests a month, gathering public records from government and numerous other databases.
It’s one of the most reliable background check companies out there and is well-designed overall. Many think of it as the best people search engine available today.
Intelius Pricing
Intelius offers monthly subscriptions, and its prices are standard and quite affordable.
A background check costs $39.95, while a Criminal Record search costs $14.95 statewide or $29.95 nationwide.
The use of its reverse address search engines comes in the price range from $4.95 to $14.95.
A report without a criminal record is available for $6.95, and you can purchase the most basic plan for only $3.95.
Monthly Premier and Premier Plus plans are $19.95 and $29.95, respectively, and they might be a better option if you plan on running multiple checks on more individuals. There is a seven-day free trial period.
Intelius User Reviews
The main advantages users listed were the affordable plans and the options to choose subscriptions that best suit your needs. Reviews were mixed when it comes to accuracy. One of the main complaints that kept coming up was a large number of hidden fees.
We Recommend Intelius for…
Intelius is great for investigative searches, as it includes criminal records search in the background check.
Truthfinder
BEST PEOPLE SEARCH ENGINE FOR THE MOST RECENT INFORMATION ON SOMEONE
- FREE PLAN No
- GLOBAL PEOPLE SEARCH US and Australia
- DOWNLOADABLE REPORTS Charged extra
- MOBILE APP Yes
- Free mobile app
- Affordable pricing
- Recent correct data
- Unlimited checks within the monthly subscription
- Very detailed reports, which go back 15 years in some cases
- No trial period
- Only monthly subscriptions
- You can’t buy individual reports
What Is Truthfinder?
Truthfinder is a top people search finding service that helps you trace down and connect with family members or college friends. It allows you to perform background checks on individuals and get the most recent contact info.
In its reports, Truthfinder will include a phone number, email address, property ownership information, criminal and job history, educational background, social media accounts, names of coworkers and associates, family members, and friends. Even roommates or former romantic partners.
Consumers like Truthfinder for its intuitive design and accurate detailed reports. It is highly ranked and easily one of the best people finder options out there.
Truthfinder Pricing
Fees are paid monthly. A one-month plan with TruthFinder costs just under $30 per month. If you decide to go for the three-month subscription, the monthly price drops to $26. If you were to do one check a day, it would mean you would be paying around 99 cents per report.
Truthfinder User Reviews
A good contender for the title of the best people search engine, Truthfinder gets excellent reviews when it comes to reliability and providing the most recent data.
Although they rarely complain about the accuracy, users comment negatively on the amount of promotional emails they get.
We Recommend Truthfinder for…
Truthfinder is perfect for checking your own data and connecting with old friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and classmates. This tool can be one of the best solutions when looking for a relative you have lost contact with.
- FREE PLAN $1 trial
- GLOBAL PEOPLE SEARCH US
- DOWNLOADABLE REPORTS Charged extra
- MOBILE APP Yes, for Android
- Unlimited reports
- 5-day trial for only $1
- Simple & easy to use
- Detailed & accurate criminal records search
- You can check your own records & remove them
- Pricey
- Hidden costs
- No consumer reports, nor tenant or employment screenings
What Is InstantCheckmate?
InstantCheckmate is a simple and reliable people finding service tool with an easy to use interface. The data is compiled from public data using federal, state, and county records. You can search for phone numbers, emails, birthdays, addresses, and criminal records, as well as voter registration or sex offenders registry. You can even find things like bankruptcy information and social media handles. It is the best website to investigate someone you suspect of having a criminal record.
InstantCheckmate Pricing
For a five-day trial offer, you will need only $1, and you can test the service yourself. This option is great if you only need to conduct one search, as it is a very affordable option for a good service if you don’t need multiple reports.
A one-month membership price will set you back $34.78, while the three-month plan comes at a regularly discounted price of $27.82 per month.
You will need to pay $19.99 per report for Premium reports and an additional $1.99 per PDF.
Watch out for the end of your subscription period, as the membership will renew automatically.
InstantCheckmate User Reviews
Most users complain about the automatic renewal at the end of the billing cycle, along with the confusing or unclear pricing and additional costs for in-depth reports.
People searches reviews also reveal that users are not happy with the customer support despite the tool being quite decent in general in most reviews on functionality.
We Recommend InstantCheckmate for…
InstantCheckmate is superb for detailed criminal records search and background check.
- FREE PLAN $1 trial
- GLOBAL PEOPLE SEARCH Yes
- DOWNLOADABLE REPORTS $0.50 to download
- MOBILE APP Yes
- Rich information search
- Good historic data
- Free mobile app
- Low prices
- Accurate data
- Simple & easy to use interface
- No marriage records
- Poor report design
- United States searches only
- Social media handles & work history excluded
- Email & phone records are sometimes lacking
What Is PeopleFinders?
PeopleFinders is a background check tool that gathers information from public data and is one of the best people search sites. It’s available on all devices (mobile, laptop, and desktop), which gives you the ability to perform a background check at any time. It is very affordable and offers a great amount of data.
PeopleFinders Pricing
A basic monthly subscription comes at $24.95. There are initial $1 trials that may last for a week or three days.
One report is available for $39.95 each, which is about average. Scaled-down people search reports, which don’t include legal information, cost $1.95 each. It costs $0.50 to download the reports you buy.
PeopleFinders User Reviews
People Finders reviews report cancellation issues. Customers were unable to cancel the service without performing many steps and were often unsuccessful even if they were under the impression that they had managed to cancel the subscription. In many cases, this has led to subsequent billing issues and unwanted costs.
Some users were not pleased by the fact that the initial process looks like it leads to a completely free trial when it is actually $1 for the first week.
We Recommend PeopleFinders for…
PeopleFinders is the best match for those looking for the lowest prices and a basic report.
- FREE PLAN No
- GLOBAL PEOPLE SEARCH US Only
- DOWNLOADABLE REPORTS No
- MOBILE APP No
- Very low prices for basic searches
- Detailed & accurate property records
- Accurate and up-to-date address finder
- Accurate and up-to-date telephone information
- People data is protected against online identity theft
- Outdated website interface
- Details about plans & prices is hidden
- Criminal records search is incomplete & lacking
- There is no mobile app available, PDFs, or a free trial
- Additional searches are pricey & have a very low rating
What Is US Search?
US Search is one of the oldest people search companies, founded way back in 1994. It performs basic background checks, and you can use it to find out where your old friends or lost relatives live. The basic information provided is accurate and up to date. If you are looking for an established company that has been around for quite some time, US Search fits the bill.
US Search Pricing
A one-time people search is only $2.45, and you’ll get the name, age, address and address history, phone numbers, relatives, and associates. With an OmniSearch subscription, the unlimited basic search comes at $20. Background Check, with a more detailed information report, is $40
When searching for criminal records, there is a one 1 State Criminal Records search for $15, which will provide you with the results from the state you inquired about.
US Search User Reviews
Overall, US Search receives consistently bad reviews regarding multiple areas of service.
From unclear pricing and hidden costs, unethical marketing practices such as delaying service until customers enter a new billing cycle, to plain false advertising. Almost everything related to payment was brought up as an issue.
Customer service receives low reviews, as did technical development. A list of complaints about what the searches don’t include is even longer than the list of payment issues.
We Recommend US Search for…
US Search is the best option if you need to find people and conduct very basic multiple searches. Prices are low enough, and the straightforward simple data will be provided in most cases with enough accuracy. US Search will not reveal credit histories, birthdays, or any sensitive information as a form of protection from identity theft.
Spokeo
BEST FOR CONTACT INFORMATION, LOCATION HISTORY, SOCIAL MEDIA & INTERESTS
- FREE PLAN Free for basic results
- GLOBAL PEOPLE SEARCH Mostly US only
- DOWNLOADABLE REPORTS Yes
- MOBILE APP Yes
- Mobile app
- PDF reports
- Easy to use, uncluttered interface
- Elegant and straightforward search
- The extra info contains interesting facts
- Common names require narrowing down
- Limit on the number of searches is hidden
- 200 profile views is an extra $21 per month
- Marriage data is often incomplete and outdated
What Is Spokeo?
Spokeo is one of the best people search sites that will provide you with basic background data through its easy to navigate and pleasant to use layout. The prices are affordable, and the extra nuggets of information are interesting. It has a large amount of data pulled from publicly available services and 12 billion online records.
Spokeo Pricing
The price of one-month membership at Spokeo is $13.95, and the three-month plan is $7.95 a month, which is quite affordable.
Spokeo for business service is there to provide business owners with information that will prevent fraud. The services are only available in the US.
Spokeo User Reviews
As many other people search engines, Spokeo receives negative reviews about hidden costs and misleading advertising. Issues with continued billing after cancellation are mentioned frequently enough for it to affect the ratings.
What’s more, even though it’s pleasant and easy to use, the number of errors made multiple users go for the option on Spokeo to delete your information.
We Recommend Spokeo for…
Spokeo is good for basic searches of location, address, or phone ownership, as well as reconnecting with friends and family.
- FREE PLAN Yes
- GLOBAL PEOPLE SEARCH Yes
- DOWNLOADABLE REPORTS No
- MOBILE APP No
- Great accuracy
- Global coverage
- Super fast & easy search
- Pro plans have awesome value
- Large amount of easy to obtain data
- A bit pricey
- The free trial is limited
What Is Pipl?
Pipl is the best people search engine for global search. It helps verify identities and prevent financial fraud and offers excellent social media data search. It is one of the most popular people search engines because of the ease of use and the wide search net with accurate results. The Pipl search engine is a global tool used in financial and insurance industries, as well as for private searches.
Pipl Pricing
As it does not offer reports, pricing is based on matches.
Here are are the price categories:
- Contact $0.05 per match or $0.10 per match with Premium Data Coverage. You’ll get a name, age, gender, address, and landline phone number.
- Social $0.10 per match or $0.20 per match with Premium Data Coverage. You’ll get contact info as well as images, associates, and social handles.
- Business $0.20 per match or $0.40 per match with Premium Data Coverage. You’ll get everything from contact and social info plus job, education, cell number, and email address.
There are complaints about unclear pricing and misleading offers. Some users report that too many searches block their IP address. Additionally, there are time-consuming verification protocols and too much proving you’re not a robot.
We Recommend Pipl for…
Pipl is great if you need to check the identity of someone you’ve just met. It is used by small businesses and large companies alike, especially in the insurance and finance sectors.
- FREE PLAN Yes
- GLOBAL PEOPLE SEARCH Yes
- DOWNLOADABLE REPORTS Yes
- MOBILE APP Yes
- Global database
- Clean, fast, easy to use interface
- Unmatched business contact database
- Provides accurate locations of businesses
- Provides a hierarchy of contacts inside a company
- Works on mobile devices, the Web, cloud, and as SaaS
- Extremely reliable phone search results as well as email address base
- Well-integrated with other platforms such as Salesforce and Linkedin
- Unclear pricing
- It is by far the most expensive option
What Is Zoominfo?
Zoominfo is an intelligence platform currently hosting 202,000 paid users from 15,000 companies, providing analytics from 14 million businesses. It offers an online record from its database about people, businesses, and companies to other sales, marketing, and recruiting teams. It focuses on business people worldwide and in the US and conducts an international people search. It comes with a superb database and leading tech solutions. Plus it integrates with a number of enterprise-grade software, including CRM systems like Salesforce and some of the leading autoresponders.
Zoominfo Pricing
Zoominfo pricing is around $4900 a year per 5000 leads. That means a lead is just under a dollar if you commit to this number of searches. There is a free trial available and a free Community Edition. When you subscribe to it, you agree for business info to be added to the database, so it doesn’t come with no strings attached.
The Free edition offers ten contacts a month, which drops somewhat due to errors. Still, it’s perfect for sporadic use.
Zoominfo User Reviews
Zoominfo gets excellent reviews across the board with the expected number of errors. It’s the best search engine for finding people if you opt for pro edition.
Reviews say it’s not easy to find data for people in small companies, though. While the engine provides very reliable results for big and well-known businesses, there’s a bigger margin for error when it comes to smaller companies.
We Recommend Zoominfo for…
Zoominfo is ideal for B2B sales and marketing teams for large volumes searches. On the other hand, the free edition is the best free people search if you need to conduct only a couple of searches a month.
Great People Search Sites that Didn’t Make the Cut
Companies that come up most often as good resources for people lookup are Whitepages, PeekYou, ZabaSearch, and the classic Google search engine.
Whitepages allows you to conduct a simple search even before you subscribe, and will provide you with an address and a phone number right away, its strength lies in criminal records search which comes at an affordable price.
PeekYou is a completely free service best used for social and casual searches, and it uses the information accessible to the public and it will not reveal financial or health information.
Zaba Search offers aggregated public records reports and with one of the options they offer you can even see if anyone is searching for you online. In a group of their own, you have the searches on social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn, which will often yield more than reliable and sufficient with a bit of additional typing effort. Keep in mind this is the case with some people search services when you have to navigate through their offers and popups.
How We Ranked the Best People Search Sites
Looking at search sites is a bit different than doing our usual VPS reviews, but we didn’t let that dent our thoroughness. When ranking these services, we took the following into account:
- Ease of use – We examined the layout and ease of using the website, as well as being mobile-friendly (usually by offering an app).
- Pricing – We compared the prices of people finder sites. Does a service offer good value for money?
- Database – We considered the wealth of information. What does a service provide and what does it not?
- Features – We checked if a service actually delivered what it had promised.
- Accuracy – We checked if reports on the accuracy of the data that is provided.
- User reviews – We read user reviews and complaints.
What Are People Search Engines?
The amount of data grows exponentially, but how do the people search sites function exactly?
How People Search Sites Collect Info
People search engines collect data available to the public from public records. This is data that you could try to gather yourself, but it would be hard and time-consuming. Instead, the services gather this data for you and provide a compiled report.
How to Use People Search Engines
You will need the name, address, or phone number of the person you are looking up. The more data you can provide to the people finder tool, the more narrow the search will be. A middle name is often very useful in avoiding too many duplicate results. Some services will offer a free trial. Others will request a small fee for one search, while still others will be available only with full membership.
How to Delist from People Search Sites
Once you have performed a background check on yourself, most services will offer an option to erase your information from their database for a fee. In some cases, the process will be automated. In others, you will be required to contact customer service. The typical procedure involves finding the opt-out page, entering your name and email address, and waiting for confirmation.
Wrap up
It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Whether it is your daughter’s new boyfriend or a new coworker whose story does not check out, you’ll feel better after confirming they are who they claim to be. And the best people search sites are there to help you.
The thing is: There are plenty of options for searching or checking up on someone, but not all are reliable or affordable. Once you have found the one that suits your needs, read the fine print, find out the duration of trial periods, and don’t wait until the last minute to cancel a subscription. This way, you’ll be able to avoid the downsides of using people finder websites.
FAQ
As best people search sites for 2020 and those that are often mentioned as the best people search on Reddit include Whitepages, Pipl, Intelius, Instant Checkmate, BeenVerified, Find People Search, True People Search, That’s Them, US Search, and, finally, job search sites and platforms like Linkedin and Facebook search engines. Make sure you check out our in-depth reviews to choose the one that’s right for you.
You can find a person for free on some of the search websites such as Pipl or free trials of other people search service providers. Some services like Intelius will offer a free preliminary search before providing a full paid report.
Additionally, you can trace someone through Google News Archives or the Social Security Death Index in case the person is deceased. Totally free people search sites often provide limited data, so consider ones with affordable fees.
Companies like Facebook and LinkedIn provide a good amount of data through their persons’ search engine. But if you need more than just the basic info, the best way to find people is to invest in a report with one of the best people search sites and background check companies on our list. This way, you won’t have to go through phone books, birth certificates, or death records. These platforms will do the work for you, gathering data from the people search free public records available to them.