When you are being considered for a new job or meet someone new online for friendship or dating, you might see background checks happening for you.
You might also do these background checks for yourself if you want to make sure of someone you have in your life and see all the public information accessible to everyone in one report.
However, manually doing this is extremely hard and might not give you the result you need.
That’s why there are websites and applications helping people with background checks and seeing all the public information they want to see easily.
Among all the options, it might be hard to know which is best for you.
Two of the most popular options in the background check industry are Intelius and BeenVerified, both of which have been in the sector for years with a proven record of success.
We will compare these two websites together to see which one comes out on top and help you to make a decision.
| Intelius | BeenVerified | |
| Pricing | $24.86/mo ($21.13/mo for bi-monthly subscription) | $26.89/mo ($17.48/mo for 3 months membership) |
| Reports | Background reports, contact info, phone, email, and address lookups, criminal records | Background reports, contact info, phone, email and address lookups, criminal records |
| Payment Method | Visa, PayPal, Mastercard | Visa, PayPal, Mastercard, American Express, Discover |
| Features | Mobile-friendly website, mobile app, | Organized reports, versatile search options, mobile app |
| Customer Support | Email, on-call, Facebook & Twitter | Email, on-call, Facebook & Twitter |
Intelius Overview
Intelius is a long-term player in background check services, operating successfully since 2003.
Intelius offers various ways to initiate a background check and find your results, which is known as a layered search.
You can start basic, start by looking up the criminal records of someone of your choice or do a complete background check that includes all their reports.
You also have the option to add the financial information of the person you choose for the check.
Intelius also works very efficiently on mobile phones thanks to their own mobile app available on iOS and Android.
Intelius also has a service that tells you the identity of those who checks your credit score for an extra fee.
That’s why their experience and extra offerings make Intelius an attractive background check service to choose from. 1
Beenverified Overview
BeenVerified came into our lives through their extensive marketing on TV ads in the 2010s.
They are the star of background checks mostly because they offer not just a comprehensive check in different areas, but they also give that to you in an easily readable manner.
BeenVerified offers birth records, arrest history, licenses and permits, and many other related documents about the target’s files available to the public.
The thing that diversifies BeenVerified more than Intelius and most other background check services is how it delivers that information to you.
It doesn’t dump all this information in front of you, expecting you to understand everything.
Beenverified’s background checks come with a good explanation and clarification for the user. It works on a monthly membership plan, and you get unlimited reports. 2
Comparison & Winner Based On:
Features
Intelius Features
- Reverse phone lookup
- Background check
- People search
- Public records search
- Reverse address lookup
- Criminal & traffic records search
- People & phone directory
BeenVerified Features
- VIN number lookups
- Theft records lookups
- Accident & salvage lookups
- Sales & background searches
- Specifications & equipment details
- Title checks
- Market values & ownership cost
- Multiple ways to search. Search people, addresses and more!
Winner: Intelius
Ease of Use
Intelius
Intelius has a more complex design all around, and there are many steps to take before getting the check package you need.
In addition, some users report that it automatically registers you for a monthly subscription when you just want to buy a package only once.
BeenVerified
BeenVerified has a more modern design and easy navigation around the website. You can simply put in all your information and get the necessary checks.
We like BeenVerified more in terms of use since it has a clean and robust website design.
Winner: BeenVerified
Price And Plans
Intelius Price and Plans
| Plan | Price |
| One month Membership | $24.86 a month |
| 2-Month Membership | $21.13 a month |
Intelius is $24.86/mo ($21.13/mo for a bi-monthly subscription)
BeenVerified Price and Plans
| Plan | Price |
| One month Membership | $26.89 a month |
| 3-Month Membership | $17.48 a month |
BeenVerified is $26.89/mo (it could go down to $17.48 if you subscribe for 3 months)
Winner: Intelius
Sign Up Process
Intelius
Intelius’s sign-up process is a little bit complicated. It doesn’t have a specific sign-up page like BeenVerified.
You need to first choose a check you want to do, provide all the information, and pay for the results at the end. Then you can sign up for your account and purchase a membership.
You also have the option to choose the membership when you are first buying your background check.
Beenverified
Beenverified’s sign-up process is very quick and takes only two minutes to do.
However, you must buy a subscription package, enter your card information, and make the payment. Then, you can sign up and get as many checks as you wish.
We like BeenVerified better in terms of the sign-up process since it provides a faster process and has a dedicated sign-up page, compared to Intelius’ complicated method.
Winner: BeenVerified
Opt-Out Process
Intelius
When you want to opt out of Intelius and cancel your subscription, you can do so on the website easily without having to contact them personally.
However, you will have to pay a $7.95 fee regardless of your subscription.
Beenverified
If you want to opt out of your subscription with BeenVerified, you have to call them or mail them during business hours to cancel your membership.
It is not easy to opt out, and you might be charged if you don’t do this.
We like Intelius better in terms of opting-out.
Winner: Intelius
Ease Of Use
Intelius
Intelius is a bit complicated to use and get started with as it offers several options.
Some users also say that they automatically got subscribed to the monthly package without choosing anything in particular.
BeenVerified
Many suggest that BeenVerified is easier to use, has a robust website, and it’s down to the bat. On average, it takes about five minutes to compile a report of the most common searches.
We like BeenVerified’s website design more since it is very modern, robust, and easy to use. You can get a report in less than ten minutes, and you can see whatever you want in a more compiled way than a complicated report.
Winner: BeenVerified
Reports & Accuracy
Intelius
Most users have reported that the searches Intelius makes are mostly accurate.
However, data such as the current address, social media details, and phone numbers are sometimes missing.
BeenVerified
Most information BeenVerified provides is from public sources and sometimes gives you more than one result for phone, address, and person lookups.
Some customers have stated that the information they received came out to be wrong, but overall most people also say that the information was accurate.
This means that BeenVerified is not accurate all the time, similar to Intelius.
Even though both platforms sometimes give out inaccurate information, inaccuracy reports of Intelius seem to be lower than BeenVerified.
Winner: Intelius
We also compared Intelius with Spokeo and were shocked to see how it performed compared to Spokeo.
Customer Support
Intelius
Intelius offers customer support through email, calls, Twitter, and Facebook.
BeenVerified
BeenVerified also offers email, call, Twitter, and Facebook.
In terms of customer service, we find both the platforms equally good.
Intelius Vs. beenVerified: Winner?
Both platforms are reputable background check services that have been providing people with these checks for years now.
They offer similar services, but how they show the results appeal to different people. BeenVerified aims to make the results simpler and easier to read, which makes it suitable for most.
Intelius is a bit more complicated and thorough background check service. In the end, what you will choose mostly depends on what it is that you exactly need.
If you need reports that are easy to read and you are a casual user who needs a more streamlined experience, BeenVerified should be your go-to.
However, if you know what you are looking for and are a frequent background check user, then you should consider Intelius.
We also compared Intelius with TruthFinder and BeenVerified with Instant Checkmate and were shocked to see the results.
FAQ
Do I have to pay extra for the different background checks I need?
Depends on what you exactly need. Intelius has some packages that only do phone lookup, address lookup, or most background checks together in one bundle.
The same thing doesn’t apply to BeenVerified, as they offer everything with one subscription package.
Are these the only two background check services I can use?
No, there are a lot of good background check sites such as Instant Checkmate, PeopleLooker, NetDetective, etc. Intelius and BeenVerified are just two of the most popular and legitimate background check services.
Are Intelius and BeenVerified the best two background check services?
This mostly depends on what it is you need in your background checks. There could be better options or one of these could be the best one for you.
Overall, there are similar or better background check services out there for you to choose from.
Sources
https://www.beenverified.com/about/bv-vs-comp/
https://www.intelius.com/pricing/
https://www.sitejabber.com/reviews/beenverified.com
Shefali Jain is a Content Writer & Editor at USWorkforce.org
After completing her graduation in hospitality, Shefali decided to follow her passion and started writing. Shefali has been writing for two years now and contributes to our website as a skilled editor and content writer with strong research skills. Writing product and service reviews, biographies, and book reviews are some of her key areas, among many others in which she specializes. In her time at the organization, she has written and edited content on a range of topics, including employment law, human resources, and business management.
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