Replace: February 2025
This overview has been amended to make clear the present pricing construction of Intelius’ plans
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Intelius is a well-respected platform, identified for its in depth assortment of over 20 billion public information. Whereas some evaluations point out inaccuracies and incomplete knowledge, Intelius excels in offering detailed details about people’ instructional achievements. One standout characteristic of the platform is Intelius Connections, which allows customers to discover connections past an individual’s speedy circle.
Moreover, Intelius gives varied subscription tiers, permitting customers to pick out plans primarily based on the kind of lookups they require. The platform has acquired an A score from the Higher Enterprise Bureau and is acknowledged as a trusted group by the Web Society On-line Belief Alliance. Customers have the choice to request their very own knowledge and may also request the elimination of their information from the platform if desired.
The web site is user-friendly, with all the mandatory instruments available. Nevertheless, since its relaunch in 2019, there have been some complaints relating to the standard of experiences, with considerations about lacking particulars. Regardless of these points, Intelius stays one of many prime background verify providers accessible in the marketplace.
Intelius: Performing a search
You’ll want to enroll in a paid account to entry information by way of Intelius. Sadly, doing so is maybe one of the vital complicated facets of Intelius.
There may be the “skip wait now” button that can lead you to the part the place you may select to pay for the Folks Search membership and select both a month-to-month or bi-monthly fee. Apart from that, you may entry completely different plans by visiting the pricing part of the web site and selecting which plan you need from there. This isn’t as intuitive as clicking on sign-up button and selecting all the things from that part, as is commonplace on most websites promoting providers.
When you join and comply with some positive print, a search primarily based on federal, state, and county knowledge begins. In the course of the course of, you is perhaps requested inquiries to slender the probe alongside the best way. Then, close to the tip of the search course of, you’re given one last alternative to slender the search additional by including different info corresponding to first, center, or final title, metropolis, state, and age.
Intelius will lastly present a listing of people that would possibly match your standards on the primary outcomes web page. Listed are their title, age, and places the place they may have lived. Then, faucet the “Open Report” button for added info.
As a last step, you’ll must verify a field stating you gained’t use the data to “make selections about shopper credit score, employment, insurance coverage, tenant screening, or another objective that will require FCRA compliance.” That’s the 50-year-old U.S. Truthful Credit score Reporting Act that was initially developed to assist people resolve inaccuracies of their credit score experiences.
Nevertheless, in 1996, the act’s scope was expanded to incorporate extra experiences about customers, corresponding to employment background checks. Consequently, FCRA Compliance is necessary for any employer utilizing a 3rd occasion to conduct background checks.
Intelius: plans and pricing
Intelius supplies varied pricing choices, providing customization to satisfy your wants. The Folks Search membership plan prices $25.11 monthly (as of February 2025) for month-to-month funds, whereas bi-monthly funds scale back the value to $21.34. This plan contains all the things needed for a complete background verify.
If the month-to-month charge is just too excessive in your price range, Intelius gives a five-day trial of the Reverse Cellphone Lookup with the Folks Search membership plan for simply $0.95. After the trial, the service will value $35.30 month-to-month and supplies limitless cellphone, individual, and tackle experiences.
Moreover, an Tackle Lookup with Folks Search membership plan features a seven-day trial for a similar $0.95. After the trial, this plan prices $34.95 month-to-month and gives limitless addresses and private experiences.
Intelius expenses a further $3.99 per report for detailed downloadable report recordsdata. The corporate additionally gives Intelius Id Safety providers for an additional $9.95 month-to-month.
In order that you recognize, search outcomes won’t be accessible till you present Intelius with your credit score/debit card or PayPal info and full a purchase order.
Intelius: the outcomes you get and different goodies
Naturally, the outcomes you obtain on somebody will differ, relying on what Intelius finds. When discovered, the report can embody tackle information, public information, photographs, felony and site visitors information, public social profiles, belongings, licenses, and extra. Should you’re searching for lots of information about somebody, there may be maybe nothing higher than Intelius.
Moreover, I might additionally give Intelius excessive marks for making it straightforward to contact customer support. There is a cellphone quantity and e-mail available on the positioning. This one-two punch is lacking with a lot of Intelius’ opponents.
As famous above, although, it takes a very long time to entry a report. With this in thoughts, Intelius has launched a quick move characteristic. By selecting this selection on the entrance web page, you may get previous the fee web page earlier than you search. It is a barely faster course of and one I am thrilled that Intelius gives. And with out instantly saying so, going this route reveals Intelius giving just a little extra transparency, because you see the value upfront.
Intelius: canceling the service and a few negatives
Sadly, Intelius’ complicated pricing extends additional than what was talked about above. It additionally gives smaller packages, corresponding to reverse cellphone searches and tackle lookups. These are priced beneath $1, which sounds good till you learn the positive print. These choices include restricted trials that routinely improve to full membership as soon as the trial ends.
Sure, Intelius addresses this earlier than you make a purchase order. Nevertheless, the upgraded value is talked about in even tinier print, at finest. So remember to cancel your membership BEFORE the trial ends so you are not charged the complete charge.
Moreover, though it did not occur throughout my analysis, some Intelius customers on-line have claimed the agency charged them even after canceling the service. Some others have additionally talked about being overcharged. Neither of those occasions ought to happen with a good firm; hopefully, Intelius has addressed these considerations since these feedback.
Intelius: assist and buyer care
Intelius gives a “Buyer Assist” part which takes you to a supply of information and articles that will enable you to, a kind of an FAQ part.
Nevertheless, any extra severe concern must be addressed instantly with Intelius assist. Employees members are readily available throughout the working hours of seven AM to five PM PT, Monday to Friday, so your question needs to be handled shortly. Sadly, there are not any weekend hours. You may name or e-mail assist; different choices corresponding to chat, a assist portal, or a discussion board aren’t accessible.
Intelius: the competitors
A draw back to the Intelius search service is which you could’t use the product to carry out employment background checks. If that’s the explanation that you simply’re searching for a background verify service within the first place, think about using People Trail as an alternative. In contrast to Intelius, Folks Path is an accredited employment screening service.
One other draw back of Intelius is that the service requires a month-to-month membership, and paying for a one-time background search is unattainable. A competitor service value contemplating that does make use of a simple pricing scheme is Sterling, which is nice for those who want solely a one-off or occasional search. This subscription mannequin makes Intelius higher suited to these requiring a number of searches monthly.
Intelius: last verdict
Intelius is an intriguing platform that provides varied providers, significantly background checks. Nevertheless, there are a number of areas the place enhancements may considerably enhance consumer expertise. Opinions about Intelius have been combined; whereas some customers report passable experiences, others increase legitimate considerations relating to the accuracy and consistency of the info offered. Some customers are involved about accuracy. Our personal expertise with Intelius was largely constructive. We discovered the interface user-friendly and the report technology course of environment friendly. Nonetheless, we acknowledge that the considerations relating to knowledge accuracy can’t be simply dismissed. Potential customers have to be conscious that whereas Intelius can present worthwhile insights, the reliability of the data retrieved could fluctuate.
Concerning credibility, the Higher Enterprise Bureau (BBB) has a positive view of Intelius, which lends some reassurance to customers contemplating their providers. The BBB score signifies that the platform has tried to deal with buyer considerations and keep an ordinary of equity.
In the end, when you could discover the experiences from Intelius helpful, significantly for private inquiries or preliminary background checks, it’s advisable to strategy the findings critically. For complete and legally binding background checks, looking for extra verification from official sources is perhaps prudent. General, we consider that with some enhancements in knowledge accuracy and consumer assist, Intelius has the potential to turn out to be a number one platform in its class.
We have additionally highlighted the best employee background check services.