Improved company background checks
Background checks are an essential element of the hiring process. They can provide you with crucial information about a potential employee.
Not doing so can harm the image and reputation of your brand.
So if you run a business, you should do it too. But where can you get your background checked? Are all background checks the same?
If you do a quick search on Google, you will learn that there are countless types of background checks offered by hundreds of different services.
It is difficult to know which ones will actually give you the information you are looking for.
That's why I want to show you the best background check services on the market today, and help you decide which one is the best for your business.
The 5 best background check companies
In a market flooded with background check services, there are actually only five companies that I would consider as an employer. Below, I will explain to you the advantages, disadvantages, and prices of each service.
Intelius
Free limited searches
Intelius is slightly different from other background check services on this list. This is because they offer their services to the average citizen who wants to quickly check their background.
However, an employer can still use this service to find information on a potential hire.
Intelius allows you to search for names, phone numbers, and addresses for free. It also provides the age of the person and some associated cities. Of course, the results will be limited.
To get the most out of Intelius, you will need a premium account. These reports include:
Name and surname
Familles éventuelles
Numéros de téléphone
Adresses électroniques
Réseaux sociaux
Emploi
Éducation
Adresse actuelle et passée
Âge et date de naissance
Pseudonymes connus
Casier judiciaire
Historique des mariages et des divorces
Poursuites, faillites et privilèges
With Intelius, you pay a fixed monthly fee for the execution of an unlimited number of reports. Subscriptions are monthly and cost $29.95. You can try your first month for a reduced rate of $14.95.
The price of Intelius is certainly attractive, but the reports are limited compared to other companies. If you have a large company that conducts a lot of background checks, you could use Intelius to pre-screen candidates before doing a more thorough report.
For example, the monthly fee of $29.95 could save you money in the long run if you avoid wasting over $100 on detailed reports.
A red flag on Intelius would be enough to reduce your pool of candidates. You could then still conduct a thorough background check through another platform.
GoodHire
The most popular for small businesses
GoodHire is one of the most popular background check services among small business owners. But it is also used by larger and more well-known companies like Tuft & Needle and Draft Kings.
Over 75,000 companies trust GoodHire to conduct background checks.
72% of GoodHire's customers report that these background checks are faster than other services they have used in the past.
One of the reasons why GoodHire is an excellent choice for small business owners is the flexibility of their prices.
As a small business owner, you may not hire as frequently as a larger company, so you won't have to pay monthly fees for background checks. If you plan on conducting fewer than 25 background checks per year, GoodHire will only charge you for each report. Need only five checks? Just pay for the five; it's as simple as that.
The cost of a background check depends on the amount of information you want to find
Basic
1 business day
Trace SSN et pays associés
Recherche dans les bases de données criminelles nationales
Recherche de délinquants sexuels
Standard
1 to 2 business days
Trace SSN et pays associés
Recherche dans les bases de données criminelles nationales
Recherche de délinquants sexuels
Recherche dans la liste de surveillance nationale
7 ans de recherche au tribunal pénal de comté
High-quality
2 to 4 business days
Trace SSN et pays associés
Recherche dans les bases de données criminelles nationales
Recherche de délinquants sexuels
Recherche dans la liste de surveillance nationale
7 ans de recherche au tribunal pénal de comté
1 vérification de l’éducation
1 vérification de l’employeur
As prices increase, background checks become more thorough. GoodHire also gives you the option to add other checks and services
Monthly ongoing monitoring
Vérification de l’éducation
Vérification de l’emploi
Vérification de la licence professionnelle
Recherche dans les registres des véhicules à moteur
Rapport de crédit
Vérification internationale de l’employeur
GoodHire also provides additional support for drug screenings and healthcare sanctions. Ultimately, they offer nearly all types of background checks that a small business owner would need before hiring someone.
One of the disadvantages of GoodHire is that they charge a unique setup fee to verify your business. This cost can be difficult to justify if you only do a few checks per year. But if you plan on using the service at least a dozen times, it is worth it.
Supplements can also increase the cost of your checks. If you need numerous supplements for each background check, it may be helpful to request a personalized quote from the sales team.
Reports B&B
Customizable background checks
B&B Reporting has been in existence for over two decades. On average, they produce reports in less than 24 hours. B&B Reporting also has a success rate of 19%, which is higher than the industry average.
I love B&B Reporting because they use superior technology. This online platform allows you to easily order and view background checks online.
Each background check is fully customized. Choose exactly the types of records you want to search or verify, and the price will vary based on these requests.
Unlike other background check services on the market today, B&B reporting does not require a monthly minimum and does not charge you any initial setup fees.
The B&B report technology allows you to send electronic consent forms to applicants to initiate the process. They also have a visual dashboard that shows you the status of candidates and reports at a glance.
With B&B Reporting, you can conduct background checks
Multi-jurisdictional criminal investigation
Recherche criminelle dans le comté
Recherche criminelle à l’échelle de l’État
Recherche criminelle fédérale
Documents publics
Références professionnelles
Vérification de l’emploi
Registres des véhicules à moteur
Vérification de l’éducation
Vérification des licences et des certifications professionnelles
Contrôles de crédit à l’emploi
Once again, B&B Reporting is another background check company that provides virtually everything you could ask for when conducting an employee background check.
The main drawback of this service is that the pricing is not very transparent and the setup is not so simple. To start conducting background checks and get a quote, you need to fill out an online form to discuss your screening program with a sales agent.
For pricing, you must be verified by B&B Reporting. You will then be able to receive a quote.
AccurateNow
Affordable with no monthly minimum
If you want a simple and direct way to check the background of your small business, AccurateNow will be an excellent choice for you.
The platform is intended for small and medium-sized businesses. But I recommend it for micro-enterprises and businesses with very small teams.
AccurateNow is affordable and does not require any monthly minimum for background checks. They are FCRA compliant, which will help you avoid legal action when verifying employee backgrounds.
To start using AccurateNow, you need to register your account, sign their agreement electronically, and get their approval before you can start ordering reports. This company charges a one-time setup fee to verify your activity.
Once you have been verified, you can order the following reports:
Basic
Social Security Traceability
Historique des adresses
Recherche actuelle dans les comtés criminels
Contrôle judiciaire national
Registre national des délinquants sexuels
Standard
Social security traceability
Historique des adresses
7 ans d’histoire criminelle
Contrôle judiciaire national
Registre national des délinquants sexuels
Surveillance mondiale
High-quality
Social Security Traceability
Historique des adresses
7 ans d’histoire criminelle
Contrôle judiciaire national
Registre national des délinquants sexuels
Surveillance mondiale
1 vérification de l’éducation
1 vérification de l’emploi
As you can see, these plans are very similar to those offered by GoodHire, which we have previously reviewed. The biggest difference between AccurateNow and GoodHire lies in the additional options.
AccurateNow does not offer as many add-on modules, but the modules they do offer are cheaper. GoodHire's add-on modules typically start at $14.99, while AccurateNow's start at $9.95.
All of this makes AccurateNow a better choice for small businesses that do not need features like international employment verification. But this does make AccurateNow a bit more limited than some of the other options on our list.
Verifirst
Niche-specific solutions
Verifirst has been conducting background checks for 15 years. It offers a wide range of services, including
Customer Identity Verification
Contrôle de l’emploi
Filtrage des locataires
Filtrage des entreprises
While all of these options are viable, I prefer using Verifirst for niche-specific solutions. Their tenant screening services seem to be the most appealing to me.
Whether you own a rental property or manage a larger real estate business, Verifrist has what it takes to find the most qualified tenants.
If you have been managing properties for some time, you know that renting a property to the wrong person can be a costly mistake. Not only are you putting your property at risk, but this decision can also result in thousands of dollars in lost rent, legal fees, and turnover costs.
Verifirst offers specific background checks for tenant screening. These reports include:
Identity checks
Recherches criminelles
Historique des locations
Dossiers d’expulsion
Historique des crédits et des finances
In addition to the reports themselves, Verifirst allows you to easily manage candidates and view everything online. You can access this online platform 24 hours a day and grant access to an unlimited number of users.
It is perfect for those of you who run a real estate management business. In addition, Verifirst integrates with the most common property management systems that you already use.
You will also benefit from a free pre-selection of the applicant's income and an analysis of their assets.
Verifirst allows you to run multiple screenings simultaneously, which is ideal for joint applications or leases with co-signers.
All prices on Verifirst are customized. You must therefore contact their team to start and learn more about the rates for report execution.
Overall, Verifirst is the best tenant background check company. But I would look for other options if my business was in a different sector.
When looking for the best background check company, you need to consider certain characteristics. This is the methodology I have used in this guide. I will explain why each of them is important as you narrow down your choices.
Types of background checks
Not all background check services are the same. Some are intended for personal use, connecting with loved ones, or researching information about your neighbors. None of these services are truly useful for employers.
When conducting a background check on potential hires, these are some of the most common types of searches you will want to see included in the report:
Verification of SSN trace and identity
Recherche criminelle au niveau du comté, de l’État et au niveau fédéral
Registre des délinquants sexuels
Vérification de l’emploi
Vérification des certifications et licences professionnelles
Depending on the type of business you own, you may also do motor vehicle registrations or international screenings.
Execution time
Basic information such as identity verification is usually instant. Other reports may take a few days, depending on what you are looking for.
It is important to understand how long your reports will take. If it takes companies a week to send you their reports, that is far too long. You do not want this delay to be too long, as it prolongs the hiring process longer than it should be.
Company size
The size of your company is crucial when you are looking for a background check service. It is obvious that small businesses do not conduct checks as frequently. As a small business owner, you should therefore find a service that does not require monthly or annual minimums.
Small businesses also do not always need detailed reports. A simple identity check and criminal background check are usually sufficient.
Initial setup and new background checks
If you are conducting a background check for the first time with a new service, you may need to verify your business before getting started. This process is easier with some services than with others.
Sometimes, you can simply sign up online, but in other cases, you will need to request a quote and talk to an agent to get set up. In some cases, you will also need to pay one-time installation fees.
Once your request is approved, look for background check services that allow you to initiate a new search as easily as possible. Companies like B&B Reporting enable candidates to electronically sign consent forms, speeding up the process.
Report Accuracy
Ultimately, the precise statement is probably the most important part of the background check process.
It would be terrible for a report to be declared flawless, but for the person to actually have a criminal history. This is something you need to know before hiring someone.
All the companies featured in this guide have been around for years, which should help you rest on your laurels when writing reports. But it's always good to check and see what databases they use for screenings.
Conclusion
Background checks are a common practice in the hiring process. As a business owner, it is something that must be taken seriously.
If you are looking for the best background check services, you can't go wrong with any of the services above. That being said, there are other options that are also viable choices, especially if your business belongs to a certain category with specific needs. Use the form below to find the best background check service for your business needs.