Those looking for easily available background check services online can use backgroundchecks.com. It offers a wide range of background screening services—from basic checks, like criminal records, to more specific ones, like drug tests and credit reports. On top of that, businesses can get robust support throughout the screening process. Its basic plan starts at $36.47/check.
In our evaluation of the best background check services, the company received a rating of 4.11 out of 5. Aside from its robust compliance and reporting functionalities, backgroundchecks.com offers custom screening.
backgroundchecks.com Overview
Pros
- A+ rating on BBB
- Offers instant results
- Easy to use
- Offers custom screening bundles
Cons
- Pricier than its competitors
- Has third-party fees
- Has a setup fee
- No refund policy on empty reports
Supported Business Types | Startups to large enterprises that need custom screening |
Pricing |
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Standout Features |
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Ease of Use | backgroundchecks.com has a comprehensive FAQ section that guides users how to use the service |
Customer Support | backgroundchecks.com has live chat and phone support, making it easy for users to ask help when they encounter issues with the service |
backgroundchecks.com Is Best For
- Businesses that hire temporary or seasonal employees: When hiring temporary employees, time is of the essence. Thus, it would help to have a screening tool that gives results within 24 hours. The basic packages offered by backgroundchecks.com provide instant results and include SSN validation, criminal checks, and sex offender registry searches.
- Businesses that need custom screenings: It offers companies custom screening packages. By answering a few questions, backgroundchecks.com tailors the types of background screening to the client’s needs. It also provides the turnaround time of the reports.
- Organizations that conduct volume screenings: It offers customized pricing for bulk screenings—the more orders you place, the bigger discounts you get.
backgroundchecks.com Is Not Ideal For
- Organizations that want a more affordable option: backgroundchecks.com is not the cheapest service; thus, it is not for organizations that want a cheaper background check service and quick results. For companies looking for a more affordable option, you can check out ShareAble for Hires. Read more about its features in out ShareAble for Hires review.
- Businesses that hire internationally: Unfortunately, backgroundchecks.com does not offer international screenings. If your company hires remote employees or has candidates from other countries, Checkr is a better option, as it provides this service. Find out in our in-depth Checkr review.
- Businesses that need on-site drug testing: Those looking for on-site drug testing services won’t find it with backgroundchecks.com. If this is important for you, you might find Trusted Employees an ideal choice because it has this option.
All three alternatives in this section are popular background check services that ranked well in our evaluation. Find out more about them in our guide to the best background check companies.
How backgroundchecks.com Compare With Top Alternatives
Best For | Starts At | Our Review | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Businesses looking for custom background checks | $36.47/search | |
 | Businesses that need occasional background checks | $25/check | |
 | Businesses that are bulk hiring | $29.99/check | |
 | Businesses that need industry-specific screening | $29.95/check | No Review Yet |
backgroundchecks.com Pricing
We gave backgroundchecks.com a 3.25 rating out of 5 in pricing because its basic plan is pricier than those of the other screening companies we evaluated. It also did not include the price or inform users how much the discount is for bulk background checks. Furthermore, the backgroundchecks.com pricing matrix includes a one-time registration fee and other extra fees for third-party information, such as county court fees and employer clearinghouse fees.
Instant Criminal | Instant Criminal + Local County | Instant Criminal + Multiple Counties | |
|---|---|---|---|
Starts at | $36.47/check | $54.95/check | $76.95/check |
Criminal Record | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Sex Offender Registry | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
SSN Validation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
County Search Level | ✕ | 1 county | Multiple counties |
Speed of Results | Instant | 1–3 days* | 1–3 days* |
*Instant Criminal + Local County and Multiple Counties are more thorough background checks. Because the provider also has to go through records from all US county courts, most of which require an in-person visit to the courthouse, the results may take longer. | |||
Custom Search Packages
If the background check you want to use isn’t in the packages backgroundchecks.com offers, it allows users to build their own package of checks, searches, and verifications at a discounted price. This option is ideal for businesses with bulk hiring that only need specific screenings.
Not sure what you need? Get some expert tips on how to find the right employees.
backgroundchecks.com Background Check Functionality
This provider received a 4.75 score out of 5 in this criterion because it offers industry-specific, custom search packages and individual reports, aside from the basic screening services. It also has an instant result option and multicounty searches.
backgroundchecks.com gives users control over what information to share.
(Source: backgroundchecks.com)
Industry-specific Search Packages
It combines different relevant screenings for each industry—i.e., staffing, retail, transportation, construction, manufacturing, and volunteer organization—and bundles them together. Businesses click on the industry they belong to and are given the screenings they can use, avoiding the need to manually select each background check service.
Federal Civil Court Records Search
This service is for organizations that require a high degree of confidence from their applicants. It includes checking federal records to see if the DEA, FBI, or ATF have prosecuted the applicant.
Verification of Credentials
This service includes checking the applicant’s employment history, professional licenses, and credentials. Organizations can verify whether the applicant presented the proper credentials through this process.
Make sure that your hiring process follows the right track and is fully compliant—especially with background checks involved. Check out our guide on how to hire employees, as well as what to include in a background check policy.
backgroundchecks.com Compliance Features
Its comprehensive learning resource and robust compliance tools gave backgroundchecks.com a perfect score in this criterion. Below are some of the tools it uses to ensure the screening process complies with FRCA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) and other federal, state, and local legislative requirements:
- Customizable pre-adverse and adverse notices, which allow users to change the notification timelines
- Learning resource that guides employers on how to conduct compliant screenings and verifications
- Self-service portals where applicants can input their own information
- Disclosure forms, pre-adverse and adverse action tools, and authorization forms
- Compliance and regulation updates
backgroundchecks.com Reporting
The provider also got a perfect score in its reporting capability because of its compliance with the FCRA guidelines, ensuring job seekers that their consumer privacy and reputation are protected. Besides that, employers and candidates can access the reports online anywhere. On the other hand, employers are required to verify their accounts first before they receive a report.
backgroundchecks.com Ease of Use
The website has an extensive and comprehensive FAQs resource that answers all questions regarding compliance, legal requirements, and how to use the website. These contributed to the 4-star rating it received in this criterion.
It also has a “Help Me Choose” option, which helps businesses find the right screening service by answering a few questions. It has live support via phone and chat, making it easier for users to resolve issues during the screening process.
The ‘Help Me Choose’ feature helps users find the right solution for their needs.
backgroundchecks.com Reviews
We have checked popular third-party websites like G2 and Capterra, but we cannot find any reviews for backgroundchecks.com. However, we found less than 10 reviews on Consumers Advocate, where it got an overall 3.4 out of 5 rating.
How We Evaluated backgroundchecks.com
For this backgroundchecks.com review, we used six criteria to evaluate the best background check companies. Background check functionality, compliance, and reporting capabilities are the primary factors we looked for in the service. Pricing, ease of use, and user popularity are the secondary features we used to evaluate the providers.
Check each tab for the detailed breakdown of each criterion:
15% of Overall Score
Providers that cost less than $30 got a higher rating in this area. We also gave extra scores to those that do not need a set-up fee and have transparent pricing.
25% of Overall Score
We gave a high score to providers with fast result turnaround and offered specialized screening services, such as drug tests and MRV. We also gave extra scores to those that provide communication tools for applicants and employers.
20% of Overall Score
Compliance with FCRA means the screenings are fair and accurate. Providers should allow the applicants to dispute any inaccuracies in the report. There should also be adverse and pre-adverse notices for the applicants.
15% of Overall Score
In our evaluation, providers allowing employers and applicants access to the screening results scored high. They also earned extra points for FCRA-compliant reports.
15% of Overall Score
This criterion gave high scores to providers with a mobile version, integrated with HR software, and can easily be tracked by applicants and employers.
10% of Overall Score
Providers with over 100 reviews on popular third-party review websites like Capterra and G2 got a higher score.
backgroundchecks.com Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is backgroundchecks.com reliable?
Yes. It has received an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). It is also the founding member of the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA).
What’s the fastest background check which can be done?
Social Security checks and identity verification are the fastest. Verification only takes a few minutes.
Can you conduct background checks without the person’s approval?
It is illegal to conduct a background check without someone’s permission. You need to get the person’s consent first before checking his/her records.
Bottom Line
Small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and large enterprises can use backgroundchecks.com for industry-specific and custom search packages. Users can choose the search package or individual screening report based on their needs. Overall, it is a good option for those who want a background check company that offers flexible services and results with a fast turnaround time.
