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Need to trace an old friend, find a lost relative, or get the scoop on your daughter’s suspicious boyfriend? People search websites got you covered, delivering results within minutes of what would take hours of manual research.

We tested dozens of  USA people search services by looking up real people and compared their performance. Below, you can see a curated list of websites that passed our rigorous selection process, an explanation of our methodology, average prices, the benefits of using such services, the best ways to use them, and FAQs to clear up any confusion. Let’s dive in!

The Top People Search Engines to Use

How We Handpicked the Best People Search Sites

We created solid criteria for vetting out the most reliable search sites. We carefully analyze the collected data and rank the companies based on the points earned from each phase of our selection process.

First Phase: Verifying Reputation and Checking User Feedback

First, we verify that we are dealing with legitimate companies. This process includes multiple verifications, like checking if they are registered under real business address and landline, reviewing their privacy policy, calling to verify they have a functional business number, and checking the WHOIS database to uncover who holds the domain. 

People search sites aren’t consumer reporting agencies meaning that their reports can’t be used for hiring, tenant screening, or lending decisions. Reputable companies have a legal disclosure somewhere on their home page, clearly explaining that their services don’t cover purposes that require FCRA compliance.

After confirming their legitimacy and reputation, we search the web for honest customer feedback. We visit reliable sites that collect user reviews and examine their feedback. This allows us to detect any positive or negative aspects repeating in people finder site reviews and consider them in the final rank. 

Second Phase: Evaluating the People Search Site Experience, Services, and Customer Support

We then put the companies to a practical test, evaluating everything from people search website experience, to services, to their customer support. 

Site Experience

We visit each people search site to test the organization, speed, ease of use, and security. Some websites strive to include everyone, providing accessibility options that allow visitors to tweak the experience to different needs, like seizure safe, vision impaired, cognitive disability, ADHD friendly interface, and more opportunities for personalization. 

We conduct multiple searches by name, address, reverse phone lookup, and anything available through the sites to test the information gathering process.

Service Evaluation

People finder sites have massive databases filled with public records. These sites offer a variety of searches, including: 

• Contact information
• Personal information
• Family tree and associates
• Criminal records
• Inmate search
• People search by address and address history
• Sex offender registry information
• Wealth data
• Reverse phone lookup services
• Vehicle lookup
• Social media accounts

Note that these sites aren’t employment background check agencies, and it’s against the law to use their reports for hiring, lending, and leasing decisions. Their services are suitable for personal and informative purposes. 

We perform searches with the same data across the selected sites and compare their reports, accuracy, speed, and overall performance. We narrowed down our list to companies with extensive databases and up-to-date information. 

Ways to Trace People on People Search Engines

The most common ways to track people on these sites include people search by name and people search by phone number. The majority of websites also allow you to search people by emails and addresses. More advanced people search options include inmate search, vehicle lookup, wealth data, and other harder-to-track public records.

If you wish to search people by photograph, Google’s image search is a free way to do so. While people search sites may provide photos in their reports, Google’s engine or specific photo search sites specialize in reverse photo searches.

What if you have very limited information? Can you people search by first name, for example? Most engines won’t let you continue if you don’t enter at least a first and a last name. If you only have a first name and basic details like city, start with a social media search and Google search to learn the person’s last name and other basic details like birth date and affiliates. Then, take your search to paid services for more extensive information. 

Customer Support

People search websites are usually available through toll-free phone numbers, and some sites provide more channels of communication like live chat and email. We test companies via all listed options to ensure they provide prompt responses and superior customer care.

Third Phase: Comparing Prices

People finder services have different pricing models, and some of them provide more payment options. Some sites offer their services as a bundle under one monthly subscription, with prices typically ranging between $23 and $35 per month for unlimited searches. Many people search apps offer discounted memberships if clients pay for a few months in advance. Some sites provide a-la-carte services, allowing visitors to pick specific services and pay for a single report, typically $0.95 to $1.95. Aside from people search services, these sites offer reverse phone lookup, often available under separate subscription of $4.99 and up per month or under $1 for a single search. We looked for companies with prices within industry standards and offer excellent value for the money.

Fourth Phase: Final Ranking

Companies receive points based on their performance in every phase. We also take notes of their strengths, weaknesses, and unique offerings and consider them in the final rank. In this last phase, we collect the points, analyze the results and assign each company an adequate position on our list. 

Benefits of Using People Search Websites

Old-fashioned searching methods will likely take forever and leave you with limited information. Using people finder services, on the other hand, brings several notable benefits. 

Fast and Accurate Results

Going through millions of public records manually would take an eternity and you’d have to make one or multiple trips to the public library or other institutions. Instead, these websites provide fast people search from the convenience of your home. They further compile all the information you need into convenient, easy-to-process, and up-to-date reports.

Criminal Background Checks and Other Publicly Available Information

You can run criminal background checks and uncover other publically available information associated with any person of your interest. Whether your daughter’s boyfriend looks suspicious or something’s off about your new neighbor, people finder websites can provide you with the information to protect yourself and your nearest and dearest from unpleasant events and dangerous people. 

Multiple Ways to Search

It’s virtually impossible to perform manual searches with information like phone, address, or email. These services make it easy to track anyone and get the complete picture with any piece of available information you have like name and last name, phone, address, email, vehicle, and more.

More Informed Decisions

Instead of being suspicious around someone when there’s no real need or trusting the wrong people, people search sites allow you to make more informed decisions for those around you. Public record reports give you a new level of control under your surroundings and social circle. 

Affordable Prices

With monthly memberships ranging between $23 and $35 and less, if you sign up for a few months in advance, these companies provide billions of data points at your fingertips for one low price. If you’re not a regular user, some sites will let you purchase single reports for less than a dollar to $5, depending on the information you need. 

Ways to Use the Information Available on People Search Engines

Remember, these services aren’t meant for anything under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). You can use these sites for personal purposes, like looking up your new date, your children’s friends, romantic partners, teachers, neighbors, estranged or lost friends and relatives, prospective customers, and similar reasons that the FCRA doesn’t cover.

People Search Websites FAQ

Are there free people search services?

Some services are free, but their pages are full of ads and sales pitches, and it might take longer to track the necessary information, not to mention their reports are often incomplete. That said, some legit websites like Truthfinder, PeopleFinders, and Spokeo give limited information like name, age, and address for free. But you’ll have to pay for anything beyond the most basic data.

How can you find a person for free?

Besides using free people search services, Google, Linkedin, Facebook, and the like may help you. Since none of these engines is explicitly designed to track people, you will have to devote more time and filter irrelevant results manually.

What is the best way to find a person?

People search websites are the best and the fastest way to trace anyone. These fast people finder sites regularly monitor, review, and update their databases, providing reports with the latest available information.

How to remove yourself?

If you decide to run a background check on yourself, most services will offer to remove your information from their people search engine for a fee. Some sites have automated this process, while others require you to reach out to their customer service team, fill an opt-out page and wait for a confirmation. 

How do people search websites collect information?

People search companies collect data from public records from multiple sources without disclosing any specific references. The primary sources for US people search platforms include government and public record databases, self-reported data, social media, and other data brokers.