- People finder websites, just like a social media application, are meant to connect you with others. You can know them before, or they might be someone new to you. However, the primary purpose of a people searches engine is to find out if you need to get in contact with the person or not.
For example, you require a roommate to share the rent, and you need to know about the person before you allow them space. Now, if you do not have enough knowledge of that individual, then maybe things will mess up for you, too. But with the help of a people search engine, one thing that you will make sure of is that the person is trustworthy.
So, the question arises how these sites are different from the usual social media applications? A people search engine will help you find social profiles and let you know if the person has any criminal or arrest records. In other words, these search engines can help you find email addresses and phone numbers so that you can contact someone hard to find. Moving on, we will look at some of the best people search engines. So, let’s begin.
List of People Search Engines
1. BeenVerified
The first people search website which is on our list is BeenVerified. One of the websites best known for its simplicity and features. It stands out because of its easy-to-tackle tabs and the expected results shown to the users. BeenVerified can help you in searching the names, email addresses, phone numbers, and locations.
BeenVerified sets apart because of the extra details such as social media accounts, professional background, address history, pictures, friends, and general information. However, such information is for free on the website. But if you want a full report on someone’s background, like criminal records, court records, and more, you will have to get a membership ($39.99 for one month).
Features
- Combines social graph and public record
- Authentic information
- Offers criminal record
- Affordable service
- App available for smartphones
- US-centric
Spokeo, a US-only people search website, works well searching details from white page listings, public records, and social networks. People are explored using a name, email address, phone details, or location. It happens because Spokeo has claimed to uses deep web technology to get results that usually search engines miss out on.
The results are driven from more than 60 social networks, online profiles, dating site profiles, but it works only in the US. So, it can be used outside the US, but its results are US-based. It simply means that you will not find any of your friends if they don’t live in the US. However, if any of your relatives live there, you will find them.
The service also has a paid subscription, starting at $4.95/month.
Features
- Best for connecting with people
- US-based searches
- Basic results for free
- Easy to use
3. PeopleFinder
PeopleFinder has indexed millions of data available publicly into its system, which helps in finding an individual. Furthermore, it uses Intelius’ backend service for details of that particular person. It is a great platform to reconnect with the people with whom we have lost contact.
The best part of PeopleFinder is the free address of the person you are searching for. However, many other search engines fail to provide that. Also, on submission of only $2.95, you can search for the complete report of that person, which includes financial information, relatives, phone numbers, court records, and much more.
Features
- Best for free users
- Recent address available for primary users
- Quite affordable
- Intelius-backed service
- Check criminal and social records
- Search results can take considerable time
4. Whitepages
Finding a person on the internet is a hectic task, and gathering information about them is more like searching hundreds of diaries and notebooks. While a people search engine like Whitepages makes your job relatively more manageable. It’s an excellent tool for users who want to get more than just social or professional information. If you want a full background report, you will have to obtain a premium subscription, starting at $19.95/month.
Whitepages bring you detailed information about a person based on contact, addresses, properties, court records, criminal records, liens, and judgments. In addition, it offers details around family members & associates, current contact details, etc. You will find a person here just by entering their name/location/phone number/ address. It is a great tool for instant results.
Features
- Best for hiring employees
- Accurate contact information
- Basic info for free users
- Global search available
5. Instant Checkmate
Instant Checkmate brings you data from public profiles, federal data sources, and state & country data sources. It uses advanced technology for finding these sources. A clear report is then presented after searching the person. The report shows all the data as simply as possible.
One thing you should note before buying the subscription starting at $19.99 is that Instant Checkmate is a US-only people search engine. It is used as a public record research service and provides the required details like any other people’s search engine.
Features
- Search through publicly available data
- Best for criminal and background checks
- Advanced search filters
- Access property data
6. Intelius
People finder and searcher Intelius is another search engine that gives us the data for people search details, email lookup, social network search, property records, background check, criminal records, or reverse lookup.
However, the problem with Intelius is that it is not free, and the results are only for the US. There are two different ways to subscribe to the engine. One is just for the people search report. While people search report plus (includes email search & social network) and background report, starting at $29.95/month.
But you can avail of a discount of 50% for the first month which brings your fee to $15.95 for one month.
Features
- Reconnect with old friends
- Review property data
- Exhaustive criminal and court records
- Best for background checks
- Myriad of social tools
- US-only
- Pretty expensive
7. Truthfinder
Comparable to the known people search engine Pipl, we have Truthfinder. The main difference between the two is that Truthfinder only works in the US alone. In contrast, the Pipl works across the globe. You can search for an individual’s police records, check court records, photos from social media, contact information, and much more.
Truthfinder is more like a background check besides being a people connector. If you are searching for employees or a college mate to share your room, Truthfinder is a better option than Pipl. Truthfinder uses Federal, State, and County data sources to gather information.
For free users, you can only see basic information like age and possible location. In addition, the search takes considerable time to show the results. But Truthfinder has some great tools like reverse phone, address lookup, family tree, and dark web scan.
Features
- Best for background checks
- Accurate US-only results
- A vast database of criminal and court orders
- Multiple tools, including reverse phone
- Basic information for free users
- Takes considerable time to show results.
8. PeekYou
After testing this search engine, it was seen that the results were not as they were expected. However, they were not bad either. PeekYou provides details about a person based on their social media accounts, web profiles, email addresses, contact details, and other public records.
It has a patented technology that helps it bring data from 60 websites, news sources, homepages, blog platforms, and several other sources. You can search for people using names, location, web-username, or phone reverse search with that much information.
PeekYou works best for US residents, and it can be used for the global search as well. So, if you are getting all the details for free, you do not have a right to complain.
Features
- Proprietary algorithm to offer accurate results
- Phone reverse search
- Global search available
- No sign-up required
9. Pipl
Pipl, probably the best people search engine, is here. Pipl is the exclusive engine that provides the data for a global audience. It quickly gets you professional, social, and contact information. On Pipl, you can find people using their name, email, username, or phone number.
For some time, Pipl was used for free, but that’s not the case now. Also, the company has targeted professional users mainly. The website also shows that it should not be used for personal or non-commercial uses.
The service allows a subscription of $298 per month for an annual subscription. It also gives a $198/month/user plan that supports up to 5 users and a $148/month/user supporting 10 users.
The best part is Pipl gives you an unlimited number of searches.
Features
- Accurate information
- Free search for 5 days
- Social media linking
- Minimal information required
- Available worldwide
10. Us Search
With a simple User Interface, this search engine stands out in its performance. You can get your desired results in just a few seconds. All you have to do is enter the first and last name, and you will get results. If you want, you can provide additional information to filter the results much faster to give you the results you need.
With that free search, US Search gives you a chance to search for the paid search option, too. Being one of the oldest people search engines, US Search has a vast amount of data.
Features
- Affordable service
- Pretty fast
- Best for US-based searches
- Oldest database
- Automatic filter
All in all, People Search Engines can be very handy for gathering micro details about anyone. These details are significant before hiring a new employee, renting out our space, or working on a delicate project. One thing is accepted everywhere: a People Search Engine can provide you with great details than any other social media. With time, the significance of People Search Engine has increased, and seeing that Association of Internet Research Specialists has compiled a list of Specialized Search Engines. This list includes a database of People Search Engines besides the top 10 mentioned Search Engines. Do have a look.