People Search Services Compared: BeenVerified, Spokeo, and the Best Alternatives in 2026
A comprehensive comparison of people search services including BeenVerified, Spokeo, Whitepages, and free alternatives. Covers pricing, features, pros/cons, and when to use each.
Need to find someone’s contact information, verify an address, or trace relatives? People search services aggregate public records, phone directories, and social data into searchable databases. But with dozens of options ranging from free to $37/month, choosing the right one matters. Here’s how the major players compare.
Table of Contents
- What People Search Services Actually Provide
- Price Comparison
- BeenVerified
- Spokeo
- Whitepages
- Intelius
- PeopleFinders
- Free Alternatives
- API Availability and Pricing
- Decision Framework
- Important Limitations
- Key Takeaways
What People Search Services Actually Provide
At their core, these services aggregate data from multiple sources:
- Public records - Property ownership, court records, voter registration
- Phone directories - Landline and mobile numbers (coverage varies)
- Address history - Current and previous residences with date ranges
- Relatives and associates - Family connections and known associates
- Age and DOB - Usually shown as ranges (e.g., “65-70”)
- Social media profiles - Links to public accounts (some services only)
The value isn’t in any single data point—it’s in the cross-referencing. A good people search lets you verify that “John Smith at 123 Main St” is the same person who owned property at “456 Oak Ave” ten years ago, and that his relatives include “Jane Smith” who now lives in another state.
Common Use Cases
- Skip tracing - Finding current contact info for someone who moved
- Heir/genealogy research - Identifying family members for estate matters
- Verification - Confirming someone is who they claim to be
- Reconnecting - Finding old friends, classmates, or family
- Due diligence - Light background checks (not FCRA-compliant)
Price Comparison
| Service | Monthly | Multi-Month | Single Report | Free Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BeenVerified | $36.89/mo | $23.98/mo (3-mo) | N/A | $1 trial (7 days) |
| Spokeo | $19.95/mo | ~$13/mo (annual) | $0.95-$1.95 | Limited preview |
| Whitepages | $4.99/mo (basic) | — | $4.99+ | Basic lookup free |
| Intelius | $25.11/mo | $21.35/mo (2-mo) | $29.95 | $1.99 trial (5 days) |
| PeopleFinders | $24.95/mo | $29.95/mo (premium) | $1.95-$14.95 | Basic search free |
| TruePeopleSearch | Free | Free | Free | Full access |
| FastPeopleSearch | Free | Free | Free | Full access |
BeenVerified
BeenVerified positions itself as the “all-in-one” people search with seven different lookup types bundled into one subscription.
What’s Included
- People search (name, city, age)
- Reverse phone lookup
- Email search
- Address lookup
- Vehicle search (license plate/VIN)
- Username search
- Unclaimed money search
Pricing Details
- 1-month: $36.89/month (100 reports)
- 3-month: $71.94 total ($23.98/month)
- Trial: $1 for 7 days (full access, auto-renews)
No annual plan is available.
Pros
| Strength | Details |
|---|---|
| Comprehensive reports | Best-in-class for cross-referencing relatives and associates |
| Multiple lookup types | Vehicle, email, username searches included |
| Mobile app | Well-designed iOS/Android apps |
| Dark web monitoring | Alerts if your info appears in breaches |
Cons
| Weakness | Details |
|---|---|
| Most expensive | $37/mo is nearly double competitors |
| Cancellation friction | Must call or email—no online cancellation |
| Auto-renewal | Trial converts automatically |
| 100 report limit | Heavy users may hit the cap |
Best For
Users who need comprehensive reports with strong relative/associate cross-referencing and don’t mind paying premium prices.
Spokeo
Spokeo takes a different approach, emphasizing social media and online presence discovery alongside traditional public records.
What Sets It Apart
- Social media aggregation - Finds profiles across 120+ networks
- 12 billion+ records from 5,000+ data sources
- Dating site detection - Controversial but popular feature
- International coverage - Better global data than US-focused competitors
Pricing Details
- Monthly: $19.95/month
- Annual: ~$13/month (billed annually)
- Single reports: $0.95-$1.95
Pros
| Strength | Details |
|---|---|
| Affordable | Nearly half the cost of BeenVerified |
| Social media focus | Best for finding online presence |
| Single report option | Pay per search if you only need one |
| 7-day trial | Test before committing |
Cons
| Weakness | Details |
|---|---|
| Less accurate on older records | Data freshness varies |
| Interface clutter | Lots of upsells and prompts |
| Limited depth | Reports less detailed than BeenVerified |
Best For
Budget-conscious users who want to find someone’s social media presence and online footprint, or those who only need occasional single reports.
Whitepages
The original phone directory service has evolved into a people search platform, but maintains a focus on US domestic data.
Pricing Details
- Basic: $4.99/month
- Premium: Higher tiers for full background reports
- Single reports: Starting at $4.99
Pros
| Strength | Details |
|---|---|
| Cheapest paid option | $4.99/mo entry point |
| Established reputation | 25+ years in business |
| SmartCheck | Quick screening tool |
| TenantCheck | Specialized for landlords |
Cons
| Weakness | Details |
|---|---|
| US-only | No international coverage |
| Basic reports | Less comprehensive than competitors |
| Limited relative data | Weaker family connection mapping |
Best For
Users with simple US-based lookup needs, landlords needing tenant verification, or those wanting the cheapest paid option.
Intelius
Intelius markets itself on accuracy and includes identity protection features that competitors don’t offer.
Pricing Details
- Monthly: $25.11/month (or $29.63 if you start with trial)
- 2-month: $42.69 total ($21.35/month)
- Single report: $29.95 for full background
- Trial: $1.99 for 5 days
Note: Starting with the trial locks you into a higher monthly rate. Counterintuitive but true.
Pros
| Strength | Details |
|---|---|
| BBB A+ rating | Best reputation among paid services |
| Identity protection | $1M identity theft insurance available |
| Credit monitoring | Optional add-on ($9.95/mo) |
| Accuracy | Consistently good results in testing |
Cons
| Weakness | Details |
|---|---|
| Trial penalty | Higher ongoing rate if you use trial |
| Expensive single reports | $49.95 for full background check |
| Interface | Less intuitive than competitors |
Best For
Users who value accuracy and reputation, or those wanting bundled identity protection services.
PeopleFinders
One of the oldest services (37+ years), PeopleFinders offers competitive single-report pricing but has reputation issues.
Pricing Details
- Monthly: $24.95/month (standard)
- Premium: $29.95/month (background checks)
- Single reports: $1.95-$14.95
Pros
| Strength | Details |
|---|---|
| Cheap single reports | $1.95 entry point |
| Reverse phone focus | Specializes in phone lookups |
| Long track record | 37+ years operating |
Cons
| Weakness | Details |
|---|---|
| BBB “F” rating | Numerous billing complaints |
| Accuracy issues | Failed to find known test subjects in some reviews |
| Trust concerns | Reputation significantly worse than competitors |
Best For
One-off reverse phone lookups where you don’t want a subscription, but verify results with another source.
Free Alternatives
Several services offer genuinely free people search, funded by advertising.
TruePeopleSearch
The most popular free option, pulling from 6,000+ data sources with daily updates.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Completely free | Data often outdated |
| No registration required | No customer support |
| Large database | Accuracy varies significantly |
| Fast results | Harder to automate (CAPTCHAs) |
FastPeopleSearch
Similar to TruePeopleSearch with a slightly different interface.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free | Frequent CAPTCHA interruptions |
| Quick basic lookups | Inaccurate phone numbers common |
| No account needed | Relationships often wrong |
When Free Works
- Quick verification of publicly available info
- Initial research before paying for detailed reports
- Finding general location/age range
- Validating that a person exists before deeper search
When Free Fails
- Current phone numbers (often outdated)
- Accurate relative relationships
- Comprehensive address history
- Any time you need reliability
API Availability and Pricing
If you’re a developer looking to integrate people search into your applications, API access is limited and expensive compared to consumer plans.
Consumer Services API Summary
| Service | Public API | Developer Access | Pricing Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| BeenVerified | No | Enterprise partners only | Contact sales |
| Spokeo | Yes | Spokeo for Business | Quote-based |
| Whitepages Pro | Yes | Developer portal | Per-match billing |
| Intelius | No | None publicly available | N/A |
| PeopleFinders | Yes | PeopleFinders PRO | Contact sales |
Detailed API Pricing
Spokeo for Business
- Pre-paid Pro plan: 30,000 API calls/year (flat fee, contact for pricing)
- Enterprise plans available for higher volume
- Includes person, contact, property, and social media data
- Contact: apisupport@spokeo.com
Whitepages Pro
- Free developer key for testing (limited data, no production use)
- Production billing: Per-match pricing with monthly quotas
- Only billed when data is returned (name, address, or phone)
- Tiered plans with overage rates
- Contact: pro-sales@whitepages.com
PeopleFinders PRO
- REST API with JSON responses
- Batch processing, data append, and real-time lookup options
- Serves law firms, collection agencies, investigators
- Pricing not publicly listed—contact sales
Developer-Focused Alternatives
If you need transparent, self-service API access, these specialized data providers offer better developer experiences than the consumer services above:
- Free tier: 100 lookups/month (basic fields only)
- Pro: $98/month for 350 enrichments
- Per-lookup: $0.20-$0.28 per person enrichment
- Contact data (email/phone): Additional $0.40-$0.55 per match
- 20% discount for annual commitment
- Search API: $358/user/month (full features)
- Per-search pricing available (~$2-5/search for lower volumes)
- Billing only on matches
- Default $1,000/month spending limit
- Best for fraud prevention and identity verification use cases
API vs Consumer Pricing Reality
For occasional lookups, consumer subscriptions are cheaper than API access:
| Volume | Consumer Plan | API Cost (People Data Labs) |
|---|---|---|
| 10/month | ~$20 (Spokeo) | Free tier |
| 100/month | ~$37 (BeenVerified) | $28-$98 |
| 1,000/month | ~$37 (same plan) | $200-$280 |
| 10,000/month | Not available | $2,000-$2,800 |
Consumer services cap at 100-500 reports/month. For high-volume programmatic access, you’ll pay enterprise API rates regardless of provider.
Decision Framework
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┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ WHICH SERVICE SHOULD YOU CHOOSE? │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ Do you need comprehensive relative/associate mapping? │
│ └─ YES → BeenVerified (best cross-referencing) │
│ │
│ Is budget your primary concern? │
│ └─ YES → Do you need ongoing access? │
│ ├─ YES → Spokeo ($19.95/mo) or Whitepages ($4.99) │
│ └─ NO → Spokeo single reports ($0.95) │
│ │
│ Do you want to find social media profiles? │
│ └─ YES → Spokeo (120+ networks) │
│ │
│ Do you need identity protection bundled? │
│ └─ YES → Intelius (includes insurance option) │
│ │
│ Just need a quick, free lookup? │
│ └─ YES → TruePeopleSearch (but verify results) │
│ │
│ Are you a landlord doing tenant screening? │
│ └─ YES → Whitepages TenantCheck │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Important Limitations
Limited API Access
Most consumer services don’t offer self-service APIs. Spokeo, Whitepages Pro, and PeopleFinders have business APIs, but pricing is quote-based and typically requires contacting sales. For transparent, developer-friendly pricing, consider People Data Labs or Pipl. See the API Availability and Pricing section for details.
Not FCRA-Compliant
These are consumer tools. You cannot legally use them for:
- Employment decisions
- Tenant screening (except dedicated products like TenantCheck)
- Credit decisions
- Insurance underwriting
For those purposes, you need FCRA-compliant background check services.
Data Accuracy Varies
All services aggregate from public sources, which means:
- Phone numbers go stale quickly
- Addresses lag behind moves by months
- Relationships can be completely wrong
- The same person may appear as multiple records
Always verify critical information through multiple sources.
Cancellation Dark Patterns
Several services make cancellation deliberately difficult:
- BeenVerified: Phone or email only (no online option)
- Most services: Auto-renew by default
- Trial traps: $1 trials convert to full-price subscriptions
Set calendar reminders before trial periods end.
Key Takeaways
- BeenVerified is the most comprehensive but also most expensive (~$37/mo)—best for serious research needing relative cross-referencing
- Spokeo offers the best value for paid search ($19.95/mo) with strong social media discovery
- Whitepages is cheapest for basic needs ($4.99/mo) but US-only with limited depth
- Intelius has the best reputation (BBB A+) and includes identity protection options
- Free services (TruePeopleSearch, FastPeopleSearch) work for quick lookups but don’t rely on them for accuracy
- API access is limited—Spokeo and Whitepages Pro have business APIs (quote-based); for self-service, use People Data Labs ($0.20-$0.28/lookup) or Pipl ($358/user/month)
- All have cancellation friction—set reminders and use virtual cards for trials
Resources
Consumer Services
Developer APIs
- Spokeo for Business API
- Whitepages Pro Developer Portal
- PeopleFinders PRO API
- People Data Labs — Self-service pricing, $0.20-$0.28/lookup
- Pipl Search API — $358/user/month
Reviews and Comparisons
Last updated: January 2026