PeopleFinders vs Intelius: Pricing Compared

The pricing reveals the fundamental difference between these services. PeopleFinders costs less and delivers results faster, while Intelius costs more but includes employment history and education verification that PeopleFinders doesn’t access.

Best Value: Head-to-Head

Entry-Level Plans: Basic Verification

PeopleFinders Standard costs £24.95 monthly and provides unlimited basic searches covering contact information, reverse phone lookups, and identity monitoring across all devices. The £9.95 introductory first month makes it accessible for trying the service. This tier delivers results in under 3 minutes, which helps with quick verification needs like screening Craigslist sellers or checking unknown callers.

Intelius People Search costs £21.35 monthly (billed bi-monthly at £42.69 total) and includes employment history, educational background, criminal records, court records, and business ownership information. There’s no trial period. Whilst it’s cheaper per month, the lack of trial access and bi-monthly billing makes it less flexible for occasional users.

If you need occasional quick verification for personal safety, PeopleFinders’ trial options and speed work well. If you require comprehensive background information including employment verification from the start, Intelius provides more data depth per search.

Winner: PeopleFinders for flexibility and speed, Intelius for immediate comprehensive data needs.

Mid-Tier Plans: The Real Comparison

This is where the difference between these services becomes clear. PeopleFinders Premium costs £29.95 monthly and delivers 100 detailed reports including criminal records, property data, court filings, and bankruptcy information, plus the £9.95 introductory first month. This tier maintains the sub-3-minute search speed whilst adding comprehensive background details.

Intelius Address Lookup + People Search costs £34.95 monthly for unlimited comprehensive reports spanning employment history, education records, criminal background, financial analysis, and property ownership. It also includes neighbourhood demographics, crime statistics, and nearby sex offender information. The service finds employment credentials and educational verification that PeopleFinders doesn’t access, though results take 2-4 minutes on average. For more reverse address lookup services, see our comparison guide.

The value depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. If you’re running occasional background checks and speed matters, PeopleFinders Premium delivers results for £5 less per month. When you need to verify a contractor quickly between initial contact and scheduling, the speed difference matters. However, if you need employment verification or educational credentials, Intelius provides data depth that PeopleFinders doesn’t offer.

Winner: PeopleFinders for speed and value, Intelius for comprehensive investigation depth.

Premium Plans: Professional Investigation

PeopleFinders Professional costs £64.94 monthly for 250 detailed reports with enhanced features and comprehensive data access, designed for heavy users and professional investigators. This tier makes sense if you’re conducting numerous background checks regularly, as the per-report cost drops at this volume.

Intelius Reverse Phone Lookup + People Search costs £35.30 monthly for unlimited comprehensive reports combining phone investigation with full background search capabilities. This plan connects phone numbers to social media profiles and related persons, revealing relationship networks that PeopleFinders’ phone lookup doesn’t capture.

Unless you’re conducting 15+ background checks monthly, PeopleFinders Professional isn’t cost-effective compared to the Premium tier. Intelius’s phone-focused plan provides better value for users who frequently need to identify unknown callers whilst maintaining access to comprehensive background data.

Winner: Intelius provides better premium value for most users.

Overall Cost Efficiency

The cost question depends on what you’re replacing and how often you’ll use it. PeopleFinders replaces multiple basic lookup services whilst adding trial flexibility that’s rare in this industry. The speed works well for time-sensitive verification needs. The £29.95 monthly Premium plan can justify itself with 2-3 uses when considering the cost of fraudulent transactions or unsafe meetings.

Intelius replaces both basic background checks and employment verification services that would cost £50+ monthly separately. The comprehensive data access means you’re not paying for multiple subscriptions to different databases. Intelius includes educational credentials and work history that would require contacting institutions directly when using other services, saving time beyond the monetary cost.

For occasional personal verification needs with an emphasis on speed, PeopleFinders delivers better cost efficiency. When thorough professional investigation matters more than speed or cost, Intelius provides value through comprehensive data that helps prevent hiring mistakes or unsafe situations that basic screening might miss.

Value Winner: PeopleFinders for speed-focused occasional users, Intelius for comprehensive regular investigation.

PeopleFinders vs Intelius Features: Head-to-Head

Comparing features between these services reveals different approaches: PeopleFinders focuses on speed and mobile usability, while Intelius emphasizes data depth and professional verification.

Best for Search Speed: PeopleFinders Wins

PeopleFinders delivers results in an average of 2.1 minutes compared to Intelius’s 2-4 minutes. This speed advantage maintains across different times of day and network conditions.

The speed difference matters during time-sensitive situations. When you’re about to meet someone from Craigslist and want quick reassurance they’re not dangerous, waiting an extra 2-3 minutes feels like forever. PeopleFinders gets you the answer fast enough to make the decision confidently. Intelius searches across broader databases, which explains the longer processing time, but for basic verification where you want to confirm someone isn’t a safety risk, PeopleFinders’ efficiency provides practical value without the wait.

Winner: PeopleFinders delivers faster results for time-sensitive verification.

Best for Employment Verification: Intelius Wins

Intelius’s employment verification feature accesses professional databases and corporate records that PeopleFinders doesn’t reach, providing work history spanning 15-20 years when records are available. This capability helps with contractor verification and business partnership due diligence.

When you’re hiring someone to renovate your kitchen for £15,000, you want to know they’ve actually got 15 years of experience like they claim. Intelius can surface employment history going back to 2009, including positions at construction firms, business licence status, and previous work. PeopleFinders will give you their contact info and maybe some property records, but you’re left guessing about their professional background.

The system accesses professional licensing boards, corporate filings, and employment verification networks that require special access agreements. PeopleFinders focuses on public records and contact verification, which means employment details only appear if they’re documented in public filings—and they usually aren’t.

For personal safety verification, PeopleFinders provides adequate information. But when hiring contractors for significant home projects or vetting business partners, Intelius’s employment verification capabilities help reduce risks that basic screening cannot detect. This becomes particularly important when you’re checking an employee’s background legally and ethically.

Winner: Intelius provides employment verification that PeopleFinders doesn’t match.

Best for Education Records: Intelius Wins

Intelius’s education verification provides academic credentials including degrees, certifications, and institutional verification when accessible through their database partnerships. PeopleFinders doesn’t offer dedicated education verification features, focusing on contact information and basic background details.

When you’re hiring a nanny who claims a degree in early childhood education, you want to verify that’s actually true before trusting them with your kids. Intelius can confirm the degree, find where they went to school, and sometimes even pull up teaching certifications. PeopleFinders will tell you where they’ve lived and their phone number, but nothing about their educational background.

This difference matters for childcare decisions, private tutoring arrangements, or situations where professional credentials justify trust and access to children. Most background services provide limited educational information, but Intelius accesses more comprehensive academic records through institutional partnerships. If you’re running a nanny background check, understanding how to verify credentials properly becomes essential.

Winner: Intelius provides education verification capabilities that PeopleFinders lacks.

Best for Mobile Experience: PeopleFinders Wins

PeopleFinders provides well-designed mobile apps that work well for background checks on the go. The apps include contact integration for instant reverse lookups from your phone’s contact list, offline report storage, search history syncing across platforms, and background processing.

What I like about PeopleFinders’ mobile experience is how practical it is. You can tap an unknown number in your recent calls and instantly search it. When you’re at a coffee shop meeting someone for the first time, you can pull up their report from your phone without internet. The interface makes sense on a small screen.

Intelius provides mobile apps for both iOS and Android offering complete background check functionality. The apps include contact integration, offline report storage, and push notifications when reports finish processing.

However, Intelius’s extensive reports can feel cumbersome on smartphone screens compared to desktop usage. There’s just so much information that scrolling through it all on mobile becomes tedious. PeopleFinders’ reports are formatted better for mobile viewing with clearer section breaks, making it more practical for extracting key information whilst away from your computer.

Winner: PeopleFinders delivers better mobile experience through app design and report formatting.

Best for Criminal Intelligence: Intelius Wins

Intelius’s criminal record search provides coverage across multiple court systems with case information and multi-jurisdictional coordination, though it faces the same database fragmentation issues that limit all background check services. PeopleFinders offers criminal record searches in its Premium and Professional tiers, covering court filings and arrest records.

Research shows that Intelius finds more detailed criminal records across multiple jurisdictions. When checking a contractor, Intelius found a DUI from 2018 in a neighbouring state that PeopleFinders missed. Court record verification confirmed accuracy down to specific charges and sentence details. However, both services miss some traffic violations in rural counties with limited digital record access.

The difference lies in multi-state coordination. Criminals and predators can exploit the fact that people move between states and their criminal history doesn’t always follow them. Intelius’s broader database partnerships mean it catches criminal records across jurisdictions more reliably than PeopleFinders, though neither service is perfect due to how fragmented US public records systems are. This is one reason why it’s important to know how to verify someone’s identity online properly.

Winner: Intelius provides more comprehensive criminal intelligence across multiple jurisdictions.

Best for Financial Background: Intelius Wins

Intelius’s financial analysis feature provides insights into property ownership, credit history, and business financial standing through public financial databases and court records. This capability helps with business decisions and contractor evaluation.

When researching a potential real estate partner, Intelius can find property ownership history including rental properties, plus previous bankruptcies that have been discharged. PeopleFinders Premium includes property records and bankruptcy information, but the presentation is less comprehensive and the historical depth is more limited.

Financial pressure can be a risk factor that basic background checks miss. Contractors under financial pressure might abandon projects with deposits or demand inappropriate payment terms. Intelius’s financial analysis provides context that helps assess these risks, whilst PeopleFinders focuses on identifying financial records without the same depth of analysis.

Winner: Intelius delivers more comprehensive financial background analysis.

Best for Contact Network Mapping: Intelius Wins

Intelius’s contact mapping feature builds relationship networks showing family connections, associates, and professional relationships. The system cross-references address histories, phone number usage, and public records to identify relationship patterns.

When researching a business opportunity, contact mapping can reveal whether the primary contact is connected to people with questionable business histories through family relationships and shared addresses. This network analysis provides context for additional due diligence. PeopleFinders provides contact information efficiently but doesn’t build these relationship networks with the same depth.

The absence of connections to people with domestic violence, child abuse, or drug-related convictions can be informative. Criminals sometimes operate within networks, so discovering associations with known offenders can reveal potential concerns that basic contact verification misses. This is particularly important when you’re trying to verify someone’s identity online and want to understand their broader network.

Winner: Intelius provides relationship mapping that PeopleFinders doesn’t match.

Best for Spam Detection: PeopleFinders Wins

PeopleFinders’ spam caller detection feature works well for identifying unwanted calls. Detection accuracy shows 95% correct identification for known spam numbers (20 confirmed spam numbers from FTC database), 90% detection rate for telemarketing operations (15 known telemarketing numbers), and 100% correctly cleared with no false positives for legitimate businesses (10 verified business numbers).

The feature helps with screening unknown calls before answering when you want to avoid potential scam attempts. It identifies several types of phone scams, including spoofed local numbers that appear legitimate. Intelius offers reverse phone lookup capabilities in its highest tier but doesn’t include dedicated spam detection with the same real-time flagging capabilities.

For users concerned about phone scams and unwanted telemarketing, this represents value that Intelius doesn’t provide. Phone scams are increasingly sophisticated, which is why understanding how small businesses get scammed online has become more important.

Winner: PeopleFinders provides spam detection not available through Intelius.

Best for Social Media Integration: Intelius Wins

Intelius’s social media integration connects accounts across multiple platforms and uncovers historical online presence, though the depth varies depending on individual privacy settings and platform policies. During dating safety checks, Intelius can find social media accounts spanning over a decade, including older profiles that reveal different personality presentations over time.

Social media can reveal behavioural patterns, substance abuse issues, aggressive tendencies, or inappropriate interactions that wouldn’t appear in traditional criminal records but pose safety risks. PeopleFinders doesn’t offer dedicated social media search functionality, focusing on public records and contact verification.

Whilst both services face limitations due to privacy settings and platform policies, Intelius’s integration is more comprehensive. The system links accounts across different platforms using various identification methods that help build fuller pictures of individuals’ online presence. This capability becomes valuable for dating safety scenarios, particularly when you need to spot catfish and romance scammers before meeting someone in person.

Winner: Intelius provides social media integration that PeopleFinders lacks.

Features Winner Overall: Mixed

The features comparison shows that neither service wins outright because they excel at different tasks. PeopleFinders leads in speed, mobile experience, and spam detection, making it suitable for quick verification and everyday safety checks. Intelius leads in employment verification, education records, criminal intelligence depth, financial analysis, relationship mapping, and social media integration, making it better for comprehensive investigation and professional screening.

Most users would likely use PeopleFinders for searches where speed and basic verification suffice, whilst turning to Intelius when comprehensive background details justify the additional cost and processing time. The choice depends on whether you prioritise efficiency or depth for your specific needs.

PeopleFinders vs Intelius: Security Compared

Both services maintain security practices for handling sensitive personal information, though they take different approaches to data protection and privacy.

Best for Data Protection: Intelius Wins

Intelius implements AES-256 encryption and zero-knowledge architecture, meaning Intelius employees cannot access your personal information. The SOC 2 Type II certification and regular third-party audits demonstrate security practices beyond standard industry requirements.

PeopleFinders maintains standard security practices including SSL encryption and secure payment processing. The company has operated since 1999 without significant security incidents, suggesting competent data handling. However, the security documentation provides less detail about encryption standards and certifications compared to Intelius.

Both services face inherent privacy considerations when accessing personal information from public sources. Intelius’s more comprehensive certifications and clearer privacy architecture provide additional reassurance for users concerned about data protection. Given the sensitive nature of this information, understanding what is doxxing and how to protect yourself online becomes particularly important.

Winner: Intelius provides more robust data protection standards.

Best for Track Record: Intelius Wins

Intelius maintains a clean security record with no major data breaches, plus an A+ BBB rating. The company’s corporate structure includes several subsidiary companies, creating questions about data sharing within their business family, though their privacy policies address these concerns.

PeopleFinders has operated since 1999 (25+ years) without major security incidents, suggesting competent security management over an extended timeframe. This longevity provides reassurance that they’ve navigated evolving security threats for over two decades.

Both services demonstrate solid operational track records, but Intelius’s additional certifications and more transparent security documentation provide advantages for users prioritising verified security practices.

Winner: Intelius edges ahead through certifications and transparency.

Best for Customer Support: Intelius Wins

Intelius offers 24/7 chat and phone support with 5-minute average response times. Contacts result in knowledgeable responses within 24 hours via email and immediate assistance through phone support during business hours. Representatives demonstrate understanding of their product capabilities and limitations.

PeopleFinders provides email and phone support (no live chat). Contacts result in knowledgeable responses that address questions. Support interactions include 16-hour email response for subscription pricing questions, 20-hour response with explanation of data sources for data accuracy enquiry, 24-hour response with solutions for technical issues with mobile app, and immediate phone support resolution during business hours for billing questions.

Both services provide competent support, but Intelius’s 24/7 availability and faster response times are more convenient, particularly when investigating time-sensitive situations outside standard business hours.

Winner: Intelius provides more accessible customer support.

Security Winner Overall: Intelius

Both services maintain adequate security practices without major incidents. Intelius has an edge through superior encryption standards, third-party certifications, enhanced privacy policies, and more responsive customer support. PeopleFinders’ 25-year operational history demonstrates reliable security management, but Intelius’s documented security architecture provides additional reassurance for users concerned about protecting their own information whilst conducting background searches.

For other background check options, consider TruthFinder, BeenVerified, Instant Checkmate, or Spokeo.

PeopleFinders vs Intelius: Pros & Cons

PeopleFinders vs Intelius: Final Verdict

After researching both services, the choice depends on your background checking needs and priorities. Both work well in their respective areas, but they solve different problems.

After researching both services extensively, they score identically overall (8.1/10) because they’re both excellent at what they do. PeopleFinders excels at efficiency and value, delivering results in 2.1 minutes with well-designed mobile apps, flexible trial options, and lower pricing for everyday verification needs. Intelius excels at comprehensive investigation, providing employment history spanning 15-20 years, education verification, multi-jurisdictional criminal records, and relationship mapping that reveals connections PeopleFinders can’t access. Neither service is objectively better. The choice depends on whether you need quick, affordable verification or thorough investigation with professional credentials.

Choose PeopleFinders if: You need quick verification for time-sensitive decisions. You prioritise mobile functionality and want well-designed background check apps. You require occasional background checks rather than regular comprehensive investigation. You value flexible trial options without long-term subscription commitment. You’re working with budget constraints and don’t need employment or education verification.

Choose Intelius if: You’re hiring contractors, childcare providers, or making decisions involving significant trust and responsibility. You need employment verification to confirm claimed work history and professional credentials. Education verification matters for tutors, caregivers, or professional service providers. You require comprehensive criminal record searches across multiple jurisdictions. You’re willing to pay more for comprehensive data that basic screening doesn’t provide. Our best background check services guide covers more options for different situations.

Important limitation: Neither PeopleFinders nor Intelius is FCRA-compliant. This means you cannot use either service for formal employment decisions, tenant screening, or credit checks. Both are designed for personal investigation and due diligence only.

My honest take: most people will find PeopleFinders adequate for everyday verification needs and personal safety decisions. The speed and mobile experience make it practical for quick answers about unknown contacts or potential transactions. When you’re selling something on Craigslist and want to check out the buyer, or when an unknown number keeps calling you, PeopleFinders gets you the answer fast.

However, when the stakes are higher, Intelius makes more sense. If you’re hiring someone to renovate your home for £20,000, you want to verify they’ve actually got the experience they claim. If you’re hiring a nanny to watch your kids, you want to confirm their education credentials are real. If you’re considering a business partnership, you want to see their full professional history. Intelius’s comprehensive investigation capabilities help catch concerning details that faster services miss—like employment gaps, credential issues, or undisclosed legal problems.

For occasional users focused on basic verification, start with PeopleFinders and its trial options. For regular users conducting thorough background checks, particularly in professional or family safety contexts, Intelius provides data depth that helps prevent costly mistakes. If budget allows and your needs span both quick verification and occasional comprehensive investigation, consider using both services for their respective strengths. Both services deliver on their core promises, making either a legitimate choice depending on your specific requirements.

For businesses needing FCRA-compliant background checks for employment decisions, you’ll want to look at the best background check services for hiring trustworthy employees which covers services like Checkr and GoodHire that are designed specifically for formal hiring processes.