A quick search for ‘check criminal records online’ will reveal thousands of search results. But how can you choose the right criminal background check service? What separates a good criminal records search platform from a bad one? Which services are cheapest or most expensive? Today, we’re explaining everything you need to know about choosing the right criminal background check service. 5 Ways to Compare Criminal Background Check Services What’s Included? All criminal background check services might seem to advertise the same thing. In reality, however, they’re made up of many different checkups. A criminal record check service could reveal one or more of the following items: · Social Security Number traces and address validations · Misdemeanor and felony criminal records searches at the county, state, and national levels · Sex offender registry searches · Civil records checks Price Prices vary widely between criminal background check services. The services used by employers, for example, are different than the services used by curious individuals for personal checkups. There’s no industry-standard price range, but generally, prices look like this: Basic Screening: $15 to $30 for basic criminal records check and identity verification, including national criminal database searches and sex offender registry searches. Standard Screening: $30 to $60 for a more detailed report for employers, including everything in basic plans plus a county criminal court search with up to seven years of records. Advanced Screening: $60 to $100 for the most detailed report, including everything in standard and basic plans plus education and employment verifications. There may be additional fees. Some criminal background check services charge setup fees for new customers, for example. Some shady criminal record check services have hidden fees that aren’t revealed until you get to the final checkout page. Accuracy Some criminal record check services have outdated databases filled with inaccurate information. They might have incorrect names and aliases, for example, or get records mixed up between individuals. Clear, accurate reporting is important in any dataset, but it’s particularly important when checking someone’s background and criminal record. Accreditation and Compliance Criminal background check services must be FCRA compliant. If the background check service is not FCRA compliant, then it cannot legally be used for pre-employment screening purposes. Check the Professional Background Screening Association (previously known as the NAPBS) to find accredited services. Keep in mind that accreditation and compliance does not matter if checking criminal records for personal reasons. If you’re not planning to hire a person, then you should be able to use any criminal record check website. Turnaround Time How long does the criminal record check service take to deliver results? Turnaround times vary widely. Sometimes, you can’t afford to wait days or weeks for results to be returned. Most online search services, including CheckCriminalRecord.com, have turnaround times in minutes – not days. Final Word Using all of the above metrics, you can find the right criminal background check service for your unique needs.