Bulk Background Checks: DIY Guide

Bulk background checks cut down on the process of hiring and recruiting new team members significantly. By using a bulk service, you can conduct multiple public record searches simultaneously, getting back to what matters most: growing your company and employing the right people.

To be clear, background checks are an absolutely essential part of the hiring process. Bulk searches simply let you cut down on the time and costs associated significantly.

But going in bulk isn’t just useful for employers; it can also be used to screen childcare volunteers, church workers, or even the different people who live on your street.

What Are Bulk Background Checks? What Shows Up?

If you’re trying to hire several candidates at once within a short period of time, you’re no doubt already familiar with the sheer number of necessary HR tasks. So once you finally get to the point of running background checks, it can be overwhelming.

The most appealing aspect of running reports in bulk is the duration of the investigation doesn’t increase based on the number of checks run. They will be completed in roughly the same time as a check for a single individual would take.

Luckily there are various services you can use to screen multiple people at once. You will get all the information you need about the different candidates you plan to recruit to your company at once. This saves you the hassle of evaluating them one at a time.

A bulk background check company provides a tracing service accessible to everyone. These services use the latest online research technologies and databases to analyze huge amounts of information from public records.

This data legally exists in the public domain, and most of it is supplied by federal and state governments (along with their associated agencies). When combined, this body of data can provide in-depth insight into the lives of almost anyone.

Findings from a background investigation for bulk records will be the same as what an individual check consists of. It will simply include information on multiple people instead.

How To Run a Bulk Background Check

In the past, obtaining information on someone’s record required a lot of paperwork and excruciatingly long wait times. Now, thanks to the digital revolution, it is incredibly easy to verify the data of potential employees.

Furthermore, it’s now even easier with bulk background checks. Naturally, these differ from a normal check done on a single individual because they provide information on multiple people. While many online tools will give you detailed information about all candidates at once, they are not all created equal. Simply put, you must to make sure you utilize only high-accuracy tools that correctly filter the information you need.

That’s where bulk background check companies come in.

What Makes the Best Bulk Background Check Service Worthwhile?

What should you look for in a trusted bulk background verification service? There are a lot of things to consider in the pre-hiring screening process, and some factors are more important than others.

To save you time, we’ve created a list below. But first, keep in mind these essential factors we considered when reviewing the different options:

• Accuracy – You must be able to rely on the data you receive. If the service does not include relevant information or includes false positives like records on other people with the same name, your search results will be skewed and ultimately you’ll have to spend more time and money running the check again.
• Design – Does it provide information in an easy-to-understand format, or is it nearly impossible to read? When it comes to background check services, usability can be a huge issue. This goes double or even triple when you are running checks in bulk on tens or even hundreds of people.
• Speed – Bulk background checks can take serious time. Clearly, you need a service that delivers information within 24 hours or less. Otherwise, what is even the point of using a bulk service?

List of Bulk Background Check Providers

The following are the best bulk background check providers to choose from, based on careful review using the criteria above.

Intelius

Their extensive research includes criminal background checks, reverse phone number lookups, and people lookup in public records. They bring together information about a person’s criminal record, financial history, property data, educational history, and more.

Their attention to detail is impressive, and they’ve completed over 50 million data checks for satisfied customers across the US.

Apart from the usual online search, Intelius also has a human factor. They can also send a person to search non-digitized records in criminal and civil courts to ensure nothing is slipping on the web. This can be very useful when you’re checking someone’s records for a sensitive reason, like a job at a bank or the caretaker at an elderly home.

The Intelius Online Dashboard is a neatly designed and easy-to-use tool that has an excellent reputation for creating reports that are easy to track and very accurate. They have dedicated apps for Android and iOS devices and a comprehensive customer support service that can be contacted via email, or phone. Saving you even more time, their online troubleshooter can help solve the large majority of your questions within minutes.

A subscription fee of $21.35 monthly will grant you unlimited searches with Intelius.³ They specialize in bulk; you can’t buy a standalone background check. They also offer a free trial at $0.95; you can cancel your trial or subscription if you don’t wish to continue with a quick support ticket.

Truthfinder

Truthfinder is one of the most trusted bulk background check services in the industry. Their monthly fees start at $28.33 for a one-month subscription but drop to $ 23.02 monthly if you commit for three months.⁴

At this price, they claim to offer one of the most comprehensive research services out there, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option if you consider the millions of different datasets they analyze. Their research is focused on court records, driving records, personal information, and even information about known relatives.

For an additional $17.47, their top-level research will also examine other records:

• Education history
• Voter registration
• Weapons
• Other licenses held

Truthfinder’s final reports are well-designed, easy to read, and packed with information. Their online dashboard is also well-designed and intuitive. Unfortunately, Truthfinder currently only offers an Android app, but you can access their website at any time to directly view your pulled reports. Finally, they offer 24/7 customer support available on a toll-free number.

Instant Checkmate

Instant CheckMate has an excellent reputation and enjoys enthusiastic customer reviews. Their services are offered in a two-tier payment structure. The basic service is priced at $35.47 per month for a one-month subscription.²

Their bulk background checks include a number of different data points:

• Criminal records
• Marriage records
• Divorce records
• Parent details
• Address history
• Public social media profiles

Their premium-level service extracts even more details, similar to Truthfinder’s upgraded subscription:

• Financial history
• Driver’s licenses
• Gun licenses

Instant Checkmate’s final reports are neat, easy to follow, and rich in information, while their online dashboard is well-designed and simple to use. Similar to Truthfinder’s services, one downside to Instant Checkmate is that it only has an Android app available at the moment.

IOS users have to be content with the online dashboard, but it works well in the Safari browser. They offer good customer support service, available 24 hours a day, any day of the week. Instant Checkmate isn’t the cheapest provider on the market, but its value can be the best depending on the specific records you need.

BeenVerified

BeenVerified is one of the best bulk background check sites and has been around since 2007. Basic services are available at $29.99 for one month and $19.49 monthly when you sign up for three months.¹

BeenVerified will search thousands of different sources including criminal records, financial records, property reports, social media profiles, and previous addresses.

Their premium tier will cost an additional $9.95 per month but will analyze even more data sources. Like Intelius, they even offer the option of sending a courthouse runner to look for physical records for an added small fee.

BeenVerified’s final reports are some of the best we’ve come across, showcasing large amounts of information in a way that is easy to follow. This can be the best option if you need to provide the background checks to someone else for viewing who isn’t savvy on the topics of public records.

Their online dashboard is intuitive and easy to use, as are their dedicated apps (available on both iOS and Android devices). Customer support is available for long hours, seven days a week, and can be accessed by phone or email–which is a plus as not all providers are accessible by email.

BeenVerified rightly has a reputation as one of the best bulk background check services. And if you take advantage of their discount tiers, there aren’t many others that offer better value for the money.

Different Types of Bulk Background Checks

Just like with a normal background check, there are different types of bulk checks. Understanding precisely what the differences are, what information you truly need, and using a provider that can satisfy your requirements, will avoid you the headache and lost money from using one that simply doesn’t show what you need on their reporting.

Bulk Criminal Background Checks

Also known as level 2 background checks, criminal background checks aren’t always necessary. Sometimes, reviewing someone’s records in a single jurisdiction relating to employment history is enough. But when you want a complete picture and simply need a more comprehensive background check, a level 2 (criminal) check is the only option.

Most companies for sensitive positions need to know if a specific candidate has a criminal history.

Using bulk criminal checks, employers can peruse arrest reports and other legal issues. These can even include minute details, like if the individual has spent time in a juvenile detention center. To be clear, the regulations surrounding this type of check vary from state to state. And only some providers are qualified and approved to provide this information.

If you need to run a bulk FBI check, then it’s highly advisable to use a fast-track FBI background screening provider known as a channeler.

Bulk Employment Background Checks

As explained above, employers will have different needs; the HR department of a bank or truck driving firm (which will typically check your MVR evaluation) will certainly need more detailed records than a local coffee shop or mall kiosk.

The first step is determining how deep you need the search to go. Once you have clearly outlined your needs, submitting a bulk employment background check is quick and easy.

Gone are the days of submitting paperwork for candidates one by one. We live in modern times now, and luckily that means we can hire with modern methods too.

Some companies may choose to screen candidates during the initial recruitment process while others may wait until they pass an interview successfully. One thing to note is that you will also be able to review the different companies your potential employees have worked for in the past.

Bulk Tenant Background Checks

Employers certainly aren’t the only use cases for a bulk check.

Bulk tenant background checks are typically used in combination with a credit check. They are often considered essential by seasoned rental, apartment, and housing agencies for leasing or buying that comes with long terms or a higher price point. This unique type of check can even include rental background reports combined with credit reports to save time.

As always, the process for obtaining public records depends on local legislation: each state will be different.

Clearly, tenant checks for landlords are one of the most common uses of a bulk search, considering that multiple tenants submit during application periods.

In Conclusion…

As they say, time is money. And every minute you spend digging through public records is time that could be spent on other much more important things.

Like anything in life, picking the cheapest option is hardly ever the best choice, and that goes even more for bulk background reporting. Some sites claim to do the job for free, but there’s almost always a catch and the records you get will miss key points of information. Could they really provide the best reporting without making any money to improve their system?

Do your research and choose a site that offers the records you need. In the end, this will provide the best value.