Not knowing who is calling is, at best, a nuisance, and sometimes it can even lead to security risks - that's why knowing the best reverse phone lookup providers can be a lifesaver. Reverse phone lookup services are designed to search through public databases and provide details about the owner of a given number.
When it comes to a reverse phone lookup, there are many providers out there, but not all offer fast access to millions (or billions) of records or even reliable accuracy. As such, getting the detailed info you need to identify callers, locate an old friend, or find out who owns a business can be difficult if you don't know the best reverse phone lookup services to use.
To help, we've created a list of the best reverse phone number lookup services available to the public. Chosen for their reputation, accuracy, and speed, each service makes it easy to quickly search through tons of records and get detailed info about any phone number.
4 Best Reverse Phone Lookup Sites
1. InstantCheckmate - Best Reverse Phone Lookup Site
2. Intelius - Best for Multiple Searches
3.Peoplefinders- Best for Mobile Searches
4.Spokeo - Best for First-Time Searches
Detailed Reviews of the Best Reverse Phone Lookup Services
1. InstantCheckmate - Best Reverse Phone Lookup Site
misuse of private information.
The company's customer service team has a speedy response time and can help with any questions or issues you may have. Additionally, InstantCheckmate is committed to helping people avoid scams and fraud and offers educational blogs covering best practices, security tips, and more.
InstantCheckmate Reverse Phone Lookup Services
When it comes to finding out who has been calling, or finding out current info about an old number, InstantCheckmate is the best reverse phone lookup service around.
The reverse phone number lookup function is easy to use, requiring only a ten-digit number to get started. Once you hit the search button, InstantCheckmate gets to work scouring its extensive public records database, carrier information, and more. In just a few minutes, you'll get a free report containing the phone carrier and caller's city/state location.
If more information is needed, InstantCheckmate offers detailed reports covering essential information related to the given landline or cell phone number. Reports contain details such as a full name, address history, email addresses, social media profiles, and more.
Privacy is a hallmark of a reputable and above-board reverse phone lookup service, and InstantCheckmate has that covered. All searches are 100% confidential, ensuring your privacy and personal data remain protected.
Why We Chose InstantCheckmate
With millions of active daily users, countless positive customer reviews, and a comprehensive database, it's easy to see why we chose InstantCheckmate as the best reverse phone lookup service. It is our top pick for anyone looking for fast and accurate results at a reasonable price.
Visit InstantCheckmate to learn more
2. Intelius - Best for Multiple Searches
Pros:
Comprehensive membership plan
Fast & accurate results
Paid & free reverse phone lookup
24/7 customer support staff
Cons:
One-time fee for downloadable reports
About Intelius
A user-friendly and reliable reverse phone lookup service, Intelius can help you get the info you need to understand anything about a person you know or don't know. The site offers both paid and free reverse phone lookup options, making it easy (and affordable) to perform any kind of search you want, as much as you need.
Additionally, Intelius' 24/7 customer support team is always ready to answer questions, allowing you to get the most out of your search experience.
Intelius Reverse Phone Lookup Service
When it comes to reverse phone lookup services, Intelius offers the best of both worlds - a fast and efficient search engine with valuable membership features. The site's free phone lookup option allows users to perform basic lookups, such as finding the carrier, line type, and city/state location of a given phone number.
Intelius prompts users when additional information is available, allowing them to purchase one-time or membership plans that provide detailed insight into the searched number. From information like previous address history, related social media profiles, online images, and more - Intelius' paid plans deliver comprehensive results at a reasonable price.
With no limit to the number of searches you can perform, Intelius' free and membership plans give users regularly receiving multiple calls a reliable way to identify and verify numbers quickly and securely.
Why We Chose Intelius
With its comprehensive paid services, free lookup feature, and unbeatable customer support team, Intelius is our pick for anyone needing to perform multiple reverse phone number lookups. Not only does this best reverse phone lookup service provide accurate results in minutes, but it also allows its members to get more detailed reports at an affordable price.
3. Peoplefinders - Best for Mobile Searches
Pros:
Service accessible on any device
Thorough & accurate results
Records database spans 40+ years
Fast search time
Cons:
Higher price point for a one-time report than others on this list
About Peoplefinders
One of the longest-operating reverse phone lookup services, Peoplefinders has been trusted by millions of users since 1999. Its user-friendly search engine is compatible with any device and provides thorough results in minutes. Additionally, the site has apps in the Android and Apple stores, allowing users to perform searches on the go easily and securely.
In addition to its many features, Peoplefinders also boasts a massive records database spanning over 40 years. This allows users to find detailed and accurate information from a variety of sources.
Peoplefinders Reverse Phone Lookup Service
As one of the oldest reverse phone lookup services on the market, Peoplefinders makes getting the information you need easy and fast. Users can find detailed reports on any phone number they search for with just a few clicks.
The service's mobile search feature makes it easy to identify calls and texts from unknown numbers right away. With any ten-digit phone number, Peoplefinders will provide the carrier, line type, and city/state location. For more in-depth information about a person's identity or address history, you can purchase a one-time report for an additional fee.
Comprehensive paid reports offer the most insight into a person's background, including public records, social media profiles, and more. As a bonus, Peoplefinders also includes known associates and relatives for each searched phone number (paid reports only), making it easy to track down long-lost family members or friends using an old number.
Why We Chose Peoplefinders
Peoplefinders stands out from other reverse phone lookup services by offering a comprehensive experience across multiple platforms. In addition, the service's long history and massive database provides very detailed information that you can have confidence in.
Visit Peoplefinders to learn more
4. Spokeo - Best for First-Time Searches
Pros:
Surface and deep web records database
Free reverse phone lookup services
Affordable price point for paid reports
100% satisfaction guarantee on all reports
Cons:
Auto rebill if not canceled before membership expiration
About Spokeo
Using proprietary deep web technology to scour the internet for public records, Spokeo has been helping its users search for detailed information about people since 2006. With an enormous database of over 12 billion public records and a user-friendly interface, the service is fast becoming one of the internet's most popular reverse phone lookup sites.
The site offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee and is incredibly transparent about its policies and procedures. This makes it easy to trust the service with your data while still getting accurate results in minutes.
Spokeo Reverse Phone Lookup Service
Spokeo has both paid and free reverse phone lookup services, making it possible for anyone to find information about an unknown caller. The site searches through its massive records database to bring up the latest available information on any phone number, including name, address history, carrier, and more.
For deep-level background checks or detailed reports on a person's past address history, email addresses, relatives, social media profiles, and more, you can purchase a one-time report for an affordable price point. All reports come with the 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, and the Spokeo customer service team is available 7 days a week to assist with any questions or issues.
Why We Chose Spokeo
For those who've never used reverse phone lookup sites, Spokeo is an excellent choice. The user-friendly interface, fast results, and extensive information make it easy to find the answers you need quickly and securely.
How We Picked Our Best Reverse Phone Lookup Sites
Our research into the best reverse phone number lookup sites started with a comprehensive review of existing services. We looked at factors such as accuracy, user-friendliness, fees, customer reviews, and more to determine which sites offered the best overall experience.
We then compiled a list of all the top-rated reverse phone lookup sites and compared them head-to-head to make sure that we only included the best of the best. We took into account any additional services offered by each site, such as background checks and specific reports on certain phone numbers.
As a final step, we ran reports on each of the sites to ensure accuracy and completed our research with real-world tests. This allowed us to compile an unbiased list of the best reverse phone lookup sites available.
What is a Reverse Phone Lookup?
The age of privacy protections has made it difficult to always know who is calling you. A reverse phone number lookup is a service that, after entering a phone number, provides detailed information about the caller, like full name, address history, current carrier, previous numbers associated with them, social media profiles, and more.
Reverse phone number lookup services are becoming increasingly popular because they give people the power to control with whom they communicate. With detailed information available, it's now easier than ever to identify who is calling and make informed decisions about how to respond.
But it isn't just about identifying who has been calling or texting you. Reverse phone number lookup sites also help reconnect with lost friends and family or locate old classmates and co-workers using numbers no longer associated with them.
Furthermore, reverse phone number lookup sites provide an excellent way to protect and hide what information is available about you online. By running a reverse cell phone lookup for your number, you can see what's publicly available and take steps to control your information. This can be especially useful if you're concerned about stalking or identity theft.
Are Reverse Phone Number Lookup Sites Legal?
It is entirely legal for users to search phone numbers in reverse lookup services. The service pulls public records from different sources, including phone directories and court documents, so the information is all publicly available.
That being said, there are caveats to how the information obtained in a reverse phone number lookup is used. For example, the Fair Credit Reporting Act prohibits using information obtained from reverse phone lookup sites to make credit, hiring or tenant leasing decisions. Information used to make these types of decisions can only be legally provided by a consumer reporting agency and usually require the written authorization of the person being screened and a legitimate purpose.
Because phone number lookup sites are not considered consumer reporting agencies, information provided by them cannot be used for these purposes. So, long story short, it is entirely legal to use reverse phone lookup sites as long as you are using the information in a way that doesn't violate the T&Cs of the site and the law.
How To Choose the Best Reverse Phone Lookup?
The internet is rife with phone number lookup sites all claiming to be the best. But there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to phone number lookup services. Each person's needs vary greatly, and the best reverse phone lookup service for you might not be the same as someone else's. Consider the following factors to ensure the site you choose meets your needs.
Search Options
The best sites will offer both paid and free reverse phone lookup services. Free options are often enough to help users decide if the landline or cell phone number calling or texting them is legit or a scam. These free reverse phone lookup services also provide insight into whether more information is available and, if so, provide detailed paid phone number lookup reports.
By choosing a site that offers both free and paid phone lookup services, you can make sure the phone number lookup service is reliable and worth your time and money before you commit.
Records Database
To get the most comprehensive free or paid results, you need to choose a reverse phone lookup site with an extensive, up-to-date database of phone numbers. The more phone numbers that have been tested and verified by the site, the better your phone lookup results will be. For example, all the sites on this list access billions of records to provide phone number lookup results, so you can rest assured that the phone numbers you are searching for will be included.
It is also a good idea to look for sites that access more than the surface web. For example, reverse phone lookup sites providing information found from the Deep and Dark Web give much more accurate and reliable reverse phone lookup results.
Legal Compliance
Some users may find the numerous pop ups asking to confirm and acknowledge that you won't use the services provided by phone number lookup sites to break the law annoying. However, reverse phone lookup sites have a legal obligation to make sure their customers will not utilize phone number lookup services for illegal purposes. These safeguards, while seemingly tedious, are a hallmark of a reputable service dedicated to customer privacy and security.
Pro Tip: If the site's verbiage seems unfamiliar or unclear about what you can and can't do with the information, read up on the FCRA to make sure you know the rights and restrictions of phone number lookup services.
Multiple Report Formats
Sometimes you need the ability to check back on phone numbers you have looked up or share reverse phone lookup results with someone else. That is why it is important to look for phone number lookup sites that offer phone reports in online and downloadable formats such as PDF, Word doc, etc.
Pro Tip: In some cases, downloading reports can cost extra, and if you are on a budget, you'll want to look for one of the best reverse phone lookup sites that offer these services for free.
Regular Updates
With burner phones, phone spoofing, and phone hackers all becoming more and more prevalent, phone number lookup sites need to be able to keep up. Therefore, the best reverse phone lookup services will constantly update their databases with newly verified phone numbers so that users can continue to get the most reliable and accurate phone lookup results possible.
Look for sites that offer regular (daily or weekly) updates to make sure your phone number lookup results are always fresh, up-to-date, and reliable.
Customer Support
Good customer support is also an important factor when it comes to phone number lookup sites. Look for phone number lookup sites that offer phone, chat, and email support to ensure you can get the help you need when you need it.
Multiple Payment Options
Less of a requirement and more of a convenience, phone number lookup sites that offer multiple payment options can be very helpful. The best reverse phone lookup services will accept major credit cards, PayPal, or Apple/Google pay to make sure it’s easy to use your preferred payment method so that you never miss out on phone number lookup results.
How To Use a Reverse Phone Lookup Service?
Looking up another person's cell phone or landline number is among the easiest search functions on reverse lookup sites. These platforms have an intuitive design that makes them easy to use, and they offer a variety of options when it comes to landline or cell phone number lookups.
Once you have entered the cell phone or landline number you are searching for into the search field, click on "Search" and wait for results. The reverse lookup platform will then begin scanning through their database and return any information associated with the number you provided.
When the site has completed the search, you'll be prompted to accept the terms and conditions of the search. Once accepted, you'll be able to view the results. Depending on what information was found in the database, these may include (but are not limited to) details such as cell phone carrier, location, name, and location associated with the cell or landline number.
Every site has a different layout as to how the information from reverse phone lookups is provided, but scroll through the initial free report, and you may find that the service has found other matches for the number, including previous addresses, known relatives, social media accounts, and more.
By clicking on the "Get Full Report" button, users are directed to a payment page detailing the cost of the full report. You'll have the chance to browse payment options (one-time report or monthly subscription) and select which one best suits your needs. Once you have chosen, your payment will be processed, and a full detailed report will be generated for you to view.
All of the best reverse phone lookup providers on this list offer a dashboard that users can log into to view their reports at any time. Through this dashboard, you can also download the full report from the reverse phone search in a variety of formats for offline viewing. Additionally, the dashboard will allow you to upgrade to other search services offered by the site - if any. You can also cancel or change your membership at any time through the personalized suite of search tools.
What Information is Not Available in a Reverse Phone Lookup?
The urge to know the intimate details of another person's life can be a powerful temptation, but phone number lookup services are limited in what information they provide. No reverse cell phone lookup service can guarantee comprehensive results, and there are certain types of data that cannot be revealed due to privacy laws.
Data such as bank account numbers, credit card numbers, and Social Security numbers are unavailable through landline or cell phone number lookup services. Additionally, information regarding criminal records or related judicial information is usually not included in these types of reports.
It is essential to note that you won't find any information about a phone number that isn't publicly available. For example, sealed records, medical records, and other business-related information that isn't available online cannot be provided.
It is also important to remember that reverse lookup services can only provide information about numbers listed in public directories. So, if a number is new and has never been used, it likely won't appear in the cell phone number lookup results.
So, if you have done a search and gotten no results, that doesn't necessarily mean that the site isn't legit; it just means that the phone number wasn't found in public databases. While this may not help you in the short term, it's important to keep in mind that cell phone and landline number lookup databases are frequently being updated. Therefore, if you check back at a later date, you may find more information about the cell or landline number.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many times can you look up a phone number?
The sites on this list offer unlimited free and paid search features, meaning you can look up a number as often as you'd like. With the regular updates that the most reliable sites perform, chances are that every search reveals new details about the number you are looking up.
2. Is there a cost associated with phone number lookup?
Most sites will require you to pay a fee if you want to learn more about where the number is calling from and the type of phone it belongs to. Some services offer one-time fees for detailed reports, while others may have a subscription service.
3. Can I protect my identity with a reverse phone lookup?
Yes. Some services allow you to control who can see your information and what information is visible on a reverse phone lookup. However, you may need to go to many sites individually and follow the steps to ensure your information is kept private.
4. Is my information safe using these services?
Yes. All of the sites on this list have implemented several layers of security to ensure that your data is kept safe and secure at all times. Additionally, they also adhere to privacy laws and regulations to guarantee your protection.
5. How often are these services updated?
The best reverse phone lookup services update their databases regularly, ranging from monthly to daily updates. It is essential to note that some sites only update their databases periodically, meaning you may not find the most up-to-date information about a number.
6. When should I use a reverse phone lookup service?
Reverse phone lookup services are used when you want to identify who or what is behind an unknown number. This can be helpful if you're trying to find out who is calling a loved one, dealing with harassment from an unknown source, or tracking down a harassing call.
Always Know Who's Calling
The best reverse phone lookup sites offer the most comprehensive and up-to-date databases of phone numbers, allowing you to find out who's calling as well as other important information about the caller.
Whether it's just a prank call, an unknown number on your phone bill, or you're trying to identify a caller for safety reasons, using any of the sites above ensures you get the accurate, reliable info you need to never have to guess who's on the other end of the line again.
Pros:
Used by millions of people every day
100% confidential searches
Comprehensive records database
Suitable for landlines and mobile phone numbers
Cons:
None
About InstantCheckmate
InstantCheckmate is a leading reverse phone lookup site providing users access to an online platform that quickly and accurately searches through billions of public records. The service is dedicated to following best practices in privacy and security, ensuring no violations of the law or.