Is BeenVerified Legit? Honest Review and Pricing (2026)
Updated: September 2026 · 175+ platforms searched
A real name search on the hardest case there is โ John Smith โ and the four steps that narrow a million matches to one. Search your own name first.
Quick Answer: Is BeenVerified Legit?
Yes. BeenVerified is a legitimate, long-running US people-search service, not a scam: you pay, you get real reports built from public records and commercial data. Whether it is worth it depends on your clue. It is the strongest choice when you have a username or a vehicle (VIN or license plate) to look up. For turning a name, phone number or email into a person, Spokeo is our pick at a lower typical monthly price.
Two things to know before you sign up: the roughly $1 seven-day trial renews automatically into a full membership, and reports can contain outdated or mixed-up records. Before paying anything, run the name, email or username through the free Lullar search on this page โ it checks public profiles on 175+ networks with no signup, and the person is not notified.
Who Runs BeenVerified and What It Searches
BeenVerified was founded in 2007 in New York City by Josh Levy and Ross Cohen and is still headquartered there. It is one of several consumer brands run by its parent, The Lifetime Value Company (LTV). It covers the United States only.
BeenVerified offers more search types than most competitors:
- Name โ contact details, address history, relatives, social profiles and some court and criminal records where available.
- Phone and email โ reverse lookups that try to match a number or address to an owner.
- Address โ current and past residents and property details.
- Username โ checks a handle against social and web accounts.
- Vehicle โ VIN or license plate lookups for vehicle history details.
- Unclaimed money โ searches for unclaimed funds in a person's name.
The username and vehicle searches are the main reasons to choose it over rivals; Spokeo and TruthFinder do not offer them.
Spokeo searches 12+ billion US records by name, phone, email or address, usually at a lower monthly price than BeenVerified.
Search on Spokeo →BeenVerified Pricing, the $1 Trial and How to Cancel
Reviewers in September 2026 reported BeenVerified at about $27โ37 a month, or about $17โ24 a month on a three-month plan billed up front. A seven-day trial costs about $1 and converts to a paid membership automatically unless you cancel. Prices change with promotions, so confirm at checkout.
To cancel before you are billed:
- Log in at BeenVerified on a computer and open your account or billing settings, then choose the cancel option and confirm.
- If you cannot find it, contact BeenVerified support by email (support@beenverified.com), live chat or phone and ask to turn off auto-renewal; have your member ID ready.
- If you subscribed in the iPhone or Android app, cancel through Apple or Google Play subscriptions โ deleting the app does not cancel it.
- Keep the confirmation email. BeenVerified says remaining access lasts until the end of the paid term.
Canceling stops billing; it does not remove your own data from the site. That is a separate opt-out.
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Accuracy, Limits and the FCRA Rule
BeenVerified reports are compiled automatically from public records and data brokers, so treat them as leads, not proof. Common problems include old addresses and phone numbers, relatives listed from years ago, and records merged from people with the same name. Criminal records are incomplete because many courts do not share data in bulk โ for anything serious, check the court directly.
BeenVerified is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. You may not use it to screen tenants or employees or to make credit or insurance decisions; its terms prohibit this. Use it for personal reasons: verifying a date or seller, reconnecting with someone, checking your own record, or personal safety.
BeenVerified vs Spokeo
Both are legitimate and overlap heavily. The difference is breadth versus price. Figures are September 2026 reviewer reports; confirm at checkout.
| BeenVerified | Spokeo | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical monthly price | About $27โ37 | About $20โ30 |
| Longer plan | 3-month about $17โ24/mo | 3-month plans discounted |
| Trial | 7 days for about $1, auto-renews | Low-cost trial, auto-renews |
| Name, phone, email, address | Yes | Yes |
| Username search | Yes | No |
| Vehicle (VIN/plate) | Yes | No |
| Best for | Usernames, vehicles, multi-month use | Matching a phone or email to a person |
| FCRA use | Not permitted | Not permitted |
For the three-way breakdown, see Spokeo vs BeenVerified vs TruthFinder, and our Spokeo review.
How to Opt Out of BeenVerified
You can ask BeenVerified to hide your own listing for free, without an account:
- Go to the opt-out page at beenverified.com/svc/optout/search/optouts, or use the Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information link in the site footer.
- Search your first name, last name and state, and pick the record that is yours (check age, city and relatives).
- Enter an email address and click the verification link BeenVerified sends you; the request is not processed until you do.
An opt-out suppresses the listing rather than deleting the underlying records, and a listing can reappear after data refreshes, so re-check every few months. Our guide to removing yourself from people-search sites covers the other major brokers.
Pros, Cons and Verdict: Which to Use When
- Pros: the widest range of search types, including username, vehicle and unclaimed money; cheap three-month rate; polished mobile app; free opt-out.
- Cons: higher month-to-month price than Spokeo; the $1 trial auto-renews; reports can be outdated or mixed up; not usable for FCRA purposes.
Verdict: BeenVerified is legit and useful, especially when your clue is a username or a license plate. For most personal identity searches โ a name, phone number or email you want matched to a real person โ Spokeo is our pick at a lower typical monthly price. Only need someone's social profiles? Start with the free Lullar search and you may not need to pay at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BeenVerified a scam?
No. BeenVerified is a legitimate people-search company founded in 2007 and based in New York City. The main complaints are about the roughly $1 trial renewing into a full membership and about outdated or inaccurate report details, not about fraud.
How much does BeenVerified cost in 2026?
Reviewers in September 2026 reported about $27 to $37 a month, or about $17 to $24 a month on a three-month plan, plus a seven-day trial for about $1 that auto-renews. Promotions change often, so confirm the price at checkout.
How do I cancel the BeenVerified $1 trial?
Log in and cancel from your account or billing settings before the seven days end, or contact support by email, chat or phone. If you subscribed through the iPhone or Android app, cancel in your Apple or Google Play subscriptions. Keep the confirmation email.
Is BeenVerified better than Spokeo?
BeenVerified is better for username and vehicle searches, which Spokeo does not offer. For matching a name, phone number or email to a person, Spokeo is our pick because it covers those searches at a lower typical monthly price.
Can I use BeenVerified to screen a tenant or employee?
No. BeenVerified is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and its terms prohibit employment, tenant, credit and insurance screening. Use an FCRA-compliant screening company for those decisions.
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