The Ultimate Guide to TruthFinder‘s $1 Trial: Everything You Need to Know
If you‘re considering using an online background check service, you‘ve probably come across TruthFinder. This popular platform aggregates millions of public records to provide detailed reports on almost anyone in the US. Looking up an old friend? Curious about a new neighbor? TruthFinder makes it easy to access criminal records, contact info, social media profiles and more.
But TruthFinder‘s powerful tools and extensive database access come at a price. Subscriptions start at $28.05 per month – not cheap. Like many consumers, you‘re probably wondering: does TruthFinder offer a free trial so I can test it out first?
The short answer is no, there is no completely free trial for TruthFinder. However, they do offer a very cheap trial that lets you access reports for just $1. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explain exactly how TruthFinder‘s $1 trial works, what‘s included, and how to decide if it‘s worth it for you.
What is TruthFinder?
First, let‘s quickly review what TruthFinder is and how it works. Launched in 2015, TruthFinder is an online background check service that provides detailed reports on individuals in the United States. By aggregating data from hundreds of millions of public records, TruthFinder reports can include:
- Contact info including current and past addresses and phone numbers
- Age and date of birth
- Relatives and known associates
- Criminal records including arrests, convictions, and sex offender status
- Social media profiles and online mentions
- Education and employment history
- Asset ownership records
Basically, TruthFinder aims to be a one-stop shop for looking up information on almost anyone. It pulls together data from disparate public records databases that would take hours to comb through individually. The service is popular with online daters looking to vet potential matches, those searching for long-lost friends and family members, and businesses conducting due diligence on employees and partners.
Some key TruthFinder stats:
- Over 60,000 signups per day (Source: TruthFinder)
- 9 billion public records accessible (Source: TruthFinder)
- 4.8/5 star customer rating across 60,000+ reviews (Source: Sitejabber)
So how does TruthFinder stack up against other background check services? It compares favorably in terms of data access and report comprehensiveness. Several competitors like Intelius and Instant Checkmate actually provide data to TruthFinder.
However, TruthFinder‘s pricing is on the higher end, with the cheapest subscription starting at $28.05/month. Other services offer cheaper monthly or one-off report options. But TruthFinder argues their data and user experience is superior. The $1 trial provides a low-cost way to test this claim.
What TruthFinder‘s $1 Trial Includes
TruthFinder‘s $1 trial offer allows users to initiate a search and access background reports for 5 days. If you see a TruthFinder ad or search result promising to "search arrests, contact info and more for $1", this is what they‘re referencing. It‘s a limited-time introductory offer for new customers.
For that $1 fee, you can search for as many different people as you want during the 5 day trial window. TruthFinder does not publicly disclose any limit on the number of searches or reports you can access. However, they reserve the right to impose usage limits if they detect suspected abuse, such as searching for a large number of unrelated individuals, likely for commercial purposes.
So what will you actually see with a $1 trial search? After entering a name, TruthFinder scours its databases and compiles any matching records into a report. You‘ll get a preview of what information the report contains, broken down into several categories:
- Personal details
- Contact info
- Location history
- Criminal records
- Social media profiles
- Possible relatives
- Nearby sex offenders
However, to access the full details in each section, you‘ll need to sign up for the trial. Once you do, you‘ll be able to view complete reports, including detailed criminal record entries, mapped addresses, links to social media profiles and more.
It‘s important to understand that the $1 trial provides full access to TruthFinder‘s database and reporting tools. There are no additional tiers or upsells beyond the trial. You can search and view reports with the same level of access as a user on a paid monthly subscription.
This is both good and bad. It‘s great that TruthFinder doesn‘t hold back functionality or data from trial users. You really can get a complete picture of what the service offers for just $1. The downside is that once the 5 day trial window is up, your only option to keep your access is to let the trial roll over to a full price subscription.
Signing Up for a TruthFinder $1 Trial
Signing up for TruthFinder‘s $1 trial is fairly straightforward. You can complete the entire process from either a mobile device or desktop computer. The mobile sign-up experience is slightly streamlined, with larger buttons and a simplified form, but the desktop flow is also quite user-friendly.
Here‘s how it works:
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Either on the TruthFinder website or after an initial name search, click on any call-to-action referencing the $1 trial. You‘ll be directed to a sign-up page.
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Enter the name and location of the person you want to search. TruthFinder will conduct a preliminary database search.
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If the search yields any results, TruthFinder will display a preview page outlining what information the full report contains. To access the report, you‘ll need to create an account.
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Enter your email address and create a password for your new TruthFinder account. Alternatively, you can sign up using your Google or Facebook account credentials.
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Provide a payment method for the $1 trial fee. TruthFinder accepts all major credit and debit cards. For security, they do not accept PayPal, checks or cash payments for the trial.
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Complete the checkout process and access your TruthFinder trial account. You‘ll be able to view the full background report for your initial search and conduct additional searches.
The sign-up process is generally glitch-free and should only take a few minutes to complete. The most common stumbling block is a credit card being declined. This is typically due to a mismatch between the billing address you enter and the one on file with your bank. Double check that all fields are filled out accurately.
One you‘re in, you can use TruthFinder‘s full suite of tools to search for people and view reports. On both desktop and mobile, the search interface is fairly intuitive. Just enter a first and last name and a state, if known, to generate a list of potential matching records. From there you can select the most likely match and pull up a report overview.
To view a report, simply click the "Access Report" button. You‘ll see all the available data on that individual categorized into different tabs. Criminal records, social profiles, possible relatives and more each have their own dedicated section.
It‘s worth noting that the level of detail and accuracy can vary depending on what public records are available for a given individual. More data tends to be available for people with a significant public paper trail, like homeowners, those who‘ve been arrested, or people with an active online presence. Reports may be more limited for younger people or those with common names.
On mobile, the report interface is slightly compressed, with nested sub-sections under each main category. But the responsive design holds up well and all the key information is clearly displayed and easy to navigate. The overall experience is impressive for a mobile background check app.
What Happens When the $1 Trial Ends?
Once you‘ve signed up and accessed your report, you can use TruthFinder without restriction for the duration of the 5 day trial period. But what happens once those 5 days are up?
As with most free trials, TruthFinder‘s $1 trial automatically converts into a paid subscription once it ends. On day 6, your account will transition to TruthFinder‘s standard subscription plan and your card will be charged the full monthly fee of $28.05. This will recur every 30 days until you cancel.
Yes, this means if you only want to use TruthFinder for the $1 trial period, you‘ll need to manually cancel before the trial is up. TruthFinder provides clear notice of the trial end date on the checkout page and in your account dashboard. There are no tricks or hoops to jump through – you just need to make sure to cancel in time if you don‘t want to get charged.
How do you cancel? There are two main options:
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From your account dashboard on the TruthFinder website, navigate to the "Billing" section and click "Cancel My Account". You can do this at any point during your trial.
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Contact TruthFinder‘s Member Care team by calling (800) 699-8081. They‘re available Mon-Fri from 10am-10pm EST. You‘ll need to provide your account info to verify your identity.
If you miss the cutoff and get charged for a subscription, TruthFinder will consider refund requests within 3 business days. However, this is at their discretion and not guaranteed. It‘s always best to cancel in advance if you‘re not interested in continuing to use the service.
As for pricing, if you do allow your trial to transition to a paid subscription, TruthFinder offers two main billing options:
- $28.05 per month, billed on a recurring monthly basis
- $46.56 every two months, which comes out to $23.28/month – a savings of about 17% over the monthly plan
These subscription options provide unlimited searches and reports. If you anticipate doing quite a few searches or just want the peace of mind to look up someone whenever the need arises, the plans offer decent value – especially the 2 month plan.
But if you really only need a one-off report, it probably makes sense to stick to the $1 trial and set a reminder to cancel. That‘s the most affordable way to give the service a test drive.
Is the TruthFinder $1 Trial Worth It?
So all things considered, is the TruthFinder $1 trial a good deal? As with most purchases, it depends on your specific use case and preferences.
If you‘re simply curious about background checks and want to give one a test run, you can‘t beat $1 for 5 days of full access. It‘s a very low commitment way to explore the kind of data available and vet TruthFinder‘s search/reporting tools. Just remember to cancel in time if you don‘t want to pay for a full subscription.
For those who anticipate doing multiple searches or foresee wanting background information on an ongoing basis, the $1 trial is an easy choice. It‘ll let you conduct your initial search for a nominal fee while assessing whether a longer subscription would be useful based on your experience.
However, if your needs are limited to looking up one specific person one time, the trial is hit or miss in terms of value. It really depends how much information ends up being available for your search subject and how useful it is. You won‘t know until you actually pull the report. In these one-off cases, it might actually be more economical to pay for a single report from a cheaper service vs. taking a gamble on the trial.
It‘s also important to be aware of TruthFinder‘s auto-renewal set-up. While they‘re transparent about the trial terms, those who aren‘t in the habit of proactively managing subscriptions might end up with an unwanted charge. If staying on top of trial end dates isn‘t your forte, you may want to think twice before signing up.
Ultimately, for most users, TruthFinder‘s $1 trial is a great deal – basically as close as you can get to a free trial without actually being free. It‘s enough time and access to get a true feel for the product without spending much at all. By leveraging the pay-per-lead affiliate model, TruthFinder is able to offer this introductory rate affordably.
So if you‘re on the fence, I say go for it. With such a low barrier to entry, the potential upside of getting the background information you need far outweighs the $1 risk. And in the worst case, you‘re out a buck but can at least say you‘ve test driven one of the most well-known background check services out there. Not too shabby.
TruthFinder $1 Trial FAQ
Still have questions about how TruthFinder‘s $1 trial offer works? We‘ve rounded up answers to some common queries below:
Q: Is the TruthFinder trial really only $1?
A: Yes, you will only be charged $1 for your first 5 days of access to TruthFinder. There are no additional fees or charges during the trial period.
Q: Why does TruthFinder need my credit card for a $1 trial?
A: TruthFinder uses your card info to charge the $1 trial fee and to have a payment method on file in case your account transitions to a full subscription after the trial. They do not store your full card number.
Q: How long does the $1 trial last?
A: The TruthFinder $1 trial lasts 5 calendar days from the date you sign up. The exact end time coincides with the time of day you started the trial.
Q: What happens when my trial is over?
A: Once your 5 day trial window is up, your TruthFinder account will automatically transition to a full subscription at the regular price of $28.05 per month.
Q: Can I cancel during the trial?
A: Yes, you can cancel your TruthFinder trial at any point during the 5 day trial window and you won‘t be charged any additional fees. Just be sure to cancel before the trial ends to avoid the subscription charge.
Q: Is my TruthFinder trial purchase secure?
A: TruthFinder safeguards all user data and payment information with 128-bit SSL encryption. They are compliant with federal data security standards.
Q: What if I have trouble signing up for the $1 trial?
A: If you encounter any issues during the trial sign-up process, contact TruthFinder Member Care for assistance at (800) 699-8081.
With this cheatsheet in hand, you‘re now equipped with everything you need to know about TruthFinder‘s $1 trial offer. At the end of the day, it‘s one of the most affordable background check trials out there and provides a low barrier to entry for testing the service. While not entirely free, it‘s pretty darn close.
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