Instant Checkmate and Intelius are consumer background check services owned by the same parent company, with similar subscription models but differing price points. Intelius starts around $25.11 per month, while Instant Checkmate is priced higher at approximately $35.47 per month.
This guide compares their advertised pricing as of October 2026, the features they offer, and the strict permissible use limits that prevent businesses from using either for marketing calls.
Disclosure: Scout Data is our product. We sell bulk homeowner data to outbound sales teams, and we evaluate data platforms based on how efficiently they feed a call center dialer.
Monthly plans and trial offers
Both Instant Checkmate and Intelius operate on subscription-based models; buying individual reports is rare or restricted. For a standard monthly membership, Intelius is the more affordable option at roughly $25.11 per month, compared to Instant Checkmate’s $35.47 per month. Both provide discounts if you commit to multi-month plans (e.g., quarterly billing).
Like many consumer search engines (see Spokeo pricing), both services heavily market a 5-day trial. Instant Checkmate typically charges $1.00 for the trial, while Intelius charges $0.95. If not canceled before the 5 days expire, both automatically renew at the full monthly price.
Specialized reports and add-ons
The main difference in value lies in how they bundle specific searches. Instant Checkmate offers a very cheap Phone-only plan for about $5.99 per month. If your only goal is to identify unknown numbers, this is a strong option. Intelius, on the other hand, usually requires you to pay for a higher-tier subscription to perform reverse phone and address lookups alongside full background checks.
Both services frequently offer "upsells" during checkout, such as charging an extra $3.99 to download a report as a PDF, or additional monthly fees for dark web monitoring and identity protection.
Permissible use limits for business
The critical limitation for any business considering these services is compliance. Neither Instant Checkmate nor Intelius is FCRA-compliant. This means it is illegal to use the information they provide for employment screening, tenant vetting, or determining creditworthiness.
Furthermore, these services are not built for commercial lead generation. They do not scrub phone numbers against the federal Do Not Call registry, and they do not offer bulk list exports. A sales team cannot upload 1,000 addresses and receive a dialer-ready file. For businesses needing to call homeowners at scale, purchasing DNC-scrubbed lists from a dedicated data provider is required.
The prices stated above are publicly advertised at the time of writing (October 2026). Always verify current rates and terms directly with the vendors before making a purchase.
Frequently asked questions
How much do Instant Checkmate and Intelius cost?
Intelius is generally cheaper, with standard memberships starting around $25.11 per month as of October 2026. Instant Checkmate is slightly more expensive, starting around $35.47 per month. Both offer discounted multi-month plans.
Can I use Instant Checkmate or Intelius to screen tenants?
No. Neither Instant Checkmate nor Intelius are FCRA-compliant. Using them for employment screening, tenant background checks, or determining credit eligibility is legally prohibited.
Which service is better for reverse phone lookups?
Instant Checkmate offers a dedicated Phone-only plan for approximately $5.99 per month, making it much cheaper if you only need to identify unknown callers. Intelius typically bundles its reverse phone lookups into its higher-tier full subscription.