Which reverse phone lookup service is better in 2026? A complete head-to-head.
Spokeo and BeenVerified are two of the most popular reverse phone lookup services — and they take meaningfully different approaches. Spokeo built its reputation on a massive database and accessible pricing. BeenVerified's selling point is an all-in-one subscription with the best mobile app in the category. Which is right for you depends on what you're actually looking for.
The bottom line up front: Spokeo wins for most users — it's more accurate, cheaper, and the better choice for identifying unknown callers. BeenVerified wins if you want unlimited searches across all data types and need a great mobile app.
| Feature | Spokeo | BeenVerified |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $6.95/month | $17.48/month (annual) |
| Database Size | 12B+ records | 6B+ records |
| Phone Lookup Accuracy | 82% (our testing) | 76% (our testing) |
| Phone-Only Plan | Yes — $6.95/mo | No — all-in-one only |
| Name + Email Searches | Requires $19.95/mo upgrade | Included in all plans |
| Vehicle History | Not included | Included |
| Dark Web Monitoring | Not included | Included |
| Data Broker Opt-Out Tool | Not included | Included |
| Mobile App | Responsive website only | Native iOS & Android app |
| Social Profile Aggregation | Strong (original strength) | Basic |
| Report Preview Before Paying | Yes — city/state shown free | No |
| Single Report Option | From $0.95 | Not available |
| Annual Commitment Required | No — monthly billing | Yes (for best price) |
| PDF Download | Print-only | Download available |
| Customer Support | Email only | Phone + email |
| Our Overall Rating | 9.4 / 10 | 8.6 / 10 |
This is the starkest difference between the two services. Spokeo's phone lookup plan at $6.95/month is 2.5x cheaper than BeenVerified's annual plan ($17.48/month) and nearly 4x cheaper than BeenVerified's month-to-month rate ($26.89/month). If you specifically want to look up phone numbers and nothing else, Spokeo's pricing advantage is decisive.
The comparison shifts when you consider what each plan includes. BeenVerified's single plan includes phone lookups, name searches, email searches, address lookups, vehicle history, dark web monitoring, and the data broker opt-out tool. To match that on Spokeo, you'd need the $19.95/month people search plan (which still doesn't include vehicle history or dark web monitoring). At that price point, BeenVerified's $17.48/month annual plan is actually cheaper on a per-feature basis.
In our testing across 50 diverse phone numbers, Spokeo returned correct results 82% of the time vs. BeenVerified's 76%. Both services performed similarly on landlines (90%+ accuracy) but diverged on mobile numbers — Spokeo's larger database of 12B records vs. BeenVerified's 6B+ records explains most of the gap. For recently registered numbers and numbers that have changed hands, Spokeo's fresher data updates make a real difference.
The 6-point accuracy gap matters if you're running many searches. If 100 searches/month, Spokeo gives you 6 more correct results per 100 lookups — meaningful at scale, less so for occasional use.
BeenVerified has a genuine native iOS and Android app with push notifications, saved search history, and full feature parity with the desktop version. Spokeo's "mobile app" is essentially a mobile-optimized website — functional but not in the same league as BeenVerified's purpose-built mobile experience. If you plan to run lookups primarily from your phone, this difference is significant.
You get a missed call from an unknown number and want to quickly find out who called. Spokeo's $6.95/month phone plan is purpose-built for this at the lowest price.
Choose SpokeoYou need to look up a number occasionally and don't want a long-term commitment. Spokeo's $0.95 single-report option means no subscription needed.
Choose SpokeoYou want to see someone's public social media profiles alongside contact data. Spokeo's original social aggregation strength makes it better here.
Choose SpokeoYou want to search by phone AND name AND email without paying more per search type. BeenVerified's all-in-one plan covers this better.
Choose BeenVerifiedYou need to run lookups from your phone quickly and want a proper app experience with saved history. BeenVerified's native app is far superior.
Choose BeenVerifiedYou want to monitor your own data exposure and submit removal requests to data brokers. BeenVerified includes this at no extra cost.
Choose BeenVerifiedSpokeo wins for most users. It has a larger database, higher accuracy, and a dramatically lower price for phone-focused lookups. The $6.95/month entry point and the ability to buy single reports make it the most accessible and cost-effective choice for the core use case of identifying unknown callers.
Choose BeenVerified if: you want all search types in one plan, you primarily use your phone and want a real mobile app, or you value the dark web monitoring and opt-out tool. At $17.48/month annually for unlimited everything, it's genuinely good value for power users.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Spokeo is more accurate for reverse phone lookup, scoring 82% in our testing vs. BeenVerified's 76%. Spokeo's larger database (12B vs. 6B records) explains most of the gap.
Yes. Spokeo's phone lookup plan starts at $6.95/month — significantly cheaper than BeenVerified's $17.48/month (annual) or $26.89/month (monthly). BeenVerified includes more search types at its single price point, which narrows the value gap for power users.
For unlimited searches across all data types (phone, name, email, address, vehicle), BeenVerified is better value at $17.48/month. Spokeo's unlimited plan is $19.95/month and doesn't include vehicle history or dark web monitoring.
BeenVerified has a significantly better mobile app — a full-featured native iOS and Android app with push notifications and saved reports. Spokeo's mobile experience is a responsive website rather than a dedicated native app.
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