FaceCheck.ID is one of the best-known face search engines. If you are weighing it against StopCatfish, this page lays out the differences in purpose, consent, pricing model and privacy. We make no claim that either is superior; the right choice depends on what you need.
Purpose and sources searched#
FaceCheck.ID describes itself, according to its official site, checked October 2026, as a facial recognition search engine where you upload a photo of a person to find social media profiles, news appearances and other online presence, searching sources that include social media, mugshots, sex offender registries and news websites. It states that it is "for educational purposes only" and that you may not use it for decisions about consumer credit, employment, insurance or tenant screening.
StopCatfish has a narrower goal: self-protection. It checks where your own photos are used, helps you spot fake profiles and gives a removal roadmap. It is not for identifying strangers, which the Terms prohibit, and it requires a declaration of ownership or authorization and explicit consent before each upload.
Pricing model#
With us, you see the number of matches before paying and nothing is charged if none are found; the full report unlocks with 1 credit, and credits come in packs of 1 ($9.90 / €9.90), 3 ($19.90 / €19.90) or 10 ($44.90 / €44.90); they never expire and there is no subscription. If nothing is found, you pay nothing.
FaceCheck.ID appears to use a credit system: its page mentions buying credits to view more per search, according to its official site, checked October 2026. Specific amounts were not displayed in the content we read; check the official site.
Side-by-side table#
| Criterion | StopCatfish | FaceCheck.ID |
|---|---|---|
| Stated purpose | Self-protection with explicit consent | Face search to find a person's online presence; presented as educational |
| Use restrictions | No identifying or locating strangers; 18+; no minors | Not for credit, employment, insurance or tenant screening decisions |
| Sources searched | Public web pages; private or closed accounts are not accessed | Includes social media, mugshots, sex offender registries and news sites |
| Pricing model | Match count first; 1 credit per report (packs from $9.90 / €9.90) | Credit-based; check the official site for amounts |
| Consent step | Declaration and explicit consent before each upload | No explicit own-face or consent step on the page we read |
| Uploaded image | Kept only to complete and verify the report, deleted within 7 days at most | States it does not store sensitive or personally identifiable data; check its policy |
| Minors | Never upload photos of minors | States its AI is trained not to index children's faces |
| Payment | Card (USD/EUR) and PIX (Brazil) | Check the official site |
Privacy and retention#
Our flow: You upload a photo and sign in. A face pre-analysis runs locally in your browser for visualization only and never leaves your device. The deep search then runs on our server (it takes a few minutes), and you get a summary on screen plus an email with a link. You pay only to unlock the full report, with 1 credit. The uploaded image is kept only as long as needed to complete and verify your report (7 days at most), and EXIF/GPS metadata is stripped in the browser when supported. We do not claim end-to-end encryption; see the Privacy Policy.
FaceCheck.ID states, according to its official site, checked October 2026, that it does not store sensitive or personally identifiable data. How it handles the vector, its index and removal requests is a matter for its own policies; the page we read linked a removal request for photos already indexed.
When FaceCheck.ID may be better for you#
- You want a broader sweep that, per its site, includes sources such as news sites and public registries; our search covers public web pages for the purpose of self-protection.
- You want a credit model you can top up: we also use credits, so compare the amounts.
- You want a tool that is generally available today for repeated searches; we do not offer a subscription or alerts.
When StopCatfish may fit better#
- You want to find where your own photos are used and get a removal roadmap.
- You want a mandatory consent and declaration step before the image is processed.
- You want to see how many matches exist and pay only to unlock the full report.
- You want the local face pre-analysis to stay in your browser.
Ethics and privacy: why a face search needs consent#
A face image used to identify a person is biometric data. Under the GDPR, processing biometric data to uniquely identify a person falls under the special categories of Article 9, which are prohibited by default unless an exception applies, such as the explicit consent of the person concerned (Article 9(2)(a)).
Separately, Article 5(1)(e) of the EU AI Act prohibits AI systems that create or expand facial recognition databases through the untargeted scraping of facial images from the internet or CCTV footage. This is one reason we focus on self-protection with the consent of the person pictured. We describe the rule for context only; we do not claim that any tool, ours included, is or is not compliant with it, and this is not legal advice.
Looking up other people raises serious privacy and safety risks, and in many places legal ones. Use any tool only with your own photos or with the explicit authorization of the person pictured.
Run a search and see the number of matches before you decide to pay.
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