LocateSmarter
LocateSmarter is a US-based consumer data and analytics provider serving collections, background screening, and auto recovery firms with batch processing, API access, an online search platform, and data licensing across 200M+ records.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersCedar Falls, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What LocateSmarter does
LocateSmarter is a US-based consumer data and analytics company serving accounts receivable, collections, background screening, and auto recovery workflows. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the company operates as a subsidiary of MadisonWyatt, LLC and maintains 11-50 employees. Its platform spans three sub-brands—ScreenSmarter (background check platforms and CRAs), CollectSmarter (collections and identity verification), and InvestigateSmarter (skiptracing and repossession)—delivered through four core channels: Batch Skip Tracing for high-volume file processing, API Solutions for real-time system integration, LocateSmarter Online for self-serve investigative searches, and Data Licensing for direct database access.
The platform is built on proprietary data aggregation and linking technology, protected by Patent 8,819,061, and draws from 200M+ consumer records across 3,500+ sources covering 70+ countries. Key differentiators include a 60-month proprietary Change of Address product (versus an 18-month industry standard), bureau-level access to two of three credit headers plus alternative financial services data, and a LocateScore predictive phone scoring algorithm. Modular compliance add-ons address TCPA, FDCPA, and FCPA risk through cell/VoIP scrubs, bankruptcy monitoring across 93 court sites and 281 divisions, deceased monitoring, and litigious consumer identification via a WebRecon integration. SOC 2 Type II, CCPA, HIPAA, and GLBA compliance certifications support enterprise buyer requirements.
The business model combines subscription (API access, Cell/VoIP Scrub at $1,999-$3,599/year, Litigious Consumer monitoring from $149/month), usage-based batch pricing, and custom enterprise licensing. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales, inside sales, a self-serve online platform for SMB buyers, API integrations for embedding clients, and channel partnerships such as the Repo Report repossession workflow integration. Marketing is driven by industry events (REPO 2026), content/info sheets, partner co-marketing, and direct outreach. The company has no disclosed outside funding and operates as an organically funded subsidiary.
LocateSmarter firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LocateSmarter
- Legal name
- LocateSmarter, LLC
- Website
- https://locatesmarter.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- LocateSmarter is a US-based consumer data and analytics provider serving collections, background screening, and auto recovery firms with batch processing, API access, an online search platform, and data licensing across 200M+ records.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LocateSmarter industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Consumer Data Intelligence and Skip Tracing
- NAICS
- Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services (51929)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Skip Tracing & Locate Services (Address/Phone/Employer Discovery) (BPAAAEAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Skip Tracing & Contact Data Services (FSAKAJAE)
Keywords
Where LocateSmarter is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cedar Falls
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
LocateSmarter business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Batch Data Processing: Volume-based batch processing of consumer location data, confidence scores, and compliance data delivered through file transfers.
- API Data Access: Real-time data access through API subscriptions providing current and historical regulated and non-regulated consumer data including person, business, court records, assets and license information.
- Data Licensing: Direct access to curated datasets through licensing agreements including Alternative Credit Header Data, Professional Licenses, and International Data. Terms customized per client needs.
- Online Search Platform: Subscription or per-search access to LocateSmarter Online platform for instant searches through person, business, court, license, and asset databases.
- Background Screening API: Purpose-built API infrastructure for enterprise background check platforms and large CRAs operating at high volume, backed by millions of records from 3,500+ sources.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Cell Scrub annual subscription |
| Subscription | Annual | VoIP Identification annual subscription |
| Subscription | Annual | Cell + VoIP combined annual subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | Litigious Consumer monitoring |
| Subscription | Monthly | API Access |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Batch Skip Tracing Products |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels5 records
LocateSmarter product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LocateSmarter is a data intelligence company that provides consumer location, identity, and contact data products to enterprise clients in collections, background screening, auto recovery, and financial services. Offerings are delivered through batch skip tracing, real-time API integrations, a self-serve online search platform (LocateSmarter Online), and direct data licensing. The platform combines proprietary entity-linking technology, USPS NCOAlink with extended 48-month coverage, and the LocateScore predictive phone-scoring algorithm to optimize Right Party Contact rates.
Product overview
LocateSmarter is a data intelligence company offering a platform-plus-modules product architecture with three primary solution brands (ScreenSmarter for background screening, CollectSmarter for collections/identity verification, and InvestigateSmarter for skiptracing/investigations). The core products include Batch Skip Tracing for high-volume file processing, API Solutions for real-time data access, LocateSmarter Online for on-demand investigative searches, and Data Licensing for direct database access. These core offerings are supported by modular add-on products including Phone Append, Email Append, Address Append & Hygiene, Phone Score (LocateScore), Bankruptcy Scrub & Monitoring, Deceased Scrub & Monitoring, Cell & VoIP Scrub, Litigious Consumer/Phone Scrub, SSN Trace, and specialized search capabilities (Person, Phone, Court Records, Business, License, Asset searches). The platform serves industries including background screening, debt collection, auto recovery, investigative services, and receivables management.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ScreenSmarter: Purpose-built data solution for enterprise background check platforms and large CRAs operating at high volume, providing comprehensive criminal data, SSN traces, and civil litigation history.
- CollectSmarter
- InvestigateSmarter
Products and services
- Batch Skip Tracing Volume-based batch processing product that delivers consumer location information, confidence scores, and compliance data through automated file transfers for organizations with large portfolio processing needs.
- API Solutions Real-time API integrations delivering current and historical consumer data including person, business, court records, assets, and license information sourced from two of three credit bureaus plus alternative financial services header data.
- LocateSmarter Online (Investigative Tools) Self-serve online search platform offering instant on-demand searches across person, business, court, license, and asset databases with precise entity-linking technology and agent management capabilities.
- Data Licensing Direct licensing access to curated datasets including Alternative Credit Header Data, Professional Licenses, and International Data spanning 70+ countries, with terms customized per client needs.
- ScreenSmarter Purpose-built data solution for enterprise background check platforms and large Consumer Reporting Agencies operating at sustained high volume, offering National Criminal Data, Enhanced Criminal API, SSN Trace, and Civil Litigation History backed by 3,500+ trusted sources.
- CollectSmarter Data solutions brand purpose-built for collections and identity verification industries, offering advanced append and scrub products such as Phone Append, Email Append, Address Append, LocateScore phone scoring, and compliance monitoring.
- InvestigateSmarter Online search platform and API integrations for skiptracing operations, featuring a DMV Report Platform and LocateSmarter Online investigative tools for the auto recovery and investigative industries.
Quantifiable outcome
- 80% of RPCs achievable in 50% of phone inventory with 60% reduction in wrong numbers using LocateScore
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use LocateSmarter
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
LocateSmarter technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability2 records
Feature8 records
LocateSmarter partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Repo ReportcorePartnership to integrate LocateSmarter's address data directly into Repo Report's workflow platform for repossession agencies. The integration aims to reduce manual research and address verification, helping agents make faster decisions and improve vehicle recovery success rates. The combined solution will be showcased at REPO 2026, the annual convention of Allied Finance Adjusters held at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
LocateSmarter competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- TransUnion: TransUnion is a major credit bureau offering TLO and other skip tracing / consumer-locator products alongside broader credit and risk services. It competes in the same end markets as LocateSmarter with materially deeper bureau data assets and embedded enterprise relationships.
- Checkr: Checkr is a tech-forward enterprise background check platform with high-volume APIs and integrations. It is the primary modern incumbent competitor to LocateSmarter's October 2025-launched ScreenSmarter for large CRA and HR-tech buyers.
- Experian: Experian is a global credit bureau with collections, identity verification, and skip-tracing-adjacent products that overlap with LocateSmarter's screening, collections, and identity verification data offerings, sold at much larger scale to enterprise accounts.
- HireRight: HireRight is a global background check provider with screening workflows and data APIs serving enterprise CRAs and multinational employers. It is comparable to ScreenSmarter in capability mix and target buyer.
- Sterling: Sterling is an enterprise background screening provider with proprietary criminal and identity databases plus API integrations. Its product mix and enterprise customer footprint are directly comparable to ScreenSmarter.
- Equifax: Equifax is a national credit bureau with Workforce Solutions and consumer data products, including background-screening and skip-tracing-adjacent services, that overlap with LocateSmarter's screening and locate use cases.
Direct peers
- Accurate Background: Accurate Background is a mid-market and enterprise background screening CRA with API, batch, and online products and a similar customer base. It competes head-to-head with ScreenSmarter in the enterprise background check segment.
- MicroBilt: MicroBilt provides consumer and small-business data products (including PRBC and skip-tracing tools) to collections, subprime lenders, and recovery agencies. It directly competes with LocateSmarter's batch skip tracing, phone/email append, and API offerings for SMB and mid-market debt buyers.
- LexisNexis Risk Solutions: LexisNexis Risk Solutions operates Accurint and adjacent investigative/locator data platforms serving law enforcement, collections, and screening clients. It is the largest direct competitor to LocateSmarter's Online, CollectSmarter, and InvestigateSmarter across the same buyer personas.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
LocateSmarter social profiles
Digital presenceLocateSmarter compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
LocateSmarter financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LocateSmarter leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
LocateSmarter funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LocateSmarter M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LocateSmarter
What does LocateSmarter do?
LocateSmarter is a data intelligence company that provides consumer location, identity, and contact data products to enterprise clients in collections, background screening, auto recovery, and financial services. Offerings are delivered through batch skip tracing, real-time API integrations, a self-serve online search platform (LocateSmarter Online), and direct data licensing. The platform combines proprietary entity-linking technology, USPS NCOAlink with extended 48-month coverage, and the LocateScore predictive phone-scoring algorithm to optimize Right Party Contact rates.
Is LocateSmarter a public or private company?
LocateSmarter is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was LocateSmarter founded?
LocateSmarter was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is LocateSmarter based?
LocateSmarter is headquartered in Cedar Falls, United States, in the North America region.
How does LocateSmarter make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Batch Data Processing is the primary driver. The others are API Data Access, data Licensing, online Search Platform and background Screening API.
Who are LocateSmarter's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are TransUnion, Checkr, Experian, HireRight, Sterling and Equifax. Direct peers are Accurate Background, MicroBilt and LexisNexis Risk Solutions.
Does LocateSmarter have an API?
Yes. LocateSmarter offers comprehensive current and historical consumer data through API access. Data is sourced from two of the three bureaus as well as alternative financial services header data. Searches can be performed using numerous inputs including name and address, social security number, and phone number. Returned data includes: Name, Address, Phone Number, AKA, Relatives, Associates, SSN, DOB, and Driver's License. API is accessible via LocateSmarter Online platform login. Developer documentation is at search.locatesmarteronline.com.
What industry is LocateSmarter in?
LocateSmarter's product category is Consumer Data Intelligence and Skip Tracing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAAAEAF, Skip Tracing & Locate Services (Address/Phone/Employer Discovery), with a secondary code of FSAKAJAE, Skip Tracing & Contact Data Services. Its NAICS code is 51929 and its SIC code is 7370.