Background checks have become a vital component of the hiring process in today's modern society. Often described as a necessary evil, these checks allow employers to make informed decisions about potential candidates by verifying their backgrounds before extending job offers. Conducting thorough background checks cannot be overstated, especially for positions involving financial responsibilities, sensitive information, or significant interactions with clients and customers. By investing time and resources into this upfront due diligence, companies can mitigate risks associated with hiring the wrong person, thereby avoiding potentially costly consequences.

However, many organizations face challenges when it comes to conducting background checks. Due to limited resources, small and mid-sized businesses often find it impractical to handle these checks internally. As a result, many companies outsource this crucial aspect of their hiring process to specialized vendors. This is where GoodHire steps in.

• Want to try GoodHire? Check out the website here

GoodHire, headquartered in Redwood City, California, has established itself as a leader in the background check industry. With a commitment to accuracy and efficiency, GoodHire boasts an impressive track record of fast turnaround times while maintaining high-quality standards. Each month, the company conducts over 65,000 background checks for more than 100,000 clients, which range from startups to well-known enterprises. Notable organizations such as Renewal by Anderson, SelectQuote, Parts Authority, and DraftKings entrust their hiring processes to GoodHire, reflecting their confidence in the service’s reliability and effectiveness.

By choosing GoodHire for background checks, employers can streamline the hiring process and ensure they make informed decisions based on comprehensive and accurate data. With a focus on legal compliance and candidate experience, GoodHire helps organizations build a safer and more trustworthy workforce, allowing them to focus on what they do best—growing their business.

GoodHire: features

GoodHire provides a comprehensive set of features designed to streamline and simplify the background check process for employers. Their platform automates numerous tasks, from sending consent forms to candidates to delivering results, all within a user-friendly dashboard. GoodHire prioritizes accuracy and speed, with many background checks returning results in minutes. They offer various checks, including criminal records, employment and education verification, driving records, and drug screening.

Moreover, GoodHire emphasizes compliance, with built-in features that assist employers in navigating federal, state, and local regulations, including ban-the-box laws. They also offer tools for managing adverse actions and conducting individualized assessments to ensure fair hiring practices. GoodHire provides integrations with popular ATS and HRIS platforms, customizable packages, and dedicated account managers for larger organizations.

GoodHire: interface and in use

GoodHire is incredibly user-friendly, allowing you to initiate a background check and evaluate the results quickly. When you create an account, GoodHire verifies your business to confirm that you are a legitimate employer. This verification process only takes a few minutes, and you can set up a new records search.

Search results are presented in a well-organized online dashboard. If you conduct background checks for multiple candidates, you can quickly see how many searches returned no red flags, how many revealed alerts, and how many are still in progress. Individual check results are categorized by search type, allowing you to quickly access any databases that generate alerts.

GoodHire also integrates with several popular HR software platforms, including Jobvite, GetHired, and BambooHR. Additionally, the service offers an API that can be utilized if your HR department employs a custom system for tracking job applicants.

GoodHire: support

GoodHire provides robust support to its users, starting with a dedicated phone number, a feature that is highly valued by those who prefer direct communication. Sometimes, there's no replacement for speaking with a knowledgeable representative, especially when immediate assistance is needed. While the specific hours of operation are not clearly stated, it's reassuring to know that the support team is based in the United States and holds FRCA certification, ensuring a high standard of service.

In addition to phone support, GoodHire has developed a comprehensive Help Center explicitly tailored for employers. This resource is meticulously organized into various categories, such as “What’s New,” “Using GoodHire,” and “Billing & Invoicing.” Each category contains detailed articles that thoroughly inform users about the respective topics, helping them easily navigate the platform's intricacies. This well-structured approach enhances user experience, allowing employers to find the necessary information quickly.

GoodHire offers a dedicated Candidate Help Center for job candidates, making it user-friendly for potential hires. This section features a clear and prominent search bar, enabling candidates to locate answers to their questions swiftly. Although it encompasses fewer topics than the employer-focused Help Center, it covers essential information crucial for candidates, such as “Getting Started” and “Background Check Alerts.” This thoughtful division ensures employers and candidates access the most relevant information.

However, it's worth noting that there are some areas where support options could be improved. The absence of live chat functionality may leave some users seeking more immediate assistance feeling a bit limited. Additionally, the lack of online video resources could enhance understanding for those who prefer visual learning. Overall, while GoodHire provides a strong foundation of support, expanding these options could further elevate the user experience.

GoodHire: security

GoodHire primarily emphasizes legal compliance in its background check services rather than strictly concentrating on security measures. This focus ensures that employers not only adhere to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) but also navigate various state and local regulations effectively. The platform is designed to facilitate compliance with ban-the-box laws, which are intended to prevent employers from inquiring about an applicant’s criminal history at early stages of the hiring process.

To streamline this process, GoodHire automatically tailors its requirements based on the business's geographic location. This means that, depending on the state or municipality, candidates will be prompted to grant their consent for background checks, or the platform will provide the necessary forms to maintain compliance with local laws. For employers, this reduces the administrative burden while ensuring that they uphold legal standards, protecting them from potential liability in the hiring process.

GoodHire's user-friendly interface also provides employers with clear guidance on compliance best practices, making it easier for them to stay informed about the laws impacting their hiring procedures. Overall, GoodHire's commitment to legal compliance enhances the hiring experience for both employers and candidates, fostering a fairer employment landscape.

GoodHire: plans and pricing

The pricing for GoodHire is available only for low-volume plans. If you plan on requesting fewer than 25 background checks annually, you can choose from tiered plans. For those expecting to exceed this threshold, GoodHire requires you to provide your business contact information so they can understand your specific needs and provide a custom quote.

The entry-level plan is called Basic, which operates on a “pay-as-you-go” basis, with each background search costing $29.99. There is also an undisclosed one-time setup fee. This plan has a turnaround time of one day and includes a Social Security number trace and a nationwide criminal database search.

The next tier is the Standard plan, which GoodHire considers the most popular, costing $54.99 per search. This plan has a longer turnaround time of 1-2 business days due to its more comprehensive nature. It includes all the features of the Basic plan and adds a domestic watch list search as well as a county criminal court search covering the last seven years for up to three counties.

At the top is the Premium plan, which costs $89.99 per search and has a turnaround time of 2-4 business days. This plan includes all the features of the lower two plans, as well as educational verification and employment verification.

Additionally, there are options for add-ons at an extra cost, such as motor vehicle records checks, employment credit reports, and international checks.

Final verdict

GoodHire presents a compelling option in the background check sector, featuring a well-rounded mix of functionalities that cater to the needs of various businesses. One of the standout aspects of GoodHire is its tiered pricing plans, which allow users to select a package that best fits their budget and the scale of their hiring needs. This flexibility can be particularly beneficial for companies of all sizes, from startups to larger enterprises, as it enables them to control costs while accessing essential services.

Another significant advantage is the swift turnaround time for results. In today’s fast-paced hiring environment, having timely access to background check information can be crucial for making informed hiring decisions. This efficiency is complemented by the availability of direct phone support, which provides users with personalized assistance when needed—a feature that many may find reassuring when navigating complex background check processes.

However, there are notable areas where GoodHire could improve. One concern is the lack of transparency regarding pricing for organizations that require more than 25 background checks annually. For businesses anticipating high volumes, unclear pricing can lead to unexpected expenses or difficulties in budgeting. Additionally, the absence of live chat support options may limit immediate assistance for users who prefer real-time communication.

Furthermore, while GoodHire covers a range of background checks, certain searches, such as motor vehicle records, come with an additional fee. This could lead to budgetary complications if users are unaware of these extra costs upfront. Lastly, the one-time setup fee, which is not disclosed during the initial inquiry, could be a barrier for potential clients who want clarity from the outset.

In conclusion, GoodHire is an appealing option for businesses seeking background verification services, thanks to its attractive feature set and flexibility. Despite some shortcomings in pricing transparency and support options, it is a strong contender worth considering for any organization in need of comprehensive background check services.

We've also highlighted the best employee background check services

The SpeedLine POS system has been created specifically to meet the needs of pizza delivery businesses of all shapes and sizes. It’s a dedicated pizza POS system that can work for smaller independent outlets, but can be scaled up for use within larger franchise operations if needed. 

Investing in a dedicated POS system for pizza shop requirements is something of an essential requirement if you’re looking to boost your food retail business and also adapt to the changing needs of customers in the post COVID-19 environment.

Indeed, the best POS system for pizza shop needs has to be dynamic and able to adapt to both the ever-changing business landscape, as well as being able to meet the evolving eating habits of customers.

Both of these challenges mean you will want to be armed with a POS system for pizza restaurant needs that can adapt accordingly. SpeedLine POS system ticks all of the right boxes, especially if you’re looking for a universal point of sale solution that can be adapted as your business grows.

SpeedLine POS: Pricing

Despite the fact that the SpeedLine POS system is designed specifically with pizza outlets in mind, it doesn't have an off-the-shelf pricing system. Naturally this is largely down to the fact that businesses vary in size, have varying numbers of staff who will use the point of sale system and different customer needs to boot.

If you’re interested in exploring the capabilities of this pizza POS system then it’s a good idea to sign up for a demo in the first instance. This will let you see the SpeedLine POS software in action, how the SpeedLine POS hardware could work in your own business environment and also check that it will integrate with any other systems your outlet may be running.

The major benefit of the SpeedLine POS system is that it’s an all-in-one solution, which means that you’ll be able to get software, hardware and the whole thing installed via one source. Of course, what you actually get depends on your business needs as well as the complexity of your menu and ordering options, along with how many terminals will be required.

You could therefore find that a custom quote from the SpeedLine POS sales team might seem higher than some other providers, but the initial cost is tempered by the fact that there are no on-going subscription fees. So, while there may be a seemingly sizeable outlay early on, there is the opportunity to claw back this value over a longer period of time.

SpeedLine POS: Perks

As part of your POS search, it's useful to keep in mind the perks you get from partnering with a pizza delivery-specific POS such as SpeedLine and its dedicated tools including: 

✔ SpeedLine LiveMaps visual dispatch

✔ SpeedDine online ordering

✔ SpeedLine Pay

✔ SpeedLine Inventory

✔ SpeedLine Menu Designer Topping Matrix

In addition SpeedLine POS empowers your team to easily keep on top of common pizza business tasks, such as the following:

• Monitor delivery statistics all day
• Cut costs with accurate forecasts and schedule planning
• Ensure accurate street addresses
• Flag side orders to avoid missed items on deliveries
• Improve rate of on-time deliveries
• Make more with consistent delivery zones and fees

SpeedLine POS: Features

The pizza delivery business, and indeed the whole food delivery landscape have changed dramatically since COVID-19 arrived. As a result, it's now more important than ever to ensure you have the right POS system for your pizza delivery requirements.

The SpeedLine POS system has therefore been carefully adapted to better handle pizza deliveries in the wake of the pandemic. SpeedLine has tweaked its POS system to meet customer requests for a wider range of alternative delivery and pick-up options. Much of this development work has resulted in the SpeedLine POS system requiring much less physical contact with the end customer.

At the same time, however, the system is now much more efficient. A combination of neat SpeedLine POS integrations, the beefed up SpeedLine POS hardware and software, plus a much-improved SpeedLine POS app, has produced a much more rounded end user-experience.

SpeedLine POS is now able to better support customer needs having also introduced SpeedLine Pay, which allows restaurants and takeout businesses to offer the ability to pay at the table, curbside and also on delivery. 

Crucially for pizza delivery businesses the new SpeedLine Pay system also tackles common security and payment issues, with the ability to handle fraudulent and card-not-present transactional issues more effectively.

SpeedLine Pay works by pairing with an EMV card reader using either a Windows-based tablet or an iOS device. This automatically offers more freedom for the customer, allowing them to pay at their table, in a vehicle or on pickup using tap to pay simplicity. As a result, SpeedLine POS offers more credit card security for both business and customer, while also reducing transaction fee overheads for the former.

SpeedLine POS: Interface and in use

The SpeedLine POS, including the SpeedLine POS software and SpeedLine POS hardware respectively, will be installed locally. While it’s not a cloud-based arrangement and interface is slightly dated in design, using it everyday is still very quick and easy. You get off to a head start because the SpeedLine staff can set up and implement the point of sale system for you. 

Once that’s in place the SpeedLine POS system enjoys much praise for its powerful but easy to use software design. Most obviously, the point of sale interface offers control over online ordering and menu management, but it’s also a great tool for managing inventory, allowing outlets to forecast demand, along with offering a huge array of customizable options.

For example, the online ordering and delivery journey includes everything needed for staff to process requests in a fast and efficient manner. There are detailed delivery reports, automated customer messaging about the status of orders, a practical visual dispatch feature that boosts delivery efficiency and, of course, simple everyday tools including the option that allows customers to pay at the door using their credit card.

Crucially, SpeedLine POS possesses a formidable suite of delivery dispatch and driver management tools. The great thing about using this map-based system is that it allows staff to coordinate deliveries and their respective drivers much more effectively using the simple but slick on-screen interface. 

This is complimented by the SpeedLine POS on-screen menu system, which whilst it is certainly busy, offers unrivalled management of pizza-making ingredients plus all of those ancillaries, such as soda, sides and so on.

SpeedLine POS: Support

A very big part of the appeal with the SpeedLine POS system is its beefy levels of support. Although this point of sale system might not be the cheapest to initially implement, SpeedLine POS enjoys frequent praise from its customers and a lot of that is based around the levels of support on offer.

The support journey starts early on, and after working with the sales team to ensure you’ve got the right package there follows a series of steps from support staff to get things up and running. SpeedLine POS integration will need the help of some experts, and this comes as part of the package.

For product support there’s the opportunity to speak to an in-house and fully qualified technician, toll-free and this is offered 365 days a year. The SpeedLine support options are flexible too, with a standard SpeedLine Support subscription offering unlimited support along with system upgrades, which is seen as a ‘best value’ option by many.

Meanwhile, if you have multiple stores, it may be advantageous to use your own IT staff to offer second level support after receiving full training from SpeedLine, which comes with certification too.

There’s SpeedLine Live Assist too, which can connect with your POS stations remotely to tackle any technical issues or help with staff training. Crucially, alongside using secure access for any technical hands-on help, all installation work and training is covered by specialists who are QIR certified. This means that they have been trained by the PCI Security Standards Council to meet its specific guidelines.

Let’s also not forget the SpeedLine POS customer support website, which is an online hub that comes packed with greats resources. There are training tutorials and videos, documentation, critical update advisories, constantly updated guides showcasing new features and functions plus the option to order more hardware and software if your business is expanding.

Rounding things out is the Premiere Support Services option from SpeedLine POS. This can be really useful if you need to make frequent menu changes, or add upgrades to systems. The service offers one hour of menu changes per month, for each of your stores that are in operation. It’s a feature that’s worth thinking about if you’re looking for someone to help take the strain.

SpeedLine POS: Security

SpeedLine POS can be used to process payments via major payment gateways such as Worldpay and Monetra and that’s good news for security. Any transactions processed use end-to-end encryption, plus there’s the added benefit of flexibility. 

With customers wanting more ways to pay you can use secure processing no matter if they’re making an in-person payment, an online order, want to use a mobile wallet or prefer to pay by credit card when their food gets delivered.

With security being of such a concern for both businesses and customers alike it’s also reassuring to know that the SpeedLine POS system is fully PCI and EMV compliant. This provides additional reassurance to those ordering food through your outlet while your business gets the benefit of secure and fully-encrypted payment processing.

The competition

If you’re looking for the best POS system for pizza shop requirements, either to upgrade or for a new food delivery venture then SpeedLine POS is certainly one to consider. However, there are alternatives out there, alongside the best POS systems aimed at a wider market.

The main difference to consider about SpeedLine POS is that it’s not a cloud-based system. This might be perfect for some needs, but if you’re running a pizza delivery operation that requires a cloud POS it’s also worth considering the likes of Revel POS, NCR's Aloha POS, the Upserve POS and Toast's point of sale system.

Similarly, TouchBistro is worthy of a look too, although this is tailored more to restaurants rather than catering businesses dealing with customer deliveries in mind. 

Much the same can be said for Lightspeed POS, which has more of the same beefy features and functionality that makes it suitable for use in the catering industry and, in particular, the restaurant sector.

Final verdict: Is Speedline the right bite for your business?

SpeedLine POS is very clearly a niche point of sale product, but the seemingly small slice of the market it serves is huge. Pizza delivery has and continues to be a big business opportunity thanks to low cost fresh ingredients and high mark-up, so having the right point of sale system in place is crucial. We like the way that SpeedLine POS has a raft of features and functions that can boost efficiency and make the customer experience a better one.

We’ve been really impressed with the level of positivity shown towards SpeedLine POS support staff too. The help with integration and ongoing support once the SpeedLine POS is in place is hugely impressive. 

Day-to-day features such as being able to dynamically modify menus, often with SpeedLine POS support assistance and the ability to collate reams of customer data with ease, also makes it appealing.

While there is a reasonable cost involved with the implementation of a point of sale system like this one, any pizza delivery business looking for a non-cloud based setup that’s easy to use will doubtless warm to SpeedLine POS. It’s certainly got plenty going for it.

Home design and landscaping has taken a life of its own since the advent of powerful home computers. For years now, these machines have taken care of the minutia, while we focus on the more exciting side of the equation: creating and designing our dream projects.

It’s of little surprise how competitive this field has become, from dedicated apps to online services competing to become the best interior design software. NCH’s DreamPlan belongs in the former category, offering a product that works both on Windows computers (7 and above) and Macs (10.5 and later). Let’s take a look at it…

• You can download DreamPlan via the NCH Software by clicking here.

DreamPlan: Pricing and plans

• Two price options to purchase the software outright, and there’s even a very reasonable rental scheme. What’s not to like?

NCH belongs to that wonderful old school of developers who (mostly) don’t try to milk their customers for all they’re worth: instead of offering to rent their software to you, they let you purchase it outright.

DreamPlan comes in two flavours. The cheapest one is for ‘home use only’ with a licence limited for personal use, and will cost you $40. But for just an extra $10, you can grab ‘DreamPlan Home Design Software Plus’, which grants you a commercial licence.

If you’re more in favour of rentals than owning your software, fret not, as NCH have got your back: for less than $3 a month, you can grab yourself the commercial licence version, including all future upgrades. Considering the price of some software rentals, this is a pretty darn good deal.

Also do check their site, as they regularly offer generous discounts on their software, making a good price, even better.

If you’re curious about what DreamPlan has to offer, NCH also offers a free trial version.

• Score: 5/5

DreamPlan: Interface

• The interface’s icons look pretty dated, but don’t get stuck on the software’s looks: everything is well organised and you’ll have no problem finding the tools you need, and switching between the four available views

Launching DreamPlan might make you think that you’ve gone back in time, as the interface has a very strong 90s feel. But lack of modern polish aside, you’ll find the software works, and it works well. You have the choice of starting a project from scratch, or base it upon an existing template, the latter of which is a great way to familiarise yourself with what DreamPlan can do.

By default, you’re presented with a rendered 3D view where you’ll be building your project, but if you’d prefer a more traditional 2D floor plan, select ‘2D view - Blueprint’ from the ‘View’ menu. Fancy something more in-between? The ‘2D view - Render’ might be what you’re after: it combines the flat paper-like interaction, with the textures that come as standard in the 3D environment. Finally, there's ‘Isometric View’, which gives your project’s wall that 3D look that’s usually missing from a 2D environment.

Whichever view you select, you’ll be able to access every tool at your disposal, and interact with your project as you’d expect.

The interface itself is quite simple to find your way around: you’ve got a menu at the top breaking down your tools by categories, such as Building, Exterior, Landscaping, and so forth. Each category comes with its own unique features. For instance, if you’re looking for Decking, that’ll be in ‘Decks’; Furniture, Painting and Electronics, you’ll find that under ‘Interior’.

You’ve got a couple of sidebars on the left and right of the interface. One contains most functions that are replicated in menus and keyboard shortcuts, while the other contains a selected item’s changeable properties. All very straightforward and easy to get to grips with, since it’s all pretty much standard fare for any design application.

There’s also an additional view, usually placed lower right of the interface, but you can move it around and resize it at will. It’s set to the opposite view from the main window, so if you’re working in 2D, it'll be a smaller 3D representation of your project, through which you can navigate separately from what you’re seeing in the main screen. Note that it’s merely a visual aid: you can’t alter your project through it.

• Score: 4/5

DreamPlan: Designing

• Huge amount of versatility, both indoors and outdoors, with a wide range of customisable objects you can use to bring your creation to life. If you ever feel overwhelmed by the possibilities, do check out NCH’s video tutorials

Starting a project is very simple: since the ‘Building’ menu is selected by default, click on Walls then click and drag on the 3D landscape to create one. To speed things up, choose ‘Room’ instead, modify its dimensions in the Inspector section, go to the main part of the interface, click, and it’s added. In order to make adding walls or rooms that little bit easier, you can toggle the ‘Magnetic Grid Snap’ function. That way, your objects will snap to a grip or to each other, as you drag them.

Adding windows and doors is more intricate, as you need to choose the one you have in mind in the Properties section. Selecting one from the list will bring up a new floating window displaying a rotating 3D render of what you’ve clicked on. Altering its parameters (be it its dimensions or colours) will automatically change its appearance in that window.

The same applies to the furniture you can add to garnish your design, and the number available is impressive. Everything from bookcases, to coffee tables, to sofas, to integrated ovens, to laptops, and so much more. Add to that the option to decorate walls, and go beyond your home by landscaping the entire surrounding area, adding swimming pools, decks, plants, and, really, anything you fancy. Thank goodness there’s a handy search field to help you find what you’re looking for.

If you find yourself getting lost, or confused as to what to do next, NCH has produced a good number of handy video tutorials. Even better, you will find the odd camera icon, at the top of the Properties and Stories sections. Clicking on such an icon will take you to a webpage where all these videos are stored, greatly speeding up the learning process. Speaking of ‘Stories’, these refer to a building’s elevation because, like all good design software, you can build a project across multiple floors, including basements.

You’ll find NCH DreamPlan is a lot of fun to use, and it won’t take you long to get immersed in a complex project. The fact you can expand your design to cover landscaping as well, even raising and lowering portions of the ground, really adds to the experience, and of course, the software comes with a generous number of trees, plants, grasses, and flowers. DreamPlan makes it easy to alter your design, and does all it can to help you in your architectural journey. Definitely worth a look.

• Score: 4.5/5

Should I buy DreamPlan?

Buy it if...

If you’re looking for an affordable building design package that’s easy to use, provides a good number of video tutorials, and allows you to expand your projects to include the surrounding landscape.

Don't buy it if...

You’re in the market for something a lot more visually striking by today’s standards, especially if you’re looking for something that produces photorealistic renders of your projects.

For more tools, we've reviewed the best landscape design software and the best architecture software

Ashampoo Home Design has been around for a very long time, and we’re now onto version 9. The software is still Windows only, but is now only compatible with versions 10 and 11 of that operating system, and it won’t run on any ARM processor. Apart from that, if your computer runs that OS, it will run Home Design. We loaded up the latest version to see how it compares to the best interior home design software we've tested out.

Ashampoo Home Design 9: Pricing & plans

• No subscription but a very affordable price to purchase the software, which is made even cheaper by great deals. You also have a very cheap way to upgrade from an earlier version, and a generous 30-day trial… it’s all wins here.

The price of Home Design is actually hard to believe. It’s old school, so there’s no subscription options, which is already a very good thing: how many more subscriptions can you actually, truly manage?

So instead, Ashampoo offers its product for an upfront fee of $50 for the full version, with no in-app purchases. But if that still sounds like too much, check their site, as there are often some incredible deals. For instance, as of this writing, you can get this package for 60% off: only $20, which is ridiculously good value.

Now obviously the main problem with purchasing a version outright, is that you don’t get access to the latest and greatest features when they’ll be released in the future, but even here Ashampoo has a great deal for you: you can upgrade to 9 from an older version for only $15.

And if none of that tempts you, you can download a copy and use it free for 30 days to check out if it suits your needs.

You can check out Ashampoo Home Design 9 by clicking here.

Ashampoo Home Design 9: Getting Started

• An old style command bar that takes up way too much space, coupled with a handy Wizard that lets you hit the ground running by creating the basic structure for you. So, some positive, some negative.

Alright, let’s start with a disappointing downside. We hadn’t actually looked at this software for years, and since then, it has received multiple major revisions, with many features improved, and now ones added… except the interface hasn’t been on the schedule to be refreshed during that time.

The look of the software felt old then, and it really does feel antiquated now, with commands placed at the top, but displayed on multiple layers which you can’t collapse so the entire system takes up much too much of your valuable real estate. Still, if they haven’t changed it by now, it must work for them, so it is what it is.

When you launch the software, you’re presented with a welcome screen from which you can launch the ‘Start Wizard’ (you can also find that command in the ‘Building’ menu). This feature helps you design the basics of a house quickly by doing a lot of the initial work for you. You even get to switch between imperial and metric measurements - even though the antiquated imperial is selected by default.

The Wizard creates the basic shape of your building, along with the number of floors you need, and the type of roof you require. Anything else (doors, windows, internal walls, etc), is left for a later stage. When you’re done with the Wizard, you’re left to your own devices in the main interface.

Ashampoo Home Design 9: Interface

• The interface feels needlessly convoluted and unnecessarily cramped. I might’ve been peak design 10 or more years ago, but we should’ve all moved on since.

The main interface feels as cumbersome as the software’s overly large menu system, and this is primarily due to its window management system. You have the ability to see your project both as a 2D top-down plan, and a 3D virtual reality environment. Those two are presented as floating windows… except not really.

Those windows are actually restrained within the confines on the remaining interface. It feels surprisingly frustrating, as you’re constantly battling for space between these two views, both of which are essential when designing with Home Design. You end up with them being overlapping, or squished together side by side. It’s not really ideal, especially if you work on a large project. Why couldn’t they be dockable for instance, with an easy way to switch between the two?

But again, it’s been like this for years, so it feels there’s little point in complaining about it again, and we just have to resign ourselves to constantly having to move and resize windows as we work - not ideal.

Ashampoo Home Design 9: Home Design

• Many options, numerous customisation possibilities, a lot of versatility. All that is good. But it’s the way you get to do all this, which feels overly cumbersome, and that’s a real shame.

On the plus side, the experience of navigating through your project and building your home felt much better and more fluid than we remembered. It’s easy to add walls, windows, doors, and any other objects to your project, but everything feels like it takes far longer to do things with Home Design than it does with competing products. For instance, resizing a door and changing its position can be done in just a click and drag… elsewhere. Here you need to click on a button to reveal a floating window with a numerical field which you need to adjust, and hit the ‘Return’ key to see the effect of your change, which means you’re likely forced to repeat the process if you’re not happy with that outcome. It works of course, but it feels convoluted.

Despite this, you do have a ton of options at your disposal, such as different types of walls, various windows, doors and roofs, and of course a plethora of furniture. Take windows for instance, double-click on one to reveal all of its parameters, including various ways for it to open, how it looks on the 2D plan, the thickness of the window sill, and more. You have access to a huge amount of information and customisation. It’s just all very ‘change values in a field’ rather than the more ‘do it all through various mouse gestures’ we’ve grown accustomed to in recent years.

The catalog of available items used to populate and decorate your project is… alright. You get to drill through a series of icons until you find the object you’re looking for. Puzzlingly enough, we couldn’t find a search field to help us get to a particular category or type of object faster, which was… quaint. However you can double-click on any of them to see a large preview of the 3D object you’re interested in, and to add it to your project, just drag and drop it.

It is possible to resize objects of course, but don’t expect it to be a simple click and drag matter. Instead you need to double-click on it to review its changeable parameters located in various editable fields, just like for the window example we mentioned earlier.

Yes Home Design has improved, but it seems its developers don’t believe in keeping up with the competition. Yes it is very powerful, and incredibly affordable which are very big pluses, but its way of working lead to frustration for us. Which is a shame. Or maybe it’s just that we’ve been too spoilt with far easier ways of doing the same thing offered by its competition.

Should I buy Ashampoo Home Design 9?

Need help on your next creative project? Check out our round-ups of the best landscape design software and the best architecture software

BeenVerified was founded in 2007 and is a reliable people search tool owned by Intelius, which also owns US Search and Instant Checkmate. All three of these search platforms utilize data from public records. With BeenVerified, you can conduct an informal background check on a new acquaintance or look up an old friend. The platform allows you to search using various data points, including name, address, phone number, vehicle details, and more. They provide access to billions of records and claim to have assisted over a million customers.

• Want to try BeenVerified? Check out the website here

In our BeenVerified review, we will take a closer look at the features offered by this people search tool and help you determine whether it is worth the investment.

BeenVerified: plans and pricing

BeenVerified does not allow users to purchase a report for a single individual, a pricing model many might prefer. Instead, users are required to sign up for a subscription. The subscription costs $36.89 monthly if paid monthly or $71.94 for three months, which breaks down to $23.98 monthly. When we tried to find the pricing details online, we found that the information was not very transparent, as users must complete the entire search process to see the price. This frustratingly involves several screens and a significant time commitment.

Major credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover, can be used for payments. PayPal is also accepted. Payments can be processed via iTunes or Google Play if you purchase a subscription through the app.

It's important to note that canceling your BeenVerified subscription can be pretty challenging. There is no straightforward way to do this from within your account. Instead, you need to call the company’s support line or send an email to turn off auto-renewal. Additionally, ensure you request the cancellation before your next billing cycle to avoid being charged.

BeenVerified: features

BeenVerified is a comprehensive background check and public records search service that provides users with an extensive array of features designed to facilitate in-depth information gathering. Among its key offerings are people search, reverse phone lookup, email lookup, address lookup, and property search.

The people search feature allows users to locate individuals by name, revealing essential information such as contact details, social media accounts, and past addresses. The reverse phone lookup tool enables users to identify the owner of a phone number, which can be particularly useful for handling unknown calls or verifying strangers' identities. Similarly, the email lookup function helps track the ownership of email addresses, providing insights into a person's digital presence.

Address lookup allows for a thorough investigation of a property’s history, including past owners and transaction details, and can be particularly beneficial for potential homebuyers or real estate professionals. The property search feature offers additional layers of detail, including property valuations, tax information, and more.

Beyond these search features, BeenVerified includes a monitoring service that actively tracks changes in a person's report. This means users can receive alerts when updates occur, such as changes to contact information or new public records, thus promoting ongoing awareness and safety.

BeenVerified: interface and in use

Getting started with BeenVerified is a relatively straightforward process. Users can choose from various search types, such as background checks, people searches, or reverse phone lookups. After selecting the desired search category, you enter your information about the individual, such as their name or phone number, to initiate a comprehensive database search. Throughout this process, BeenVerified may prompt you with additional questions to refine your search results. These follow-up questions often pertain to the person's location, age, middle name, or known relatives, which can help narrow the options and provide more accurate results. If you don't have answers to these specific questions, you can easily skip them, which may result in broader search outcomes.

Unfortunately, our experience with the search process didn't go as smoothly as anticipated. During our tests, several searches were initiated but stalled indefinitely—the progress bar ceased its movement for over 30 minutes, and we were left waiting without any option to view a report. This lack of responsiveness can frustrate users who expect timely results. On the other hand, some searches were completed successfully, but we encountered a significant drawback: access to the search results requires a paid subscription. This means that users could invest money only to discover that there isn’t a report available for the individual they were initially interested in, leading to potential disappointment.

Moreover, the quality of the information in BeenVerified’s reports appears highly inconsistent. While some reports provided a wealth of detail, including complete criminal records and contact information, others were alarmingly sparse, lacking critical data that users might rely on. It’s particularly troubling that users cannot preview the data fields in a report before committing to the paid subscription. This absence of transparency adds an extra layer of frustration for users looking for specific information and may feel hesitant to invest without knowing what they might receive in return. Overall, while BeenVerified offers a convenient service, the user experience can vary significantly, and there are essential considerations to remember before proceeding with a subscription.

Support

BeenVerified offers customer support through various channels to assist users with their needs. You can reach their customer service team by phone at +1 888-579-5910, or you can email them at support@beenverified.com. They also have a contact form on their website that you can fill out. If you prefer live chat, they have that option available on their website as well. BeenVerified aims to provide comprehensive support to ensure a positive user experience.

Security

BeenVerified only shares information that is available in public records, so the company doesn’t put a huge amount of effort into security. That said, your account is secured with HTTPS and 128-bit encryption.

If you’re looking to opt out of having your data included in BeenVerified’s records, you can also do that easily. Just search to find your record, and BeenVerified will remove it within 24 hours of your request.

BeenVerified: the competition

BeenVerified competes against two of Intelius’ other people search finders, US Search and Instant Checkmate. All three search public records but they differ slightly.

US Search offers a cheaper monthly subscription and enables you to view search results before you run into a paywall. Also, you can pay for a single search, rather than having to take a monthly subscription to see a result. However, the information in the reports is often inaccurate, so we wouldn’t trust this service for running even basic background checks.

Instant Checkmate charges the same price as BeenVerified and offers far more information in its reports, including data about weapons licenses, vehicles, and traffic incidents. Instant Checkmate can be very frustrating to use since it entails clicking through numerous pop-ups. But thanks to the added report details, it offers a better bang for your buck than BeenVerified.

BeenVerified: final verdict

BeenVerified is a practical people search tool that offers a wide range of search methods, making it a versatile option for anyone needing to track down information about individuals. One of its standout features is the ability to search using various data points, such as vehicle identification numbers (VINs) or social media handles. This functionality is handy, as many competing platforms do not support searches based on these specific types of information, potentially saving users time and effort.

However, there are notable downsides to using BeenVerified. One is that users must sign up for a subscription before accessing their search results. This lack of transparency can be frustrating, as potential subscribers cannot preview the type of information they'll receive, making it difficult to determine whether the service will meet their needs.

Moreover, the quality of the reports generated by BeenVerified is inconsistent. While some users might find the information helpful, others may discover that the reports lack depth and detail. This inconsistency means that what you pay for may not always reflect the quality of information you receive, leading to a perception that the service is overpriced, given its value.

Overall, while BeenVerified offers some unique search capabilities that may appeal to specific users, the subscription requirement and the uneven quality of reports make it less attractive than other services in the market.

We've also highlighted the best background check services for individuals.

There are many reasons why you’d want to explore architectural software. The most obvious one, is because you’re a builder and need software to plan your next project.

But in my experience, even some of the best architecture software is aimed at the more casual designer. The ones who have fun visualising their existing home, with new furniture, or perhaps planning with a new extension.

Although Home Designer Suite can easily deal with the latter, despite being the cheapest in Chief Architect’s range, it’s clearly more aimed for the former, and best of all, it’s available for both Mac and Windows. How does it compare to the best interior design software (and even the best landscaping software)? I tested out the latest version to find out.

Chief Architect Home Designer Suite 2025: Pricing and plans

• Compared to its most expensive alternatives, the Home Designer Suite is affordable software, and the tools it offers are quite extensive, but if you're still unsure, download the trial version

Home Designer comes in three flavours, Suite, Architectural and Pro. The prices for the two higher end models can feel pretty steep, with Architectural clocking in at $249, while Pro is almost eye watering at $595 (although that one also has a rental option for $59 a month).

By contrast, at $129, Suite feels much more affordable. But don't be lured into thinking a cheaper versions means fewer available tools: the standard set which is available across the range, is quite extensive, and includes features such as smart cabinets (objects know where they are in relation to the walls and to each other, and automatically face the right way as you add them), and the automation of building walls, roofs, stairs, floors, and even external landscaping, including customised elevation and vegetation. Various 3D views and CAD tools are also part and parcel of even the cheapest version.

If you’re looking for more custom options, such as specific wall types, custom backsplashes and countertops, and features such as curved decks, then Architectural will be better suited to you, and if you need printable construction document layout sheets, a master list material, pricing management tool, and advanced customisation, then Pro would be the only way to go. But if your needs are more, shall we say, modest, you’ll find Suite to be incredibly capable. Even better, Chief Architect has a free trial of Suite, which you can get by handing over your email address.

• Score: 4/5

Chief Architect Home Designer Suite 2025: Interface

• The designers have managed to cram all the tools you’d need in a small interface. It can make it a bit daunting at first, but once you get used to it, you’ll be flying - or rather, building…

Looking at the latest version of Home Designer Suite, you’ll be hard pressed to notice what's different this time. As before, your screen is divided into multiple sections, the largest part of which is dedicated to your design, with all the tools you need crammed in a sidebar to the left, rows of icons at the top, and a library on the right. It’s not an unfair assessment to state that if you’re new to design software, you could easily feel intimidated, but not only will you be able to find your way around pretty quickly, Chief Architect also offers a series of tutorial videos to help you hit the ground running.

Home Designer was made to hide the complexities of what you’re building, helping you focus on the fun part: creating. Walls are created by clicking and dragging, or by clicking on an existing wall’s dimensions to fine tune its length, or by dragging said wall to another position. If you add another wall close to an existing one, Home Designer is clever enough to seamlessly join them together. The beauty here, aside from the nearly effortless design process, is that a list of all the needed materials, although mostly hidden from you, is available to let you know how much to order, be it bricks, insulation, felt, timber, etc.

Not only that, once you've completed the walls for your house, the software automatically adds a basic roof, framing and foundations for you. If this feels like too much hand-holding, rest assured you remain fully in control over the entire design process: click on an item to select it, and drag its edges to resize it, or double-click on it to open a new window containing the chosen object’s changeable parameters, which you're obviously free to alter.

• Score: 4/5

Chief Architect Home Designer Suite 2025: Tools

• You have a vast array of tools and views to work with, which allow you to design an entire house, both inside and out, with surprising ease

By default, you’re working in a top-down view, just as if you were designing blueprints, although whichever view you choose, even a 3D one, you’ll still be able to work on your design, and add and amend any object you bring to it. You’re also able to label parts of your creation, making it easy to see where everything will go, and what everything is supposed to be.

Additional views include ‘Doll House’, which removes the roof and lets you get a bird’s eye view of each floor. ‘Perspective’ includes the roof along with any outdoor landscaping you’ve created. ‘Glass House’ is perhaps the oddest one: everything, and we do mean everything, is now made of glass and is therefore see through.

Now fun though it is to add walls, windows and doors, choose their materials, height, thickness, etc, if you really want to bring your design to life, you need furniture, and rest assured: on that front, Chief Architect has you covered. They have a massive library of every conceivable piece of furniture. Not all of them are available by default, but you can easily download the ones you’re looking for as and when you need then (you’ll need to set up an account, but this, along with many objects you’re able to download, is also free). Additionally, a visit to the site's gallery will also reveal a slew of extra items you can download. Every item you add is fully customisable.

One such customisation is being able to choose the material an object is made of. You get to do this with the ‘Material Painter’ tool (cheekily represented by a spray paint icon). Such decoration can be applied to absolutely anything: tea pots, pianos, windows, walls, you name it. Home Designer doesn't care: you want a wall made out of grass and bluebells? Spray away.

And speaking of grass and bluebells, designing a house from scratch and furnishing it to your liking is already pretty impressive, but Home Designer also lets you go beyond, and create the surrounding gardens. You can alter the elevation, add paths, and plants - although we did notice that unlike many of the indoor furniture we experimented with, it seems most plants come at a cost.

• Score: 4.5/5

Chief Architect Home Designer Suite 2025 : What’s New

• Aside from the Undo History panel, which is useful for any project, none of the new features are truly must-have additions, but they do add welcomed improvements to an already impressive application

All of these tools have been available for a few years now, and although version 2025 isn’t radical in terms of new features, it does bring some interesting features to the table. Some of which affect the software system-wide, such as gaining access to the 'Undo Action History’, which is very similar to how Photoshop does it, and makes it easy to go through multiple undo's in a single step.

Other improvements include being able to choose a thumbnail for a plan file, or select how often files are archived. When it comes to designing, you have more automation when building a deck for instance, corner shelves are now a thing, as are electrical connections for fixtures. It’s not earth shattering, but every tweak, every improvement, adds to an already highly impressive application.

Should I buy Chief Architect Home Designer Suite 2025?

Buy it if...

You need to design a building, need to be as meticulous as you can, as well as being able to decorate your project as you see fit with a plethora of objects to furnish your virtual home.

Don't buy it if...

You just want to play around, in a SIMS-like way, and don’t really need all the professional tools that come as standard with this software.

Many software packages and services let you design the perfect house, complete with plumbing, electrics, furniture, and more. Some even go further and expand their canvas to allow you to design the surrounding landscape.

Idea Spectrum Realtime Landscaping Pro 2025 does things differently, focussing primarily on the landscape itself, and its features and quite impressive. it's easily one of the best landscape design software tools around - as long as you own a Windows PC, the only platform it supports.

• You can download Realtime Landscaping Pro from Idea Spectrum by clicking here.

Realtime Landscaping Pro 2025: Pricing and plans

• Far from the cheapest landscaping software out there, but at least you own it outright: no subscription deals, plus you can download a trial version to check it out

Idea Spectrum deserves praise for not treating their software as a service they can let out. Instead, you need to purchase Realtime Landscaping Pro outright - the old fashioned way - for $279. This is quite refreshing in this day and age. Yes, you have to pay more upfront, but that’s one less rental you have to deal with every month.

Additionally, you can upgrade from a previous version: Pro owners of versions 2011 to 2023 can do so for $129, whereas Plus owners from 2011 to 2025 have to pay $149 to get the latest version of Pro.

If you wish to try the software out for yourself, you can also download a free trial which limits some of the features, but will give you a good feel for what’s on offer.

• Score: 3.5/5

Realtime Landscaping Pro 2025: Interface

• A clean, easy to understand interface, with multiple views and handy wizards to speed up the design process

Realtime Landscaping Pro is designed for you to work in a 3D environment. Should you prefer to focus on a 2D space, Idea Spectrum also offers ‘Realtime Landscaping Photo’ as an alternative.

The interface is very standard: all your tools can be found on a sidebar to the left, with all the objects you can add being located at the top, broken down by category, such as Terrain, Water Features, Utilities, and Building (yes, you can add buildings to your design; you just can’t venture into them). The left side of the interface is your Inspector, showing all of a selected object’s changeable parameters.

Since you can’t explore the inside of the house, you’d be forgiven for thinking the options available for designing the outside might be limited. Although a lot is automated for you, you have a heck of a lot of customisation capabilities. From setting up the structure, to adding windows, guttering, lights, it’s pretty much all there. Plus you can change the types of material, their colour, the wall heights, the pitch of the roof, etc. Everything you need to make a building look great - from the outside. You also have the ability to add ‘window facades’ that make it seem like your house has an interior when looking through the windows.

There are three separate views at your disposal, all accessible via buttons, lower left of the interface: ‘Plan’ is a top-down view - selected by default; ’Perspective’, allows you to see elevation and work in a 3D environment, which we found helped us design better. The third view is called ‘Walkthrough’, and is really there for you to peruse your creation using your mouse and keyboard. As the project is rendered in high quality, there is no way to alter it in that view.

On the whole, the interface is clear, and easy to understand, giving you a large canvas in the centre of the interface to design your project. Should you feel at a loss, Idea Spectrum offers a series of online tutorials to help you familiarise yourself with what’s on offer.

In order to facilitate the design process further, Realtime Landscaping Pro comes with various wizards. One is used for creating houses, as mentioned above, but others are also available to quickly create landscapes, decks, ponds, accents and swimming pools. The concept is very simple: choose a template, place it onto your project and more often than not, you’re done. These templates are fully customisable of course, to help them blend in more perfectly with your landscape.

• Score: 4/5

Realtime Landscaping Pro 2025: Planting

• An unbelievable inventory of plants which you can customise, choose their size, and set their look. You also have control over the time of day, and season. Your customisation options are as impressive as the number of plants available

Software designed to recreate an outdoor environment should be well stocked when it comes to flora, and this is exactly what Realtime Landscaping Pro offers. You have at your disposal over 6,000 plants, subdivided by category such as Annuals, Succulent, Tropical, etc, to make it easier to find what you’re after. But with so many to choose from, you’ll be grateful for that handy search field as well!

But that’s not all: you get to choose plants ideal for the geographical location you’re designing in - or not - the choice is completely up to you, as you add trees and shrubs that can look great together, but might not survive in the real world. You also get to choose each plant’s age, which mostly just alters their height, as well as the season you’re working in. This is set for your overall design, but you can also supersede that choice for each plant individually if you’re looking for an unusual and striking look, such as having plants displaying their spring appearance, next to others in the fall. Essentially, you can be as realistic and accurate as you please, or as fanciful as you desire.

This level of control extends to the weather, time of day, season, and even the phase of the moon. All of this is available through the ‘Settings’ menu.

You’ll find that each category has a ‘Currently Used’ section, which allows you to reuse objects currently in your project, elsewhere. This only works on your current project though. Should you wish to use the same plants in multiple projects, that’s where the ‘Favourites’ section comes in, making it easy to locate items once, and use them again and again in future works.

• Score: 5/5

Realtime Landscaping Pro 2025: Objects, people, and animation

• You also have a large list of materials, objects and people to further refine your design, and bring your creation to life with a few fun animations

Plants are but the start of your designing journey. Realtime Landscaping Pro also contains a generous library of 3D objects, from lawn furniture, to cars, as well as a wealth of materials you can use for your walls, driveways, and more.

But what we particularly enjoyed was how you can bring your design to life through animation. Water can shimmer, and fountains flow, for instance. But people - and even animals - can be animated as well. Some can walk, others jog, and a few even swim. Set a path for them to follow and they’ll repeat their action on a loop. Even those sitting or lying around will have some kind of animation set for them, like a head tilt, or a hand movement. All of these help your creation come to life when exploring it in Walkthrough.

Speaking of Walkthrough, you’re able to create movies meandering through your project, although you don’t actually control the movement through your keyboard and mouse, but rather by setting a path for the camera to follow. You can even connect it to an Oculus Rift.

As it stands, this software is very versatile with a wealth of features. It’s simple enough for casual users to have fun with, yet versatile enough for professional use, creating your dream garden, virtually, complete with seasons, and fun animations.

• Score: 4/5

Should I buy Realtime Landscaping Pro?

Buy it if...

You’re looking for a detailed landscaping tool with a wealth of features to help you design the project of your (or your clients’) dreams.

Don't buy it if...

You don’t fancy playing with so many features that you can get lost in the minutia, and you find the animations superfluous and creepy.

For more design tools, we've reviewed the best architecture software and the best interior design software.