The short answer
The cost depends mainly on how the trace is carried out, how many people you need to trace and how the provider charges when nobody is found. Automated, data-backed traces are usually priced per report and become cheaper per trace in volume. Bespoke manual investigations are usually quoted individually and cost considerably more per person.
Two broad kinds of tracing provider
Automated, data-backed tracing
The search runs against credit-reference and other tracing data. It is fast, consistent and suited to tracing many people at once — for example a ledger of historic accounts. It works best when you hold a full name and a last known address.
Bespoke manual investigation
An investigator researches one case at a time. This can help where data-backed searches return nothing, but it takes longer and is normally priced per case. Some investigators also offer doorstep or field enquiries, which cost more again.
RecoverAble Locate is an automated, data-backed service, with each result explained in a plain-English Locate Report.
What to check before you buy
- VAT. Business prices are often shown excluding VAT. Check whether VAT at 20% is still to be added to a quoted figure.
- Minimum purchase. Many providers set a minimum order or a minimum number of traces per submission.
- No-match charging. Some providers charge for every search, others only when an address is found — usually at a higher price per result. Ask which applies.
- What you actually receive. A bare address is different from a report that explains how confident the match is and what to do next.
- Expiry and contracts. Check whether unused credits expire and how long any subscription commits you for.
What RecoverAble Locate costs
Every buying mode gets the same Locate Report. The minimum purchase is 10 reports, and up to 1,000 can be bought through checkout. Prices exclude VAT, which is added at checkout.
- Pay as you go
- 10 reports for £39.99 + VAT
- One-off. Credits expire 6 calendar months after purchase.
- Flex Monthly
- From £29.99 + VAT a month
- For 10 reports a month. Unused credits roll over.
- Annual
- From £299.90 + VAT a year
- Paid upfront — 12 months for the price of 10. Monthly credits roll over.
Volume pricing applies automatically as quantities increase. "From £3.00 per report" refers to Flex Monthly at 10 reports a month; larger volumes cost less per report. The calculator shows the exact price for the quantity you choose.
Tracing one person vs a batch
Locate is designed for businesses tracing 10 or more individuals at a time using a CSV upload. If you need to trace a single person, a provider that sells individual traces may suit you better. Many such providers price per trace, and some charge only when an address is found — check their terms. With Locate, each accepted trace uses one report whether or not a match is found.
Do you pay if nobody is found?
With Locate, yes. Each accepted trace uses one report whether or not a match is found, because the search still runs against live tracing data. If a trace fails because of an error on our side, we credit it back. No trace can guarantee a match, so each report shows how strong the result is.
Bulk tracing economics
Tracing in bulk usually lowers the cost per person and saves staff time. With Locate you add one person per row to the CSV template and upload at least 10 at a time. You can use your credits across several uploads, provided an upload does not leave 1–9 credits unused.
Limitations to keep in mind
- No tracing service can guarantee a current address.
- Results depend on the quality of the details you provide.
- Locate is for businesses tracing individuals for a genuine lawful business reason — you confirm this before every upload.
- Locate is trace only. We never contact the person traced, using Locate does not instruct debt recovery, and guidance is decision support, not legal advice.