Miss a red flag during due diligence, and the fallout can be expensive. Missed liens, hidden litigation, or unreliable partners can derail entire deals. Your decisions hinge on accurate, comprehensive background information about borrowers, partners, and vendors. Thomson Reuters CLEAR is a well-known platform for pulling public records and data, but does it give you the whole story?
In this post, we’ll compare Thomson Reuters CLEAR with Business Screen to show how a human touch can turn raw data into actionable insight, strengthening trust in your risk assessments.
Let’s start with the basics about the two platforms.
Thomson Reuters CLEAR is an investigative platform that compiles billions of public and proprietary records into one searchable system. It’s a useful option for finding records – from criminal histories to address links – at the click of a button.
However, more data doesn’t always mean more clarity. The CLEAR system might return a flood of results that still leave you wondering, “What does this actually mean for my deal?”
Offering insight above just data is where Business Screen stands apart.
Rather than just aggregating data, Business Screen provides human-verified insights. Experienced investigators double-check critical information and interpret complex findings. This way, you aren’t left with unanswered questions.
The result is a clearer, more confident understanding of your subject’s background.
Let’s talk a bit more about Business Screen vs. Thomson Reuters CLEAR to see why Business Screen stands out.
Thomson Reuters CLEAR is designed to pull large volumes of data. With a few clicks, users can surface address histories, corporate affiliations, criminal records, and more.
But when the system returns 50+ results for a single query, you’re the one left sorting through the noise.
Business Screen takes a different route. Its team of licensed investigators verifies and interprets findings for you. Instead of a data dump, you receive a clear, curated picture of your subject.
It’s the difference between accessing information and understanding it.
Business Screen’s reports are prepared and reviewed by licensed investigators, not just algorithms. Every report is vetted for accuracy and relevance. If there’s a red flag in a borrower’s past (such as a legal case or an alias), a human expert ensures it’s correctly identified and explained.
In contrast, using CLEAR or similar database tools often means the onus is on you to interpret raw records and assess their importance. Business Screen flips that script by having experts do the heavy lifting and highlight what truly matters.
One pain point in due diligence is wading through complex legal documents or lengthy litigation histories.
Business Screen addresses this with summary sections for complex findings. If an individual or company has a complicated court case, the report doesn’t just dump the docket or legal jargon on your desk.
Instead, an investigator provides a plain-language summary of the issue so you grasp the significance at a glance.
Thomson Reuters CLEAR can retrieve volumes of court records, but interpreting those records is up to the user.
Another standout advantage of Business Screen is that it goes beyond what online databases alone can offer.
Access to a national network of court runners is a prime example. Many critical documents (especially at the county court level) are not digitized or easily accessible via nationwide databases.
A Thomson Reuters CLEAR search might tell you that a lawsuit exists in a certain county, but it won’t retrieve the actual court filings if they’re not online.
Business Screen addresses this gap by dispatching court runners to physically retrieve documents from courthouses across the country when needed.
Another major differentiator is the ability to chat directly with licensed investigators. Due diligence isn’t always a straight line. Often, you’ll have follow-up questions or need clarification on a report finding.
Business Screen builds in consultative support. This way, you can speak with the investigator who prepared your report.
With Thomson Reuters CLEAR or similar tools, you’re largely on your own to interpret the data.
Every deal carries a different level of risk. Sometimes you need a basic check. Other times, a deeper look is non-negotiable.
Business Screen utilizes a credit-based system that enables you to scale your investigations according to volume and need. Due diligence shouldn’t come with rigid pricing or long-term contracts.
Flexible and Scalable Options
Every deal carries different risks. Sometimes, a basic check will do. Other times, a deeper dive is non-negotiable. Business Screen offers flexible investigation packages designed to match your risk level and budget. Our credit-based system allows you to scale your due diligence efforts up or down—without being locked into rigid pricing or long-term contracts.
Noteworthy features:
Business needs are specific, so Business Screen also offers a menu of add-on searches to customize any report.
These à la carte options cover areas like:
When it comes to Business Screen vs Thomson Reuters CLEAR, the comparison comes down to whether you want just data or data plus insight.
At the end of the day, due diligence is about trust. You need to trust the information you’re acting on, and by extension, trust the service that provides that information.
Thomson Reuters CLEAR has a strong reputation for its breadth of data and is used by law enforcement and financial institutions worldwide.
It’s a powerful tool for what it does: aggregating data. But if you require not just data but understanding, Business Screen offers an edge with its investigator-led model.
By combining expansive data gathering with human analysis, Business Screen ensures nothing is lost in translation.
The platform’s features, like summary reports, direct investigator support, and customizable searches, are all designed to translate raw records into insights relevant to your decision.
And with scalable, customizable investigation packages, Business Screen gives you the clarity you need—on your terms.
If the stakes are high, you need more than just data. You need clarity. Ready to see the difference for yourself?
To learn even more about Business Screen, you can get more information and pricing details here.
Thomson Reuters CLEAR is an online investigative platform (CLEAR stands for Consolidated Lead Evaluation and Reporting). It allows users to search and analyze billions of public and proprietary records in one place.
It’s used for purposes such as background checks, fraud investigations, and due diligence, providing data on individuals’ addresses, criminal records, assets, business affiliations, and more.
Several solutions compete in the due diligence and investigative research space. Business Screen is a leading alternative. It offers similar comprehensive data coverage but with the added benefit of human-investigator support and customizable reports.
Other competitors include LexisNexis, TransUnion’s TLOxp, Enformion, and some specialized fraud detection platforms.
Business Screen, however, distinguishes itself by combining deep data access with analyst expertise.
The CLEAR platform is owned by Thomson Reuters, a global information services company. CLEAR was developed by Thomson Reuters (through its legal division and subsidiaries like West Publishing) and remains a product offered under the Thomson Reuters umbrella.
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