How Much Does It Normally Cost to Hire a Private Investigator?

PI’s — they’re a staple of old movies, hardboiled detective novels, and comic books. But in addition to their pop-cultural status, private investigators are very useful in real life.

PI’s provide a simple service. They’re trained in scoping out situations while staying hidden and bringing you the information you need. They’re a wonderful option to go to if you need to know something and can’t go to the cops.

So how much does it cost to hire a private investigation service?

If you’ve found yourself asking this question, you’ve come to the right place. This article will walk you through all you need to know about private investigator prices.

Determining the average cost to hire a private investigator is more complicated than it seems at first. It all depends on how your private investigator charges, and what you’re asking them to do for you.

By the Hour

Like a ton of honest working stiffs, most PI’s make money by the hour. However, they’re not chasing leads for minimum wage. The specialized quality of their work, combined with the danger and relative inconsistency puts the cost of PI’s at anywhere between fifty dollars and two hundred and fifty dollars an hour; some, however, might offer you a discount for a long number of hours on the job.

Flat Rate

Some PI’s charge a flat rate. They’ll have different flat fees for background checks, bug sweeps, phone number identification, criminal record searches, and GPS monitoring. They’re usually able to standardize a number for these services because they’ve done them a ton of times before, and know how much they’ll take.

It should be noted that more high-skill cases such as infidelity cases will most likely cost money by the hour.

Additional Costs

Private investigators go on the road a lot. It’s one of the key features of their job to be able to follow people at long distances without being detected. Because of this, you may need to reimburse the investigator for gas, hotels, and other expenses.

What’s the Total?

The cost of every private investigator is different. Generally, however, you should expect to pay around five hundred to a thousand dollars. If the case goes on a long time, you have specific requests, or the PI winds up working in a dangerous situation, this may cost you more.

We found this great website, Stryker Investigations, that will be able to hook you up with the best private investigator for you. No matter what you need a PI for, they’ll keep it discrete and cheap.

Cost to Hire a Private Investigator

Private investigators had a time of extreme popularity in pop culture. However, one shouldn’t let this influence your perception of them. Private investigators are people like you and me who are paid to do their job.

If you find yourself wondering about the cost to hire a private investigator, make sure you consider the specifics of the job.

For more articles like this, check out our “lifestyle” section.