How we research, test and update our pages
Last updated
WhatsMyName Apps is a free username search that checks 3,165+ sites. Around the tool we publish platform checker pages, comparisons of other OSINT tools and blog guides. This page explains where their facts come from, how we test them, when we update them and how we pay for the site.
Who writes the pages
Everything is written and maintained by the WhatsMyName Apps team, the same small independent team that builds the search. Pages are signed with the site name, not personal bylines. We don't invent authors or credentials.
Where the facts come from
- Platform rules, such as length, allowed characters and how often you can change a name, come from each platform's own help center. The links sit under the rules table on every checker page.
- Facts about other OSINT tools come from the tool's repository README or official website, checked on the date shown on its page. Our tool comparisons say so under each table.
- Guides on legal and safety topics, such as impersonation or scams, link to the agency or platform page where you can report it.
- Our own numbers come from our checks, such as our October 2026 study of 60 usernames run against every site in our list. We report them in aggregate and explain the method.
How we test
58 of our 61 checker pages carry a dated "What we tested" box. For those, we ran a known public account and a made-up name through the same checker the site uses and wrote down what came back. For some, we also loaded a profile while logged out or from a home connection. When a site blocks our checks, the page says "check by hand" rather than guessing. Instagram is one example: we stopped querying it, and its page explains why.
We also keep a sample test that runs a known account and a random name against popular sites, to catch detection rules that have stopped working. How it works explains the four result statuses.
Review dates and updates
- Checker pages and tool pages show "Reviewed" with the date their facts were last checked against the sources.
- Blog posts show when they were published and, after a real content change, when they were updated.
- The same dates go into the page's structured data (dateModified). We don't refresh a date without changing the content.
- Platforms and tools change. When we hear that something moved, we recheck it and update the date.
We don't publish a page for each of the 3,165+ sites in our list. A checker page needs at least three verified rules, a source, three FAQs and a minimum amount of platform-specific text before search engines are allowed to index it.
Comparisons and other tools
- No tool pays to be listed or ranked, and we have never sold a placement.
- Feature tables use the tool's own documentation as of the date shown. Each page lists where the other tool does better.
- Competing username-search sites are named in plain text without links. Other outbound links are marked nofollow.
- WhatsMyName Apps is not affiliated with the WhatsMyName project, Sherlock, Maigret or any of the 32 tools we cover.
How we make money
The site is free and shows Google AdSense ads. No ad requests are made on the search pages or on any address that carries a username, and the usernames you search are never shared with advertisers. Advertisers have no say in what we write. We don't use affiliate links. The free Android app also shows ads; its privacy policy lists what they collect.
What we won't publish
We don't write guides on tracking, unmasking or contacting private people, and we keep to public profile pages. Results are leads to verify, never facts about a person, and must not be used for FCRA-covered decisions. See responsible use.
Corrections
Found a mistake? Email whatsmynameapps@gmail.com with the page address and what is wrong. We check it against the source, fix the page and update its review date. To report a wrong scan result, see the contact page.