10 Best Tenant Screening Services in 2023

Overview

Established in 2012 by a small real estate company with the same name based in Chicago, Illinois, Avail has quickly made a name for itself as the best tenant screening service for landlords who want to advance from beginners to professionals with the help of the platforms’ educational tools. Realtor.com acquired the company in 2020, in hopes of expanding the platform’s capabilities.

Users can advertise vacant apartments, track maintenance, sign leases, and collect rent without paying a cent, as this property management software has the best free plan on the market. 

Pricing Plans and Features

There isn’t a free trial, but the good news is - there’s a feature-rich free Unlimited Plan designed to get you through all parts of the rental cycle for unlimited units. The free plan gives landlords access to syndicated listings, state-specific leases, maintenance tracking, and online rent collection. 

A good tenant screening service must also offer background checks, and Avail is no exception; however, if you’d like to get more than a job and rental history and income verification, you’ll have to upgrade or pay additional fees. 

Unlimited Plus is an affordable package that’ll cost you just $5 per unit per month and comes with all the features listed in the free plan, plus some additional ones: next-day rent payments, custom applications and lease agreements, an option to create a website for your property, and waiving ACH fees. There’s also the possibility to clone and reuse custom lease agreements, which comes in handy for personalizing and tweaking contracts. 

Even though with the free plan, you get basic background checks to help you find a good tenant for your rental property, advanced screening reports are locked behind a paywall. You can request a credit report that contains the prospective tenant’s credit score, credit history, and adverse items for an additional $30. To get the full report that also checks federal watch lists, OFAC watch lists, the National Sex Offender Registry, and eviction databases, you’ll have to part with $55.

Reporting

Reports provided by Avail come from TransUnion, and all credit score checks need to be approved by the applicant first. Landlords can request authorization by simply entering the applicant’s name and email address. Unlike some other online tenant screening service companies, Avail lets the landlord decide who’ll pay for the credit report - sellers or buyers. Applicants looking for a new home can rest assured that the soft credit inquiry won’t hurt their scores. What’s more, the report can be reused in unlimited applications within 90 days. 

Customer Support

Free educational resources are an area in which Avail truly excels. Its website contains an extensive knowledge base with dozens of articles, guides, relevant laws, and resources about taxes, the rental market, insurance, LLCs, and more. 

However, we understand that, despite this sizable library of informative posts, users might still sometimes need to get in touch with a company representative to get clarifications. Luckily, Avail’s customer support agents are available round the clock, and you can reach out to them by filling out the contact form on Avail’s website, via the live chat function, phone, or email. All in all, if you started reading this review with the question, “What is the best tenant screening service for DIY landlords on a budget?” in your mind, Avail might just be the solution you’ve been searching for.

Overview

LeaseRunner is a service offered by an independent company of the same name based in Denver, Colorado. It’s been around since 2011 and it is unique on our list for offering an a la carte system instead of featured plans. 

It offers all sorts of background screening and credit check services for landlords but those looking for multiple services may find the price higher than the competition. LeaseRunner does, however, give you the option of choosing who will cover the screening fees — the landlord or the applicant. 

Pricing Plans and Features

As mentioned above, there are no LeaseRunner plans to choose from. Instead, landlords looking for a tenant background check are free to choose the service(s) that they need. For example, you need $20 to run a credit check on a tenant. This gets you an Experian tenant credit check, as well  as a verification of the tenant’s current employer and previous address. However, it doesn’t include a nationwide eviction report, which you have to pay an additional $12 for. 

Speaking of additional costs, a full financial report with a bank account balance costs $10. The final option is the $15 criminal report, which gets you a nationwide report that includes a look at sex offender registries and terrorist watch lists. In addition to online tenant screening, you can also opt for other services, such as state-specific lease agreements, ACH online rent collection, rental ad tools and more.

Reporting

LeaseRunner releases reports differently than most of its competitors. First off, its reports come from Experian rather than TransUnion. Secondly, it uses VantageScore instead of FICO or TransUnion’s credit score. It also provides templates that comply with FCRA regulations. If you opt to get a credit check for tenants, it has to authorize it, leading to a soft pull that won’t damage their credit score. Reports are generated and delivered very quickly.

Customer Support

The best tenant screening services offer plenty of methods for reaching customer support teams. Should something go wrong for you or your potential tenant while using LeaseRunner’s services, or you simply have a question about their services, you can reach customer support via email or on a toll-free phone number. You can also consult the exhaustive support center on their website.

Overview

RentPrep is a community-driven tenant screening service aimed at property owners. It was conceived by Fidelis Screening Solutions, a company providing tenant credit and background checks since 2007. It offers a variety of screening services between its two main plans and it even has some unique features which we’ll cover below.

Pricing Plans and Features

Depending on your needs and budget, there are two pricing plans available at RentPrep. If you just need a background check, the cost is $21 – one of the lowe prices on our list. This plan gets you features such as Social Security number verification, national eviction data, and information on the tenant’s judgments, liens, and bankruptcies. You can add $6 to add a nationwide criminal and sex-offender search and $11 for a credit decision report. You can also get income verification for an additional $10.

If you want a more thorough background check for renters, which automatically includes criminal background checks and credit check services, you can opt for RentPrep’s $40 TransUnion Full Credit Report. The national criminal and sex offender search is included free of charge, however you have to pay $7 to get access to judgements and liens, a feature available in the Background Check option.

Reporting

RentPrep gets its reports from TransUnion. This tenant credit check is a soft pull, which means that it doesn’t impact the renter’s credit score. In addition to the standard report, RentPrep also provides a credit score for the tenant. RentPrep Screening Solutions takes FCRA compliance very seriously and makes a serious effort to keep up with any changes, so that landlords are protected from accidentally breaking certain tenant discrimination laws. Another noteworthy feature is that RentPrep uses FCRA-certified credit screeners, making sure that someone manually verifies all of the tenant’s information. This level of dedication is invaluable to many landowners.

Customer Support

RentPrep reviews show that landlords and tenants are generally satisfied with its customer service. There is a wealth of options here, ranging from contact with the support staff through a form on the website, phone, fax, and email. There is also an in-depth “Resources” section on the site, which contains FAQ’s and various help articles.

Overview

RentSpree was established in 2016 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, a partnership with TransUnion, and a stellar reputation. More than 90,000 agents and landlords are using its award-winning property management software to streamline every step of the rental process. It operates in all 50 states and offers one of the best and most comprehensive tenant screening services, along with renter management and a range of other features. Customers also have the option to integrate tenant screening processes into other platforms via RentSpree’s API. 

Pricing Plans and Features

Even though there isn’t a free trial, there is a generous free Starter plan which includes most of the crucial features for landlords. Without any cost, you can access a comprehensive report that includes a fully detailed credit report, criminal background checks across 44 states and eviction-related proceedings, with full protection of all the sensitive data. Renters pay a $38 fee for the reports, which is a standard price in the industry, and the reports are generated instantaneously

Starter plan subscribers also get a free online rental application to simplify data collection. Not all the best residential tenant screening services offer a renters insurance option, but RentSpree does. The insurance guarantees peace of mind for the landlords and protects tenants and their belongings. Another useful feature bundled with a Starter plan is an online rent collection tool with secure transactions powered by Stripe. Also, the e-sign feature allows you to sign documents and request signatures online.

For Automated Reference Checks and Renter Document Upload, you’ll need to upgrade to the Pro plan, which costs $9.99 per month. Meanwhile, the Enterprise plan offers custom prices, as well as a Branded Landing Page and an unlimited number of PRO memberships. Finally, as one of the best-rated tenant screening services, RentSpree can issue a Rent Estimate Report that lets you set the right pricing range for your property for an additional $19.99.

Reporting

All the reports that you can get from RentSpree are provided by TransUnion. With over 40 years of experience, the agency securely screens potential tenants and delivers accurate information on their credit score, criminal record, and eviction-related proceedings. Every credit report provides a detailed Resident Score, fraud indicators, loans, late payments, and much more without damaging the applicant’s credit score. 

So what are the best tenant screening services when it comes to criminal records? RentSpree is definitely near the top of the list as it pulls data from the National Sex Offender Registry, the Most Wanted Database, OFAC, and other nationwide databases. With access to over 25 million evictions in 50 states and US territories, you’ll also get accurate insight into your tenants’ eviction-related proceedings, if applicable.

Customer Support

As the tenant screening process can be sensitive, you might have concerns or face glitches along the way. Should you need assistance, you can always lean on the RentSpree customer support agents. You can reach out to them for free via phone, email, or live chat from Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. PST. You can also schedule a free 
one-on-one demo with their team. Additionally, there’s an option to watch comprehensive video tutorials, check their vast knowledge base and blog posts, or go through the FAQ section on the website.

Overview

Ez LandlordForms is another top tenant screening service. It was established in 2006 by Kevin Kiene, a landlord. The company offers screening services and provides landlords with forms, such as leases and application forms.

Upon submitting a tenant screening request, the landlord receives the tenant’s rental application, credit report, criminal record, and eviction information. Apart from screening services, it also provides different forms for landlords, some of which are completely free. 

It can be challenging to be completely carefree when renting out a property. Besides standard practices like getting landlord insurance, performing a background check on your tenant can further help ease your mind.

Pricing Plans and Features

Two ezLandlordForms plans include tenant screening, Gold and Silver. The Silver package costs $29.95 and consists of a nationwide criminal background report, a credit report, and a summary of the results. If you opt for the $34.95 Gold package, you get all of the same features, plus eviction proceeding history. 

There is also an ezLandlordForms mobile app that is entirely free. All the landlord needs to do is input the tenant’s email address and full name. The app provides valuable information, such as the tenant’s rental history, employment history, and income.

When signing up, there is an option to choose whether the landlord or the tenant pays for the services. Therefore, the landlord may not even have to pay if they agree with the tenant. The landlord receives the results immediately after the potential tenant provides all the information. 

Reporting

EzLandlordForms, similarly to other tenant screening service providers, has teamed up with TransUnion Credit Bureau to provide credit reports. You’ll get a Resident Score report that offers an insight into the applicant’s financial history so that you can determine whether the prospective tenant would be able to make rental payments on time. The inquiry performed is a soft check, so there is no damage to the applicant’s credit score.

Customer Support

Regarding ezLandlordForms customer support, you won’t be left to your own devices when you have questions. Apart from the expected FAQ section, there’s also a forum where you get access to the discussions other customers had and may post a question of your own.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for on the website, you may contact this top-rated tenant screening service’s customer support via live chat, email, and phone. Sadly, the agents aren’t available 24/7. Still, you can get in touch with them any day of the week during their office hours, which are:

• Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. EST
• Saturday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. EST 
• Sunday: 1 p.m. - 9 p.m. EST

Overview

Buildium was founded in 2004, and its headquarters are located in Boston, Massachusetts. While it may not necessarily be the best background check service for your tenants in this price range, the company offers much more than a simple rental credit check service. In fact, it provides a whole host of cloud-based property management options for landlords, which we’ll also briefly talk about in this review.

Pricing Plans and Features

As we said, the first thing to understand with Buildium is that the company is not a dedicated tenant screening service. Instead, its aim is to streamline the management of multiple properties through its cloud management system. Therefore, the initial price can be very steep and tenant screening for landlords is a feature that you pay extra for, instead of being the main focus of the offer. 

The three plans that you can choose between are called Essential, Growth and Premium. You can also opt to test out all of Buildium’s features with a two-week free trial. 

Essential is the basic plan, starting at $52 per month. It comes with accounting and maintenance features, but also provides options for tasks and violations. Resident & Board Member Communications features are also included, as are Online Portals, and a free marketing website. You can also get basic tenant screening and buy bonus features such as e-signatures and property inspections. In order to get the tenant screening service to review your future renters, you need to pay $15 for basic screening (or pass it on to your tenant, in which case the fee is $30).

In order to get the most out of Buildium, you’ll want to go with either the $166 Growth or $479 Premium packages. These offer unlimited e-leases, phone-based customer support, and most importantly, the ability to get access to premium tenant screening for $18. 

Speaking of client background checks, the basic screening includes a credit check for your tenant from TransUnion, together with its exclusive rental recommendation and a complete background check with identity verification. You can also find out if they are on the National Sex Offender Registry, or have other criminal records on file.

Premium screening adds previous eviction history, as well as a unified document that sums up all three reports (criminal background, credit and employment history checks). It also delivers faster results and minimizes applicant involvement, but requires a one-time setup fee of $99 and accreditation for your business, which can take some time.

Reporting

As mentioned earlier, reporting is done through TransUnion. The key thing to remember is that these are soft credit score checks that require your potential renter’s approval and will not negatively affect their credit score.

Customer Support

People discussing the best tenant screening services on Reddit and various other social networks often mention the importance of good customer service. Buildium offers phone support from 9:00 to 20:00 Eastern Standard Time. You can also contact them via the ticketing system available on the site, or check out the very detailed Help Center that’s full of useful information. We found customer support representatives to be friendly, and quick to respond to phone queries. The only problem is that the starting Essential plan only gives you access to ticket-based customer service.

Overview

TurboTenant holds a well-deserved spot on  our list of the best tenant screening sites you can find on the web. Although it’s only been in the business for about five years, its excellent property listing and management platform has brought them plenty of satisfied customers. 

Pricing Plans and Features

TurboTenant’s main features, including online rental applications, pre-screening questionnaires and rental marketing are completely free of charge. Tenant screening, however, has two tiers, and can be paid for by the landlords themselves, or passed on to the prospective tenants. While they do provide credit checks for landlords who want to know their renter’s credit history, there is no employment or income verification. So, what is included in TurboTenet’s two tenant screening plans?

The basic plan, TurboReport, costs $35 and includes credit and criminal reports for tenants. The credit report consists of a credit bureau score from TransUnion, their payment history, civil records, SSN verification, fraud indicators, employment history, and more. The criminal background check is also very thorough. Much like the best websites for background checks that we’ve reviewed, it includes nationwide database checks, even in the basic plan. 

The one thing that’s missing from the basic plan is eviction history. Ponying up another $10 dollars ($45 in total) gets you the TurboReport Pro. It provides a detailed comparison of over 25 million eviction records, as well as reports on unlawful detainees, failures to pay rent, writs and warrants of eviction and more. The one thing missing is current income and employment verification, but someone’s previous employment history and other credit and eviction-related details should be enough to form a clear picture about your potential future tenant.

Reporting

Almost all of the best tenant screening services rely on credit information from TransUnion, and TurboTenant is no different. In addition to standard credit soft checks, TurboTenant also does a verification of the prospective tenant’s Social Security Number, and its criminal record reports are also some of the most detailed ones in the business.

Customer Support

TurboTenant has an in-depth help center on the site, but you can only reach representatives via email, as there is no dedicated live chat or phone number listed. Customer support was relatively quick to respond to our queries, but most people won’t enjoy not having the option for an immediate response.