Online tenant screening services can help landlords review rental applications, credit information, and available background or eviction records in one place. But the top tenant screening service for one landlord may not be the best fit for another. A landlord filling one vacancy may want a simple report without a subscription, while someone managing several rentals may need applications, screening, and leasing tools together.
This guide compares four established options—TransUnion SmartMove, Zillow Rental Manager, Avail, and RentPrep—using the features each provider publishes. It also explains what a screening report can and cannot tell you, what to check before paying, and how to use the results fairly. These are options to compare, not a ranking based on hands-on testing.
Top online tenant screening services at a glance
- TransUnion SmartMove: Worth considering if you want to order a screening package as needed without a monthly subscription.
- Zillow Rental Manager: Worth considering if you already use Zillow to advertise a rental and want applications and screening in the same workflow.
- Avail: Worth considering if you want screening alongside tools for applications, leases, rent collection, and property management.
- RentPrep: Worth considering if you want a choice of screening packages, including reports that involve a human screener’s review.
Features, fees, and the records returned can vary by package and location. Check the provider’s current terms before selecting a service or telling applicants what they will pay.
How we compared these services
A useful comparison goes beyond the price displayed on a website. Before choosing a service, check:
- Report contents: Does the package include credit information, eviction-related records, and any background information you intend to review? Do not assume every package includes every report.
- Coverage and limitations: What records can the provider return for your property’s location? A “nationwide” search does not guarantee that every relevant record exists or will appear.
- Applicant experience: How does the applicant authorize the screening, verify their identity, submit information, and see the fee?
- Total cost: Who pays, what does each applicant cost, and are there charges for additional reports or features?
- Workflow: Do you need only a report, or do you also need applications, document collection, leasing, and rent collection?
- Disputes and support: How can an applicant question an inaccurate report, and how can the landlord get help interpreting what was returned?
Four tenant screening services to compare
1. TransUnion SmartMove: Screening when you need it
TransUnion SmartMove offers screening packages that landlords can order as needed, without a monthly membership fee. Its published packages differ: a basic option does not contain the same reports as its more comprehensive options. Depending on the package, available information may include a credit report, ResidentScore, criminal background information, eviction-related records, income insights, and an identity check.
Consider it if: You want a screening-focused service for occasional vacancies and prefer to pay per report.
Check before ordering: Compare the packages rather than choosing by price alone. Confirm which reports are included, who will pay, and whether any records are limited in your jurisdiction.
2. Zillow Rental Manager: Applications tied to a rental listing
Zillow Rental Manager combines an online rental application with tenant screening reports. According to Zillow, its application includes a credit report from Experian and a background check from CIC when those reports are available. Zillow says its application and reports are free for landlords; applicants pay an application fee and can use the application for participating rentals during a 30-day period.
Consider it if: You already manage inquiries through a Zillow rental listing and want applicants and reports in the same account.
Check before using it: Confirm the current applicant fee, what the reports include for your location, and whether Zillow’s standard application collects the information your written screening criteria require.
3. Avail: Screening within a broader landlord platform
Avail offers rental applications and screening reports that can include credit, criminal background, and eviction-related information. It also offers tools for other parts of managing a rental, including listings, leases, rent collection, and maintenance requests.
Consider it if: You want to handle screening and ongoing rental tasks in one platform.
Check before using it: Review the report options and the exact screening fee shown for your listing. Avail says report fees may be paid by the applicant or landlord, and the amount can depend on the reports selected and location.
4. RentPrep: A choice of report packages
RentPrep offers different screening packages rather than one standard report. Its published options include credit and background report choices, and some packages include review by an FCRA-certified screener.
Consider it if: You want to choose among report types and compare an option that includes human review.
Check before ordering: Confirm whether the package includes a credit report, which background and eviction-related searches it includes, whether income verification costs extra, and who pays the fee.
What should a tenant screening report include?
The answer depends on the rental and the landlord’s written criteria. Common components include a credit report, available eviction-related court records, and background information where its use is permitted. The application and supporting documents may also help verify income, employment, and rental history.
A screening platform does not replace every verification step. For example, an uploaded pay stub is not the same as independently confirming income, and a database result may be incomplete or may need closer review. Contact prior landlords when appropriate, confirm information that affects a decision, and give an applicant a way to address a possible error.
For a step-by-step process, see our tenant screening checklist for Clarksville landlords. For more detail on fees, read how much tenant screening costs.
How to choose a service for your rental
- Write your rental criteria first. Decide which application information and reports are relevant to the property before reviewing individual applicants.
- List the reports you actually need. Compare packages against that list so you do not pay for unnecessary features or assume a basic package contains a credit or eviction-related report.
- Review the applicant’s experience. Check how applicants receive the invitation, authorize the report, submit documents, and learn about any fee.
- Compare the full cost. Review the current charge per applicant, optional reports, and any platform subscription. Make the fee and who pays it clear before someone applies.
- Test the decision process. Make sure you can review the underlying information, document your decision, and respond if an applicant disputes a result.
Use screening reports fairly and carefully
Apply the same written, relevant criteria to applicants consistently. Do not treat a provider’s score or recommendation as an automatic rental decision. Review the information behind it, including whether a record belongs to the applicant and what the record actually says. An eviction filing, for example, does not by itself tell you how a case ended.
Landlords using consumer reports must have a permissible housing purpose and follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act. If information in a consumer report contributes to an unfavorable decision—such as denying an application, requiring a co-signer, or changing the deposit—the landlord may need to give the applicant an adverse action notice. The Federal Trade Commission explains these requirements for landlords.
Fair housing rules also matter when setting criteria and reviewing criminal or eviction records. Broad, automatic exclusions can create problems, and applicants may need an opportunity to address inaccurate or incomplete information. See HUD’s rental applicant screening guidance and seek qualified legal advice when setting policies for your properties.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best tenant screening service for a small landlord?
There is no single best service for every property. If you only fill an occasional vacancy, compare pay-per-report tools such as SmartMove or RentPrep. If you want screening connected to a rental listing or other management tasks, compare Zillow Rental Manager and Avail. Check the reports, fees, and applicant process before deciding.
Are online tenant screening services free for landlords?
Some platforms do not charge the landlord when the applicant pays for screening. That does not make the screening free for the applicant. Confirm the current fee, who pays it, and what it includes before inviting applications.
Can a screening report guarantee a reliable tenant?
No. Reports can help verify relevant information, but they may be incomplete or contain errors. Use them alongside the application, income documents, and rental references, and review each result under consistent written criteria.
Should I reject an applicant because an eviction record appears?
Do not assume that a record proves the applicant was evicted. Check whether the record belongs to the applicant, what type of case it was, and how it ended. Apply your written policy consistently and follow applicable fair housing and consumer-reporting rules.
Final takeaway
The most useful tenant screening service is the one that supplies the reports you need, makes fees and applicant steps clear, and supports a fair, repeatable decision process. Compare the current packages rather than choosing a provider from a “best” label alone.
If you own a rental in Clarksville and want help with the broader leasing process, learn about Connerth & Co.’s landlord property management services.
