A bad tenant costs more than any screening report ever will — unpaid rent, eviction filings, property damage, months of vacancy. Yet most small landlords still screen with a gut feeling, a Facebook check, or nothing at all. The good news: tenant screening has never been cheaper or easier, and in 2026 the best services cost you nothing out of pocket if you use applicant-pays flows.
We compared six screening routes — SmartMove, TurboTenant, Avail, RentRedi, TenantCloud, and RentPrep — on price, report depth, turnaround, and how they fit into a real rental workflow. Here's what we found.
Short answer: Use the screening already built into your landlord platform — TurboTenant's landlord-requested screening and Avail's tenant-initiated TransUnion reports both deliver credit + criminal + eviction at $0 cost to you. If you want a standalone service, SmartMove (TransUnion) is the most established applicant-pays option. For landlords who want manual, à-la-carte reports, RentPrep is the flexible pick.
At a Glance
| Service | Typical Cost (Landlord) | Report Depth | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| SmartMove (TransUnion) | $0 with applicant-pays; ~$40/report if you pay | Credit, criminal, eviction, income insights | Standalone, trusted, nationwide |
| TurboTenant Screening | $0 (applicant-requested) | Credit, criminal, eviction, income | TurboTenant users, landlord-controlled flow |
| Avail Screening | $0 (tenant-initiated) | TransUnion credit, criminal, eviction | Avail users, full free suite |
| RentRedi Screening | $0 (tenant-paid) | Credit, criminal, eviction | RentRedi users |
| TenantCloud Screening | $0 with tenant-pay plans | Credit, criminal, eviction | Budget landlords on paid plans |
| RentPrep | $25-45/report | Customizable: credit, criminal, eviction, income | Manual, à-la-carte screening |
Pricing verified August 2026 from official pricing pages; per-report prices vary by state and package.
What a Good Screening Report Actually Needs
Before comparing services, set the baseline. A screening report that does its job covers three things at minimum:
- Credit report — score plus history of collections, late payments, and bankruptcies. This is your best signal of whether rent will be paid.
- Nationwide criminal background check — county and federal records, not just a local lookup.
- Eviction history search — prior eviction filings, which credit reports frequently miss.
Income verification and sex offender registry checks are valuable add-ons. Any service that skips one of the big three is a discount you shouldn't take.
1. SmartMove (TransUnion) — The Standalone Standard
SmartMove is the most widely used standalone tenant screening service, and for good reason: it is fast (most reports return within minutes), FCRA-compliant, and built around an applicant-pays model. You set up a free landlord account, enter the applicant's email, and they pay for and initiate their own report — your cost stays $0.
Reports include a credit report, nationwide criminal search, eviction history, and optional income insights. You can also add a landlord reference check. The trade-off is scope: SmartMove screens, but it doesn't manage listings, leases, or rent collection. If you already run a full platform, SmartMove is a solid backup or second opinion; if you're a very small landlord without software, it's the cleanest standalone option.
2. TurboTenant Screening — The Landlord-Controlled Flow
TurboTenant's screening is the strongest embedded option we tested. The flow is landlord-requested: you invite applicants, they complete standardized background and credit checks, and you get comparable reports side by side — which makes comparing multiple applicants genuinely easy. Reports cover credit, criminal, eviction, and income.
The cost structure works in your favor: applicants pay for their own reports, so screening is $0 to you. And because TurboTenant is already the category leader in listing syndication, the screening slot into an existing vacancy workflow. If you use TurboTenant for listings and rent collection (see our TurboTenant vs Avail comparison), its screening is the natural default.
3. Avail Screening — Tenant-Initiated TransUnion Reports
Avail uses tenant-initiated TransUnion reports: the applicant pays for and starts their own credit, criminal, and eviction checks, and the landlord reviews the results. That keeps screening at $0 for you and includes nationwide criminal history and prior eviction records. On the Unlimited Plus tier, you also get automated income verification.
Avail's advantage is that screening sits inside a complete free management suite — leases, maintenance, rent collection, and payments in one place. For the DIY landlord running a full rental cycle on Avail (we compared it against RentRedi here), there's no reason to buy screening elsewhere.
4. RentRedi Screening — Flat-Rate Platform Option
RentRedi bundles tenant screening into its flat-rate subscription plans, with applicants paying for their own background and credit reports. It covers the big three checks and integrates with RentRedi's rent collection, maintenance, and lease tools.
RentRedi's appeal is simplicity: one subscription covers the whole workflow, and screening is included rather than an add-on. If you've already chosen RentRedi for its flat-rate pricing (see our TenantCloud vs RentRedi comparison), its screening is competent and convenient — just confirm the report depth matches your standards before relying on it.
5. TenantCloud Screening — Budget-Friendly Add-On
TenantCloud offers screening as part of its paid plans, with credit, criminal, and eviction checks available. Its pricing is among the most budget-friendly in the category — paid plans start around $15-29 per month — and screening can be configured so applicants pay.
TenantCloud is a reasonable pick for landlords who want a low-cost management platform with screening included, rather than a dedicated screening service. The trade-off is depth and polish: its screening workflow is functional but not as refined as TurboTenant's or SmartMove's.
6. RentPrep — The À-La-Carte Manual Option
RentPrep takes a different approach: you choose exactly which checks you want, and their team runs them manually. Packages start around $25 and scale with depth — credit, criminal, eviction, income verification, and even rental history verification can be combined.
This is the pick for landlords who want control, need a paper trail for a specific application, or screen infrequently and don't want a subscription. The trade-off: manual processing means turnaround is slower (often 24-48 hours) than automated services, and you pay per report rather than leveraging applicant-pays flows.
Our Verdict
Use what's already in your stack. If you use TurboTenant, its landlord-requested screening is the best balance of control and cost. If you run on Avail, the tenant-initiated TransUnion reports are free and complete. For a standalone service with maximum trust and applicant-pays pricing, SmartMove is the default. Skip any service that doesn't include credit, criminal, AND eviction checks — that trio is the floor, not the ceiling.
How to Screen Tenants on a Budget
- Use applicant-pays flows. TurboTenant, Avail, RentRedi, TenantCloud, and SmartMove all let applicants pay for their own reports. Your screening cost becomes $0.
- Check your state's rules. Many states cap screening fees and require disclosure before you run a report. Know the cap before you set your application fee.
- Apply consistent criteria. Decide your credit score floor and criminal/eviction policy in advance, and apply it equally to every applicant — this is both fair and FCRA-safe.
- Keep the paper trail. Save every report and your adverse-action notice if you reject an applicant. It's your defense if a decision is challenged.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does tenant screening cost in 2026?
Standalone tenant screening typically costs $25-$60 per applicant depending on the package. A basic credit-only check runs about $25-35, while a full credit + criminal + eviction package runs $35-60. Services like SmartMove charge per report with an optional landlord membership, while platform-embedded screening (TurboTenant, Avail) often lets you pass the cost to the applicant.
What checks should a tenant screening report include?
At minimum, a screening report should include a credit report (score and history), a nationwide criminal background check, and an eviction history search. Income verification and sex offender registry checks are valuable additions. Skipping any of the big three — credit, criminal, eviction — leaves a real gap in protection.
Is SmartMove worth it for landlords?
SmartMove (TransUnion) is the most widely used standalone screening service — it is fast, FCRA-compliant, and lets tenants pay for their own reports, keeping your cost at $0. Reports include credit, criminal, eviction, and optional income insights. The main trade-off: it is a per-report tool, not a full property-management platform.
Can I pass tenant screening costs to applicants?
Yes — in most states, landlords can require applicants to pay their own screening fee, and most services support either landlord-pays or applicant-pays flows. Platform-embedded screening (TurboTenant, Avail, RentRedi) commonly uses tenant-initiated reports, so your cost stays $0 while the applicant pays the provider directly. Check your state's fee cap and disclosure rules first.
Which tenant screening service is best for a small landlord?
For a small landlord, the best pick is usually the screening built into the platform you already use — TurboTenant's screening is mature and landlord-requested, Avail's is tenant-initiated with TransUnion data, and both cost you $0. If you want a standalone option that tenants can pay for, SmartMove is the most established choice. Avoid paying $40+ per report out of pocket when applicant-pays options exist.