Simple, Honest
Tenant Screening Pricing
Two plans. No monthly fees. No markups.
Applicant can pay — landlord receives the report.
You pay per report here. Choose the full tenant screening with credit or the background check only, and pay once for that applicant. Either the applicant or the landlord can pay, results arrive the same day after an investigator’s review, and there’s no subscription, contract, account or minimum order.
Full Tenant Screening
$39.95
- Premium (Real Estate) full credit report + FICO score
- Nationwide criminal + sex-offender records
- Nationwide evictions, judgments & liens
- Past & Pending Bankruptcy filings
- Address history & SSN verification
- Requires signed rental application or signed permission to run credit
Background Check Only
$29.95
- Same nationwide criminal + sex-offender records
- Same eviction, judgment & lien history
- Same Past & Pending Bankruptcy filings
- Same Address history & SSN verification
- No credit report included with this option
- No signed application needed
Takes 2 Minutes • Applicant or Landlord Can Order & Pay • Results Delivered by Email
Same-day results • 100% applicant-paid option • No monthly fees • No markups
Want More Detail? Watch the 90-Second Walkthrough
See exactly what’s in each report — credit, criminal, eviction history, and what the landlord receives.
Watch 90-Second Overview
What’s Included in Each Plan?
Both plans run the same nationwide background search. The only difference is the credit report: Full Tenant Screening adds a Premium (Real Estate) credit report with a FICO score, and that requires the applicant’s signed permission.
| Search | Full Tenant Screening | Background Check Only |
|---|---|---|
| Premium (Real Estate) credit report with FICO score | Included | Not included |
| Nationwide criminal and sex-offender records | Included | Included |
| Nationwide evictions, judgments and liens | Included | Included |
| Past and pending bankruptcy filings | Included | Included |
| Address history and SSN verification | Included | Included |
| Signed application or permission to run credit | Required | Not needed |
Choose the full screening when an applicant’s payment habits matter to your decision, which for most rentals they do. The background check alone suits a pre-screen, or a case where you already hold a verified, complete credit history and income documents for the applicant.
Who Pays for a Tenant Background Check: the Tenant or the Landlord?
Either can pay. In the rental market the applicant usually pays the screening fee, but many landlords cover it themselves, and the report is identical either way.
Applicant pays
Send the applicant to the applicant ordering page. They sign the credit permission inside the order form, pay, and enter your email, and the report goes to both of you.
Landlord pays, with credit
Order from the landlord ordering page and upload the applicant’s signed rental application or permission form with the order.
Landlord pays, background only
Order from the background check page. No signed application is needed.
Can a landlord charge the applicant for screening?
In most places, yes. Charging the applicant for screening is common and generally lawful, but some states and cities cap the amount, require a receipt or a copy of the report, or require you to return a fee you collected but didn’t spend on screening. The applicant-pays option avoids the question, because the applicant pays for their own report directly. Check the rules for your property in our tenant screening laws by state guide.
Are There Any Other Fees?
No. There’s no monthly fee, no contract, no minimum order and no account to set up. You pay only for the reports you order, and the plan price covers the whole report.
- Two adults applying together? The ordering pages include two-applicant orders. Each adult is screened separately: the order form takes each person’s name, date of birth and Social Security number.
- Payment methods: all major cards, plus Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay and Cash App.
- Forgot to add the landlord’s email? Reply to the confirmation email or contact us and we’ll send the report to the landlord free of charge.
How Long Does It Take to Get Results?
Same day. Once the order is complete, and for the full screening the applicant’s permission is in place, an investigator reviews the report and it’s emailed the same day.
If a report hasn’t arrived, check the spam or bulk folder first. Some email providers filter messages with attachments from senders who aren’t in your contacts.
Is “Free” Tenant Screening Really Free?
Usually it’s free to the landlord and paid by the applicant, which is the same applicant-pays model offered here. Free online people-search sites are a different product: they typically pull aggregated, often outdated data scraped from public websites, not current court records and credit bureau data, and they aren’t prepared for tenant screening decisions under the FCRA. Our free tenant screening guide covers what you can check yourself at no cost.
Common Landlord Questions
Who pays — me or the applicant?
Either option works. You can send applicants a link to apply and pay directly — you get the report, they pay the $39.95 or $29.95 fee. If you prefer, you can pay yourself at checkout instead. Same report, same speed, either way.
How fast will I get results?
Once the applicant completes the short online form (entering their Social Security number and date of birth, which we use to match their identity on our side), an investigator reviews the report and it is delivered to your email the same day. There are no waiting days.
Is this FCRA compliant?
Yes. Our reports are FCRA compliant. For the Full Tenant Screening (with credit), applicant consent is collected electronically before the report is pulled, which helps you follow the FCRA. If you decide not to rent, you can download a free adverse-action notice form from our website.
What if the applicant fails the background check?
You’ll see the findings clearly in the report — criminal records, evictions, judgments, bankruptcies. How you use that information is up to you, within fair housing law. If you decline an applicant based on the report, federal law requires you to send an adverse-action notice — you can use our free adverse action letter template to prepare that notice.
Do I need a business account to order?
No. Individual landlords, property managers, and first-time rental owners can all order. There’s no approval process, no monthly fee, no minimum volume. You just order what you need, when you need it.
Can I charge the applicant for the screening?
In most places, yes, but some states and cities cap the fee or require a receipt or a copy of the report. With the applicant-pays option the applicant pays for their own report directly. See our tenant screening laws by state.
Are there monthly fees, contracts, or minimums?
No. You pay per report, with no monthly fee, no contract and no minimum order.
Can I screen two applicants in one order?
Yes. The ordering pages include two-applicant orders for couples or roommates applying together. Each adult is screened separately: the order form takes each person’s name, date of birth and Social Security number.
Does the credit check hurt the applicant’s credit score?
No. The credit report is a soft pull, and a soft pull does not affect the applicant’s credit score.
What does the applicant need to provide?
Full name, current address, date of birth and Social Security number, plus, for the full screening, signed permission for the credit report. The Social Security number and date of birth are used to match the applicant’s identity.
Landlords, Prefer to pay yourself?
No problem — choose your preferred method of payment at checkout and get the exact same reports.
Full Tenant Screening with Credit $39.95 | Background Check Only $29.95
Perfect for pre-screening, discreet checks, or when you just want total control.
