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For Landlords

Best Tenant Background Checks in 2026

A solid background check pulls credit, eviction, and criminal records so you can rent with confidence. Look at report depth, applicant experience, and whether the cost is passed to the applicant.

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Our top picks

TransUnion SmartMove

4.6 out of 5

Best overall

The screening service most landlords have heard of.

#1
  • Credit, criminal, and eviction reports
  • Applicant pays — no risk to landlord
  • Income insights for harder-to-verify renters
  • Reports delivered in minutes

From $25 per applicant

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RentSpree

4.5 out of 5

Best applicant experience

Bundled application + screening with a clean applicant flow.

#2
  • Application, screening, and ID verification
  • Shareable applications across listings
  • Lease and document workflow add-ons
  • Applicant pays

From $30 per applicant

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MyRental (CoreLogic)

4.3 out of 5

Industry-grade screening from a credit-bureau parent.

#3
  • Resident scoring model for fast decisions
  • Optional landlord-pay or applicant-pay
  • Deep eviction and criminal databases
  • Used by many large management companies

From $25 per applicant

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What to look for

We're filling in the full buyer's guide for this category soon. In the meantime, the picks above are a solid starting point.