The short answer
On five of the ten platforms we track, tenant screening through property management software costs the landlord nothing, because the applicant pays. TurboTenant, RentRedi, Innago, TenantCloud and Landlord Studio charge the applicant by default, at $30 to $55 per report where the price is published. If you pay the report yourself, Buildium charges $17 per screening and Rentec Direct $18 for its package with a credit report on Pro and PM.
The cheapest choice depends on who you want to pay. If the applicant pays, Innago lists the lowest price, $30 to $35. If you pay, Buildium and Rentec Direct list the lowest prices, but both sit inside paid software: Rentec Pro costs at least $45 a month and Buildium Essential $58.50.
Why the screening fee matters to a small landlord
The worry most landlords have is simple: paying for reports on applicants who never sign, or charging so much that good applicants go elsewhere. A vacancy often brings several applicants. At 3 applicants, a landlord who pays on Buildium spends $51, on Rentec Pro $54 for the Premium package, and on DoorLoop $105. On applicant-paid platforms that cost moves to each applicant: $39.99 on RentRedi, $55 on TurboTenant Free.
So the question is not only which report is cheapest. It is who should carry the fee, and whether your state limits what you can charge an applicant.
Tenant screening fees on each platform
| Price per applicant | Who pays | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| TurboTenant | $55 on Free; $55 on the pricing page, $45 in the help center on Essentials; $45 on Pro | The applicant, by default; the landlord can choose to pay | Charged when the applicant applies |
| RentRedi | $39.99, or $49.99 with income verification | The applicant | Credit, criminal and eviction reports |
| Innago | $30 to $35; income verification adds $10 | The applicant, by default | Landlord pays nothing for the software |
| TenantCloud | Not published | The applicant | Free to the landlord on every plan |
| Avail | Varies by location | Your choice; the applicant is most common | Landlord picks the reports |
| DoorLoop | $35 on every plan | Your choice | TransUnion credit, criminal and eviction |
| Buildium | $17; Enhanced $20 on Growth and Premium; applicant-paid option $35 | The landlord, unless you use the applicant-paid option | Add-on, powered by TransUnion |
| Rentec Direct | Basic $14.95, Enhanced $20.95, Premium $29.45 on Starter; $10, $13, $18 on Pro and PM | Not stated on the pricing page | Premium adds the TransUnion credit report |
| AppFolio | Not published | Not published | Screening is an add-on service |
| Landlord Studio | From $45 | The tenant, per its plan table; the landlord can pay instead | TransUnion reports |
Prices are per applicant, as each vendor publishes them. "Not published" means the vendor's pricing page does not give a figure.
Platforms where the applicant pays
TurboTenant charges the applicant when they apply. On the Free plan the fee is $55. On Pro it is $45. For Essentials, TurboTenant's pricing page shows $55 and its help center says $45, so we show both. TurboTenant says landlords can choose to pay the fee themselves, for example where a state restricts application fees.
RentRedi charges the applicant $39.99 for credit, criminal and eviction reports, or $49.99 with income verification. Its single plan costs $12 a month billed yearly, for any number of units.
Innago is free for landlords. Applicants pay $30 to $35 per report by default, and income verification adds $10. That is the lowest published applicant price on these platforms.
TenantCloud lists full tenant screenings as free on every plan, paid by the applicant. Its pricing page does not state the amount the applicant pays.
Landlord Studio runs TransUnion screening reports from $45. Its plan table marks screening as paid by the tenant on Go, Pro and Pro Plus, and the same page says landlords can pay instead.
Platforms where you choose who pays
DoorLoop charges $35 per applicant on every plan for a TransUnion credit report, national criminal check and eviction history. DoorLoop lets you pass the fee to the applicant or pay it yourself. It also lets you set a higher fee than its cost, and its own page tells landlords to check state and local law before doing so.
Avail does not publish one price: the cost of credit, criminal and eviction checks varies by location because of state laws. The landlord picks the reports, and either the tenant or the landlord can pay. Avail says the tenant paying is the most common setup.
Platforms where the landlord pays
Buildium sells screening as an add-on powered by TransUnion. A standard screening costs the landlord $17. Enhanced screening, on Growth and Premium only, costs $20. Buildium also offers an applicant-paid screening at $35, so you can move the cost to the applicant if you prefer.
Rentec Direct lists three packages. Basic covers nationwide criminal, sex offender and SSN checks. Enhanced adds a nationwide eviction search. Premium adds the TransUnion credit report and score. On Starter they cost $14.95, $20.95 and $29.45. On Pro and PM they cost $10, $13 and $18. Rentec's pricing page does not say whether the landlord or the applicant pays.
AppFolio lists screening and verification as an add-on service and does not publish its price.
Which setup fits
If you want screening at no cost to you and few other tools, Innago, TurboTenant Free, TenantCloud and Landlord Studio Go put the fee on the applicant. Innago's $30 to $35 is the lowest published applicant price, and TurboTenant Free's $55 the highest published one.
If you prefer to pay for reports yourself, so applicants are not put off by a fee, Buildium at $17 and Rentec Direct's Premium package at $18 on Pro and PM are the lowest landlord prices. Both make sense only if you also want their accounting software.
If you want to decide case by case, DoorLoop and Avail let you choose who pays. For a wider look at plans for small portfolios, see property management software for small landlords and free property management software.
What we could not verify
TenantCloud and AppFolio do not publish a screening price on their pricing pages, and Landlord Studio gives only a starting price. Avail's price depends on the location. Rentec Direct does not say on its pricing page who pays for the packages. Application fee rules differ by state and city; check yours before you charge an applicant.
Questions people ask
Who pays for tenant screening, the landlord or the applicant?
On TurboTenant, RentRedi, Innago, TenantCloud and Landlord Studio the applicant pays by default. On DoorLoop and Avail you choose. Buildium charges the landlord $17 per screening, with an applicant-paid option at $35.
What is the cheapest tenant screening for landlords?
Among platforms that publish a landlord price, Buildium charges $17 per screening and Rentec Direct $18 for its Premium package with a credit report on Pro and PM. Rentec's Basic package, without credit, is $10.
Is tenant screening free on TurboTenant?
It is free for the landlord. The applicant pays $55 on the Free plan and $45 on Pro. For Essentials the pricing page shows $55 and the help center $45.
How much does DoorLoop charge for tenant screening?
DoorLoop charges $35 per applicant on every plan for a TransUnion credit report, national criminal check and eviction history. You can pass the fee to the applicant or pay it yourself.
Which platform has the lowest screening fee for applicants?
Innago lists $30 to $35 per report, paid by the applicant by default. RentRedi charges $39.99, and TurboTenant $45 to $55 depending on the landlord's plan.
See what the software itself costs at your size. The calculator prices every plan we track, and the finder picks one in five questions.
Sources, the vendors' own pages: turbotenant.com/pricing, rentredi.com/pricing, innago.com/faq, doorloop.com/pricing, buildium.com/pricing, rentecdirect.com/pricing-transparency, tenantcloud.com/pricing, avail.com/pricing, appfolio.com/pricing, landlordstudio.com/pricing, doorloop.com/features/tenant-screening. How we work out costs: methodology. Some links on this site may become affiliate links; see our disclosure.