On this page
- RentPrep tenant screening packages
- How RentPrep screens an applicant
- What screening costs with RentPrep: two examples
- RentPrep compared with screening built into landlord apps
- RentPrep tenant screening for larger portfolios
- What RentPrep does not publish
- RentPrep review: who it suits
- Before you order: applicant rights and your duties
- RentPrep alternatives
- Frequently asked questions
RentPrep is a tenant screening company rather than a full landlord app, and its selling point is people: background reports are "hand-compiled by FCRA-certified screeners" (RentPrep) instead of returned instantly by a database match. Its reports are delivered through Stessa, the landlord accounting platform (RentPrep). This review of its packages, process and prices is based on RentPrep's own published pages.
RentPrep tenant screening packages
| Package | Price | What it includes | Who can pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Report Only | $29 | Automated SmartMove package: full credit report, ResidentScore, bankruptcies | Tenant or landlord |
| Complete Screening Package | $49 (credit report + full background check) | Everything in Credit Report Only, plus SSN verification, nationwide criminal and sex offender search, nationwide evictions, judgments and liens, and an FCRA-certified screener review | Tenant or landlord |
| Full Background Check Only | $29 (landlord pay only) | Screener review, SSN verification, criminal and sex offender, evictions, judgments and liens, bankruptcies | Landlord only |
| Income verification | +$10 | Optional add-on to the complete and background packages | With the package |
Packages, contents and prices from RentPrep's pricing page and sample report page, read November 2, 2026. The pricing page also shows "Tenant Pay Options Starting at $29, your cost $0."
The step up from the credit-only report to the complete package is $20, and adding income verification brings the complete package to $59. The full background check alone is "Landlord pay only," so if you want applicants to cover the cost, choose the credit-only or complete package.
How RentPrep screens an applicant
RentPrep says its "use of multiple national and state databases, combined with human verification" is what separates it from instant screening tools (RentPrep). The identity check comes first: an FCRA-certified screener compares the applicant's name, Social Security number and date of birth with RentPrep's databases (sample report page). The last step checks the records against the Fair Credit Reporting Act and leaves out any that do not comply (RentPrep).
What screening costs with RentPrep: two examples
| Example | Applicants | Price per applicant | Your cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant pays for the complete package | 3 | $49 | $0 |
| You pay for the complete package with income verification | 3 | $59 | $177 |
Computed from RentPrep's published package prices: number of applicants x package price, plus $10 per applicant for income verification where shown.
RentPrep compared with screening built into landlord apps
| Service | Price per applicant | How the report is built | Who pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| RentPrep | $29 credit only; $49 credit + full background | FCRA-certified screeners compile background reports | Tenant or landlord (background-only is landlord pay) |
| RentSpree | $39.99 standard; $49.99 comprehensive | TransUnion data through the RentSpree app | You choose |
| TurboTenant | $45 on Pro, $55 on Free | TransUnion credit, nationwide criminal, 50-state eviction | Applicant by default |
The difference is less about price than process. RentPrep's background reports are compiled by screeners, while app-based screening returns a bureau report through the app you already use for listings and rent. If you screen only a few applicants a year and want a person checking the records, RentPrep's model fits; if you want screening, leases and rent in one login, an app is simpler.
RentPrep tenant screening for larger portfolios
For owners and managers with 50 or more doors, RentPrep Enterprise assigns a dedicated account rep and offers an API, Taz, for direct integration with your own software (high-volume page). Enterprise pricing is handled through an outreach form rather than published, and the RentPrep home page invites portfolios of 50 or more doors to ask about enterprise solutions (home page). RentPrep says it has completed 2 million+ successful screenings (pricing page).
What RentPrep does not publish
- A refund or cancellation policy on the pages read for this review.
- Enterprise pricing.
RentPrep review: who it suits
Suits you if
- You screen a few applicants a year and want a person to review each background report.
- You want the applicant to pay $29 or $49 and your cost to be $0.
- You already use, or are happy to use, Stessa for your rental books.
Look elsewhere if
- You want screening built into an app you already use for listings and rent collection.
- You need instant results; RentPrep quotes 24 hours.
- You want income verification included rather than as a $10 add-on.
Before you order: applicant rights and your duties
A screening company does not take on your legal duties. You need a permissible purpose and the applicant's consent, and if anything in the report leads you to deny or add conditions, you must send an adverse action notice. Our tenant background check page has the federal steps and a notice builder, and our rental application fee guide lists the states that cap what applicants can be charged.
RentPrep alternatives
RentSpree review
Free account; $39.99 standard or $49.99 comprehensive report.
TurboTenant review
Screening built into a free landlord app; applicant pays $45 or $55.
Stessa pricing
Where RentPrep reports are delivered.
Tenant screening compared
Every service's price and who pays.
Frequently asked questions
Is RentPrep legit?
Yes. RentPrep is a tenant screening company whose background reports are reviewed by FCRA-certified screeners, using a TransUnion credit report with a FICO 04 score in its full package. Reports are delivered through Stessa.
How much does RentPrep cost?
$29 for the credit report only and $49 for the credit report plus full background check, with income verification $10 more. Applicants can pay, making your cost $0.
How long does RentPrep take?
RentPrep says its FCRA-certified screeners deliver results in 24 hours.
Does RentPrep use TransUnion?
Yes. RentPrep says its full background check package includes a TransUnion credit report with a FICO 04 score; the credit-only option is the automated SmartMove package.
Can the tenant pay for RentPrep screening?
Yes, for the credit-only and complete packages. The full background check alone is landlord pay only.