On this page
- TransUnion SmartMove tenant screening packages
- How TransUnion tenant screening works
- Who pays for a SmartMove report?
- Coverage limits to know before you rely on it
- Is SmartMove accurate and is it legit?
- SmartMove pros and cons
- SmartMove or screening inside your landlord app?
- Questions to ask before you screen
- Frequently asked questions
TransUnion SmartMove is the credit bureau's own online tenant screening service. You do not adopt landlord software to use it: you open a free account, send the applicant a link, and the reports land in your dashboard. This review covers what each package includes, who pays, how long it takes and, most important for a small landlord, where the reports have gaps. For prices from a dozen screening services side by side, see tenant screening services compared.
TransUnion SmartMove tenant screening packages
| Package | Price (plus tax where applicable) | What is included |
|---|---|---|
| SmartCheck Basic | $25 | ResidentScore and criminal background report |
| SmartCheck Plus | $42 | ResidentScore, criminal, credit report, eviction-related report |
| SmartCheck Premium | $49 | Everything in Plus, plus Income Insights and identity check |
From SmartMove's pricing page, read November 2, 2026. A separate Background Check Basic package is also listed at $25 with ResidentScore and a criminal report.
The packages build on each other. Basic is a score and a criminal search, which is not enough on its own to judge whether someone pays rent. Plus adds the full credit report and the eviction-related report. Premium adds Income Insights, which SmartMove describes as a report that "tells landlords which applicants need additional income verification" (SmartMove), plus an identity check. If three people apply and you pay for all of them, that is $75 on Basic, $126 on Plus or $147 on Premium, before tax.
How TransUnion tenant screening works
Nothing is charged until the applicant agrees to screening and verifies their identity (SmartMove). Signing up and requesting a report are free (SmartMove), and there are "No hidden fees, no memberships, no minimums" (SmartMove). For the applicant, the credit pull is a soft inquiry "with no impact on their credit score" (SmartMove).
Who pays for a SmartMove report?
Either side. SmartMove lets you "choose to pay or pass the cost of tenant screening reports to your prospective tenant" and adds that the choice applies "where permitted" (SmartMove). Some states ban or cap what an applicant can be charged; check rental application fee laws by state before passing on $42 or $49.
Coverage limits to know before you rely on it
SmartMove's disclaimer page is the most useful page on its site for a landlord. As of its revision date of January 14, 2026, criminal records are returned in 30 listed states (SmartMove disclaimer), among them Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida and Wisconsin. A clean criminal section from a state not on that list tells you little.
| Eviction records (revised August 12, 2026) | States |
|---|---|
| Not returned | Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, South Dakota, Wyoming |
| Limited | California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin |
From SmartMove's disclaimer page, read November 2, 2026. SmartMove says coverage varies because jurisdictions limit which records may be returned and TransUnion drops records that fail its data quality standards.
In Ann Arbor, Berkeley, Cook County, Detroit, Maryland, New Jersey, New York City, Oakland and Washington, D.C., you "must select the Non-Criminal SmartCheck Premium bundle for your initial screening" (SmartMove disclaimer), and order the Criminal Only Bundle only after certifying that the applicant met your preliminary criteria. SmartMove adds that availability, requirements and permissible use of screening data "may vary by jurisdiction and are subject to change" (SmartMove disclaimer).
Is SmartMove accurate and is it legit?
It is TransUnion's own product, so the credit data comes straight from the bureau. TransUnion's research claims ResidentScore "predicts evictions 15% more often" than a typical credit score in the bottom 20% score range (SmartMove); that is the company's own study, not an independent test. Most reports arrive the same day once the applicant verifies identity (SmartMove). If you deny someone based on a report, the federal adverse action steps on our tenant background check page apply.
SmartMove pros and cons
Strengths
- Data direct from TransUnion, with ResidentScore built for rentals.
- Pay per report; no subscription or minimum.
- Landlord or applicant can pay, where the law allows.
- Soft credit pull, so applicants are not penalized for applying.
Gaps
- Criminal records return in only 30 states; evictions are not returned in 5.
- No listings, leases or rent collection; it screens and nothing else.
- Income Insights only in the $49 Premium package.
- Prices are per applicant, so several applicants add up quickly.
SmartMove or screening inside your landlord app?
Many landlord apps resell TransUnion data inside their own application flow: Buildium charges $17, or $35 paid by the applicant, and Avail's TransUnion reports are priced by location. If you already use one of those apps, screening there keeps the application, report and lease in one place. SmartMove fits landlords who list on their own, use paper leases, or want a standalone report. RentPrep, which builds on SmartMove data with human screeners, is covered in the RentPrep review.
Questions to ask before you screen
- Is the property in a state where criminal records are returned?
- Is it in one of the nine jurisdictions that require non-criminal screening first?
- Does my state limit what I can charge an applicant?
- Do I need income checks, which come only with Premium?
- Have I written screening criteria to give every applicant?
Frequently asked questions
What does TransUnion SmartMove do?
It runs online tenant screening: you invite an applicant by email, they consent and verify identity, and you receive TransUnion credit, criminal and eviction reports depending on the package.
How much does TransUnion SmartMove cost?
SmartCheck Basic is $25, Plus $42 and Premium $49, each plus tax where applicable. There is no subscription; you or the applicant pay per report.
Does SmartMove hurt the applicant's credit score?
No. SmartMove says its credit report is a soft inquiry with no impact on the applicant's credit score.
How long does SmartMove take?
Most reports are delivered the same day after the applicant verifies their identity.
Is tenant screening legit?
Screening through a consumer reporting agency such as TransUnion is legal when the applicant consents, and landlords must follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act if they deny someone based on the report.