Improving your credit score with rent payments? It starts with the right rent reporting service.
This article cuts through the noise to identify the best rent reporting services of 2024, judging on cost, reporting quality, and user reviews.
We’ll help you uncover services that effectively communicate your rental history to credit bureaus, laying out your options in a clear and actionable way.
Overview of Top 5 Rent Reporting Services
Searching for the perfect rent reporting service can be overwhelming.
However, we’ve simplified the process by identifying the top five rent reporting services in 2024, focusing on crucial factors like tri-bureau reporting, cost, company reputation, and customer satisfaction.
Here are the top five rent-reporting companies in 2024:
- Boompay
- RentReporters
- Credit Rent Boost
- Rental Kharma
- Rock The Score
What Are The Best Rent Reporting Services?
Most rent reporting services offer a monthly fee, but the nice thing is that you only have to sign up once.
After that, it's cost-effective because your credit score reflects your new rent payment every month on autopilot.
Before we start, look at my top recommended rent reporting services for 2024.
The best reporting services are also straightforward and offer online tools to manage your accounts from anywhere with an internet connection.
You'll want to make sure these services can include your past rent and have it reflect on your credit report, as some online services don't offer this.
What to look for:
- Can add up to two years of rental history
- Affordable monthly fees
- Reports to at least two major credit bureaus
- Provides you with a free credit score
Ready for this list? Read below!
1. Boom Pay
Best Rent Reporting Service To All Three Credit Bureaus
Boom Pay is a rent reporting service that will help you build your credit. It's the most affordable and reports to all three major bureaus. So, what more could one ask?
They can also report your past payments from your previous lease, which can greatly help boost your credit score. That is just one of my favorite credit hacks with Boompay.
How Does Boom Work? You enroll, and Boom Report does all the work behind the scenes to verify and report your rent payments.
Price: $10 initial fee + $3 per month
Specifications:
- The service reports to all three credit bureaus, providing an extensive overview of your credit history and score, which aids lenders and creditors in making informed decisions about your creditworthiness when applying for a bank account or other financial products.
- Mobile app for easy account management
- Offers credit score tracking feature
- Aids in apartment searches through its housing group network
Pros of the service include:
- Reporting to all three credit bureaus, providing an extensive overview of your credit history and score, which aids lenders and creditors in making informed decisions about your creditworthiness
- Not requiring the landlord’s approval
- Reporting up to 24 months of past payments
Cons:
- Mobile app-only
- Retroactive rent reporting only applies to current lease
2. Rent Reporters
Rent Reporters is a rental reporting service that specifically stays on top of rent payments. Rent Reporters will report your rental history to two major credit bureaus and can help build a great credit score.
They have an insane amount of positive reviews and state they see an average increase of 10 to 40 point credit increase for their customers. All because they report their current and previous rent.
Their signup process is straightforward, and Rent Reporters takes care of the rest once you register.
They will verify your payment history with the landlord or property management company and start reporting to Transunion & Equifax.
Price: Monthly & Yearly Plans both include a $94.95 setup fee
Pros
- Claim 10-40 point increase
- Amazing customer service
- Colorful and interactive dashboard
- Simple pricing model
Cons
Can become expensive if you don't use all the features
3. Credit Rent Boost
Credit Rent Boost is one the best rent reporting services to help build your credit with rental payments.
Credit Rent Boost reports to Transunion and Equifax and works with your landlords.
Credit Rent Boost is simple to use and takes a few minutes to apply. With their service, your rent will be reported after two weeks.
Another great feature of this service is that you can view your rental payment history online at any time with their intuitive online portal.
They can take care of you whether you need to report ongoing rental payments or past rent payment history.
Price: They offer plans at $5.95/month or $45/year with a $25 fee
- Specializes in reporting up to 24 months of past rent payments
- Expedited reporting available within 72 business hours
- Bi-monthly reporting to credit bureaus
Pros of using this service include:
- You can access reports that show up to 24 months of past rent payments, providing a comprehensive view of your rental payment history.
- Swift service with expedited reporting available
- High customer satisfaction
Cons:
- Need to verify that you can report the rent first
4. Rental Kharma
Rental Kharma reports your qualifying rent payment history to TransUnion Equifax every month.
This rent reporting service allows you to manage credit responsibly by showing timely rent payments.
Rental Kharma was created for renters who want the option of reporting their positive payment behavior to their current landlord or property manager.
Just like Credit Karma offers free credit scores, you can enjoy the benefits of a rent payment history.
Price: Price ranges from $8.95-$60
Pros
- Very well known company
- Get your rent reported
Reports to both TransUnion and Equifax
Cons:
- Doesn’t report to Experian
- High signup fee
5. Rock The Score
Rock Your Score offers affordable rent reporting services to TransUnion and Equifax.
They provide an intelligent reporting option that can add up to 24 months of credit history in less than 30 days, which is perfect if you're looking to buy a home or car.
Rock The Score will contact your property manager or landlord and verify your past payments to build your credit history, so you must register. They will handle the rest for you.
You also need to ensure you have your lease or rental agreement to provide it to them. This will make the process a lot simpler.
Price: A setup fee of $48 is required with a monthly reporting fee of $6.95 per month
Pros
- Very easy to navigate
- Will contact your landlord fast
- Very affordable pricing
Cons
- You need to upgrade to get their smart reporting features
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Rent Reporting Service
The decision to choose a rent reporting service requires thoughtful consideration. Various factors influence this decision, and what suits one person might not necessarily suit another.
To start, consider the cost. Rent reporting agencies can be costly, with some charging a one-time setup fee plus monthly fees.
It’s crucial to determine if the fees are affordable and if they fit within your budget.
The coverage of the service is another vital factor: does the service report to one, two, or all three major credit bureaus? The more comprehensive the coverage, the better it is for your credit building.
Other considerations include whether the service requires landlord participation, canceling the service, and the service’s data protection policies.
Assessing these factors carefully can help you choose the best rent reporting service that caters to your specific needs.
Understanding the Impact of Rent Reporting on Credit Score
Rent reporting can substantially affect your credit score. Including additional payment histories in your credit reports can positively influence your scores.
However, one must understand that the effect varies based on the credit scoring model and unique financial circumstances.
While all three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, will consider rent payment information if they receive it, not all credit scoring models account for rent payments in their calculations.
Newer models like FICO 9 and FICO 10, as well as VantageScore, consider rent payments, but FICO 8 does not.
Rent reporting offers tangible benefits such as building or reconstructing a positive payment history.
This can result in better financial opportunities, including more favorable loan terms and insurance rates.
However, the value of rent reporting for improving a credit score varies by individual financial situation and requires careful assessment before opting for these services.
What Are The Pros and Cons of Rent Reporting Services
Like any credit building app, rent reporting services have advantages and disadvantages. Gaining an understanding of these aspects can aid in making a well-informed decision.
On the upside, rent reporting incentivizes tenants to make on-time payments, which can help build their credit profile positively.
For tenants with thin credit files or no credit history, rent reporting can be a method to improve their credit scores. This, in turn, can contribute to better financial opportunities like:
- lower interest rates
- higher credit limits
- easier approval for loans and credit cards
- better insurance rates
Rent reporting can be a valuable tool for tenants looking to establish or improve their credit history, especially when paying rent on time and opting to report rent payments.
However, it’s not all roses. Tenants might experience negative impacts on their credit scores due to late or missed rent payments being reported to credit bureaus. Also, the costs incurred by landlords for rent reporting services could lead to additional expenses and potentially lower their net operating income.
Overall, while rent reporting services offer several benefits, they also come with potential drawbacks that users must be aware of. Balancing the pros and cons and considering your personal circumstances is key to making the right choice.
FAQs
How do rent reporting services work?
Rent reporting services track and report rent payment habits to major credit bureaus, such as TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax, to help renters build credit and improve their credit scores. They act as intermediaries to verify payments and pass data to the credit bureaus.
Does Paying Rent Improve Your Credit Score?
Paying rent can improve your credit score should you leverage rent reporting companies.
These companies record rent payment histories and make that data available so potential lenders can use rental data as evidence of creditworthiness when making loan decisions.
To benefit from rent reporting services, sign up with the service, provide rent history information, and continue to pay rent on time.
Does Paying Rent Increase Your Credit Score?
No, that is why you should sign up for some rent reporting service to have your landlord or property management company report your monthly rent payments to the major credit bureaus.