SmartMove Review 2026: The Smarter Way to Screen Tenants Online
By Jonathan Levi
Home & KitchenFinding a reliable tenant shouldn’t turn into a paper chase. Built for independent landlords managing 1 to 10 properties, TransUnion SmartMove provides a legal, convenient portal for running tenant background checks online or through mobile devices. Landlords can review renter credit, criminal, and eviction information through package-based reports, with applicant consent and no impact on the applicant’s credit score. Most reports arrive the same day, while ResidentScore and Income Insights add useful context. Read on to see how SmartMove performs in 2026 and how its tools, pricing, and process could fit your rental business.
Tenant Background Screening Reports: Dig Deeper Before the Lease Gets Signed 
A rental application only covers so much. SmartMove screens prospective tenants through three package levels, starting with core checks such as ResidentScore and criminal background information and extending to the broader SmartCheck Premium option. Most reports arrive the same day once the applicant verifies their identity.
Depending on the package, landlords can review:
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Criminal history and eviction records
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Credit scores and ResidentScore
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Income verification data
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Identity checks
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Advanced matching across millions of records
The pay-as-you-go setup eliminates monthly memberships and subscription fees. Property owners can select the depth of screening they need, review detailed records online, and examine more context before approving an applicant.
Compare SmartMove’s three screening packages and choose the report level that fits your next rental decision.
Tenant Credit Checks: Read the Financial Story Behind the Application
SmartMove delivers tenant credit reports directly from TransUnion, giving landlords a clearer look at an applicant’s credit profile. The entire process runs online, and most screening reports arrive the same day after identity verification. Better yet, the credit check counts as a soft inquiry, so it doesn’t affect the applicant’s credit score.
As applicable, a tenant credit report may include:
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ResidentScore
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SSN verification
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Previous employment, when available
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Credit history
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Accounts in poor standing
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Current debt levels
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Recent credit applications
SmartMove presents the report in an easy-to-read format and includes its ResidentScore system for additional rental-screening context. Instead of relying on a credit score alone, landlords can examine payment patterns, debt, and other relevant records before reaching a decision.
Review the available credit details and decide how the applicant’s financial history fits your screening criteria.
Criminal Background Check: Spot Potential Concerns Before Signing
SmartMove searches millions of criminal records to uncover information that may matter during tenant screening. Its reports draw on multiple state criminal background checks, most-wanted databases, and state Sex Offender Public Registries, giving landlords a broader view of applicants beyond the rental form.
The search may surface details from sources such as:
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Multiple state criminal background checks
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State Sex Offender Public Registries
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Millions of criminal records
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Credit bureau-strength record matching
Most results arrive the same day after the applicant completes identity verification. SmartMove also applies advanced record matching to connect possible records with the right person, which matters when names or personal details overlap.
Use the findings as one part of a fair, consistent screening process before moving an applicant closer to lease approval.
Eviction Check: Catch Past Rental Trouble Before It Repeats 
Past eviction proceedings can reveal issues a standard application may never mention. SmartMove screens eviction records and reports cases with a final judgment, giving landlords another source of context before signing a lease. Its current pricing page also cites an average eviction cost of $3,500, which puts the value of early screening into perspective.
A report may uncover final judgments involving:
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Tenant judgments for possession and money
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Unlawful detainers
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Tenant judgments for small claims
SmartMove pairs its large record search with credit bureau-strength matching to identify potential connections more accurately. The process stays online, and most reports arrive the same day after the applicant completes identity verification.
Check an applicant’s eviction-related history early and spot records that deserve a closer look before the lease reaches the signing stage.
ResidentScore: Measure Rental Risk With a Tenant-Focused Score 
Traditional credit scores focus on lending risk. ResidentScore targets rental screening instead, using TransUnion’s proprietary model to assess potential eviction risk. Scores range from 350 to 850, with higher numbers indicating lower predicted risk. SmartMove states that ResidentScore identifies evictions 15% more often than a typical credit score in the highest-risk score range, based on 2016 TransUnion research.
Five main credit factors generally shape the score:
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Payment history
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Credit utilization
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Credit history
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Credit availability
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Credit inquiries
ResidentScore can also score applicants with thin credit files as long as at least one account appears on the credit report. SmartMove further reports 19% more identified skips than typical credit scores, according to its cited research.
Add ResidentScore to your broader screening criteria and assess rental risk using a model built specifically for prospective tenants.
Income Insights: See How Reported Earnings Stack Up-https://www.mysmartmove.com/tenant-screening-services/income-insights 
A stated salary doesn’t always tell the full story. SmartMove’s Income Insights estimates an applicant’s total income and compares that figure with the amount reported during screening. The model analyzes spending and payment behavior from the applicant’s credit report and can account for job and non-job income sources.
The report can show:
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How estimated income compares with self-reported income
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The estimated variance between the two figures
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An indication that additional proof of income may be worth requesting
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Broader context for assessing rent against reported earnings
Income Insights provides an estimate, not an exact monthly or annual income figure. That distinction matters. Landlords can use the findings to identify gaps and decide when documents such as pay stubs deserve closer attention.
Put reported income to the test with Income Insights before an affordability concern slips through unnoticed.
Identity Check Report: Confirm Who’s Behind the Application 
A polished rental application means little if the identity details don’t line up. SmartMove’s Identity Check Report compares applicant information against TransUnion data and flags potential mismatches that may deserve closer attention before a landlord moves forward.
The report checks key identity details, including:
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Deceased person alerts
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Social Security number checks
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Address checks
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Name checks
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Date of birth checks
Most Identity Check Reports arrive the same day and come directly from TransUnion, reducing the need to gather identity information from several separate sources. The process runs online, while pay-as-you-go pricing removes membership requirements and minimum purchase requirements from the screening process.
For landlords handling applications remotely or screening several prospects at once, that one-stop format can simplify an important layer of due diligence.
Run an identity check early to catch inconsistencies before they become bigger problems later in the leasing process.
How SmartMove Works: Go From Signup to Screening in Four Steps 
SmartMove runs the tenant screening process online, so landlords can create an account and start an applicant check within minutes. Most reports arrive the same day, while the pay-as-you-go structure means there’s no subscription or minimum purchase commitment.
The process follows four clear stages:
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Create a free account with basic property information
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Invite the applicant to begin screening
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Applicant completes the screening and required identity steps
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Receive the reports once processing finishes
Landlords can also choose who covers the screening cost. Pay for the reports directly or pass the fee to the prospective tenant, based on the setup that suits the application process.
The straightforward workflow removes much of the back-and-forth that can slow tenant checks, especially when several applicants are under consideration.
Create your SmartMove account, send the screening invite, and move the next application forward with reports delivered through one online process.
SmartMove Pricing: Pick the Screening Depth You Actually Need 
SmartMove uses pay-as-you-go pricing, so landlords pay per screening package rather than signing up for a subscription. Property owners can also choose who covers the screening fee, where permitted, by paying directly or passing the cost to the prospective tenant.
Three package levels cover different screening needs:
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SmartCheck Basic - $25: ResidentScore and Criminal Background Report
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SmartCheck Plus - $40: Adds a Credit Report and Eviction Related Report
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SmartCheck Premium - $48: Includes the Plus reports, along with Income Insights and an Identity Check Report
Match the package to the level of detail your property requires, then pay only for the reports tied to that application.
A tenant application rarely gives landlords the full picture on its own. SmartMove adds more context through credit data, criminal and eviction records, identity checks, income insights, and ResidentScore, with coverage determined by the selected package. The online process, same-day delivery for most reports, and pay-as-you-go pricing also suit independent property owners who manage screening on a case-by-case basis. Compare SmartMove’s package levels now and choose the reports that make sense for your next rental application.
Jonathan Levi is a writer who embraces the strange and surreal, weaving them into captivating narratives that resonate on a deeper level. His unique perspective allows him to place these extraordinary elements within a broader context.
When he's not writing, Jonathan finds solace in the world of literature. Whether it's delving into the latest news articles or immersing himself in the depths of offline books, Jonathan's thirst for knowledge and storytelling is insatiable. In Jonathan's downtime, you may catch him indulging in the thrill of a suspenseful binge-watching session. And when he's seeking a change of pace, he turns to the classic of puzzle-solving: Tetris.