Background Check Solutions vs TurboTenant for Tenant Screening
October 14th, 2026 by Dodie Murphy
TurboTenant is a free property management platform for landlords: listings, applications, rent collection and tenant screening in one place, paid for mostly by the applicant’s screening fee. Background Check Solutions sells the screening report itself, with no software to adopt. Both are legitimate choices; which one is cheaper and simpler depends on how you already run your rentals. Prices below are as published on October 14, 2026.
Side by side
| Background Check Solutions | TurboTenant | |
|---|---|---|
| Price of a full tenant screening | $29.95 for new customers (first 60 days): credit report + nationwide criminal search + eviction search + SSN verification | $55 per applicant on the free plan; $45 if the landlord pays $149 or $199 per year for Essentials or Pro |
| Who pays | You pay by card when you order, or set your account to applicant-pay and disclose the application fee up front | The applicant pays by default; the landlord can choose to pay for a “Screening Report Only” request |
| Landlord cost to join | Free registration, no monthly or sign-up fees, no minimum | Free plan; paid plans $149 or $199 per year |
| Order only one search | Yes: credit only, criminal only or eviction only, or the bundle | Screening is sold as one report |
| Eviction coverage | Eviction history from courts across all 50 states | Eviction history included where allowed by state law |
| Adverse action | FCRA disclosure, consent and adverse action support with every account | Landlord handles notices; report is FCRA-compliant |
| Other tools | Screening only; use your own lease, listings and rent process | Listing syndication, online applications, rent collection, maintenance tracking, leases on paid plans |
| In business | Since 1982 | Founded 2015 |
What the price difference means for your applicant
If your applicant pays, a TurboTenant application costs them $55 (or $45 if you subscribe). With an applicant-pay account at Background Check Solutions, the application fee you disclose can be set to cover a $29.95 report, which is easier to justify in a tight rental market and in states that cap application fees. If you pay, $29.95 per applicant for the first 60 days is $25 less than the TurboTenant free-plan fee and $15 less than the subscriber fee, with no annual plan.
When TurboTenant is the better fit
You want one free dashboard that advertises the unit, collects applications, screens, signs the lease and collects rent, and you are comfortable with applicants paying $45 to $55 to apply.
When Background Check Solutions is the better fit
- You already have a lease, a listing routine and a way to collect rent, and only need the report.
- You want a lower screening cost for your applicants, or you prefer to pay yourself and keep applications free.
- You sometimes need a single search, such as an eviction check on a co-signer, rather than the full bundle.
- You want adverse action support included when you have to decline someone.
Try it on your next applicant
Register free as a landlord, order the $29.95 report on your next applicant and read it online. If you would rather applicants pay, ask for applicant-pay when you register. The ordering guide shows each screen.
Sources
- TurboTenant pricing: https://www.turbotenant.com/pricing/ (free plan, $55 applicant fee, $45 on paid plans; viewed October 14, 2026)
- TurboTenant help center, “Can the landlord pay the screening fee?”: https://support.turbotenant.com/en/articles/4004073-can-the-landlord-pay-the-screening-fee
- TurboTenant tenant screening page: https://www.turbotenant.com/tenant-screening/
- Background Check Solutions tenant screening: https://www.backgroundchecksolutions.com/tenant-screening/
TurboTenant is a trademark of TurboTenant, Inc. Background Check Solutions is not affiliated with TurboTenant. Competitor prices change; check their site for current figures.
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