Rent Reporting Services: Do They Work?
Average +60 points. But there's a major catch most services don't tell you about.
Rent is probably your biggest monthly expense. Shouldn't it count toward your credit?
Rent reporting services promise to add your payment history to your credit file — and studies show average score increases of 60 points. But there's a crucial detail most services don't advertise.
The Big Catch: FICO 8 Doesn't Count Rent
⚠️ Important Limitation
FICO Score 8 — used for 90%+ of credit decisions — does not include rent payments. Your VantageScore and newer FICO versions (9, 10) will include rent, but most lenders still use FICO 8.
This means:
- Credit Karma score (VantageScore) — Will show rent boost
- Actual mortgage/auto/credit card application (FICO 8) — Probably won't see it
That said, rent reporting isn't useless:
- VantageScore adoption is growing
- Some landlords use VantageScore for tenant screening
- FICO 9 and 10 are slowly being adopted
- The tradeline adds to your credit file regardless
Top Rent Reporting Services Compared
| Service | Cost | Bureaus | Past Rent? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boom | $2/mo | All 3 | 24 months |
| Zillow Credit Climb | $1.67/mo ($20/yr) | All 3 | 24 months |
| Rental Kharma | $6.25-8.25/mo | TransUnion + Equifax | Yes |
| Credit Rent Boost | $3.75-6.25/mo | TransUnion + Equifax | 24 months |
| Esusu | Free (landlord pays) | All 3 | Varies |
| Experian Boost | Free | Experian only | 24 months |
Our Top Picks
Best Value: Boom ($2/month)
Reports to all three bureaus at the lowest price point. Also allows up to 24 months of retroactive reporting, giving you instant credit history. Hard to beat for the price.
Best Free Option: Experian Boost
If you only care about Experian, Experian Boost is completely free and includes rent (if paid through a platform they can verify). The catch: only Experian sees it.
Best for Apartment Residents: Esusu
If your landlord/property manager partners with Esusu, rent reporting is free to you. Ask your property management if they offer it. Growing number of large apartment complexes use it.
How Rent Reporting Works
- Sign up — Create account with rent reporting service
- Verify your lease — Provide lease agreement, landlord contact
- Connect payment verification — Bank account, rent payment platform, or landlord verification
- Service reports to bureaus — Usually within 30-60 days
- Ongoing reporting — Each month's payment is reported
Most services also offer "lookback" periods — they'll report your past 12-24 months of rent history immediately, giving you an instant boost rather than waiting to build history from scratch.
Who Benefits Most?
✓ Great Candidates
- • "Credit invisible" — No credit history at all
- • Thin files — Only 1-2 accounts
- • Apartment hunters — Many landlords use VantageScore
- • Long-term renters — Years of payment history to report
✗ May Not Help
- • Applying for mortgage soon — Most use FICO 8 which ignores rent
- • Established credit (750+) — Won't move the needle much
- • History of late rent — Late payments will hurt you
The Risk: Late Rent Gets Reported Too
This is important: once you start rent reporting, late rent payments will show up on your credit report. If you're sometimes late (even by a few days), rent reporting could backfire.
Only sign up if you're confident you'll pay on time every month.
Rent Reporting vs Other Methods
How does rent reporting compare to other credit-building strategies?
Our recommendation: Use rent reporting as a supplement, not your primary strategy. Combine it with methods that work with FICO 8 (authorized user, secured cards, credit builder loans).
The Bottom Line
Rent reporting is real and can boost your score — especially VantageScore. The +60 point average is legitimate for thin files and credit-invisible consumers.
But understand the limitation: most lenders still use FICO 8, which ignores rent. Don't rely on rent reporting alone for mortgage or auto loan applications.
If you're building credit and pay rent on time anyway, services like Boom ($2/mo) or free Experian Boost are worth adding to your strategy. Just don't expect miracles for FICO 8-based applications.