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Most landlords and rental property companies don’t automatically report your on-time rent payments, and utility companies don’t typically report on-time payments, either. Even if you pay your rent and utility bills on time every month, your credit score likely won’t improve from it.
Rent-reporting services can add your on-time rent payments to your credit reports, which can improve your credit score. Some of these services can also add utility payments, phone bills and even subscription services like Netflix.
Key takeaways
Rent reporting can help build or repair credit without taking on debt and is most beneficial if you always pay rent on time and plan to rent for at least a year.
Compare services to find ones that fit your budget, especially those that report to all three credit bureaus for maximum benefit.
Alternatives to rent-reporting services include debit-credit cards, secured credit cards, becoming an authorized user or rent-reporting credit cards.
6 rent and utility reporting services to improve credit
A rent-reporting service is really only worth your time if you stay on top of your payments, and isn’t too expensive. To get the most out of these services, be sure it reports to multiple credit bureaus. And you can rest easy — these services don’t usually check your credit score.
From the credit bureau itself, Experian Boost® is a free rent-reporting service that scans bank accounts to locate monthly bills that can be added to your Experian credit report. It can report rent payments, as well as other monthly expenses like phone or utility bills. There's also the Experian Smart Money Digital Checking Account that's automatically linked to Experian Boost, which also has no monthly fees. However, Boost only reports to Experian®.
Fee
$0 per month
From the credit bureau itself, Experian Boost® is a free rent-reporting service that scans bank accounts to locate monthly bills that can be added to your Experian credit report. It can report rent payments, as well as other monthly expenses like phone or utility bills. There's also the Experian Smart Money Digital Checking Account that's automatically linked to Experian Boost, which also has no monthly fees. However, Boost only reports to Experian®.
Pros
No monthly fee
Reports eligible rent, utility and other monthly bills
Easy to set up
Can be paired with Experian checking account
Cons
Only reports to Experian
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
N/A
Fee
$0 per month
Results will vary. Not all payments are boost-eligible. Some users may not receive an improved score or approval odds. Not all lenders use Experian credit files, and not all lenders use scores impacted by Experian Boost®. Learn more.
Easily one of the best options, Self is a top rent-reporting service that offers free rent reporting to the three major bureaus. You can opt for the paid plan of $6.95 per month to report utility and cell phone bills. And you can also pay an additional $49.95 one-time fee for LookBack to get up to two years of past rent payments reported. Self also offers the Self Credit Builder Account and a secured card for additional credit services. The only downside is the fee for reporting utility payments, but rent reporting is completely free.
Fee
From $0 per month
Easily one of the best options, Self is a top rent-reporting service that offers free rent reporting to the three major bureaus. You can opt for the paid plan of $6.95 per month to report utility and cell phone bills. And you can also pay an additional $49.95 one-time fee for LookBack to get up to two years of past rent payments reported. Self also offers the Self Credit Builder Account and a secured card for additional credit services. The only downside is the fee for reporting utility payments, but rent reporting is completely free.
Pros
Free rent reporting
Reports to all three major bureaus
LookBack for retroactive payments
Offers other credit-building products
Cons
$6.95 monthly fee to add utility and cell phone bills
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
N/A
Fee
From $0 per month
The secured Self Visa® Credit Card is issued by Lead Bank or First Century Bank, N.A., each Member FDIC.
Credit Builder Accounts & Certificates of Deposit made/held by Lead Bank, Sunrise Banks, N.A., First Century Bank, N.A., each Member FDIC. Subject to credit approval.
Results vary. You may not receive an improved credit score. Not all lenders use scores impacted by rent reporting. Not all bill payments may be eligible.
$0 annual fee for the first year only, $25 annual fee thereafter. Variable APR of 27.99%. Offer valid for new customers only.
The secured Self Visa® Credit Card requires an active Self Credit Builder Account and qualification based on other eligibility criteria including income & expense requirements. Criteria subject to change.
One of the cheaper options, Boom Pay charges a $5/month (or $60/year) for rent reporting to all three major credit bureaus, and you get credit score tracking tools. It also offers retroactive reporting back to 24 months with a one-time $25 fee. However, it doesn't offer utility reporting.
Fee
$5. per month
One of the cheaper options, Boom Pay charges a $5/month (or $60/year) for rent reporting to all three major credit bureaus, and you get credit score tracking tools. It also offers retroactive reporting back to 24 months with a one-time $25 fee. However, it doesn't offer utility reporting.
Pros
Reports rent to all three bureaus
Optional retroactive reporting for one-time fee
Quickly updates credit file
Cons
No utility reporting
Monthly fee
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
N/A
Fee
$5. per month
Fee
$5. per month
Rental Kharma
A flexible option, Rental Kharma lets you report your rent payments no matter how you pay for rent: Cash, check, P2P or online. If you're a single renter, there's a $75 setup fee and an $8.95 monthly fee that starts 30 days after setup. Compared to other options, it's more lenient in how you pay for rent as some rent-reporting services can only help if you pay with your primary bank account. It also offers utility reporting now, which can let you report phone, electric, gas and water bills, but these are only reported to TransUnion. But overall, Rental Kharma is on the more expensive side compared to other options, doesn't report to Experian.
Fee
$8.95. per month
A flexible option, Rental Kharma lets you report your rent payments no matter how you pay for rent: Cash, check, P2P or online. If you're a single renter, there's a $75 setup fee and an $8.95 monthly fee that starts 30 days after setup. Compared to other options, it's more lenient in how you pay for rent as some rent-reporting services can only help if you pay with your primary bank account. It also offers utility reporting now, which can let you report phone, electric, gas and water bills, but these are only reported to TransUnion. But overall, Rental Kharma is on the more expensive side compared to other options, doesn't report to Experian.
Pros
Reports cash, check, P2P or online rent payments
Reports to TransUnion and Equifax
Cons
$75 setup fee
$8.95 monthly fee
Utility reporting only goes to TransUnion
Doesn't report to Experian at all
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
N/A
Fee
$8.95. per month
Fee
$8.95. per month
Rent Reporters
Rent Reporters lets you report rent payments to the three major bureaus. It can also report retroactive rent payments: Up to 24 months. While it comes at a high monthly fee compared to other options, if you've been paying your rent on time for years this service might be the best option to get past payments reported. However, there's a high one-time set up fee of $94.95 and a monthly fee of $10.95 (or ($105 annually), and doesn't offer utility reporting.
Fee
$10.95. per month
Rent Reporters lets you report rent payments to the three major bureaus. It can also report retroactive rent payments: Up to 24 months. While it comes at a high monthly fee compared to other options, if you've been paying your rent on time for years this service might be the best option to get past payments reported. However, there's a high one-time set up fee of $94.95 and a monthly fee of $10.95 (or ($105 annually), and doesn't offer utility reporting.
Pros
Can report up to two years of past rent payments
Reports to Equifax, TransUnion and Experian
Cons
No utility reporting
$94.95 one-time setup fee
$10.95 monthly fee
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
N/A
Fee
$10.95. per month
Fee
$10.95. per month
Esusu Rent
Esusus Rent offers rent-reporting and rent-relief services, and reports to all three credit bureaus. It never reports late or missed payments — though your property manager might. But it'll cost a property manager $3,500 to set up, and renters pay an annual $50 fee, making it one of the less accessible options for renters.
Fee
$50 per year
Esusus Rent offers rent-reporting and rent-relief services, and reports to all three credit bureaus. It never reports late or missed payments — though your property manager might. But it'll cost a property manager $3,500 to set up, and renters pay an annual $50 fee, making it one of the less accessible options for renters.
Pros
Reports to all three major bureaus
Doesn't report late payments
Cons
Requires landlords to sign up for $3,500 fee
Costs $50 annually
No utility reporting
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
N/A
Fee
$50 per year
Fee
$50 per year
Is rent reporting worth it?
There aren’t many downsides to signing up for a rent-reporting service, so long as you can get a free or affordable one. If you’re already paying your rent on time, a reporting service can be well worth your time if you want to build credit history. And if you’re late on a rent payment, the late payment was likely going to be reported as late, anyway. However, just make sure you can afford the service, because late payments on that could cause credit score damage.
A rent-reporting service can be worth it in these situations:
You don’t want to take on debt to build credit
You’re trying to repair your credit score
You have no credit history
You plan on renting for at least one year
You pay your rent on time, every time
You can easily afford the monthly fee of a rent-reporting service
How to compare rent-reporting services
There are three things to consider when choosing the best rent or utility reporting service:
Cost. If you’re bending over backward to afford a rent-reporting service, it might not be worth it. If you miss a payment, that could negatively impact your credit score, and you’re likely to opt for rent reporting to improve your credit score. Make sure you can easily afford the fee or choose a free one, such as Self or Experian Boost.
Reporting action. Not all rent-reporting services will report to the three major credit bureaus. Ideally, you want a service that reports to all three, because if a lender pulls your credit score, they may use any of the three to do it, so you’ll want that positive credit history everywhere.
Ease of setup. Some options are more streamlined than others. Many rent-reporting services will need to verify your lease or rental agreement before they can report your rent payments, but others like Experian Boost® can simply scan your bank accounts for eligible bills.
4 alternatives to rent-reporting services
Rent-reporting services aren’t the only way to build credit without taking on a massive loan.
Debit-credit cards. These unique credit-building cards work like debit cards since they’re backed by an existing bank account. You can only spend what’s in your linked account, and most don’t charge annual fees or interest charges.
Secured credit cards. An alternative to regular credit cards, secured credit cards are backed by a cash deposit that also sets your credit limit. Compared to regular credit cards, they tend to be easier to qualify for.
Become an authorized user. If someone you know is willing, they can add you as an authorized user on their existing credit card. You can earn credit history from the card without having to take on a credit card on your own.
Rent-reporting credit cards. While rare, there are a few, such as the
Bilt Mastercard. If you make at least five transactions in a statement period using this card, you can earn rewards points, and Bilt will report rent payments if you rent with a Bilt property. Even if you don’t rent a Bilt property, the card is a traditional credit line, so you can still build a credit history with it.
Bottom line
If you don’t have any active loans or credit cards, you’re probably not building a credit history. Rent-reporting services can help you earn credit history on bills you’re already paying, so you don’t have to take on debt just for the sake of proving you pay things on time.
If rent or utility reporting services don’t seem like your cup of tea, look to our comprehensive guide on how to build credit for more options.
Frequently asked questions
Unfortunately, you can't contact a credit bureau yourself and request to add your rent payments to your credit reports. If you want your rent payments on your credit reports, you can either contact your landlord or rental property manager and request they opt into a rent-reporting service, or you can sign up for one on your own.
You probably don't need to worry about your landlord approving it. Some rent-reporting services require your landlord or property manager to verify your rent payments, or you may need to ask your landlord for a copy of the lease if you don't have one handy to send to the rent-reporting service for verification. Overall, most rent-reporting services may just need proof of a lease and likely won't involve your landlord much at all.
But for some services, such as Esusu Rent, your landlord must sign up for the service and pay a signup fee.
Bilt does offer rent reporting. However, it's only for Bilt Alliance tenants. Bilt states that if you want to know if you rent with a Bilt Alliance property, simply ask your property manager. However, Bilt does offer other benefits for renters with its Bilt Mastercard that can earn rewards for paying rent.
Bethany Hickey is the banking editor and personal finance expert at Finder, specializing in banking, lending, insurance, and crypto.
Bethany’s expertise in personal finance has garnered recognition from esteemed media outlets, such as Nasdaq, MSN, Yahoo Finance, GOBankingRates, SuperMoney, AOL and Newsweek. Her articles offer practical financial strategies to Americans, empowering them to make decisions that meet their financial goals. Her past work includes articles on generational spending and saving habits, lending, budgeting and managing debt.
Before joining Finder, she was a content manager where she wrote hundreds of articles and news pieces on auto financing and credit repair for CarsDirect, Auto Credit Express and The Car Connection, among others.
Bethany holds a BA in English from the University of Michigan-Flint, and was poetry editor for the university’s Qua Literary and Fine Arts Magazine.
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A good credit score falls in the 670 to 749 range. A credit score of 750 and above is considered very good or excellent.
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We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
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