ApplyConnect vs Certn Tenant Screening
ApplyConnect
applyconnect.comCertn Tenant Screening
certn.coSide by side
| Figure | ApplyConnect | Certn Tenant Screening |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 7 | 20 |
| Spec score · Tenant Screening Software | 9.3 (#1) | 8.7 (#4) |
| Documentation depth | Documentation consists of FAQs, renter and landlord guides, sample reports, compliance resources and how-to instructions. | The API site provides endpoint reference sections, guides, migration material, code samples and demo-account instructions. |
| Founded | 2013 | 2016 |
| Headquarters | Duluth, Georgia, United States | Victoria, British Columbia, Canada |
| Purpose | ApplyConnect lets landlords, real estate agents, property managers, and rental applicants share consumer credit, eviction, and criminal screening reports. | Certn’s property management screening offering helps landlords and property managers vet rental applicants and staff. |
| Security controls | ApplyConnect says it masks sensitive fields such as Social Security numbers and uses encryption and Experian identity-verification protocols. | Certn states that it uses MFA, role-based access control, AES-256 encryption at rest, TLS 1.2 or later, weekly vulnerability scans, annual penetration tests and daily backups. |
| Support | The contact page says representatives respond to submitted requests within 48 hours and lists phone support at 800-288-4757 option 7. | Certn’s property management page describes the platform as top-rated for usability and support and links to its Help Center. |
| What it does | ApplyConnect is an online consumer-initiated service that lets landlords, agents and renters share credit, eviction and criminal screening reports. | Certn provides online background screening and tenant-screening workflows covering identity, criminal, credit, employment, education and reference checks. |
Plans
ApplyConnect
- Landlords & AgentsFree
- Property OperatorsFree
- Apply One for Renters$29.95, paid once
- Renters$29.95, paid once
- Apply Three for Renters$39.95, paid once
- Renters$39.95, paid once
- Renters / Applicants$39.95, paid once
Certn Tenant Screening
- Identity Verification£3, paid once
- OneID$3.50, paid once
- Digital Right to Work Check£6, paid once
- Credit Report$9.50, paid once
- US Core Criminal Check$13.99, paid once
- Basic Canadian Criminal Record Check$17.99, paid once
- Credential Verification£18, paid once
- Education Verification£18, paid once
- Employment Verification£18, paid once
- Adverse Media Check£20, paid once
In their own words
ApplyConnect
ApplyConnect is a web service for landlords, real estate agents, property managers, and rental applicants to share tenant-screening reports. A report includes an Experian credit report with VantageScore, a nationwide criminal background check, a sex offender search, and nationwide eviction history. The applicant initiates release and consents to sharing with a landlord or agent; ApplyConnect says the credit inquiry is soft and does not affect the applicant's score. Renters can share a purchased report with up to three properties within 30 days, and the company says reports are processed within seconds after payment. Landlords and agents can use an online rental application at no additional cost, along with listed tools such as online rent collection, automated decision notifications, free state notices, and property advertising links. With the property ZIP code, SAFE Screen checks local restrictions and masks criminal or eviction records restricted for use. ApplyConnect says it does not verify employment or prior rental history and can currently process only applicants with a valid U.S. Social Security number. Operator tools are free; renter reports cost $39.95 once.
Certn Tenant Screening
Certn Tenant Screening helps landlords and property managers vet rental applicants and staff. Recommended property-management checks include credit, references, identity and employment verification; its listed capabilities also include criminal searches, income verification and an adverse-action workflow. The screening process is described as automated, and renters can submit credentials from any device. For high-volume work, the API supports bulk sending and package creation. The property-management offering lists built-in consent forms, SOC 2 and SOC 3 compliance, and encrypted data on AWS. Certn says data at rest uses AES-256 and data in transit uses TLS 1.2 or higher. Hosting is in cloud data centers in Canada, Australia, the UK and/or the EU depending on region; the service does not operate on-premise servers. Listed individual checks include Identity Verification at £3, paid once, Digital Right to Work Check at £6, paid once, and several checks at higher prices. Reference Checks has no listed price. Certn is paid with no free plan and is headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.