Rent With Clara vs RentSafe

Rent With Clara provides rental applications and tenant screening for renters, landlords, and real estate agents. Screening reports can include credit history and a FICO score, criminal and eviction records, application details, income and employment checks, and identity verification. For identity checks, Clara compares a live image of a government-issued ID with a biometric selfie for liveness and face matching. Income and employment can be verified through payroll, bank connections, or third-party-verified documents; Argyle is its named partner for direct-source verification. Clara says credit reports come from TransUnion. Renters can reuse a profile and active reports when applying to multiple landlords during a 30-day period. Profiles are encrypted and shared only with landlords or agents the renter approves. Reports remain active for 30 days, after which renters can refresh them. Clara says its screening process is designed around Fair Housing laws, FCRA requirements, and state-specific regulations. Landlords and agents can use the full platform without a fee; a renter application costs $49.00 USD once and covers unlimited Clara properties for 30 days.

RentSafe is a web-based tenant-screening platform for property managers, landlords, and renters. Property managers can create customized rental applications and separate links for each property, then view applications and real-time results in a centralized dashboard. Screening reports include a full credit report, national eviction search, and national criminal background check; RentSafe partners with TransUnion for credit reporting. It says checks are processed instantly, with results reaching the dashboard within seconds. The credit inquiry is soft and does not affect an applicant’s credit score. Renters can submit applications, upload documents, invite roommates, and follow application status through the portal. Managers can start screening after account creation without credentialing. The Property Manager plan is free and lists unlimited applications. A renter application costs $45, paid once for each adult applicant and includes one application report. RentSafe does not make application decisions: landlords or property managers decide whether to approve applicants.