FrontLobby

FrontLobby brings tenant screening, rent reporting, and unpaid-debt reporting together for landlords and property managers. It fits providers who want those jobs in one service, including operators with large portfolios. Its free tools cover basic property and lease management, while reports and expanded reporting carry one-time or annual charges.

Overview

Screening combines credit data, background information, and verified Tenant Records from Landlord Credit Bureau; the US screening service uses TransUnion for credit screening. Landlords submit applicant information and obtain consent before viewing results online. Most reports are ready within five minutes, though package choice, identity checks, and consent steps can affect the wait.

FrontLobby is designed for portfolios from one to 1,000+ units. The company says more than 67,000 housing providers use it, representing over one million rental units across North America. Its strongest case is the combination of screening with rental records and rent or debt reporting; landlords who need only an occasional credit report may not need the broader membership.

Key features

• Screening reports: Credit reports and Tenant Record searches can be combined with eviction, criminal conviction, terrorist, sex offender, and federal offender searches. The Premium bundle also includes an income estimator. That breadth helps landlords assess more than credit history, but makes the bundle harder to justify when a basic report is enough.
• Rent and debt reporting: Membership options include rent reporting, while debt reporting can send unpaid rental debt to credit bureaus without a court order or collection agency; the report may remain for up to seven years. These tools make FrontLobby relevant after move-in as well as during applicant review.
• Portfolio support: Larger operators can use bulk screening, software integrations, API access, dedicated onboarding and support, volume pricing, and customizable screening packages. These options suit established workflows; small landlords may find the free membership and individual purchases more proportionate.
• Help and security: Support is offered by email, callback request, live chat in the account, and a Help Center. FrontLobby says traffic uses TLS encryption, passwords are hashed with bcrypt, and customer data is stored on AWS with encryption at rest through Amazon RDS.

Pricing

The Free Basic Membership costs nothing, billed Forever. It includes Landlord Assist, property and lease management, Tenant Records, tools and resources, marketplace access, and pay-as-you-go screening and debt reporting. This is a useful starting point for landlords who want basic records without a recurring membership charge, but reports and debt reporting still cost extra.

The Premium Membership costs $19.92 a year, billed annually/monthly. It includes rent reporting for 20 leases, then $1/lease after, up to 50% off screening and debt reporting, and one-on-one setup and support. It is the clearest fit for landlords who will report rent across multiple leases and use paid reports; the free tier is cheaper for occasional screening without rent reporting.

One-time report options range from the 14.99 USD Credit Report — Premium to the 39.99 USD Applicant-Pay Tenant Screening Bundle and Tenant Screening Bundle — Basic. The Credit Report — Premium includes a score and full report, previous-address tenant history, and TeleCheck check verification. The 29.99 USD Tenant Screening Bundle — Premium adds a Tenant Record search, listed background searches, and an income estimator. The 39.99 USD Tenant Screening Bundle — Basic includes the credit report, Tenant Record search, those listed searches, and income estimator. Despite its name, the Basic bundle costs more than the Premium bundle; compare inclusions before buying.

Applicants can pay: the Applicant-Pay Credit Report costs $19.99, paid once, and the Applicant-Pay Tenant Screening Bundle costs $39.99, paid once, including a credit report, background check, Landlord Credit Bureau Tenant Records, LTB order search, and ID verification. The landlord can also pay, and screening requires no subscription. Debt Reporting — Premium costs $99.99, paid once; Debt Reporting — Basic costs $199.99, paid once. Both report unpaid rental debt for up to seven years without a court order or collection agency, so the Premium option is less expensive despite its tier label.

Platforms

FrontLobby supports web and API access. The API and integration options are particularly relevant to larger portfolios that want screening in existing software workflows.

Who it's for

FrontLobby is a strong match for landlords and property managers who want applicant screening alongside ongoing rent reporting, rental records, or unpaid-debt reporting. Its free membership suits providers starting with property and lease records, and the annual membership may suit those reporting rent across several leases. Those needing a single report can buy one without subscribing. It is less compelling for someone seeking only a basic credit check and no rental-management tools.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Screening, rent reporting, and debt reporting sit within one service, which can cover both applicant review and later rental-record needs.
• Pro: Landlords can pay for screening or pass the charge to applicants, and no subscription is required for screening.
• Pro: The free membership includes property and lease tools, Tenant Records, and marketplace access.
• Con: The screening bundles are substantially more than the 14.99 USD report option, so broader searches cost more when a credit report alone is sufficient.
• Con: The Basic debt-reporting option costs more than the Premium option, and the Basic screening bundle costs more than Premium; tier names alone are not a reliable price guide.
• Con: Premium Membership rent reporting covers 20 leases before the $1/lease after charge, which adds cost as the portfolio grows.

Alternatives

Compare tenant screening software if you want to consider services beyond FrontLobby.

• Rent With Clara is another freemium option with Android, iOS, and web support; choose it if those platforms or its no-subscription, no-per-screening-fee landlord plan suit your needs.
• ApplyConnect offers property operators a free plan with Experian credit reports, criminal background checks, and eviction history; consider it if that report mix is the priority.
• RentSafe offers unlimited applications on its free property-manager plan and a $45, paid once renter application; it may suit landlords who want that application model.
• SingleKey has a free pre-screening plan and a rent-guarantee option; consider it if pre-screening or rent guarantee is your focus.
• SoftScreen offers a free plan for landlords and real estate professionals and a 49.95 USD renter plan; compare it if those terms fit your screening workflow.
• RentSpree supports Android, iOS, and web, offers a free trial, and has a Landlord PRO plan at $6.99 a month billed annually or $8.99 per month; consider it if those platform and plan options are a better fit.
• CIC Resident Screening is a paid service with API and web support and reports including credit, fraud, and housing-court history; consider it if those report types suit your requirements.
• E-Renter is another screening service.

Verdict

Choose FrontLobby if you manage rentals and want screening connected to rent reporting, rental records, or debt reporting, with the option to begin on a free membership and buy reports as needed. The main reason to look elsewhere is cost: its broader bundles and reporting options add up if you only need a basic, occasional applicant report.