Settl vs LeaseRunner: Which Tenant Screening Is Better?
The short answer
Compare Settl vs LeaseRunner for portable tenant screening. Settl has a 90-day validity window, bank-direct income via Plaid, and biometric identity. LeaseRunner offers a 30-day credit and background report.
LeaseRunner and Settl are both renter-initiated portable screening profiles. You pay once and share with multiple landlords. But the verification methods are fundamentally different — and Settl's 30-day window matches LeaseRunner while adding far more verified data layers.
How LeaseRunner Works
LeaseRunner is well-known in Colorado, where HB25-1236 (PTSR law) requires landlords to accept renter-provided reports. Their fee generates a credit report, criminal background, rental history, and eviction records, valid for 30 days with unlimited shares within that window.
How Settl Verified Passport Works
Settl Verified Passport ($99) is also renter-initiated and PTSR-compliant under HB25-1236. Settl Verified Passport includes VantageScore 4.0 (TransUnion soft pull), criminal background (CIC), and eviction history (CIC, 7-year FCRA) — plus bank-direct income verification via Plaid, confirms identity biometrically, surfaces 12 months of bank-verified rent transactions, shows cash reserves, and includes verified landlord reference ratings from past landlords. Valid 30 days with unlimited shares.
PTSR / HB25-1236 Compliance
Both Settl Verified Passport and LeaseRunner satisfy Colorado's HB25-1236 PTSR requirements. Colorado landlords must accept either in lieu of running their own screening. Settl Verified Passport is designed from the ground up for PTSR compliance — one payment, portable everywhere, no landlord account required.
Bank-Direct vs Document Income
LeaseRunner accepts income documents submitted by applicants. 84% of landlords regularly see fake pay stubs (NMHC 2024). Rental fraud is up 40% year-over-year. Settl connects directly to your bank via Plaid — no document to forge.
Biometric Identity vs ID Upload
LeaseRunner collects an ID upload — which can be a photo of someone else's document. Settl runs a biometric liveness check: your government ID is matched to your face in real time. Fraudsters using borrowed documents cannot pass.
Landlord References: The Layer LeaseRunner Cannot Fill
LeaseRunner does not include landlord reference ratings. Settl Verified Passport surfaces verified ratings from past landlords — a direct signal of tenancy quality that no credit bureau provides.
Cash Reserves: The Gap LeaseRunner Cannot Fill
LeaseRunner does not show savings. A tenant's financial buffer — 3–5 months of reserves — is the strongest predictor of tenancy stability. Settl Verified Passport surfaces it directly from bank data.
8 Verified Data Layers vs 4
Settl Verified Passport brings together 8 verified data sources: biometric identity, bank income, rent payment history, payroll & employer data, landlord references, credit, criminal background, and eviction history — all in one portable profile. LeaseRunner covers 4: credit, criminal, eviction, rental history.
Pricing
- Settl Verified Passport: $99 — bank income + biometric identity + rent history + landlord references + employment + cash reserves. 30 days, unlimited landlords. PTSR-compliant.
- LeaseRunner — credit, background, eviction, rental history. 30-day window.
Get a portable profile with 8 verified data layers. Get Settl Verified Passport for $99.
Settl Team
Settl Editorial
Settl helps renters stand out in competitive markets through verified identity, income, and rental verifications. Trusted by landlords across the US.
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