What Credit Bureau Does AppFolio Use?

AppFolio pulls the credit report from TransUnion for every tenant screening, so the platform never contacts Equifax or Experian; this single‑bureau approach guarantees consistent scoring and streamlines the applicant's experience (AppFolio tenant screening process). Knowing the source lets you anticipate the exact data fields shown, and it sets up the next section on how to spot your AppFolio pull instantly.

AppFolio's tenant‑screening process pulls the credit report directly from TransUnion, the sole credit bureau it contracts for rental applicants.

When a landlord runs a screening, AppFolio delivers a TransUnion report that shows the applicant's credit score, a five‑year payment‑history timeline, any bankruptcies or liens, and a summary of open and closed accounts.

For example, a property manager in Denver might receive a screen that flags a 'late‑payment' entry from a 2022 credit card, while a recent renter in Austin sees a clean record with a 720 score and no public records, all sourced from the same TransUnion database. TransUnion tenant screening service

AppFolio's credit check triggers a hard inquiry on your TransUnion report the moment a landlord submits your application. You can see that pull the instant it appears in three places:

1. Email notification - AppFolio automatically sends a confirmation email titled 'Credit Check Requested' that includes the date and the word 'TransUnion.' Save it for your records.
2. Tenant portal - Log into the AppFolio resident portal; under 'Application Status' a line reads 'Credit pull completed - TransUnion' with a timestamp.
3. TransUnion credit report - After 24‑48 hours, log into your free TransUnion account; a new hard inquiry labeled 'AppFolio' appears in the inquiry section.

If you notice none of these signals, contact the landlord's property manager and ask them to confirm the submission. For real‑time alerts, consider enrolling in a credit‑monitoring service such as TransUnion Credit Monitoring, which will push a push‑notification the moment the inquiry lands.

AppFolio chooses TransUnion because the bureau supplies the broadest nationwide consumer file, delivers real‑time scores, and integrates via a secure API that matches AppFolio's automated workflow. The depth of TransUnion's rental‑payment history and fraud‑alert flags lets the platform generate consistent tenant‑screening results across all markets.

That data richness reduces false‑negative reports, speeds up lease approvals, and supports the next‑section myth‑busting on credit misconceptions. Landlords see fewer surprise denials, and AppFolio can keep the screening process transparent and reliable. TransUnion rental‑screening solution details

Here are the five most common AppFolio credit myths, debunked.

• Myth 1: AppFolio pulls a full credit report every time. In reality, AppFolio performs a soft tenant‑screening pull from TransUnion, which shows only the credit score and basic identifiers, not a detailed report. (See the 'appfolio tenant screening bureau truth' section for details.)
• Myth 2: A single late payment will automatically disqualify you. AppFolio's algorithm weighs the entire score, payment history, and debt‑to‑income ratio, so occasional minor delinquencies often pass.
• Myth 3: You can't improve your score after the pull. The soft pull does not lock your file; you can still dispute errors, lower credit utilization, or add positive tradelines before the landlord makes a final decision.
• Myth 4: Switching to a different bureau resets the process. AppFolio consistently uses TransUnion for all tenant screens, so changing bureaus has no effect on the outcome.
• Myth 5: All landlords interpret the same score identically. Each landlord sets their own threshold within AppFolio, so a 'good' score for one property may be insufficient for another that requires a higher minimum.

Get your credit in shape before AppFolio pulls the report. A clean file lowers the chance of a surprise denial and speeds up the tenant‑screening process.

• Order a free TransUnion credit report from TransUnion's official site and review every line.
• Dispute any inaccurate accounts, balances, or personal information within the 30‑day window.
• Pay down revolving balances so utilization falls below 30 % on each credit card.
• Settle any past‑due loans or collections; a status update can appear within 45 days.
• Hold off on opening new credit cards or loans for at least 60 days to avoid extra hard inquiries.
• Enroll in automatic payments to guarantee on‑time history for the next 12 months.
• Verify that the address on your credit file matches your current residence; mismatched data often triggers extra checks.

With these steps completed, you'll present the strongest possible profile when AppFolio runs its TransUnion tenant‑screening pull, and you'll be ready for the fast‑track score‑boost tactics that follow.

Raise your score quickly by paying down revolving balances, correcting any errors on your credit bureau report, and adding a short‑term, low‑limit secured credit line. Keeping utilization under 30 % and guaranteeing a clean report gives TransUnion - the credit bureau AppFolio relies on for tenant screening - the data it needs to flag you as low‑risk.

These moves directly influence the factors AppFolio's tenant screening algorithm weights, so a healthier TransUnion file often translates to approval on the next pull. After you stabilize your score, the next section explains how to handle a bounced check from an AppFolio credit inquiry. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau guide to improving credit scores

Yes, AppFolio can reject a rental application when the TransUnion tenant‑screening pull returns a low score or flagged adverse items. Landlords using the platform treat that result as a hard 'bounce,' and the application stops there.

If you're bounced, you still have options. Request your free TransUnion report, dispute any inaccuracies, and repair the highlighted issues before re‑applying. Some landlords will accept a newer pull or supplemental documents, which lets you move on without triggering another hard inquiry; the next section explains how to switch providers without an extra AppFolio pull.

AppFolio pulls a credit report only once per tenant screening, so switching to another provider does not trigger a new pull as long as you reuse the original TransUnion report. To avoid an extra AppFolio pull, follow these steps:

• Save the PDF or electronic copy of the initial TransUnion report that AppFolio generated.
• Upload that copy through the 'Tenant Documents' tab; AppFolio will accept it for verification without re‑querying the bureau.
• If a third‑party screening service is needed, provide the same TransUnion credit ID to that service; the service can use the existing data without causing a fresh inquiry.
• Wait until the original pull expires (90 days) before requesting a new credit check, because AppFolio cannot switch to a different bureau without generating a fresh pull.
• Review 'AppFolio credit bureau policy' for the exact expiration timeline and upload requirements.

Landlords across the country tell me AppFolio's TransUnion pull has turned away otherwise qualified renters. One property manager in Austin lost a tenant because a six‑month‑old medical collection still sat on the report, even though the debt was settled. A Chicago landlord rejected an applicant after TransUnion showed a 620 score that actually reflected a typo on the applicant's address.

These failures usually stem from outdated or inaccurate data that AppFolio's automated screening doesn't flag. TransUnion often includes resolved debts for up to two years, and a single late payment can drop a score below the informal 650 threshold many owners use. When the credit bureau's file doesn't match the applicant's current financial picture, AppFolio's tenant screening flags the applicant as high risk.

Owners who have experienced a false negative quickly ask the applicant to dispute the error and then request a fresh pull once the correction clears. Some also supplement the TransUnion score with a manual income‑to‑rent ratio check, which helps recover good tenants that a blind credit score would reject. How to dispute errors on your credit report provides a step‑by‑step guide that many landlords now share with prospects.