RentFig vs OpenRent for tenant referencing
Both help UK landlords reference tenants, but they're built for different jobs. OpenRent is an online letting agent — it advertises your property on Rightmove and Zoopla and charges £30 inc. VAT per reference. RentFig is property-management software with a free application form and pay-per-check referencing at £9 (credit) or £19 (full), with no account or subscription. This page compares them fairly so you can pick the right tool — or use both.
RentFig vs OpenRent at a glance
A side-by-side comparison for tenant referencing and what surrounds it. Prices are paid by the landlord (the Tenant Fees Act 2019 bans charging the tenant) and are indicative — confirm current pricing on each provider's own site.
| Feature | RentFig | OpenRent |
|---|---|---|
| Free application form | Yes — collect the tenant's details and consent at no cost | No standalone free form — referencing is a paid step |
| Referencing price (paid by landlord) | £9 credit check / £19 full reference (£7 / £17 with a free account) | £30 inc. VAT per reference |
| Account required | No — order a one-off check by card | Ordered through OpenRent's own site — check its current sign-up steps |
| Subscription | No — pay per check only | No subscription for referencing — £30 one-off per reference |
| What a full reference checks | ID, credit history, income & affordability, employer & previous-landlord references, Right to Rent (England), anti-fraud | Comprehensive reference: credit, affordability, employment and previous-landlord checks |
| Turnaround | Credit check can be back the same day; full reference usually up to 7 working days | Typically a few working days (varies) |
| Property advertising | Yes — publish a To Let advert to rentfig.co.uk/tolet, included on Standard/Business, screened against the Renters' Rights Act 2025 | Yes — basic listing free; Rightmove and Zoopla upgrade £29 inc. VAT; Advertising + Rent Now £58 inc. VAT |
| Reaches Rightmove / Zoopla | No — RentFig's advert lives on rentfig.co.uk/tolet, not the big portals | Yes — that's OpenRent's core job as an online agent |
| Ongoing property management | Yes — tenancies, rent chasing, compliance tracking, accounting, AI assistant | Paid add-ons: Rent Collection (£10/month) and Management Plus (£19/month), plus certificates and free Section 8 notices |
| Best for | Landlords who want cheap, no-account pay-per-check referencing and software to run their portfolio | Landlords who want to advertise a property online and find a tenant themselves |
OpenRent details from openrent.co.uk, checked 13 October 2026; confirm current pricing on their site. RentFig figures are our own (disclosure: RentFig is our product).
Where RentFig wins
- Cheaper per check — £9 credit / £19 full vs OpenRent's £30 per reference, and you can run a quick £9 credit filter before paying for a full reference.
- Free to start, no account — collect the tenant's application and consent for free and only pay if you proceed; no sign-up or subscription required.
- It manages the tenancy too — rent chasing, compliance tracking (gas, EICR, EPC), accounting, and an AI assistant, not just a one-off reference.
- Advertising is included in the plan — publish a To Let advert to rentfig.co.uk/tolet on the Standard/Business plan, with the EPC rating auto-filled and the advert screened against the Renters' Rights Act 2025 before it goes live. OpenRent's basic listing is free too, but reaching Rightmove and Zoopla costs £29 inc. VAT (or £58 with Rent Now).
Free application form → £9 credit check or £19 full reference. No account. No subscription.
Where OpenRent is the better fit
OpenRent's real edge is reach: it syndicates listings onto Rightmove and Zoopla, which neither RentFig nor any other private-landlord tool can do directly — the portals only accept listings via a letting agent or an approved online agent like OpenRent. RentFig's own To Let advert lives at rentfig.co.uk/tolet and is shareable directly, by WhatsApp, Facebook or email, but it doesn't reach Rightmove/Zoopla's audience. If getting onto those two portals specifically is the priority, OpenRent (or a similar online agent) does that job; RentFig is for vetting and managing the tenancy once you have a candidate, with its own included advert page alongside. Plenty of landlords sensibly use both: list on the portals via OpenRent for reach, and reference and run the tenancy on RentFig.
FAQ
Is RentFig cheaper than OpenRent for tenant referencing?
Yes. RentFig charges £9 for a credit check and £19 for a full reference, or £17.86 each (£15.98 with a free account) when you order 2 or more people together, whereas OpenRent charges £30 inc. VAT per reference. RentFig also lets you collect the tenant's application for free and needs no account or subscription, so you only pay if you decide to run a check. (Disclosure: RentFig is our product; OpenRent's £30 price is from openrent.co.uk, checked 13 October 2026.)
Do I need an OpenRent listing to use RentFig referencing?
No. RentFig referencing is independent — you send a free application form and run a credit check or full reference without advertising a property anywhere. OpenRent's referencing is part of its lettings platform, so it sits alongside its listing, tenancy-creation, rent collection and management services.
What does OpenRent referencing include compared with RentFig?
Both provide a comprehensive reference covering credit, affordability, employment and previous-landlord checks. RentFig's £19 full reference also includes an explicit Right to Rent check (England) and anti-fraud verification, and there is a cheaper £9 credit-only option for a quick first filter that OpenRent does not price separately.
Is OpenRent better than RentFig?
They do different jobs. OpenRent is an online letting agent built to advertise a property on Rightmove and Zoopla and help you find a tenant. RentFig is property management software with built-in, low-cost pay-per-check referencing, plus rent chasing, compliance tracking and accounting. OpenRent also sells Rent Collection (£10/month) and Management Plus (£19/month) if you'd rather stay on one platform. If your main need is advertising and letting, OpenRent fits; if it's affordable referencing and running your tenancies, RentFig fits — and plenty of landlords use both, advertising on OpenRent and referencing and managing on RentFig.
Can the tenant be charged for referencing on either platform?
No. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, charging a tenant for referencing is a banned fee in England — the landlord or agent must pay. Both RentFig and OpenRent charge the landlord, not the tenant.
Does RentFig let me advertise my property now?
Yes — RentFig publishes To Let adverts to rentfig.co.uk/tolet on the Standard and Business plans, included in the subscription rather than charged per listing. It doesn't reach Rightmove or Zoopla, though — neither portal accepts listings directly from private landlords, so OpenRent (or a similar online agent) is still the route onto those two specifically.
See the full breakdown of UK options and prices in our cheapest tenant referencing guide, or start now with the free tenant referencing tool.
Disclaimer: This comparison is general information for UK landlords, not legal or financial advice. RentFig is our own product; OpenRent is an independent company and its details are summarised from its public website and may change — always confirm current pricing and what's included directly with each provider.