iStock illustration

A new deal with software company Esusu will let Zillow offer renters direct-to-consumer credit reporting.

The latter company’s software was previously used by Freddie Mac, which funds multifamily mortgages as well as home-purchase loans, to let owners of buildings it finances offer credit-building as a tenant benefit.

“Paying rent is often a renter’s biggest and most consistent monthly expense. It makes sense that this payment should help build their credit.” Michael Sherman, senior vice president of Zillow Rentals, said in a statement. “By expanding rent reporting, we’re helping more renters build their credit history and take control of their financial future while reinforcing Zillow’s role as a trusted partner throughout their housing journey.”

With this partnership, any renter can now have their on-time rent payments reported to all major credit bureaus for $20 per year. Esusu’s rent reporting platform captures rental payment data and reports it to credit bureaus to boost credit scores. Renters can sign up for rent reporting directly through Zillow to start having their payments reported each month.

“At Esusu, we believe everyone deserves credit for paying their rent on time. By including rent in the credit system, we’re helping to build economic mobility and unlock the American Dream for millions,” Esusu Co-Founders and Co-CEOs Wemimo Abbey and Samir Goel said in a statement. “We are proud to partner with Zillow to reimagine financial access and open the pathway to homeownership and generational wealth.”

Zillow first launched free rent reporting in 2024 for renters who pay through Zillow, and so far has reported on-time payments to help more than 141,000 renters.

Esusu was founded in 2018 and has reached over 5 million rental units and 12 million renters across all 50 states in the United States.