Zillow Expands Rent Reporting Program to Help Renters Build Credit History
Since launching its rent reporting program in 2024, Zillow has reported over 1.78 million on-time rent payments for free to credit bureaus as of July 2026. In that month alone, more than 78,000 renters had their timely payments reflected in their credit history—a 26% increase from the previous year. This growth highlights a growing demand among renters seeking tools to build or improve their credit scores. According to VantageScore, nearly four million U.S. renters could become eligible for mortgages if on-time rent reporting is included in their credit profiles. Insufficient credit history was cited as the leading cause of mortgage denials in 2025, surpassing debt-to-income ratios. Zillow's CreditClimb tool, powered by Esusu and launched in November 2025, now allows all renters—regardless of where they pay rent—to report their payments to credit bureaus. Zillow aims to help renters overcome financial barriers to homeownership through its expanding suite of tools. These include BuyAbility, which helps users estimate what they can afford based on personal finances and current mortgage rates.
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