How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Rankite is independent; if a vendor ever pays for a featured spot, that listing is clearly labeled Partner.
Key takeaways
- Landlords with 1 to 20 units should start free: TurboTenant, Stessa, Innago and Avail all offer genuinely free tiers that cover listings, screening and rent collection.
- Flat-rate pricing wins as you grow: RentRedi ($12/month, unlimited units) costs the same at 5 doors and 50, while per-unit platforms like DoorLoop and Buildium climb with every door you add.
- Growing portfolios that need real accounting should compare DoorLoop (from $2.50/unit/month, $199 minimum) and Buildium (from $62/month): both cover the full cycle from listing to ledger.
- Commercial units need different software: none of the free landlord tools handle CAM reconciliation or complex leases, so read the commercial section before committing.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 DoorLoop | Growing landlords who need real accounting | From $2.50/unit/month (DoorLoop One, $199/month minimum) | No |
 Buildium | Landlords scaling from dozens to hundreds of units | From $62/month (Essential) | No (14-day free trial) |
 RentRedi | Independent landlords who hate per-unit pricing | From $12/month (flat rate, unlimited units) | No |
 TurboTenant | DIY landlords managing their first rentals | Free (Essentials plan from $12.42/month) | Yes |
 AppFolio | Large portfolios and professional management companies | See website | No |
 Stessa | Landlords who need clean books and tax reports | See website | Yes |
 Innago | Landlords who want management software for free | Free | Yes |
 Avail | Landlords focused on finding and placing tenants | Free (Unlimited Plus $9/unit/month) | Yes |
 Yardi Breeze | Residential landlords who may add commercial units | See website | No |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best property management software for landlords
Rent collection is the job that decides everything. A platform that lists your unit, screens the applicant, collects rent online and hands your accountant clean books is worth real money. One that charges per unit while your portfolio doubles is a tax on growth. Nine tools, sorted by the landlord they actually fit.
Starting priceFrom $2.50/unit/month (DoorLoop One, $199/month minimum)
Free planNo
DoorLoop rebuilt its pricing in 2026 around three tiers that each include the complete platform. DoorLoop One costs $2.50 per unit per month with a $199 monthly minimum, Connect adds a 24/7 AI receptionist at $4.00 per unit ($299 minimum), and Multiply adds maintenance and lease-renewal agents at $5.00 per unit ($399 minimum). The old flat-rate Starter plan is gone.
What you get is genuinely full-featured: a real chart of accounts, owner portals, maintenance workflows, listing syndication and QuickBooks sync. The accounting depth is the reason reviewers pick DoorLoop over cheaper rivals. But run the math at your unit count. At 10 units, the $199 minimum works out to nearly $20 per unit, well above the old Starter price. DoorLoop fits landlords past 20 units who want one system to run the business.
What we like- Full accounting, leasing, maintenance and payments in one platform with an open API
- AI agents now handle reception, maintenance ops and lease renewals on higher tiers
- Unlimited users and document storage on every plan
Watch out for- 2026 pricing moved to per-unit with a $199 monthly minimum, so small landlords pay more than before
- Tenant screening costs $35 per report on top
#2
Buildium
Best for: Landlords scaling from dozens to hundreds of units
Visit buildium.com
Starting priceFrom $62/month (Essential)
Free planNo (14-day free trial)
Buildium is the veteran of this list, now part of RealPage, and it shows in the accounting. Essential starts at $62 a month with core accounting, maintenance and leasing. Growth at $192 and Premium at $400 add automation, business analytics and an open API. For landlords running 50 to 500 units with owner clients to report to, the owner portals and financial reporting are the draw.
Watch the extras. Tenant screening runs $17 to $35 per report, eSignatures cost per document on lower tiers, and payment processing fees apply per transaction. None of this is hidden, Buildium publishes it on the pricing page, but the effective monthly cost runs above the headline. A 14-day free trial with no credit card lets you test the workflow before committing.
What we like- Deep accounting with 1099 e-filing, bank reconciliation and owner statements
- Rental listing syndication and TransUnion screening built in
- 24/7 support and a large marketplace of integrations
Watch out for- Pricing climbs with unit count and add-ons (screening, eSignatures, payment fees) stack up
- Onboarding is required on Growth and Premium plans
Starting priceFrom $12/month (flat rate, unlimited units)
Free planNo
RentRedi's pitch is arithmetic. Most platforms charge per unit, so the bill grows with your portfolio. RentRedi charges from $12 a month flat, whether you manage 1 unit or 100, and every feature, rent collection, accounting, screening, listings, messaging, maintenance, is included. The annual term saves the most at $215.40 a year.
It is a deliberately simple product: no tiers to decode, no per-unit math. The trade is that there is no free plan, and screening costs $39.99 per applicant, paid by the tenant, or $49.99 with income verification. For landlords between 5 and 100 units who want one predictable bill, RentRedi is the value pick of this list.
What we like- One flat price covers unlimited units, tenants and bank accounts
- Every feature included on every billing term
- 30-day money-back guarantee instead of a limited trial
Watch out for- No free tier, so you pay from day one
- Tenant screening is tenant-paid at $39.99, which some applicants resist
Starting priceFree (Essentials plan from $12.42/month)
Free planYes
TurboTenant is where most first-time landlords should start, because the free plan covers the whole leasing cycle. List on 28-plus sites, collect applications, run TransUnion credit, criminal and eviction checks, sign state-specific leases and collect rent online, all for $0 a month with no contract. The company claims over a million self-managing landlords.
Paid tiers add convenience, not essentials. Essentials at $12.42 a month adds unlimited leases and faster rent collection; Pro at $16.48 adds income verification, free ACH and built-in accounting. Screening costs tenants $45 to $55 per application, which is standard. If you manage 1 to 10 units and want to spend nothing, start here and upgrade only when the accounting tools matter.
What we like- Genuinely free forever for core tools: listings, screening, rent collection and maintenance
- No contracts on any plan
- Screening reports are free for landlords with the tenant paying the fee
Watch out for- Full accounting and income verification need the Pro plan at $16.48/month
- Phone support only on paid plans
- Not built for short-term rentals
#5
AppFolio
Best for: Large portfolios and professional management companies
Visit appfolio.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
AppFolio is the platform professional managers graduate to. It automates leasing, accounting, maintenance and communication at a scale the free tools cannot touch, with AI features woven through the workflow. Large residential operators with hundreds of units run their whole business on it.
The catch is the entry bar. Published per-unit pricing disappeared in favor of quotes, with third-party guides reporting roughly $1.49 per unit per month, a monthly minimum near $300 and a 50-unit minimum. That prices out anyone under 50 doors. If you manage a serious portfolio and want the deepest automation, request the quote. Everyone else should look at DoorLoop or Buildium.
What we like- Broadest feature set with AI-assisted leasing, accounting and maintenance
- Strong automation for high-volume operations
- Built-in resident and owner experience tools
Watch out for- Pricing moved to quote-only with reported minimums near $280 to $298 a month and a 50-unit minimum
- Overkill for small landlords
#6
Stessa
Best for: Landlords who need clean books and tax reports
Visit stessa.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Stessa does one job and skips the rest. It is rental accounting and performance tracking: connect bank accounts, categorize income and expenses per property, store documents and generate tax-ready reports. For landlords who already handle tenants informally but dread tax season, that focus is the appeal.
Do not buy Stessa expecting tenant screening or maintenance tickets. It has none. The free tier covers the bookkeeping basics, and paid plans add advanced reporting. Pair it with TurboTenant for leasing if you want a free full stack, or use it as the accounting layer under whatever manager you hire.
What we like- Free tier tracks income, expenses and documents per property
- Tax-ready reports including Schedule E summaries
- Simple enough to replace a spreadsheet habit
Watch out for- Not a full management platform: no leasing, screening or maintenance workflows
- Paid tiers needed for advanced reporting
#7
Innago
Best for: Landlords who want management software for free
Visit innago.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Innago is free in the way landlords actually want: the core platform costs nothing, with revenue from optional tenant-paid services. You get listings, online applications, e-sign leases, rent collection, late fee automation and maintenance tracking without a subscription. For a landlord with a handful of units watching every dollar, it removes the cost objection entirely.
The trade is depth. Accounting reports and analytics lag behind Buildium and DoorLoop, and the free model means tenant fees fund the business. If your tenants push back on fees, the savings evaporate. For straightforward residential rentals at small scale, Innago is the cheapest credible option on this list.
What we like- Free for landlords with no unit caps on the core plan
- Covers applications, leases, rent collection and maintenance requests
- Simple interface with a short learning curve
Watch out for- Revenue comes from tenant-paid fees, which some landlords dislike passing on
- Accounting and reporting are thinner than paid rivals
#8
Avail
Best for: Landlords focused on finding and placing tenants
Visit avail.co
Starting priceFree (Unlimited Plus $9/unit/month)
Free planYes
Avail, part of the Realtor.com network, is built around the leasing funnel. The free tier lists your unit, collects applications, screens tenants and generates a state-specific lease you both sign online. Listing syndication reaches the big rental sites, which is why landlords with frequent turnover like it.
Unlimited Plus at $9 per unit per month opens up the full feature set, but the per-unit math punishes growth: 20 units costs $180 a month. At that point RentRedi or DoorLoop cost less for more software. Use Avail free for leasing, or pay only while your portfolio stays small.
What we like- Free tier covers listings, applications and leases
- Syndication to major rental sites included
- State-specific lease templates with e-signature
Watch out for- Per-unit pricing on Unlimited Plus adds up fast past a few doors
- Maintenance and accounting features are lighter than full platforms
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Yardi Breeze is the small-landlord edition of Yardi, the enterprise platform behind some of the largest property portfolios in the country. Breeze covers residential marketing, applications, payments and maintenance, while Breeze Premier extends to commercial properties with the lease structures and reporting commercial landlords need.
That commercial path is the reason it is here. None of the free tools on this list handle CAM charges or complex commercial leases. Pricing is quote-based, historically around $1 per unit per month with a $100 minimum for Breeze. If your portfolio might include retail or office space, Breeze keeps you on one platform instead of migrating later.
What we like- Backed by Yardi's enterprise real estate pedigree
- Breeze Premier adds commercial property capabilities the other tools lack
- Solid marketing, accounting and maintenance in one system
Watch out for- No free tier and pricing is quote-based
- The interface feels dated next to DoorLoop and Buildium
What to look for before you buy
Count your doors first, then price three scenarios: today, double the units, and the portfolio you want in three years. Per-unit pricing looks cheap at 5 doors and punishing at 50. That is why RentRedi's flat $12 and DoorLoop's $199 minimum tell completely different stories depending on your size. Free tiers from TurboTenant, Innago, Avail and Stessa are genuinely usable, not demos, so there is no reason to pay before you have tenants.
Then check the two costs nobody advertises. Payment processing: ACH fees, card percentages and per-transaction charges vary widely and hit every month. Tenant screening: most platforms pass $35 to $55 per applicant to the tenant, which is standard, but confirm it works in your state. Finally, test the accounting reports before you commit. Every platform claims great reporting; only some produce a Schedule E summary your CPA will accept without rework.
The commercial question
Residential landlord software and commercial property management software are different products wearing similar names. Commercial leases bring CAM reconciliations, percentage rent clauses, multi-tenant billing and compliance reporting that residential tools simply do not model. If any unit in your portfolio is retail, office or industrial, shortlist Yardi Breeze Premier or Propertyware alongside the residential tools, and ask each vendor to demo a CAM true-up with your lease terms. Buying a residential platform for commercial units means rebuilding your books in year two. The reverse is fine: commercial-capable platforms handle residential units without complaint.
How we chose
We built this list from vendor pricing pages, product documentation, and 2026 landlord software comparisons, checked in October 2026. A tool made the cut only if it is actively sold today, serves US landlords, and covers at least two of the core jobs: leasing, rent collection, maintenance or accounting. Prices come from each vendor's own pricing page where published; DoorLoop's 2026 repricing and RentRedi's flat rate were read directly off their current pages. Where a vendor does not publish pricing, we write See website instead of guessing. We did not run hands-on trials. The trade-offs reflect consistent reviewer feedback and the documented fee structures.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free property management software for landlords?
TurboTenant, Innago and Avail all offer free tiers that cover listings, applications, screening and rent collection. Stessa adds free rental bookkeeping. The free plans are genuinely usable for 1 to 10 units. Expect to pay once you need advanced accounting, or when per-unit paid tiers become cheaper than the limits of free.
How much does property management software cost?
Free tiers cover the basics. Paid plans run from RentRedi's $12 a month flat rate to Buildium's $62 a month starting tier, up to DoorLoop's $199 monthly minimum and AppFolio's quote-based enterprise pricing near $300 a month minimum. Per-unit plans typically cost $1 to $9 per unit per month. Add screening fees ($35 to $55 per applicant, usually tenant-paid) and payment processing to the real total.
Should I choose per-unit or flat-rate pricing?
Flat rate wins once you pass about 15 to 20 units. Below that, per-unit plans like Yardi Breeze or Avail can be cheaper. Model your cost at double your current unit count before deciding: a platform that is cheap at 5 doors can be the most expensive line item at 50.
Can this software handle commercial properties?
Most landlord tools on this list are residential-only. Yardi Breeze Premier and Propertyware handle commercial leases, CAM charges and multi-tenant billing. If you manage retail, office or industrial space, confirm commercial lease modeling in a demo before buying.
Do I still need an accountant?
Yes, for tax filing and entity structure. What good software removes is the bookkeeping scramble: categorized income and expenses, rent rolls and Schedule E summaries your CPA can use directly. Stessa and Buildium both produce tax-ready reports that cut your accounting bill.
How long does it take to set up?
Free tools like TurboTenant or Innago can be running the same day: list a unit, share the application link and turn on rent collection. Full platforms like Buildium or DoorLoop typically need one to four weeks including bank connections, lease templates and tenant onboarding. Data migration from another platform adds time, so ask about import help.
Sources we checked (10)
- https://www.doorloop.com/pricing
- https://www.buildium.com/pricing/
- https://rentredi.com/pricing
- https://turbotenant.com/pricing/
- https://lula.life/articles/best-property-management-software
- https://rentredi.com/blog/best-property-management-software-independent-landlords/
- https://www.doorloop.com/blog/buildium-alternatives
- https://www.selecthub.com/property-management-software/buildium-vs-hemlane/
- https://softwarefinder.com/property-management-software/turbotenant
- https://credaily.com/reviews/turbotenant-review/
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has spent more than a decade helping SaaS and e-commerce brands grow through search. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.