How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- AppFolio and Buildium are the strongest all-round replacements, with deep property management for growing portfolios.
- Entrata and ResMan suit larger operators with many units and complex needs.
- Avail and TenantCloud offer affordable options for independent landlords with fewer units.
- Rent Manager and PropertyBoss cover mid-size operators that want flexible, customizable systems.
- Start with unit count and type, since that decides which tool fits your portfolio.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 AppFolio | growing portfolios with professional management needs | See website | Free trial |
 Buildium | all-round management for small and mid-size portfolios | See website | Free trial |
 Entrata | large operators with complex portfolios | See website | Free trial |
 Avail | independent landlords with a few units | See website | Yes |
 TenantCloud | affordable tools for landlords and small managers | See website | Yes |
 Rent Manager | customizable management for mid-size operators | See website | Free trial |
 ResMan | affordable housing and growing portfolios | See website | Free trial |
 PropertyBoss | flexible management for varied property types | See website | Free trial |
Is your product missing or out of date?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 crib alternatives
#1AppFolio
Best for: growing portfolios with professional management needs4.6/5 on
G2 (1,203 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit appfolio.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
AppFolio is a leading property management platform covering leasing, rent collection, maintenance, accounting, and owner reporting, with mobile apps for managers, owners, and residents. It suits growing portfolios that need professional operations, from marketing vacancies to handling maintenance requests and financial reports. The platform also covers screening, online payments, and communication in one system.
Pricing rises with unit counts, and setup takes time for larger portfolios. For a property manager replacing Crib with a proven, full-featured platform, AppFolio is the strongest pick here. Its mobile apps are the feature managers and residents use most.
What we like- Deep features
- Good mobile apps
- Strong reporting
Watch out for- Pricing rises with units
- Setup takes time
#2Buildium
Best for: all-round management for small and mid-size portfolios4.4/5 on
G2 (285 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit buildium.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
Buildium offers property management for small and mid-size portfolios, with leasing, rent collection, maintenance, accounting, and resident portals in one system. The interface is easy to learn, which suits managers moving from spreadsheets or simpler tools. Accounting covers owner statements, budgets, and financial reports that owners actually read.
Advanced features sit on higher plans, and customization is limited next to Rent Manager. For a manager who wants solid all-round property management without enterprise complexity, Buildium is an excellent pick. Its balance of features and ease is the reason it suits mid-size portfolios well.
What we like- Easy to learn
- Good accounting
- Solid resident tools
Watch out for- Advanced features need higher plans
- Customization is limited
#3Entrata
Best for: large operators with complex portfolios4.6/5 on
G2 (820 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit entrata.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
Entrata is a property management platform for large operators, covering leasing, marketing, payments, maintenance, and accounting, with integrations to many industry tools. It suits portfolios with hundreds or thousands of units, where leasing speed and operational control matter most. The platform also covers affordable housing and student housing workflows.
Pricing is enterprise-level, and setup is complex for smaller portfolios. For a large operator replacing Crib at scale, Entrata is a strong enterprise pick. Its leasing and marketing tools are the features large operators value most.
What we like- Deep enterprise features
- Good leasing tools
- Strong integrations
Watch out for- Enterprise pricing
- Complex setup for smaller portfolios
#4Avail
Best for: independent landlords with a few units4.8/5 on
G2 (153 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit avail.co
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Avail offers property management for independent landlords, with listings, applications, screening, leases, rent collection, and maintenance tracking. The free core plan covers basic use, which suits landlords with a few units who want professional tools without monthly costs. Listings syndicate to major rental sites, and rent collection works online.
Features for large portfolios are limited, and advanced accounting is lighter than AppFolio or Buildium. For an independent landlord with a handful of units, Avail is the best free-to-start pick here. Its simplicity is the reason small landlords adopt it fast.
What we like- Free core features
- Easy listings
- Good for small landlords
Watch out for- Limited for large portfolios
- Fewer advanced features
#5TenantCloud
Best for: affordable tools for landlords and small managers4.4/5 on
G2 (300 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit tenantcloud.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
TenantCloud offers property management for landlords and small managers, with listings, rent collection, maintenance, accounting, and resident communication. The free plan covers basic use, while paid plans add more units and features. The interface is easy to use, and setup takes little time.
Advanced features sit on paid plans, and the brand is smaller than AppFolio or Buildium. For a landlord or small manager who wants affordable tools with a free starting point, TenantCloud is a strong pick. Its rent collection and maintenance tools cover the daily jobs well.
What we like- Free plan available
- Good rent collection
- Easy to use
Watch out for- Advanced features need paid plans
- Smaller brand than AppFolio
#6Rent Manager
Best for: customizable management for mid-size operators4.6/5 on
G2 (287 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit rentmanager.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
Rent Manager offers customizable property management for mid-size operators, with leasing, accounting, maintenance, and reporting that adapt to varied portfolios, including residential, commercial, and affordable housing. Customization covers fields, workflows, and reports, which suits operators with unusual needs that fixed tools cannot meet.
The learning curve is real, and the interface feels dated next to AppFolio. For an operator who needs customization more than polish, Rent Manager is a strong pick. Its accounting depth is the feature finance teams value most.
What we like- Highly customizable
- Strong accounting
- Good for varied portfolios
Watch out for- Learning curve
- Interface feels dated
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
ResMan offers property management for conventional and affordable housing portfolios, with leasing, payments, maintenance, and compliance tools for affordable programs. It suits operators that manage affordable units alongside market-rate units, since compliance tracking for affordable programs is built in. Plans are affordable for growing portfolios.
The brand is smaller than AppFolio or Entrata, and integrations are fewer. For an operator with affordable housing in the mix, ResMan is a distinctive pick. Its compliance features are the reason affordable operators choose it.
What we like- Good affordable housing support
- Solid leasing
- Affordable plans
Watch out for- Smaller brand than AppFolio
- Fewer integrations
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
PropertyBoss offers flexible property management for varied property types, including residential, commercial, and community associations, with leasing, accounting, maintenance, and owner reporting. The setup adapts to different portfolio shapes, which suits managers with mixed property types. Support is known for helpfulness.
The brand is smaller than AppFolio or Buildium, and the interface feels dated. For a manager with a varied portfolio who wants flexibility over polish, PropertyBoss is a solid pick. Its adaptability is the reason mixed-portfolio managers choose it.
What we like- Flexible setup
- Good for varied portfolios
- Solid support
Watch out for- Smaller brand
- Interface feels dated
How we chose
We compared these tools on leasing, rent collection, maintenance, accounting, pricing, and fit for different portfolio sizes. We checked vendor pages and public comparison guides, and where pricing was not published we wrote See website instead of guessing. We kept the list to tools a real landlord or manager can sign up for today, and we left out tools that only cover one narrow property task. We also weighed resident experience, since a tool that frustrates tenants creates more work for managers than any feature saves.
How to pick a Crib replacement for your portfolio
Start with unit count and type. A handful of units points to Avail or TenantCloud. Dozens of units point to Buildium or Rent Manager. Hundreds of units point to AppFolio or Entrata. Affordable units point to ResMan. Mixed types point to PropertyBoss or Rent Manager. Picking by portfolio reality avoids paying for scale you do not need, or buying a small tool that breaks as you grow.
Next, test the daily workflows during trials: list a vacancy, screen an applicant, collect rent, handle a maintenance request, and produce an owner statement. Those five tasks cover most property management work, and a tool that fumbles any of them will frustrate managers and residents daily. Also check mobile apps, since managers and residents increasingly work from phones.
Finally, compare total cost per unit across a year, including add-ons for screening, payments, and premium features. A tool that looks cheap per month can grow expensive with per-transaction fees, and vice versa. Also check data migration help, since moving tenant, lease, and payment history is the hardest part of switching systems.
Also check fair housing and legal compliance features before you commit. Screening, advertising, and lease decisions must follow fair housing laws and local rules, so confirm that your chosen tool supports consistent screening criteria, proper consent workflows, and audit trails for decisions. A tool that makes compliance easy protects landlords from costly mistakes, while one that encourages inconsistent screening creates legal risk. When in doubt, consult a local housing attorney about your screening and leasing practices.
Frequently asked questions
What is Crib used for?
Crib is property management software for landlords and managers, covering listings, tenants, rent, and maintenance. Users replacing it usually need the same leasing, collection, and maintenance capability from another vendor. Match the replacement to your unit count first, since scale decides fit more than any single feature. Start first with unit count and type every time when choosing.
Which alternative is best for small landlords?
Avail is best for small landlords, with free core features and easy listings. TenantCloud is a strong rival with a free plan and solid rent collection. Both suit landlords with a handful of units who want professional tools without high costs. Start free, and upgrade only when unit counts or feature needs grow.
How does online rent collection work?
Tenants pay through a resident portal by bank transfer or card, with payments tracked automatically and receipts issued. Most tools here support autopay and late fee rules, which reduce chasing and disputes. Check transaction fees during evaluation, since they vary by payment method, and confirm how failed payments and partial payments are handled, since those edge cases cause the most manager headaches.
Can these tools handle maintenance requests?
Yes. Most tools here let residents submit maintenance requests online, with photos, tracking, and vendor assignment. Managers can prioritize, assign, and close requests from a dashboard, which beats phone and email tracking for busy portfolios. Set response time expectations with residents, and track completion times, since slow maintenance is the top reason tenants leave at renewal.
What about tenant screening?
Most tools here offer screening for credit, eviction history, and criminal background, usually as a paid add-on or per-report fee. Screening must follow fair housing and credit reporting laws, so check compliance features and consent workflows before using screening. Apply the same criteria to every applicant, document decisions, and give applicants a chance to explain negative findings, since inconsistent screening is both unfair and legally risky.
How long does migration take?
Small portfolios can migrate in days or weeks, while larger portfolios with many units, leases, and payment histories often take months. Plan migration in phases, verify tenant and lease data carefully, and keep the old system readable until the new one is verified. Reconcile payment histories unit by unit before go-live, since a rent balance error on day one destroys resident trust, and train staff on the new system before their units move, so questions get answered fast.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://www.appfolio.com
- https://www.buildium.com
- https://www.entrata.com
- https://www.avail.co
- https://www.tenantcloud.com
- https://www.rentmanager.com
- https://www.resman.com
- https://www.propertyboss.com
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 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.