Property Management Software

Raleigh, North Carolina
General Landlording & Rental Properties
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Property Management Software

Allison Park
Member since 2024 · 158 posts · 87 votes

I am looking to rent out a single property in the next 6 months and wanted to get recommendations on a property management software for small time DIY.  The Top 5 in my search so far based on minimum requirements. 

TenantCloud: https://www.tenantcloud.com/
Inaggo: https://innago.com/
RentRedi: https://rentredi.com/
TurboTenant: https:/turbotenant.com/
Avail (Realtor.com): https://www.avail.co/

Minimum requirements:
-Low (<$20/mo) or No Cost
-Listing/Syndication
-Background Check (Credit, Criminal, Eviction, Income)
-Application and Lease with eSign
-Automated Payments (prefer an option without fees)
-Easy to export financials for tax purposes

Questions:
1. Are there any software options that I am leaving out that I should look at? Any major pros/cons for the ones listed?
2. Are there any other min requirements that I should include?
3. It seems like they all want to charge for ACH and Credit Card Payments.  I would prefer to have a free options.  Thoughts on this?
4. It seems like most are tailored to long-term rentals. Are there any that allow you to convert to short-term?

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  • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    1y
    Quote from @Allison Park:

    Software is a common question on BiggerPockets. Here are some things to consider:

    1. Most investors don't need software until they have 5-10 rentals. You only need a place to track tenant information, payment history, maintenance, etc. You can easily do this on a spreadsheet, and it will take less time to track than finding and learning new software. If the software is not simplifying your life or making you more accurate, you shouldn't use it. Go to Etsy and search for "rental property tracker," and you will find hundreds of nice spreadsheets to track 10-20 rentals, usually for under $10.
    2. Software has extremely helpful features like online payments, marketing syndication (click a button, and your property is advertised on multiple sites), electronic document review/signing, maintenance tracking, and owner reports. Do you need all this for a couple of rentals?
    3. There is no perfect software out there. Every system you try will have flaws, or you may salivate over a feature that appears in other software.

    Some familiar names are mentioned frequently: Stessa, Apartments.com, RentRedi, TenantCloud, Innago, RentManager, Avail, Rentec Direct, Doorloop, etc.

    I recommend conducting thorough research on each app online to understand their offerings, pricing, etc. Create a simple spreadsheet or written list to compare the features of each and identify the ones that align with your requirements. Try to narrow down your options to the top 3-4. Once you have a shortlist, sign up for an account with each one and test them extensively to see how they function. Perform the same task in each app to ensure a fair comparison.

    • Load a property with pictures and details.
    • Market that property.
    • See what your marketing looks like from the public's perspective.
    • Submit a fake application to see how easy the process is.
    • Run a credit/screening report on yourself.
    • Enter a maintenance request, assign a vendor, and attach a fake invoice.
    • Enter charges to the tenant's ledger.
    • Enter recurring charges and automatic late fees.
    • Sign documents electronically.
    • Run owner reports.

    After testing a few apps, one should clearly stand out. It's important to choose that one and commit to using it. Remember, no system is perfect, so avoid the temptation of constantly chasing after the next shiny object. You should only consider switching when your current software has a significant flaw or lacks features that force you to spend excessive time on workarounds. At that point, it's worth researching and finding a solution that better meets your needs.

    The DIY Landlord Book4.7248 Reviews
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  • Allison Park
    OP
    Member since 2024 · 158 posts · 87 votes
    1y

    @Nathan Gesner Thanks very much for the information...I never would have thought to check on Etsy.  The biggest advantage of a software for me is they allow online forms and esign.  I want to be able to do everything online since I value my time.  Other than that I would be fine with a spreadsheet to start.  I am already doing an analysis...will share it with the community when I complete it.

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  • Rachid AbadliBusiness Member
    Investor · Sacramento, CA · Member since 2024 · 129 posts · 33 votes
    17h

    Depends on your portfolio size and what matters most. Under 10 units, the free tier platforms (TurboTenant, Avail, Innago) handle the basics — listing, screening, lease creation, rent collection. The trade-off is they monetize through tenant fees or limited features. 10-50 units, you probably want Buildium or RentRedi (free with BP Pro). 50+, AppFolio or Rent Manager. The real question is: what's your biggest pain point right now? If it's screening, optimize for that. If it's maintenance, optimize for work order tracking. No single platform is best at everything.

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