1–20 unit landlords
Best property management software for landlords with 1–5 units
If you own a handful of doors, you do not need AppFolio. You need rent in on time, a clean screening trail, leases you can find, and maintenance requests that do not live in text threads. This page ranks options by fit for 1–5 units, not by who has the flashiest homepage.
How we scored (criteria you can verify)
- Pricing model — flat monthly vs per-unit vs free-with-caps. For 1–5 units, per-unit fees and high floor prices hurt fast.
- Rent collection — ACH/card options, autopay, late-fee tools. Note tenant-facing fees separately from your subscription.
- Leasing + screening — applications, TransUnion (or similar) screening, e-sign leases.
- Day-2 ops — maintenance requests, messaging, document storage.
- Accounting depth — built-in books vs export-to-QuickBooks/Schedule E helpers. We do not invent “best accounting” claims.
- Mobile reality — landlord + tenant apps if you manage from a phone.
What we will not do: invent star ratings, fake testimonials, or guaranteed prices. Numbers below are approximate from public materials as of Sep 2026 and can change without notice.
Shortlist at a glance
| Tool | Best when… | Pricing shape (approx.) | Watch-outs |
|---|---|---|---|
| TurboTenant | You want a free starting point focused on leasing + rent | Free tier; Premium/Pro roughly ~$149–$199/yr (verify) | Full accounting / some advanced features sit on paid tiers or add-ons |
| Avail (Realtor.com) | You like guided workflows and listing syndication | Free tier reported; paid often ~$9/unit/mo for premium (verify) | Per-unit math adds up if you grow; confirm what “free” still includes |
| RentRedi | You want one flat subscription + strong mobile apps | Often cited ~$12/mo annual / ~$30/mo monthly, unlimited units (verify) | No free forever tier; confirm ACH/card fees tenants pay |
| TenantCloud | You want flexible modules and roommates / multi-tenant setups | Free capped tier; paid plans scale (verify current Starter+) | Easy to over-configure; price the exact modules you need |
| Innago | Budget-first landlords who still want digital rent + leasing | Free capped → paid per unit (verify) | Confirm reporting depth before tax season |
Usually skip at 1–5 units
Buildium and DoorLoop are real platforms — and usually the wrong economic fit this small. Public pricing often starts around the $60–$100+/mo floor (plus payment/e-sign fees depending on plan). That overhead is fine for a growing PM shop; it is steep for a duplex and two SFHs. Revisit them when you have more doors, owner statements, or trust-accounting needs.
Pick by situation (not by brand)
Start free, upgrade later
Begin with TurboTenant, Avail, TenantCloud, or Innago free tiers. Write down which features are gated before you list the unit.
Pay once, stop nickel-and-diming
If you hate per-unit math and live on your phone, evaluate RentRedi’s flat plan against the paid tiers of free-first tools at your unit count.
Books matter more than listings
Prefer tools with clear exports (or built-in Schedule E helpers) and test a sample P&L before tax season. Do not trust marketing copy — export a CSV.
Tenants pay in cash sometimes
Ask whether cash retail pay is supported (RentRedi markets this). Confirm the fee and how it posts to the ledger.
30-minute decision checklist
- Count doors you will manage in the next 12 months (not your dream portfolio).
- List must-haves: ACH rent, screening, e-sign, maintenance, owner/partner login.
- Price each finalist at your unit count including tenant payment fees.
- Create a dummy property in the trial/free tier and run one fake lease cycle.
- Export sample reports. If you cannot get data out, do not move in.
Related pages (coming)
- RentRedi vs TurboTenant vs Avail — side-by-side criteria table
- Per-unit vs flat-rate: break-even math for 3, 8, and 15 units
- Landlord software switch checklist (data you must export first)
This is educational product research, not legal, tax, or fair-housing advice. Screening and lease rules vary by state. Verify current pricing on each vendor’s site before you subscribe.