Introduction
Managing rental properties demands juggling numerous responsibilities like screenings, rent collection, maintenance, and legal compliance – a challenge for small landlords. Luckily, user-friendly property management software streamlines these tasks into one efficient digital system.
Designed specifically for independent landlords or those with smaller portfolios, these user-friendly platforms offer robust tools for staying organized – all from a centralized digital hub.
This article delves into the best features of property management software for small landlords and how they streamline and simplify the entire rent process, saving time and minimizing stress. We’ve also included a shortlist of our top software picks in the industry.
What is property management software for small landlords?
This specific class of property management software are digital platforms designed to help small landlords streamline and automate key tasks involved in operating a few rental properties.
Core features typically include online rental applications and tenant screening, rent payment processing, maintenance request tracking, accounting and financial reporting, and document storage.
By consolidating these functionalities into one system, property management software for small landlords enables more efficient operations, better organization, and time savings versus manual methods.
How we selected the best property management software for small landlords
A thorough evaluation process was undertaken to identify top-rated property management software for small landlords. We closely examined each platform’s feature set – assessing tools for tenant screening, rent collection, maintenance coordination, and accounting integration.
Additionally, aggregating and analyzing online user reviews shed light on real-world performance and customer satisfaction. Pricing models were compared to ensure cost-effectiveness for smaller rental portfolios.
Finally, an emphasis was placed on evaluating the overall suitability and ease of use for independent landlords without dedicated property management staff.
Through this multi-faceted approach, a well-rounded assessment was made to determine the best software solutions tailored to small landlords’ needs.
6 best property management tools for small landlords
An analysis of over 50 property management solutions identified the top features driving user satisfaction. These four factors were selected by an algorithm analyzing attributes most predictive of customer approval.
- User-friendly platforms enable easy navigation and task completion for landlords and tenants.
- Tenant portals provide 24/7 access for requests and payments.
- Rental payment integration allows streamlined online rent collection.
- Strong maintenance management tools simplify organizing and tracking repair jobs.
After evaluating these key areas, our top software picks for small landlords are:
- RentPost for all-around performance
- Innago for personal, freelance, and startups with 1-2 properties
- Landlord Studio for landlords managing less than 5 units
- DoorLoop for landlords with over 10 units
- RentRedi for landlords with growing portfolios
- TenantCloud for DIY landlords and small portfolios
These intuitive platforms provide the required tools for screening tenants, tracking finances, coordinating repairs, and staying organized.
1. RentPost
Best for: All-around
RentPost pros:
- Streamlined end-to-end property management for all property types
- User-friendly interface and navigation
- Detailed built-in reporting features
- No minimum number of units
RentPost cons:
- Lacks marketing capabilities
- Limited customization ability
- Lacks some specialized tools found in larger software platforms
Free plan: No
Pricing: $29 per month + $1 per unit
Description:
RentPost simplifies rental property management, offering tools to track leases, accounting, work orders, and online rent collection. Created for residential and commercial PM companies and landlords of all sizes, RentPost’s platform scales from a few units to thousands.
Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Tampa, Florida, RentPost aims to save customers time and money while making property management enjoyable. Those interested can test drive the software with a free 30-day no-commitment trial.
Key features:
- Built-in tenant screening tools
- Online portals for owners and tenants
- Rent collection via ACH or credit cards
- Real-time information on payment status and pending cases
- Maintenance requests and tracking
- Accounting for income, expenses, and financial reporting
- Document storage for leases, invoices, inspection reports, images, etc.
- Configurable workflows to match business process
Unlock the power of streamlined property management with RentPost! Sign up now for a 30-day FREE trial.
2. Innago
Suitable for: Personal, freelance, and startups with 1-2 properties
Innago pros:
- Cost and simplicity
- No contract, no setup and monthly fees
- User-friendly and modern interface
- Syndicates listings to huge sites like Realtor, Zillow, and Zumper
Innago cons:
- Takes a long time for pages to load
- Notable increase in glitches and malfunctions with prolonged use
- Accounting feature does not pull in bank transactions to reconcile transactions
- Doesn’t work well for landlords with multiple properties
Free plan: Yes
Pricing: $0 per month
Description:
Innago offers a free, user-friendly property management platform making rental operations simple and economical for all landlords. Centralized applications facilitate tenant screening, listings, work orders, lease agreements, rent collection, communications, financial tracking, and more.
Their mission focuses on an accessible solution saving landlords time and money rather than complex, expensive software becoming more problematic than helpful.
Key features:
- Custom applications and tenant screening
- Online rent payments
- Late fees and invoice automation
- Online leasing and documentation storage
- Financial tracking and reporting
- Work order tracking
- Communication and messaging
- Direct personal support
3. Landlord Studio
Suitable for: Landlords managing less than 5 units
Landlord Studio pros:
- Low starting price point
- Free version available
- Easy to learn and operate
- Has an appealing user interface
Landlord Studio cons:
- Manual income expense tracking on free version
- Level of detail in reports is limited and requires improvement
- Lacks advanced features found in comparable software
Free plan: Yes
Pricing: $12 per month for minimum of 3 units + $1/unit
Description:
Created for DIY and small-to-medium landlords, Landlord Studio optimizes property management through user-friendly, mobile-accessible cloud software that centralizes accounting, communication, and automation to minimize administrative burdens.
Available as a progressive web and mobile application, Landlord Studio charges only affordable monthly fees per managed unit without setup costs or hidden payments.
Key features:
- Multi-user access
- Automated bank feeds
- Recurring expenses
- Unlimited receipts & documents storage
- Advanced reports
- Automated reminders
- Xero integration
- Full data export
4. DoorLoop
Suitable for: Landlords with over 10 units
DoorLoop pros:
- 50% off first 2 months
- Fully customizable and very intuitive UI
- Supports multiple currencies
- Exemplary customer service
DoorLoop cons:
- Higher starting price point
- Must have Pro version for phone support
- Only premium version allows integrations
- Integrations only through Zapier
Free plan: No
Pricing: $69 per month (59/month if billed yearly)
Description:
Created in 2019 and launched in 2021, DoorLoop is a cloud-based, global property management software suited for all property types and scales. It is available across over 100 countries and supports multiple currencies.
Whether overseeing one or thousands of residential, commercial, student, mobile, workforce or other rentals, DoorLoop facilitates property administration through integrated revenue management, work order systems, and applicant tracking.
Key features:
- Online owner and tenant portals for access and communication
- Tools for creating listings, marketing vacancies
- Perform tenant applications/background checks
- Collect and track rent electronically
- Handle maintenance requests and dispatch contractors
- Robust built-in accounting, bookkeeping, and reporting
- Store all property documents like leases in one place
- Inventory management for tracking unit details
5. RentRedi
Suitable for: Landlords with growing portfolios
RentRedi pros:
- Straightforward dashboards for easy oversight
- Integration with listing sites like Zillow for posting vacancies
- Customizable tenant application forms
- Free marketing page to share listing to sites like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist
RentRedi cons:
- Lacks some specialized accounting functionalities
- Mobile app has restrictions on certain tasks
- Tenant portal is mobile-only
- Filters could be more customizable for pulling specialized reports
Free plan: No
Pricing: $29.95 per month
Description:
RentRedi amplifies property management by automating rent collection, applicant screening/verifying, listing/marketing vacancies, capturing eSignatures, tracking repairs, and enabling tenant self-service for payments, credit reporting, and maintenance requests.
Customizable listings and lead management tools also facilitate promoting properties while partnerships with Zillow, TransUnion, Plaid, and more allow robust applicant vetting.
Key features:
- Online owner and tenant portals for access and communication
- Tools for creating listings, marketing vacancies
- Perform tenant applications/background checks
- Collect and track rent electronically
- Handle maintenance requests and dispatch contractors
- Robust built-in accounting, bookkeeping, and reporting
- Store all property documents like leases in one place
- Inventory management for tracking unit details
6. TenantCloud
Suitable for: DIY landlords and small portfolios
TenantCloud pros:
- Best value between overall functionality and cost
- Unser-friendly interface
- Templates pre-fill tenant or unit specific details for leases and notices
- ServicePro feature helps users advertise their business or services
TenantCloud cons:
- Starter plan has very limited features (Added features need to be paid for)
- Limited document storage capabilities
- Owner portal does not display all property transactions
- Funds take 5 – 7 days to be credited to account
Free plan: No
Pricing: $15.60 per month
Description:
TenantCloud empowers landlords, tenants, and contractors through integrated self-service portals facilitating online rent payment, communications, maintenance requests, and more. This multitasking rental management solution centralizes accounting, marketing, invoicing, tenant screening/tracking, and service coordination functionalities into a single, efficient property oversight tool.
Key features:
- Rental application and tenant screening
- Online lease creation and signing
- Online rent payments
- Auto-pay and e-signing capabilities
- Maintenance bidding from and visual word orders to service pros
- Automatic listing syndication to post vacancies to numerous listing partners
- Accounting capabilities store, sort, and summarize finances
- Premium lead access and tracking
- Customizable reports
- Google synced calendar
What makes the best property management software for small landlords?
By leveraging technology, independent landlords can operate professionally, provide quality service, and maximize their rental profitability single-handedly.
Here are key features to look for in the best property management software for small landlords:
Affordability
The best software for small landlords offers competitive pricing models like free tiers or flat monthly fees per unit, instead of expensive enterprise packages with unnecessary tools. Pricing scales with needs.
RentPost provides small landlords with the basic tools for streamlining the rent process without the exorbitant charges and minimum unit requirement typically associated with most software. Just pay a flat monthly fee of $29 plus $1 for each unit.
Mobility & Ease of Use
Intuitive and easy-to-use platforms accessible across both web and mobile allow managing properties anywhere. Minimal training requirements and simple navigation remove adoption barriers.
Discover the effortless efficiency of RentPost’s intuitive desktop and mobile platforms and seamlessly manage your properties on-the-go with user-friendly interfaces, simplified navigation, and robust features.
Core Functionality
Robust features for collecting rent, screening applicants, tracking maintenance, and communicating with tenants handles core operational needs for overseeing a small number of properties.
Elevate your property management game with RentPost! Enjoy seamless lease tracking, maintenance management, and insightful reporting, all in one intuitive solution designed to simplify your landlord experience.
Automation
Automated tools for collecting electronic payments, assessing late fees, sending notifications, and generating reports save small landlords time on essential administrative tasks.
Experience the pinnacle of efficiency with RentPost’s cutting-edge automation features. Effortlessly collect electronic payments, assess late fees, send notifications, and generate insightful reports with precision and speed.
Scalability
While designed for smaller portfolios, adaptable platforms enable efficiently upgrading tools, adding users/properties, and integrating with other software as operational needs evolve over time.
Unlock limitless growth potential with RentPost’s unparalleled scalability. Whether you manage one property or a vast portfolio, our platform seamlessly adapts to your needs giving you the flexibility to expand your operations effortlessly without sacrificing efficiency or performance.
Best property management tools for small landlords at a glance
While my top picks for property management software cater to various needs and preferences, there are still several noteworthy options that didn’t quite make the cut but are certainly worth considering, especially for small landlords.
These alternatives offer unique features or pricing structures that align more closely with your specific requirements. In this section, we’ll explore some of these contenders, including their key features and benefits for landlords looking for effective property management solutions.
Avail
Avail is cloud software streamlining rental property management through features like rental listings, applications, background checks, and verifications to efficiently screen tenant applicants.
The company offers two pricing plans – Unlimited offers core tools free, while Unlimited Plus provides premium functionality for $7 per unit monthly. Landowners and managers can create listings, conduct eviction/credit/criminal checks, and store tenant history details to centralize operations.
Buildium
Buildium simplifies property management with cloud software enabling remote oversight of accounting, maintenance, leasing, communications, and more for residential complexes and homeowner associations.
Tiered pricing scales from Essential at $52 per month to Growth and Premium as needs expand, progressively adding enhanced screening, eSignatures, APIs, rewards programs, and all-inclusive premium capabilities.
Yardi Breeze
Yardi Breeze’s cloud platform streamlines key tasks, enhances communication, and increases performance to simplify property management operations for small-midsize companies through optimized accounting, leasing, maintenance and reporting.
Seamless third-party integrations further efficiency gains by connecting platforms like QuickBooks, DocuSign, Zillow, and TransUnion. You need to email the company for pricing details.
Rent Manager
Rent Manager is cloud-based software centralizing operations like accounting, work orders, maintenance, marketing, mobility, and tenant communications for property portfolios of any size or type.
Tiered pricing starts at $1 per unit/month for Basic, $1.50 per unit/month for Plus, and $2.25 per unit/month for Premium. Minimum requirements vary by tier starting at $200/month.
Rentec Direct
Rentec Direct is cloud software centralizing property management through integrated screening, rent collection, leasing, maintenance, reporting and more to maximize efficiency, tenant satisfaction and owner ROI.
Two tiered plans exist – Rentec Pro at $45 monthly providing core features and Rentec PM at $55 monthly for enhanced premium capabilities. Seamless third-party integrations with Payscore, Plaid, Dropbox Sign, IntelliCorp, Twilio, and zInspector complement internal tools.
Stessa
Stessa offers free and premium property management platforms streamlining oversight for owners maximizing real estate investments through centralized financial/tax records and performance analytics
Besides its free version, the Manage plan at $12/month and the Pro plan at $20 monthly further accelerate reporting, payments, budgeting, and analysis atop the core tracking in the base tier.
Try RentPost’s all-around property management software for FREE
When evaluating property management software as a small landlord, prioritize an intuitive, affordable solution optimized for efficiently overseeing just a few units rather than complex enterprise platforms built for large portfolios.
Seek mobile accessibility, tenant screening/communications features, integrated rent collection, centralized financial reporting, easy record keeping, and tax prep support. Don’t overpay for unnecessary bulk tools – focus on simplified, scalable oversight tailored to current needs.
RentPost centralizes all your rental operations–from applicant screening to rent collection, maintenance tracking and financial reporting–on an intuitive, easy-to-use and affordable platform that you can customize as your portfolio grows.
Switching systems is easier than you thought… See why RentPost is the simplest solution for the smoothest oversight. Start your 30-day FREE trial today!
