If you’re a landlord that self-manages your properties, there are several rental management platforms to choose from. The features and pricing vary from platform to platform, and figuring out which is best for you can be confusing, so I’ve done the work for you and compared the Top 8 platforms side by side!
In this post we will take a quick look at the difference between Apartments.com, Avail, Azibo, Baselane, EZ Landlord Forms, Rent Redi, Stessa, and Tenant Cloud. The chart below is a comparison at-a-glance. For a more detailed breakdown- specifically ACH Rental Payment fees for each platform, be sure to read to the end.
*These are the current features and pricing as of the date of this blog post. Features and pricing subject to change.
*These are the current features and pricing as of the date of this blog post. Please note that fee structures can change, and additional factors like account types, subscription plans, or specific services may affect the overall cost. Verify the latest details directly with each service provider or consult their current documentation for the most accurate and updated information.
AVAIL
ACH Payment fees: Landlords pay no fees to collect rent using Avail. The tenant pays the fees depending on the type of payment. If a landlord is on the Unlimited subscription, tenants must pay $2.50 per ACH payment. However, ACH fees are waived for landlords with the Unlimited Plus plan. Payments made with a credit or debit card require a 3.5% convenience fee. Learn more
App for iPhone and Android: No. Web based only.
My Two Cents: I used Avail for years but made the switch to Baselane over a year ago because Avail started charging a monthly fee for premium features. Overall, Avail is an amazing platform and does everything except banking. It’s a one-stop shop and has great functionality. The only feature that does not live up to the hype is their rental listing. When you advertise your rental on Avail, it posts it to apartments.com, realtor.com, Redfin, Apartment Finder and more…BUT it does not post it to Zillow and Zillow has the best rental listing traction by far. If you depend on Avail’s rental listing to get get eyes on your property…you might just hear crickets. If you go with Avail- be sure to list the rental on Zillow too, so that you can cover all your bases.
APARTMENTS.COM
ACH Payment Fees: There are no fees for collecting rent for landlords and there’s no fee for renters to pay via ACH transfer.
App for iPhone and Android: Only for renters. The property management features are web based only.
My Two Cents: I’ve used Apartments.com in the past and the platform has a lot of features, but overall it’s not as user friendly as the others. I didn’t have any issues with it, but their platform just isn’t as dynamic as the competition. The upside is, it’s free to use!
AZIBO
ACH Payment Fees: Azibo does not charge fees for ACH payments for the landlords nor tenants.
App for iPhone and Android: No. Web based only.
My Two Cents: Azibo is the new kid on the block in the rental management space. They have all of the features of their competitors (except the ability to list your rental in the platform) and they have no monthly fees + no transaction fees. What usually happens is the newer platforms are free for a while to increase usership and then they start charging fees later on down the road. I’ve seen that happen with several of the platforms on this list. If you are buying a new rental or onboarding a new tenant in an existing rental, you may want to give Azibo a try since it’s free!
BASELANE
ACH Payment Fees: Baselane charges a $2 fee on ACH payments if you’ve connected an external bank account to receive the rent. You have the option to cover the fee on your tenant’s behalf or your tenant will cover the $2 fee at the time of payment. Alternatively, you enjoy no-fee rent collection by collecting rent into Baselane Banking account.
Baselane has also recently added these new features: Rent Reporting– Tenants can build credit by reporting their on-time rent payments to major credit bureaus – adding extra value to their rental experience. CVS Import– Effortless Bookkeeping Migration with this CSV Import feature. Quick Pay – Quick Pay accelerates payouts and you get faster rent payments (2-3 business days) with baselane banking.
App for iPhone and Android: No. Web based only.
My Two Cents: I’m currently using Baselane and I love it! It doesn’t offer lease creation, applications or tenant screening but I use EZ Landlord Forms for that + Zillow or Furnished Finder for rental listings. What really sold me on Baselane is that it’s free to use and has amazing banking perks – 5% Cash back on home improvement purchases, 1% cash back on everything else, and up to 4.19% APY on savings account balances.
EZ LANDLORD FORMS
ACH Payment Fees: Tenants pay a $3 Fee for ACH Payments.
App for iPhone and Android: No. Web based only.
My Two Cents: If you are a landlord and you don’t have an EZ Landlord Forms account…this is your sign to get one! No matter what rental management platform you decide to use, it’s beneficial to use this along with it. Though EZ Landlord forms has added features like rent collection to compete with the other platforms- what makes them stand out is their library of attorney drafted, state specific legal forms. From contractor agreements, move out inspection checklists, eviction notices and more… you do not have to google your way through creating your own legal documents. They’ve done it for you! Their lease builder and tenant screening is amazing too! My husband used to write contracts for a living and he’s impressed with everything on their site. In my opinion, the best the Lifetime Access account is the best value. Use the code KEYFORMS to get 20% off.
RENT REDI
ACH Payment Fees: $1 ACH Fee for tenants.
App for iPhone and Android: Yes.
My Two Cents: I’ve never used Rent Redi but I have a landlord friend who uses it and loves it!
STESSA
ACH Payment Fees: There are no fees for the landlord or tenant if rent is being collected through Stessa Rent Pay and being deposited into your Stessa Cash Management Account. There is a $5 for transferring money from your Stessa Cash Management account to external accounts.
App for iPhone and Android: Yes.
My Two Cents: Years ago Stessa was primarily an accounting software for landlords at a time when most rental management platforms did not have an accounting feature. When they merged with Roofstock a few years ago, they started offering other services/features as well. I have not used the platform and I do not know anyone who is currently using it.
TENANT CLOUD
ACH Payment Fees: Tenants have $0 ACH fees each month they use the active rent reporting feature. With rent reporting, tenants can build their credit history by reporting their payments to credit bureaus for just $6.95/month. Their website is unclear on what the ACH fee is if the rent reporting feature is not used.
App for iPhone and Android: Yes.
My Two Cents: I have not used Tenant Cloud and I do not know anyone who does. Based on their monthly/yearly fees they are more expensive than any other platform on the list above.
In conclusion…
If you self manage your rental properties there are several platforms you can use to streamline the process and make your life easier. This list is not exhaustive, just a comparison of the 8 most popular platforms. Right now, using both Baselane + EZ Landlord Forms works perfectly for me. I hope you find what works well for you!
I hope you found this helpful! This blog post was fueled by 10 years of landlord experience, hours of research and several cups of coffee 🙂 Questions or comments? Let me know below. Take care!
www.thekeyresource.com | www.getyouracres.com | @thekeyresource
P.S. Keep in mind that these are the current features and pricing as of the date of this blog post. Please note that fee structures can change, and additional factors like account types, subscription plans, or specific services may affect the overall cost. I’ll try to update this as often as possible but please verify the latest details directly with each service provider or consult their current documentation for the most accurate and updated information.
Some links in this post are affiliate links. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
