Best Property Management Software for Small Landlords (1 to 20 Units) in 2026
A small landlord can run 1 to 20 units for $0 a year on TurboTenant Free or Innago, because tenants pay the screening and rent payment fees on both. RentRedi is the cheapest flat paid option at $12 a month billed annually for unlimited units. Baselane and Stessa are free picks built around banking and bookkeeping, while Buildium and DoorLoop cost far more and suit landlords who manage for others.
Yearly software cost at 1, 5 and 20 units for ten landlord tools, and which side pays for screening and online rent.
For a landlord with a handful of units, the subscription is rarely the real cost. The free tools make their money on fees: an applicant pays from $24.99 to $55 for a screening report and a flat fee on each online rent payment, and some platforms let you choose whether you or the tenant absorbs those charges. The cheapest tool is the one whose fee model matches how your tenants pay.
Toolradar data: our property management category lists 101 tools, and 27% of them offer a free or freemium plan. Most of those tools serve property managers with hundreds of doors; this page sticks to the self-managing owner. The category statistics cover the wider market, and the property management software guide ranks the tools for management companies.
Methodology: we compared ten catalog products on vendor pricing pages and FAQs checked on October 28, 2026, computing the yearly software cost at 1, 5 and 20 units and recording who pays screening, ACH and card fees.
Top Picks
Selected by comparing vendor-published plans, unit limits and tenant fees for a self-managing landlord with 1 to 20 units. How we rate
Free landlord software with paid tiers priced in bands of units, not per door.
Starting price
Free; Essentials from $149/yr
4.5 (92 reviews)
Best for
Landlords with 1 to 30 units who want listing, screening and rent collection at no cost.
Free property management with fees paid by tenants and adjustable by the landlord.
Starting price
Free
4.8 (1,229 reviews)
Best for
Landlords who want a $0 tool and the option to absorb rent fees as a tenant perk.
One flat plan with unlimited units, tenants and teammates.
Starting price
$12 /mo billed annually
4.4 (190 reviews)
Best for
Landlords who want every feature for one fixed price, whatever the unit count.
| Tool | Starting price | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| TurboTenant | Free; Essentials from $149/yr | 4.5 92 reviews | Landlords with 1 to 30 units who want listing, screening and rent collection at no cost. |
| Innago | Free | 4.8 1,229 reviews | Landlords who want a $0 tool and the option to absorb rent fees as a tenant perk. |
| RentRedi | $12/mo billed annually | 4.4 190 reviews | Landlords who want every feature for one fixed price, whatever the unit count. |
| Baselane | Core free; Smart $20/mo annual | 4.5 85 reviews | Owners who want a bank account per property and Schedule E reports for free. |
| Stessa | Free (Essentials) | 4.0 12 reviews | Investors whose main need is clean books and tax reports across many properties. |
| TenantCloud | From $180/yr | 4.3 751 reviews | Landlords who want inspections, owner portals and lower tenant ACH fees as they grow. |
| Rentec Direct | Starter $25/mo | 4.6 194 reviews | Owners who pay for screening themselves and want full accounting. |
| Landlord Studio | Go free for 1-3 units | 4.9 147 reviews | Owners of 1 to 3 units who want a free tool with screening and rent collection. |
| Buildium | From $65/mo | 4.4 342 reviews | Owners near 20 units who plan to hire help or manage for others. |
| DoorLoop | From $2.50/unit/mo (annual) | 4.8 253 reviews | Landlords about to manage for other owners, not owners of a few doors. |
TurboTenant
Free landlord software with paid tiers priced in bands of units, not per door.
- 4.5 on G2 (92 reviews)
- Starting price
- Free; Essentials from $149/yr
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.5 (92 reviews)
Best for: Landlords with 1 to 30 units who want listing, screening and rent collection at no cost.
- Pro: Free plan covers listings, screening and online rent with no contract.
- Pro: Paid plans are flat per unit band: Pro costs the same at 1 or 10 units.
- Pro: Pro lowers renter screening to $45 and makes ACH free for renters.
- Con: On Free, renters pay $55 per screening and a flat fee on each ACH payment.
- Con: Free connects only 1 bank account; unlimited accounts need Pro.
TurboTenant's pricing is incredibly generous, especially with its robust Free tier offering extensive features for basic property management.
- Starting price
- Free
- Free plan
- Free to use
- Rating
- 4.8 (1,229 reviews)
Best for: Landlords who want a $0 tool and the option to absorb rent fees as a tenant perk.
- Pro: No monthly fee, setup fee or contract.
- Pro: The landlord can configure who pays transaction fees.
- Pro: Screening includes credit, criminal and eviction history.
- Con: Tenants pay a flat ACH fee and 2.99% per card payment by default.
- Con: Screening costs applicants $30 to $35 per report.
Innago offers an incredibly generous pricing model by providing a fully-featured 'Free' tier.
- Starting price
- $12/mo billed annually
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.4 (190 reviews)
Best for: Landlords who want every feature for one fixed price, whatever the unit count.
- Pro: Annual plan is $12 a month for unlimited properties and tenants.
- Pro: Lists 2 to 3 day rent payouts and unlimited bank connections.
- Pro: 30-day money-back guarantee on every term.
- Con: No free plan or free trial: the subscription is charged at sign-up.
- Con: Monthly billing costs $29.95, more than double the annual rate.
The pricing for RentRedi is generally fair, offering good value, especially for smaller landlords.
Baselane
Free banking, bookkeeping and rent collection for rental owners.
- 4.3 on SourceForge (67 reviews)
- 4.8 on Capterra (18 reviews)
- Starting price
- Core free; Smart $20/mo annual
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.5 (85 reviews)
Best for: Owners who want a bank account per property and Schedule E reports for free.
- Pro: Core includes unlimited checking and savings accounts and Schedule E reports.
- Pro: Tenant ACH fee is listed as waived when rent lands in a Baselane account.
- Pro: Screening starts at $24.99, among the lowest listed here.
- Con: Card rent payments cost tenants 3.49%.
- Con: Smart at $20 a month buys automation and faster deposits, not extra leasing tools.
Baselane's pricing is very fair, especially with a robust free 'Core' tier that covers essential banking and rent collection.
Watch out
Potential fees for specific banking services (e.g., wire transfers)
- Starting price
- Free (Essentials)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.0 (12 reviews)
Best for: Investors whose main need is clean books and tax reports across many properties.
- Pro: Essentials is free for unlimited properties with automatic bank feeds.
- Pro: Manage adds a Schedule E report and unlimited state leases.
- Pro: Save 20% on annual billing for the paid tiers.
- Con: State lease templates cost $15 each on the free plan.
- Con: Free and Manage limit receipt scanning to 5 per month.
Stessa offers a very generous free tier, making it highly accessible for individual landlords or those with a small portfolio.
- Starting price
- From $180/yr
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.3 (751 reviews)
Best for: Landlords who want inspections, owner portals and lower tenant ACH fees as they grow.
- Pro: Unlimited properties and units on every plan.
- Pro: Tenant ACH fee drops from $1.95 to $1.50 on Pro.
- Pro: 14-day trial on every plan.
- Con: Starter allows only 10 leases, so a 20-lease owner moves up to Growth.
- Con: The lowest tier is Starter; the pricing page shows no free plan.
TenantCloud's pricing is quite competitive, especially for landlords managing a moderate number of properties.
Rentec Direct
Landlord accounting software with wholesale screening rates.
- 4.6 on Capterra (179 reviews)
- 4.5 on Trustpilot (11 reviews)
- 4.5 on G2 (4 reviews)
- Starting price
- Starter $25/mo
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.6 (194 reviews)
Best for: Owners who pay for screening themselves and want full accounting.
- Pro: Starter is a flat $25 a month for up to 10 properties.
- Pro: Landlord-paid screening packages from $14.95 on Starter.
- Pro: Free setup and a two-week free trial.
- Con: Starter caps at 10 properties, 10 tenants and 1 ACH deposit account.
- Con: Incoming ACH costs $2.00 per payment on Starter.
Rentec Direct's pricing is competitive, offering robust features for its price point.
Landlord Studio
Free plan for very small landlords, with paid accounting tools.
- 4.9 on Capterra (147 reviews)
- Starting price
- Go free for 1-3 units
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.9 (147 reviews)
Best for: Owners of 1 to 3 units who want a free tool with screening and rent collection.
- Pro: Go plan is free and includes screening reports and online rent.
- Pro: Pro adds Xero integration, bank feeds and tax-ready reports.
- Pro: 14-day trial on Pro.
- Con: Go covers 3 units only and stores 10 documents.
- Con: Income and expenses are tracked manually on Go; check the current Pro price on Landlord Studio's site.
Landlord Studio offers a fair pricing structure, especially with its generous 'Go' free tier for small-scale landlords.
Watch out
Limited document storage on lower tiers
Buildium
Full property management suite for growing portfolios and managers.
- 4.4 on G2 (275 reviews)
- 4.3 on SourceForge (67 reviews)
- Starting price
- From $65/mo
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.4 (342 reviews)
Best for: Owners near 20 units who plan to hire help or manage for others.
- Pro: Essential covers accounting, maintenance and leasing in one platform.
- Pro: 14-day free trial with no credit card.
- Pro: Growth adds enhanced screening and lower eSignature and EFT costs.
- Con: Essential starts at $65 a month, $780 a year by our arithmetic.
- Con: Built for property managers, so much of it goes unused at 5 units.
Buildium's pricing is on the higher side compared to some market alternatives, especially for smaller portfolios.
Watch out
Add-on costs for advanced integrations
- Starting price
- From $2.50/unit/mo (annual)
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.8 (253 reviews)
Best for: Landlords about to manage for other owners, not owners of a few doors.
- Pro: Unlimited users, document storage and API access on every plan.
- Pro: Owner and tenant portals plus a company website included.
- Pro: Connect adds free incoming ACH payments.
- Con: The annual-billing minimum applies whether you own 1, 5 or 20 units.
- Con: Monthly billing raises the One minimum to $239 a month.
It's best for property managers and owners looking for an all-in-one solution with scalability.
Watch out
AI Assistant is an add-on (Pro/Premium)
Other Property Management tools worth considering
More published tools from our Property Management category, ordered by our category ranking. They are not part of the editorial picks above.
What small-landlord software does, and where the money goes
Property management software for small landlords is an online tool that lists a vacancy, takes rental applications, screens applicants, collects rent by ACH or card and keeps a ledger for taxes. Tools for 1 to 20 units skip the trust accounting and owner statements that management companies need, which is why many of them cost nothing.
Three charges matter more than the plan price. Tenant screening costs $24.99 and up on Baselane, $30 to $35 on Innago and $39.99 on RentRedi, and the applicant pays by default on all three. ACH rent payments carry a flat fee each on several free plans, usually billed to the tenant. Card payments run 2.99% on Innago and 3.49% on TurboTenant and Baselane, always worth steering tenants away from.
Paid plans mostly buy speed and paperwork: faster payouts, state lease templates, e-signatures, Schedule E reports and bank feeds. If your accountant already handles the books, a free plan plus a spreadsheet often covers everything.
What 1, 5 and 20 units cost per year
The yearly figures below are our arithmetic on prices the vendors published on October 28, 2026, on annual billing where a vendor offers it, before taxes and payment fees.
At 1 unit, TurboTenant Free, Innago, Baselane Core, Stessa Essentials and Landlord Studio Go all cost nothing. The cheapest paid plans are RentRedi at $144 a year on its annual plan and TurboTenant Essentials at $149 a year. Rentec Direct Starter costs $300 a year (12 x $25) and Buildium Essential at least $780 (12 x $65).
At 5 units nothing changes for the flat-priced tools: RentRedi, Stessa, Baselane and TurboTenant do not charge by the unit at this size. Landlord Studio Go stops at 3 units, so a fifth door means its paid Pro plan.
At 20 units the caps start to bite. TurboTenant Essentials moves to $199 a year in its 11 to 30 unit band, and TenantCloud Starter allows 10 leases, so 20 leases need Growth at $350 a year. Rentec Starter covers 10 properties, so a 20-unit owner moves to Rentec Pro, priced by unit count. DoorLoop One costs $2,388 a year (12 x its $199 monthly minimum) at any of these sizes, because 20 units at $2.50 stay under the minimum.
Fees can outweigh the plan. With 5 tenants paying by ACH every month, a $2 charge adds up to $120 a year (5 x 12 x $2) on TurboTenant Free or Innago, paid by the tenants by default. On TurboTenant Pro, ACH is free for renters, so the plan's cost partly comes back as goodwill or a rent you can hold steady.
Key Features to Look For
Online rent collection with clear fee rules (Essential)
Check the ACH and card fee, who pays it by default and whether you can switch it. Innago lets the landlord cover the ACH fee, Baselane waives it into its own accounts, and TurboTenant charges renters on Free and drops the ACH fee on Pro.
Applicant-paid screening (Essential)
Credit, criminal and eviction reports paid by the applicant keep a free plan free. Rentec Direct sells cheaper landlord-paid screening packages instead, from $10 on Pro.
Unit or lease limits (Essential)
A free or entry plan may cap units, leases or bank accounts. Landlord Studio Go stops at 3 units, TenantCloud Starter at 10 leases and Rentec Starter at 10 properties.
Leases and e-signatures (Important)
State-specific leases save legal fees. Stessa charges $15 per lease template on its free Essentials plan and includes them on Manage; TurboTenant puts online lease signing on Essentials.
Bookkeeping and Schedule E (Important)
Bank feeds and a Schedule E report shorten tax season. Baselane Core and TurboTenant Pro include tax-ready reports; Stessa moves Schedule E to Manage.
Payout speed (Nice to have)
Standard ACH rent can take several days to land. RentRedi lists 2 to 3 day payouts and Baselane Smart lists 2-day rent deposits.
Pick by fee model first, features second
-
Ask how your tenants pay today; if most use ACH, a tool that waives ACH fees is worth more than a lower subscription.
-
Decide whether you will pass screening costs to applicants, and check your state's limits on application fees before you do.
-
Count leases as well as units: a duplex with roommates on separate leases uses more lease slots than doors.
-
If you want a separate bank account per property, Baselane and Stessa build that in, while TurboTenant Free connects one account.
-
Plan for 20 units now: switching tools later means re-inviting every tenant to a new payment portal.
Evaluation Checklist
Create one property and invite a test tenant to see exactly which fee the tenant sees at checkout.
Run a sample screening request and confirm the applicant, not you, is charged.
Send a $1 test rent payment and time how long it takes to reach your bank.
Export the ledger for one property and check it against your Schedule E categories.
Read the unit, lease and bank account limits of the plan you would need at 20 units.
Pricing Overview
Free landlord plans
Listing, screening and rent collection with tenants paying the transaction fees (TurboTenant, Innago, Baselane Core, Stessa Essentials).
Free
Flat paid plans
Leases, e-signatures, faster payouts and tax reports for a small portfolio (RentRedi, TurboTenant, Stessa, TenantCloud).
$144 to $350 a year
Small portfolio software
Owners who want full accounting and cheaper landlord-paid screening (Rentec Direct, Buildium Essential).
Flat monthly fee
Property manager platforms
Managers running owner accounting and staff, not owners of a few doors (DoorLoop).
Monthly minimum, priced per unit
Pricing Comparison
| Tool | Plan price | 1 unit / 5 units / 20 units per year (our arithmetic) | Screening and ACH: who pays |
|---|---|---|---|
Free; Essentials $149/yr (1-10 units), $199/yr (11-30); Pro $199/yr (1-10) | $0 on Free at every size | Renter: $55 screening and $2 ACH on Free; $45 and free ACH on Pro | |
Innago | Free, no setup fee or contract | Free at every size | Tenant by default: $30-35 screening, $2 ACH, 2.99% card |
$29.95/mo monthly; $20/mo on 6 months; $12/mo annual | $144 at every size (annual) | Tenant: $39.99 screening ($49.99 with income check) | |
Baselane | Core free; Smart $20/mo on an annual plan | Free on Core at every size | ACH waived into Baselane accounts, else $2 to $5; card 3.49% tenant; screening from $24.99 |
Stessa | Essentials free; Manage $12/mo annual ($15 monthly); Pro $28/mo annual ($35 monthly) | Free on Essentials at every size | Screening and rent collection on every plan; lease templates $15 each on Essentials |
Starter $180/yr; Growth $350/yr; Pro $600/yr | $180 / $180 / $350 (10 leases on Starter) | Applicant pays screening; tenant ACH $1.95 on Starter | |
Starter $25/mo (10 properties); Pro priced by units | $300 / $300 / Pro quote by units | Landlord-paid screening from $14.95 on Starter; ACH $2.00 on Starter | |
Go free for up to 3 units; Pro paid | Free / Pro / Pro | Screening reports and online rent on Go | |
Buildium | Essential from $65/mo | $780+ at every size | Lower eSignature and EFT costs start on Growth |
One $2.50/unit/mo annual, minimum $199/mo | $2,388 at every size | Free incoming ACH starts on Connect |
Prices checked October 28, 2026 on TurboTenant pricing, Innago FAQ, RentRedi pricing, Baselane pricing, Stessa pricing, TenantCloud pricing, Rentec Direct pricing, Landlord Studio pricing, Buildium pricing and DoorLoop pricing. Yearly totals are our arithmetic before taxes and payment fees.
Mistakes to Avoid
- ×
Comparing subscription prices while ignoring that tenants on a free plan pay a fee on every ACH rent payment.
- ×
Paying for a property manager platform with a monthly minimum to run five doors.
- ×
Choosing a plan by units when the real cap is leases or connected bank accounts.
- ×
Charging applicants a screening fee without checking state or city limits on application fees.
- ×
Buying lease templates one by one at $15 each when a low paid tier includes them.
Expert Tips
- →
Nudge tenants to ACH autopay; card fees near 3% on a $1,500 rent cost about $45 a month per tenant, our arithmetic on a hypothetical rent.
- →
If you want ACH free for tenants, compare TurboTenant alternatives and the RentRedi vs TurboTenant comparison before paying for Pro.
- →
Keep the books in a tool your accountant can read; the accounting software for property management guide covers that side.
- →
Use the tenant screening category if your software's screening partner does not report in your state.
- →
When you start managing for other owners, look at Buildium vs DoorLoop for trust accounting and owner statements.
Red Flags to Watch For
-
A free plan whose fee page is missing: you cannot tell your tenants what they will pay.
-
Screening fees charged to the landlord by default with no switch to applicant-paid.
-
Monthly minimums that apply whatever your unit count.
-
No ledger export, which makes leaving the tool or handing books to a CPA harder.
The Bottom Line
For 1 to 20 units, start free: TurboTenant Free and Innago cost nothing and pass screening and rent fees to tenants, and Baselane or Stessa add free banking and bookkeeping if that matters more than leasing. If you want one flat bill with no unit math, RentRedi's annual plan costs the same at any size.
Pay more only for a reason you can name: free ACH for tenants on TurboTenant Pro, e-signed state leases, or full accounting on Rentec Direct or Buildium. DoorLoop's monthly minimum makes it a tool for managers rather than owners of a few doors; see the property management category and Buildium alternatives when you reach that size.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest property management software for a small landlord?
TurboTenant Free and Innago both cost $0 a year at 1, 5 or 20 units, because tenants pay screening and payment fees. Among paid tools, RentRedi's annual plan ($144 a year by our arithmetic) is the cheapest flat price for unlimited units.
Is there free property management software for landlords?
Yes. TurboTenant Free, Innago, Baselane Core and Stessa Essentials all have free plans, and Landlord Studio Go is free for up to 3 units. They earn money on tenant-paid fees, for example Innago charges tenants on each ACH and card payment.
Who pays for tenant screening?
On most small-landlord tools the applicant pays: $55 on TurboTenant Free, $45 on TurboTenant Pro, $30 to $35 on Innago and $39.99 on RentRedi. TurboTenant lets a landlord pay instead. Rentec Direct sells landlord-paid packages from $10 on its Pro plan.
How much does property management software cost for 20 units?
By our arithmetic on October 2026 list prices: nothing on TurboTenant Free or Innago and $350 a year on TenantCloud Growth. DoorLoop One costs $2,388 a year because of its monthly minimum.
Do tenants pay ACH fees on rent?
Often, yes. TurboTenant charges renters a flat ACH fee on Free but nothing on Pro, Innago charges a similar flat fee, and TenantCloud charges $1.95 on Starter. Baselane waives the tenant ACH fee when rent is deposited to a Baselane account.
TurboTenant vs RentRedi: which is cheaper?
TurboTenant Free is cheaper in subscription terms at $0, but renters pay $55 per screening and a flat fee on each ACH payment. RentRedi costs $144 a year on annual billing for unlimited units, with tenant-paid screening at $39.99. Landlords whose tenants pay by ACH every month should compare the fee totals, not the plan price.
Cite this page: Toolradar, "Best Property Management Software for Small Landlords (1 to 20 Units) in 2026", updated October 2026, https://toolradar.com/guides/best-property-management-software-for-small-landlords
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