Best Property Management Software 2021

Property management software is an app-based software tool that helps property managers automate back-office, financial, and administrative processes. These solutions typically offer features like maintenance tracking, electronic leases, document storage, online tenant portals, and online payment processing. Property management software provides value for a wide range of user types, from independent landlords to property owners managing thousands of units.

Property management software can make your business more profitable by streamlining workflow and reducing workload. Even if you only manage a single property, there are affordable property management solutions that can make your life easier. For those managing multiple properties, particularly if those properties are commercial, these platforms become even more of a time-saver in your business. Read our full introduction to property management software.

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Highest Rated Property Management Software

Buildium
Rating: 92
Starting Price: $50 per month

Buildium is a property management solution used by over 16,000 property managers. This platform is used to manage a variety of portfolio types including community associations, student housing, affordable housing, and residential properties. Buildium a powerful end-to-end solution equipped with tools to manage the entire property management lifecycle from the initial marketing of your units to inspecting your properties after tenants move out.

Pros:
  • Electronic payments are processed in 1 to 2 business days
  • Your company can add an unlimited number of users to your Buildium account
  • Offers open API access to integrate with other systems and build custom workflows
Cons:
  • Some customers find Buildium’s accounting feature to be difficult to implement. Many prefer to use third-party software like QuickBooks
  • Does not include some cutting edge features like AI leasing agents and 24/7 maintenance contact centers
  • Pricing becomes less competitive as you scale
AppFolio
Rating: 91
Starting Price: $1.40 per unit per month

AppFolio is a popular property management system that is used to manage a variety of portfolio types including residential, commercial, student housing, and community associations. AppFolio is one of the biggest players in the space, and the company generated more than $250 million in revenue in 2019. This solution is best suited for property managers managing a high volume of properties. AppFolio includes all the core property management features, as well as several high-tech offerings including their AI Leasing Assistant and 24/7 Maintenance Contact Center.

Pros:
  • Has integrations with over 80 listing websites to ensure your properties are easy to find
  • Powerful artificial intelligence features automates many leasing and accounting tasks
  • Has a 24/7 maintenance contact center that fields your tenant’s maintenance-related calls
Cons:
  • There is a 50 unit minimum to purchase AppFolio, and even higher unit requirements for artificial intelligence features and maintenance contact service
  • Does not offer an open API which restricts third-party integrations
  • Like most property management solutions, you'll probably need to use a separate accounting software like Quickbooks
Re-Leased

Re-Leased

Best Commercial Property Management Solution
Rating: 90
Starting Price: Contact Vendor

Re-Leased is a commercial property management solution used for various property types including commercial properties, co-working spaces, student accommodations, and office & industrial properties. This solution is used by more than 2,500 customers in more than 40 countries. Re-Leased is ideal for small to midsize businesses with a rent roll exceeding $1 million.

Pros:
  • Robust CAM budgeting makes this solution ideal for those managing commercial properties
  • Interactive calendar helps you track key dates and is integrated with Google Calendar, Office 365, and Outlook
  • Seamlessly integrated with popular accounting solutions, Xero and QuickBooks Online
Cons:
  • Does not offer an open API which restricts third-party integrations
  • Although Re-Leased includes built-in accounting tools, you will likely need to purchase a separate accounting software
  • Does not support two-way texting and emailing
RentRedi
Rating: 86
Starting Price: $19.95 per month

RentRedi is a popular property management platform used by over 1,500 customers to manage their residential properties. This solution includes several useful features including automated listing syndication, online rental applications, maintenance request tracking, and electronic payment processing. RentRedi offers competitive pricing that includes unlimited properties, units, tenants, and teammates. This solution is best suited for independent landlords that manage 1 to 100 units.

Pros:
  • Offers competitive pricing that includes unlimited properties, units, tenants, and teammates
  • Consistently adds features driven by customer feedback
  • Includes easy-to-use mobile applications for landlord and tenant
  • Responsive customer support team with live chat support
Cons:
  • Does not include robust accounting and reporting tools
  • Does not include text messaging
  • Does not support electronic lease signatures
Avail
Rating: 92
Starting Price: Free

Avail is a popular property management solution used by over 200,000 independent landlords nationwide. Avail is best suited for landlords managing 1 to 15 units. This platform includes property marketing tools, automatic rent collection, maintenance request tracking, and eLeasing.

Pros:
  • Avail offers a free plan that includes all of its major features, but charges tenants for bank transfers, credit card transactions, and tenant screenings
  • Syndicates property listings to twelve popular listing websites
  • Allows independent landlords to easily implement automatic rent collection and maintenance request tracking
  • Includes a digital leasing tool which allows you to draft, send, and receive eLeases
Cons:
  • While it is free, Avail's reporting is less robust than alternatives
  • Avail’s free plan does not include a marketing website or customizable applications & leases
  • Does not offer an open API which restricts third-party integrations
TurboTenant
Rating: 81
Starting Price: Free

TurboTenant is a free-to-use property management solution used by over 250,000 landlords nationwide. This solution is equipped with several useful tools for property marketing, lead tracking, and rent collection. TurboTenant is ideal for independent landlords managing 1 to 100 units.

Pros:
  • TurboTenant is free to use and ideal for independent landlords
  • Pre-screener questionnaire helps narrow down leads to only the best applicants
  • Equipped with automatic text and email notifications for landlords, leads, and applicants
Cons:
  • Does not support outgoing payments to vendors and owners
  • Tenants can not respond to your messages via text, they must use a browser and log into the TurboTenant application
  • On the tenant side, several applicants have reported paying applications fees for properties that were not actually available to rent
Rentec Direct
Rating: 82
Starting Price: $35 per month

Rentec Direct is a property management platform used by over 15,000 landlords to manage their properties. This solution is typically used for residential portfolios, but about 10% of customers use this platform to manage commercial properties. Among solutions with paid subscriptions, Rentec Direct is one of the most affordable solutions on the market.

Pros:
  • Rentec Direct is more affordable than their leading competitors: AppFolio and Buildium
  • Customer-friendly pricing without any set up fees or long term commitment
  • Integrates with Blue Moon Software and zInspector, two useful tools for electronic leasing and property inspection
Cons:
  • Communication features are not as robust as its top competitors
  • User interface and marketing website look dated
  • You can’t pay vendors for work orders through the system, or receive contributions from owners
  • Similar to other property management solutions, you may need to use a separate accounting software like Quickbooks
Cozy
Rating: 79
Starting Price: Free

Cozy is a free property management solution used by over 50,000 independent landlords nationwide. Cozy provides useful tools to help you market your properties, automatically receive payments, and manage maintenance requests.

Pros:
  • Access to the platform is free, but includes fees for tenant screenings and credit card transactions
  • Automates rent collection and property listing syndication
  • Allows landlords to communicate with tenants directly through the platform
  • User interface is well designed and easy to navigate
Cons:
  • Does not syndicate property listings to as many websites as competitors
  • Takes 5 business days for rent collection payments to appear in your account
  • Since accounting capabilities are limited, many customers also purchase third-party accounting software
  • Does not offer reporting or electronic leases

Property Management Software Prices

Property management software prices range from free to $5 per unit per month. Most small businesses pay around $10 to $250 per month for property management software. Here are details that will help you compare prices for the most popular all-in-one property management software platforms.

Software VendorStarting Monthly PriceFree TrialKey Information
AppFolio$1.40 per unitYes
  • 50 unit minimum
  • $280 minimum monthly fee
  • ACH: Free
  • Credit card transaction fee: 2.99%
  • Debit card transaction fee: $9.99
  • Tenant screening fee: $15 to $20
Buildium$50Yes
  • ACH fee: $0.50 (fee waived for Growth and Premium Plan)
  • Credit card transaction fee: 2.75%
  • Tenant screening fee: $15 to $30
AvailFreeYes
  • Unlimited Plus Plan: $5 per unit
  • ACH fee: $2.50 per transaction (waived in Unlimited Plus Plan)
  • Credit & debit card transaction fee: 3.5%
  • Tenant screening fee: $55
RentRedi$19.95Yes
  • ACH fee: $1
  • Credit card transaction fee: 2.9% + $0.30
  • Tenant screening fee: $35
Rentec Direct$35No
  • ACH fee: Free
  • Credit card transaction fee: 2.75%
  • Tenant screening fee: $7 to $15
TurboTenantFreeYes
  • Application fee: $35 to $45 (paid by applicant)
  • Electronic lease signing: $9 per lease
  • Tenant screening fee: $35 to $45
CozyFreeYes
  • Credit card transaction fee: 2.75%
  • Tenant screening fee: $39.99

Property Management Software FAQs

Property management software pricing depends on the number of units and the type of portfolio. Here's a typical breakdown of the costs associated with this type of software:

  • Residential: $1.25 per unit per month
  • Commercial: $1.50 per unit per month
  • Community associations: $0.80 per unit per month
Additionally, there are several free solutions on the market like Avail and Cozy.

The best property management software for you will depend on your budget, desired features, and portfolio type. In general, here is a breakdown of the best solution for each customer segment.

  • Avail is the best free property management tool
  • Buildium is best for small to medium sized residential portfolios
  • AppFolio is best for large residential portfolios
  • Re-leased is best for managing commercial properties

The most popular property management solutions are AppFolio, Avail, and Buildium. These solutions have tens of thousands of customers each.

The most common property management software features are:

  • Custom property listings
  • Automatic listing syndication
  • Marketing website
  • Customizable applications
  • Tenant screening
  • Electronic leases
  • Online tenant portal
  • Two-way texting
  • Emailing
  • In-app messaging
  • Maintenance management tools
  • Property inspections tools

Property Management Industry Research & Advice

Avail vs. RentRedi

By Lloyd Park |

Is Avail or RentRedi the better solution for you? This in-depth, feature-by-feature breakdown will help you select the best property...Read More >

Avail vs. TurboTenant

By Lloyd Park |

Is Avail or TurboTenant the better solution for you? This in-depth, feature-by-feature breakdown will help you select the best property...Read More >

Avail vs. Buildium

By Lloyd Park |

Is Avail or Buildium the better solution for you? This in-depth, feature-by-feature breakdown will help you select the best property...Read More >

AppFolio vs. Buildium

By Lloyd Park |

Is AppFolio or Buildium the better solution for you? This in-depth, feature-by-feature breakdown will help you select the best property...Read More >

Why You Should Trust Our Recommendations

The team at SoftwarePundit has been testing software since 2017. We’ve hand-tested over 250 software products in that time, including 8 in the property management category. We applied the same rigorous process to each piece of property management software that we analyzed. The specifics of our property management software category research process are outlined below.

Lloyd led our analysis of property management software. He has spent more than 200 hours evaluating leading property management software systems.

In addition, all research and content was overseen by Bruce Hogan, SoftwarePundit’s Co-founder & CEO. Bruce has more than a decade of experience researching, building, and reviewing the world’s best software products. His technology advice has been featured on a wide range of media sites such as AngelList, CMSWire, Dental Economics, iPhone Life, Reader’s Digest, Thrive Global, U.S. News, and the Zapier Blog.

How We Selected the Best Property Management Software

We selected the best property management software based upon a number of criteria. The most important criteria were each software tool’s features, usability, price, and customer support. The details of our analyses are captured in the in-depth reviews we publish about each software tool.

There are a handful of critical features that you should look for in property management software. We prioritized the following features in our analysis:

  • Automated Listing Syndication: Automated listing syndication allows you to instantly post your rental listings to popular property listing websites, such as Trulia and Zumper.
  • Tenant Screening: In order to find the best tenants, your solution should offer comprehensive eviction, criminal background, and credit checks.
  • Electronic Leases: Many property management solutions allow you to send, receive, and manage electronic leases directly on the platform.
  • Maintenance Tracking: Property management solutions help you manage maintenance requests and communicate with tenants and contractors.
  • Online Tenant Portal: Most property management solutions include an online tenant portal, where tenants can send rent payments, access important documents, and submit maintenance requests.

How We Evaluated Property Management Software

We used the same rigorous process to evaluate property management software as all other software categories. For the property management category, Lloyd invested several months researching, testing, and writing about the tools.

We interviewed the teams at the software companies listed above. Our conversations with the companies included questions about each company’s product, customer base, pricing, customer support, and business strength. After a general interview, Lloyd spent additional time participating in a product demo led by each company. This provided Lloyd with the opportunity to ask detailed questions about the features and functionality of the property management software.

Lloyd also obtained a free trial of each software tool listed above. He spent several hours testing the key user journeys in each software product. This allowed us to validate the features offered by each product, and to gain an understanding of the software’s usability.