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

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: $7 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.