With 10 units or fewer you do not need software built for property management companies. DoorLoop's cheapest plan has a $199 monthly minimum and AppFolio will not sell below 50 units. The real choice is between a free plan, where tenants carry the cost through fees, and a cheap paid plan.
Free plans
TurboTenant, Avail and Innago are free for any number of units. Landlord Studio GO is free up to 3 units for one user. All four make money from tenant payments, screening and add-ons.
| Plan | 1 unit | 3 units | 5 units | 10 units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TurboTenant Free | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Avail Unlimited | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Innago Free | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Landlord Studio GOUp to 3 units | $0 | $0 | Over limit | Over limit |
| RentRedi All features | $12 | $12 | $12 | $12 |
| TurboTenant Essentials | $12.42 | $12.42 | $12.42 | $12.42 |
| Landlord Studio PRO | $12 | $12 | $14 | $19 |
| TenantCloud StarterUp to 10 active leases | $15 | $15 | $15 | $15 |
| TurboTenant Pro | $16.58 | $16.58 | $16.58 | $16.58 |
| Rentec Direct StarterUp to 10 properties | $25 | $25 | $25 | $25 |
| Avail Unlimited Plus | $9 | $27 | $45 | $90 |
| Buildium EssentialUp to 40 units | $55.92 | $55.92 | $55.92 | $55.92 |
Software subscription per month, on the cheapest billing option each vendor offers (usually a year paid upfront). Taxes, onboarding, add-ons and payment fees are not included.
What each free plan charges tenants
| Bank payment | Card payment | Screening | |
|---|---|---|---|
| TurboTenant Free | $2 | 3.49% | $55 |
| Avail Unlimited | $2.50 | 3.5% | Varies by location |
| Innago | $2 (landlord can cover) | 2.99% | $30 to $35 |
| Landlord Studio GO | Not published | Not published | Not published |
More on this in what free property management software really costs.
Paid plans under $50 a month
RentRedi is $12 a month on yearly billing for unlimited units, with tenants paying $1 per bank payment. At 10 units it is the cheapest paid plan we track.
Landlord Studio PRO is built around bookkeeping: bank feeds and Schedule E reporting. It costs $12 a month for 3 units plus $1 for each extra unit on yearly billing, so $14 at 5 units and $19 at 10.
TurboTenant Essentials and Pro cost $12.42 and $16.58 a month for up to 10 units, billed yearly. Pro removes the tenant's bank fee and adds tax-ready reports.
TenantCloud Starter is $15 a month on yearly billing for up to 10 active leases. Rentec Direct Starter is $25 a month for up to 10 properties.
Buildium Essential costs $55.92 a month. It is the only plan in this list designed for managing other owners' properties, which matters if you plan to take on clients.
How to choose
Start with who pays the fees. If your tenants already expect to pay a bank fee, a free plan costs you nothing. If you count what tenants pay as well, paid plans catch up fast: with every tenant paying by bank transfer, TurboTenant Pro costs less in total than TurboTenant Free from 9 units, and RentRedi costs less than a $2-fee free plan from 13 units.
Then decide how much bookkeeping you want the software to do. If you only need listings, screening and rent collection, any of the free plans will do. If you want tax reports from the same tool, look at Landlord Studio PRO, TurboTenant Pro or Rentec Direct.
Run your own numbers. The calculator prices every plan we track at your unit count, and the finder picks one for you in five questions.
Sources, the vendors' own pages: turbotenant.com/pricing, avail.com/pricing, innago.com/faq, landlordstudio.com/pricing, rentredi.com/pricing, tenantcloud.com/pricing, rentecdirect.com/pricing-transparency, buildium.com/pricing. How we work out costs: methodology. Some links on this site may become affiliate links; see our disclosure.