Best software for landlords with 1-5 units
All pricing verified from vendor pricing pages on 2026-07-04.
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With five or fewer doors, minimum fees and per-unit surcharges dominate. A $69/mo suite costs you $14+ per unit per month; a free platform costs nothing. This shortlist optimizes for tiny portfolios specifically.
The short list
| # | Product | From | Why it's here |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avail | Free tier | Per-unit pricing works in your favor at this scale — and the free tier includes state-specific leases. |
| 2 | TurboTenant | Free tier | Free unlimited core; at 1-5 units the $199/yr Pro (waived tenant fees) is still cheap per door. |
| 3 | Innago | Free tier | Free with e-sign included — no reason to pay anything at this scale. |
| 4 | Azibo | Free tier | Free money-rails: collection, banking, accounting. Add a listing tool when you have a vacancy. |
| 5 | RentRedi | $5/mo | If you prefer paid-and-complete: $12/mo covers everything with no per-unit math. |
1. Avail Free tier
Per-unit pricing works in your favor at this scale — and the free tier includes state-specific leases. First-time or small landlords (1-5 units) who want a polished free end-to-end tool and may selectively upgrade single units to Plus.
- Free tier covers the entire rental cycle for unlimited units, including state-specific lawyer-reviewed leases
- Backed by Realtor.com — listings syndicate to 19 sites including the Realtor.com network
- Simple, transparent upgrade: one $9/unit/mo Plus tier, no contracts
- Free plan pushes a $2.50 ACH fee per rent payment onto tenants (3.5% for cards on any plan)
- Next-day payouts, custom leases, and waived ACH fees are all locked behind Plus
- $9/unit/mo scales badly past a handful of units versus flat-fee competitors
Screening: Varies by state law; paid by the applicant most commonly, though the landlord can choose to cover it · Covers: Tenant screening, Online rent collection, Accounting & reporting, Maintenance tracking, Listing syndication, Leases & e-sign, Landlord mobile app
2. TurboTenant Free tier
Free unlimited core; at 1-5 units the $199/yr Pro (waived tenant fees) is still cheap per door. Cost-conscious DIY landlords with 1-10 doors who want free core tools and don't mind tenants absorbing the fees.
- Genuinely usable free plan with unlimited rentals — capped max cost of $199/yr
- Applicant-paid screening means $0 landlord cost to vet tenants
- One-click listing syndication and lead management included free
- Monetized via renter fees: $55 screening and $2-per-ACH-payment fee on the free plan land on your tenants
- Full accounting requires a separate paid REI Hub subscription
- State lease agreements cost extra unless you're on a paid plan
Screening: $55 paid by applicant on the Free plan; $45 on the Pro plan · Covers: Tenant screening, Online rent collection, Accounting & reporting, Maintenance tracking, Listing syndication, Leases & e-sign, Landlord mobile app
3. Innago Free tier
Free with e-sign included — no reason to pay anything at this scale. Small-to-mid-size landlords who want a genuinely free, full tenant-management workflow and don't mind tenant-side payment fees.
- Entirely free for landlords — no monthly, setup, per-unit, or per-lease fees
- Free lease templates and unlimited eSignatures included
- Full tenant workflow: applications, screening, invoicing, maintenance in one place
- Tenants pay $2 per ACH payment and 2.99% for cards unless the landlord absorbs it
- No integrated banking or high-yield cash accounts
- Accounting is lighter than Stessa or Buildium; larger operators often pair it with QuickBooks
Screening: $30 paid by applicant for credit + criminal reports, $35 with eviction history added · Covers: Tenant screening, Online rent collection, Accounting & reporting, Maintenance tracking, Listing syndication, Leases & e-sign, Landlord mobile app
4. Azibo Free tier
Free money-rails: collection, banking, accounting. Add a listing tool when you have a vacancy. Cost-sensitive independent landlords who want free rent collection, banking, and accounting in one place.
- Core platform is completely free — no subscription for rent collection, accounting, or banking
- Free ACH for both landlord and tenant, with free accelerated 2-3 day payouts
- Integrated landlord banking with no monthly fees and Schedule E-ready reporting
- No listing syndication or vacancy marketing tools
- A-la-carte fees add up: $29.99 state lease with eSign, $25 wires, 1% next-day ACH
- Tenants pay 2.99% for card payments and $4.99 per extra partial payment
Screening: $39.99 paid by applicant (credit report, eviction report, and background check) · Covers: Tenant screening, Online rent collection, Accounting & reporting, Maintenance tracking, Leases & e-sign, Integrated banking, Landlord mobile app
5. RentRedi $5/mo
If you prefer paid-and-complete: $12/mo covers everything with no per-unit math. Small-to-mid DIY landlords who will commit to annual billing and want an app-centric, all-in-one tool at rock-bottom cost.
- Very cheap on annual billing — $12/mo Grow covers unlimited units with the full feature set
- Strong mobile-first experience for both landlord and tenant apps
- Tenant-paid screening and optional $5.99/mo credit reporting for tenants
- Big monthly-vs-annual gap ($29.95 vs $12) effectively forces annual prepay
- The $5 Start plan excludes screening, applications, listings, e-sign, and maintenance
- Rent deposits take 2-3 business days
Screening: $39.99 for credit/criminal/eviction, $49.99 with income verification — paid by tenant; not available on the Start plan · Covers: Tenant screening, Online rent collection, Accounting & reporting, Maintenance tracking, Listing syndication, Leases & e-sign, Landlord mobile app
Frequently asked questions
Is property management software worth it for one rental?
Yes, because the free tiers cost nothing and replace the risky parts: proper screening, a compliant state lease, and documented rent collection. Even one dispute avoided pays for years of a $0 subscription.
What should a landlord with 3 units NOT pay for?
Suites priced for portfolios: DoorLoop starts at $69/mo, Buildium at $62/mo, Rentec at $55/mo — that's $250-800/yr per unit at your scale for features (owner portals, trust accounting) you don't need.
Do the math first
Before committing, run your actual portfolio through the software cost calculator — per-unit pricing that looks cheap at 2 units can be the expensive option at 10.