Best free property management software for small landlords

Explore the 15 best property management software for small landlords that makes managing real estate portfolios simple and straightforward, taking care of everything from tenant screening to building maintenance.

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

When it comes to keeping track of trust accounting transactions and notes from inspections, tenants’ requests, and other chores, property managers have relied on paper and email for decades.

Now the time has changed, and property managers throughout the world use property management software to manage their properties and day-to-day responsibilities.

Nevertheless, the primary question is what exactly is property management software, and how does it work?

Also, as there is a significant percentage of small landlords, this article will provide information regarding the 15 best property management software for small landlords.

What are Property Management Software and its features?

The goal of property management software is to make it easier for property managers to take care of their clients’ residential and commercial properties.

Incorporating all of the essential aspects of property management into a single software provides a comprehensive solution.

In addition to saving money and time by eliminating unnecessary extras, this method streamlines the day-to-day chores of property management.

Instead of worrying about the little things, you’ll be able to focus on the big ones, like increasing your customer base and offering better service. KPIs, i.e., Key Performance Indicators, may be used to identify potential for growth in some systems.

Property management software also helps keep a digital paper trail for auditing and legal purposes. As a result, auditors may quickly verify your balances and monitor all transactions in and out of the trust account when it is time for an audit.

Features of Property Management Software are as follows:

• The ability to track and record all of your trust account transactions is the most critical function, even if features vary from software to software. Billing, disbursements, reconciliation, and reporting procedures should all be part of this.
• Some systems even feature built-in automation to ease workflows, eliminate manual data entry and reduce human error risk.
• Additionally, options like self-service access for owners and tenants can assist improve communication between you and your customers. If your owners or renters want to know when the next inspection will be or when the rent is due, they don’t have to call you anymore. Logging up to the website allows them to get real-time information about their property and finances.

The following are the 15 best property management software for small landlords to make their job efficiently.

1. Buildium

Source: Buildium

Buildium is ideal for large property management companies, as it offers configurable pricing for up to 5,000 units. Property management features such as online portals, tenant communication, and faster application processes are included in each package.

These technologies assist landlords in managing and tracking rental payment processes and day-to-day operations.

Pricing:

• Free trial: Yes, 14-day free trial is available.
• Essential plan: Starting at $52/month
• Growth plan: starting at $166/month
• Premium plan: starting at $479/month

👉 Try Buildium (14 Days Free)

2. TenantCloud

Source: TenantCloud

A complete property management solution for small landlords, TenantCloud has all the features landlords need. Using this platform, users may create and maintain property listings as well as screen applicants and handle rental payments.

Landlords and renters together may check their payment history, seek service, and interact with each other through this software. Having native apps for Android and iOS devices makes this platform much more useful when you’re always on the road.

Additionally, TenantCloud’s built-in lead tracking CRM, vendor management, website administration, and inspection management make it stand out from the other applications.

As a landlord, you can keep track of your service providers, making it easier to have repairs and maintenance done.

TenantCloud is a free package that allows you to manage up to 75 units. The Standard plan costs $12 for up to 150 units, while the Growth plan costs $40 for up to 150 units.

3. DoorLoop

In the rental property management industry, DoorLoop is a system that can be used to handle various sorts of properties, from residential to commercial to student and affordable housing.

A one-stop solution for all of your business needs, it can be accessible by all of your stakeholders: the landlords, renters, accounting, marketing, and maintenance.

DoorLoop can help you manage your tenants and commercial properties with ease.

To save money, you don’t have to pay for different, separate programs because it’s a centralized system. It comes with a CRM that allows you to keep track of your tenants, automate rent collection, and even give renters insurance.

It’s easy for owners to see everything that goes on in your business, from daily transactions to financial reports. DoorLoop also provides a variety of payment options that may be accessed by accountants.

For the first two months, save 50% on DoorLoop’s online rent payment and property management system. There’s no harm in trying it out to find out how it affects you. Starting at just $49 per month, DoorLoop has a basic package that covers up to 20 units and has the flexibility to grow.

4. Landlordly

I recommend Landlordy to everyone who wants a simple solution that they can take with them on their smartphone. As you’ll see, Landlordy’s feature set is modest when compared to some of the other property management applications.

They offer both an iOS and Android app version and a nice enough user interface (although not the greatest). If you’re searching for a tool to help you manage rent payments and you’re ready to give up some of its more advanced capabilities, it’s worth a try.

Landlordy has a free version. However, it only has a few basic functions. Additional basic accounting capabilities and data backup are included in the premium edition, which costs $14.99.

5. FantasticStay

For home rental enterprises and vacation rental managers, FantasticStay provides an all-in-one platform for managing their listings, bookings, and clients and their communication and payment procedures.

FantasticStay makes it simple to manage your property listings across various property and lodging providers, like Airbnb and Agoda, and to communicate with clients through a single email.

Using FantasticStay, property managers may free themselves and their workers from the burden of tedious tasks. You may send unique messages to your renters by automating simple greetings, confirmations, and reminders.

Having automatic reservations, email retrieval, list synchronization, and other tasks free up your time and energy so that you may put it to better use in growing your business.

6. BuildingLink.com

Many small landlords worldwide use BuildingLink.com as property management software. In addition to basic resident involvement and property care, it provides extensive key tracking and management statistics.

It’s also a great way to keep your property safe from unwanted visitors. It is possible to make administrative operations more efficient with this management software.

BuildingLink.com, like most other services on our list, makes it easy for small landlords to keep track of their leasing details through user-friendly web portals. As a result of this software’s Community Bulletin Board feature, your renters may communicate with one other.

Your customers may use this to trade, borrow, and purchase products from their neighbors, plan events and even publish notifications for the benefit of the rest of your client base.

Additionally, you’re creating a safe and comfortable living space for your tenants by enhancing landlord-tenant communication through BuildingLink.com.

7. PropertyWare

PropertyWare is designed specifically for small landlords owning single-family homes. This platform has components for marketing, accounting, payment processing, and maintenance management, making it ideal for holiday rentals and small residential rentals.

Additionally, residents may examine their leasing information, file service requests, and pay their rent using websites that are conveniently accessible. They won’t have to go out of their way to get in touch with small landlords for information on their leases.

Beyond the features already stated, Propertyware now provides a resident screening tool to aid your search for suitable renters. According to your credit score and criminal record, you may change this feature’s settings.

Asset protection solutions are another service provided by the said application for your ease and comfort. It is, however, a premium add-on that may only be added to their subscription plans.

8. AppFolio

As a web-based tool, AppFolio attempts to streamline the process of managing properties. A wide range of properties can be handled by this software: residential real estate, commercial structures, student housing, and HOAs.

Users may use it to manage listings, conduct tenant screenings, and execute maintenance requests. It also has a sophisticated accounting system that enables you to track rent payments, execute tenant charges, and plan increases in rent.

With an online tenant portal, Appfolio is a wonderful solution for property managers that want to increase resident retention. These tools provide quick and easy access to any piece of tenancy-related information, such as the lease agreement, due dates, unpaid balances, and service requests. You and your residents can even use it to connect with one another.

9. Building Engines

Designed for commercial offices, residential properties, and industrial facilities, Building Engines is an easy-to-deploy property management platform. Its major features, such as tenant administration, building maintenance, security enforcement, and customer engagement, allow customers to simplify all of their property management chores.

Additionally, it has open API capabilities, making it easy to interface with other corporate applications. With this, you can streamline your work and keep track of everything from a single location.

In addition to the configurable dashboard, another reason why Building Engines entered our list is that it provides a complete picture of your business activities.

With this tool, you’ll have access to everything from tenant satisfaction ratings to financial data to listing performance.

Moreover, you’ll receive automated warnings for work requests, past-due payments, and pending lease applications.

10. Hemlane

Hemlane provides you an advantage in the highly competitive property markets by delivering all the critical property management services you need in one easy-to-use platform.

Hemlane provides a comprehensive solution for property owners, agents, and managers, as well as renters, to ensure that nothing goes astray in your property operations. If you are a small landlord, your business will function more smoothly with the help of this application.

Hemlane allows you to automate the leasing process, from finding the proper renters to collecting rent on time and keeping them happy, so you don’t have to worry about it.

All you have to do is supply the details or let your agents do it for you because it has access to the top 30 property rental websites. Additionally, it provides an online application with a complete credit and background check, all of which are vital pieces of information for your business.

It does this by sending potential renters to your rental listing website, where they can schedule showings.

When it comes to leasing and managing your property, Hemlane can put you in touch with local real estate experts that can help you out. When you use this service, you have access to a nationwide team that can help you with anything from yearly inspections to showing rentals.

11. Condo Control Central

Condo Control Central is an all-in-one tool for condo owners and managers to keep track of all of their properties in one place. An extensive set of services are included, including screening candidates, creating lease agreements, and managing rent payments.

Small landlords can keep track of their daily tasks with the platform’s task calendar and file library, which both make it easy to maintain critical leasing paperwork. In addition, the system’s built-in communication features make it easier for management, renters, and other stakeholders to communicate with one another.

Proxy voting mechanisms are included, allowing you to reach a quorum at crucial meetings like the adoption of new bylaws or the amendment of declarations.

Additional features in Condo Control Central make it simple to gather all the different circumstances you can meet when managing an apartment complex.

Package tracking, amenity bookings, event administration, and security checkpoint management are just a few examples of the resources available to travelers.

Just in case this platform isn’t enough for you, Condo Control Central is designed to interact with a variety of third-party payment processors, accounting systems, security systems, and more.

Final Thoughts

In this article, I have discussed and provided you the complete information regarding the ten best property management software for small landlords.

If you’re a small owner thinking about buying real estate, you can benefit greatly from property management software, no matter which software you choose.

Analyze your needs and preferences before choosing any of the above-mentioned property management software for small landlords.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this story are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link.

What is the most popular property management software?

Which is the best rental portal?