7 Best Property Management Software for Small Landlords (1-20 Units) in 2026

All ratings and pricing verified as of February 2026

Most property management software is built for portfolio managers with 50+ units. The interface is overwhelming, the pricing assumes you have thousands in monthly rent coming in, and half the features—like multi-property dashboards and enterprise integrations—are useless when you're managing three duplexes.

If you've tried Buildium or AppFolio and felt like you were using a bulldozer to hang a picture frame, you're not alone.

Here's what small landlords actually need: simple rent collection that doesn't take 3% of every transaction, tenant screening that won't cost $50 per applicant, basic bookkeeping for tax time, and maybe some maintenance tracking. That's it. No AI-powered lease optimization. No investor portals. Just software that gets out of your way.

I've spent the last month testing every platform marketed to small landlords, reading real user complaints (not just the cherry-picked testimonials), and checking what's actually included in those "starting at $X/month" plans. Here's what actually works for portfolios under 20 units.

Quick Picks

• Best Overall: Baselane – Completely free, includes banking with 3%+ APY, covers 90% of what small landlords need
• Best Free (Tie): TenantCloud – Free up to 75 units with surprising feature depth
• Best for Single-Family Owners: Avail – Built for side-hustle landlords, free tier is genuinely useful
• Best Value (If Paying): Stessa – $12/month for unlimited properties, tax-focused accounting

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1. Baselane – Best Overall for Small Landlords

Pricing: Free (Core plan), no unit limits
Rating: 4.7/5 (Capterra), 4.8/5 (TrustPilot)
Best for: 1-20 units, landlords who want banking + management in one place

What It Does Well

Baselane is what happens when someone actually asks small landlords what they need instead of copying enterprise software. It's completely free—not a trial, not "free with limitations"—and includes rent collection, banking, bookkeeping, and reporting.

The banking integration is the killer feature. You get a business checking account with 3%+ APY (check current rate at Baselane.com; rates shift quarterly), automated transaction categorization, and separate accounts for each property. This alone saves most landlords $50-100/month in accounting software.

Rent collection works via ACH (free for landlords, $2.99 for tenants) or debit card. Tenants get a simple portal where they can pay, submit maintenance requests, and view their lease. It's not fancy, but it works without calling you at 11 PM asking how to log in.

The bookkeeping is shockingly good for free software. Every transaction auto-categorizes (and learns from corrections), generates profit/loss statements, tracks capital expenditures separately from operating expenses, and exports to whatever format your CPA wants. If you're still using spreadsheets in 2026, Baselane will make you feel irresponsible.

Where It Falls Short

Baselane doesn't handle vacancy marketing. You can't list properties, post to Zillow, or manage applications through the platform. You'll need Avail, TurboTenant, or Craigslist for that. Once you have a tenant, Baselane takes over.

Tenant screening costs extra ($39 per report), which is standard but worth noting since it's not bundled into the free plan.

The mobile app exists but feels like an afterthought. You can check balances and approve maintenance requests, but serious work requires a laptop.

Who Should Skip This

If you're managing furnished short-term rentals, Baselane won't help you. It's built for traditional 12-month leases.

If you need advanced features like automated late fees, lease renewals with escalation clauses, or detailed CAM reconciliation for commercial properties, you'll outgrow Baselane fast.

Bottom line: For 1-20 unit landlords who don't want to pay $100/month for features they'll never use, Baselane is the obvious choice. The fact that it's free is almost suspicious until you realize they make money on the banking side (and they're transparent about it).

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2. TenantCloud – Best Free Option (Especially Under 50 Units)

Pricing: Free (up to 75 units), $18/month (Standard), $48/month (Premium)
Rating: 4.5/5 (G2), 4.3/5 (Capterra)
Best for: Landlords scaling from 5 to 50 units who refuse to pay monthly fees

What It Does Well

TenantCloud's free plan is absurdly generous: unlimited properties, up to 75 units, rent collection, tenant screening, maintenance tracking, e-signatures, and even some accounting features. Most competitors cut you off at 5 units or cripple the feature set. TenantCloud just... doesn't.

The property accounting is where it shines. You get automated income/expense tracking, budget forecasting, and tax-ready reports. It's not QuickBooks, but it's 80% of the way there without paying QuickBooks prices.

Maintenance management is better than platforms 3x the price. Tenants submit requests through their portal (with photos), you can assign them to vendors or mark them complete, and everything creates a timestamped paper trail. If a tenant claims you ignored a leak for six months, you'll have receipts showing otherwise.

The platform also includes property listing syndication to Zillow, Trulia, and HotPads. This is usually a $30/month add-on elsewhere.

Where It Falls Short

The interface feels like it was designed by a committee in 2018 and never updated. Nothing is broken, but everything takes two extra clicks. You'll get used to it, but Avail and Baselane feel more modern.

Customer support is slow. You're mostly relying on their knowledge base and community forums. If you need hand-holding, this isn't it.

The mobile app is functional but clunky. Rent collection and maintenance requests work fine; anything else is frustrating on a phone.

Who Should Skip This

If you only have 1-3 properties and want the simplest possible experience, TenantCloud's feature bloat will annoy you. Avail is cleaner for that use case.

If you're paying for the Premium plan ($48/month), you're overpaying—Buildium and DoorLoop offer more polish for similar money.

Bottom line: TenantCloud is the best free software for landlords with 10-50 units who can tolerate a slightly dated interface in exchange for features that competitors charge $100/month for.

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3. Avail – Best for Side-Hustle Landlords (1-10 Units)

Pricing: Free (Unlimited plan), $9/unit/month (Unlimited Plus)
Rating: 4.6/5 (Capterra), 4.4/5 (Software Advice)
Best for: First-time landlords, people managing 1-5 properties alongside a day job

What It Does Well

Avail is designed for people who don't think of themselves as "property managers." The interface is clean, the onboarding explains everything in plain English, and the mobile app actually works well.

The free plan includes rent collection (ACH), tenant screening ($55/applicant, paid by tenant), lease creation with state-specific templates, maintenance tracking, and property listing to major rental sites. That's everything a small landlord needs for zero monthly cost.

Where Avail really shines is tenant screening. The reports are comprehensive (credit, criminal, eviction history), the tenant pays the fee, and the interface explains what you're looking at instead of just dumping a raw credit score. If you've never screened a tenant before, Avail makes you feel competent.

Lease creation is similarly thoughtful. You answer a few questions, it generates a state-compliant lease, both parties e-sign, and everyone gets a copy. It's not AI-generated (looking at you, LandlordCart's sketchy "AI lease" marketing), just well-designed form logic.

Rent collection is free for landlords if tenants pay via ACH. Credit/debit cards cost 2.99% (tenants can pay the fee or you can cover it). Payments post within 3-5 business days.

Where It Falls Short

Avail used to be cheaper. They've raised prices twice in three years, and longtime users are salty about it. The free plan is still solid, but the $9/unit Unlimited Plus tier feels expensive for what you get (mainly just accounting reports and priority support).

The accounting features are basic. You can track income/expenses and generate simple P&L reports, but if you have multiple properties or need detailed tax categorization, you'll still need Stessa or Baselane.

No built-in banking or high-yield accounts like Baselane offers.

Who Should Skip This

If you have more than 10 units, the $9/unit pricing gets absurd fast. At $90/month for 10 units, you're better off with Buildium or DoorLoop.

If you need advanced features—custom lease clauses, automated rent increases, investor reporting—Avail won't cut it.

Bottom line: Avail is perfect for someone managing 1-3 single-family homes who wants software that feels like a consumer app, not enterprise bloatware. The free plan is legitimately useful; the paid plan is overpriced.

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4. Stessa – Best for Tax-Obsessed Landlords

Pricing: Free (Essentials), $12/month (Manage), $28/month (Pro) – all include unlimited properties
Rating: 4.6/5 (Software Finder, 91 reviews), #1 landlord app by App Store ratings (Feb 2026)
Best for: Landlords who dread tax season, investors tracking multiple properties' performance

What It Does Well

Stessa is an accounting platform with property management features bolted on. If you're the type of landlord who tracks every $14 hardware store receipt because depreciation schedules matter, Stessa is built for you.

The core accounting is automatic. Link your bank account and credit cards, Stessa categorizes transactions, generates Schedule E-ready reports, and tracks capital improvements separately from repairs. At tax time, you export a PDF and hand it to your CPA, who will actually thank you instead of charging extra for disorganized receipts.

Property performance tracking is excellent. You get real-time metrics on cash flow, ROI, cap rate, cash-on-cash return, and equity growth. If you own four rentals and want to know which one is dragging down your portfolio, Stessa tells you instantly.

The free plan is genuinely usable—unlimited properties, income/expense tracking, document storage, and basic reports. The paid tiers add rent collection, online applications, and higher interest rates on Stessa's built-in banking (3%+ APY on Pro vs ~2% on free — check current rates).

The mobile app is one of the best in the category. You can scan receipts while standing in Home Depot, and they auto-categorize and attach to the right property.

Where It Falls Short

Stessa doesn't have a tenant portal for free users. Tenants can't submit maintenance requests, pay rent online, or view their lease through the app. You need the Manage plan ($12/month) for that.

Rent collection isn't free even on paid plans—ACH costs $2/transaction, cards cost 2.9% + $0.50. Compare this to Baselane (free ACH for landlords) and it adds up.

The platform is heavily geared toward financial tracking. If you just want to collect rent and manage leases without thinking about IRR calculations, Stessa is overkill.

Who Should Skip This

If you have a single rental and file Schedule E on a napkin, Stessa's depth will feel like homework.

If you need vacancy marketing, full-featured tenant screening, or maintenance vendor management, Stessa is too accounting-focused.

Bottom line: Stessa is the best software for landlords who treat rentals like a business, track performance metrics, and want tax season to be painless. If the phrase "cost segregation study" excites you, get Stessa.

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5. RentRedi – Best Tenant Portal Experience

Pricing: Contact for quote (typically $9-15/unit/month based on reviews)
Rating: 4.6-4.9/5 (Capterra), G2 "Best Estimated ROI" award
Best for: Landlords who want to minimize tenant phone calls and text messages

What It Does Well

RentRedi has won "Tenant Portal of the Year" three years running, and it's not marketing fluff. The tenant experience is genuinely better than competitors.

Tenants can pay rent (auto-pay options available), submit maintenance requests with photos, communicate with you through in-app messaging, and access their lease and payment history. The interface is mobile-first and actually intuitive—your 65-year-old tenant will figure it out without calling you.

The landlord side is equally polished. You get rent collection, tenant screening ($35-45/report), lease creation, maintenance tracking, accounting, and property listing syndication. It's the full package without feeling cluttered.

Rent collection offers multiple options: ACH (free for landlords, $1 fee for tenants), debit card (2.95% + $0.95), or credit card (3.95% + $0.95). The $1 ACH fee for tenants is annoying but standard.

RentRedi integrates with QuickBooks if you're already using it for other business finances. This is rare among landlord-focused platforms.

Customer support is excellent. Real humans respond quickly, and onboarding includes helpful guides for both landlords and tenants.

Where It Falls Short

Pricing isn't transparent. You have to contact sales for a quote, which is a red flag for small landlords used to SaaS pricing pages. Based on reviews, expect $9-15/unit/month—not terrible, but not cheap.

The accounting features are basic compared to Stessa or Baselane. You can track income/expenses and generate simple reports, but detailed tax categorization requires exporting to QuickBooks.

Some landlords complain about the $1 ACH fee for tenants. It's small, but competitors like Baselane don't charge it.

Who Should Skip This

If you only have 1-2 units and your tenants never bother you, paying $18-30/month for a better portal is wasteful.

If you need free software (Baselane, TenantCloud, Avail free tier are all better value).

If transparent pricing matters to you and you hate sales calls.

Bottom line: RentRedi is worth it if you're tired of tenants texting you at 9 PM about rent payments or maintenance issues. The tenant portal is the best in the industry, and the landlord experience is polished. Just be prepared for opaque pricing and that annoying $1 tenant fee.

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6. DoorLoop – Best for Growth-Focused Landlords (10-50 Units)

Pricing: $69/month (Starter, up to 20 units), $139/month (Pro), $199/month (Premium)
Rating: 4.6/5 (G2), 4.5/5 (Capterra)
Best for: Landlords planning to scale from 10 to 50+ units, property managers starting out

What It Does Well

DoorLoop is what you graduate to when TenantCloud or Avail starts feeling limiting. It's professional-grade software that doesn't require an enterprise portfolio.

The platform is feature-complete: rent collection, tenant screening, lease management, maintenance with vendor portals, accounting with QuickBooks integration, owner portals (if you manage properties for others), and even automated late fees and lease renewals.

The automation is where DoorLoop justifies its price. You can set up automatic rent reminders, escalating late fee schedules, lease renewal workflows with rent increase calculations, and recurring maintenance tasks. Once configured, you touch the software less while getting better results.

The reporting is strong. You can generate custom reports on vacancy rates, maintenance costs by property, rent roll summaries, and financial performance. If you're managing 20+ units or working with investors, these aren't nice-to-haves—they're requirements.

DoorLoop's mobile app is excellent. Maintenance requests, rent tracking, and communication all work smoothly on phones.

Customer support includes onboarding assistance and live chat. You're not abandoned to figure it out yourself.

Where It Falls Short

At $69/month for up to 20 units, it's expensive if you only have 3-5 properties. You're paying for features you won't use for years.

The Starter plan only allows PDF exports of financial data. If you want QuickBooks integration, you need the Pro plan ($139/month).

The interface has a learning curve. It's not complicated, but it's not as immediately intuitive as Avail or Baselane.

Some landlords complain about add-on fees. E-signatures, premium support, and certain integrations cost extra beyond the base subscription.

Who Should Skip This

If you have fewer than 10 units and don't plan to scale, DoorLoop is overkill. Baselane or TenantCloud will cover your needs for $0/month.

If you want the simplest possible software, DoorLoop's feature depth will feel overwhelming.

Bottom line: DoorLoop is for landlords who view property management as a business, not a side hustle. If you're at 10-15 units now and targeting 30-50 within three years, DoorLoop grows with you. If you're staying small, it's expensive and unnecessary.

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7. Buildium – Best Features (If You Can Justify the Cost)

Pricing: $62/month (Starter, up to 20 units), $174/month (Essential), $324/month (Growth)
Rating: 4.2/5 (G2), 4.3/5 (Capterra)
Best for: Established landlords with 15-20 units, property managers handling third-party portfolios

What It Does Well

Buildium is the gold standard for property management software. It's what professional property management companies use. Forbes ranked it "Best Real Estate Accounting Software for Property Managers" for a reason—the feature set is comprehensive.

You get everything: rent collection, tenant/owner portals, accounting with full double-entry bookkeeping, maintenance management with vendor portals, lease generation with automatic renewals, late fee automation, property marketing with free website, and deep integrations with QuickBooks, AppFolio, and other enterprise tools.

The accounting is the strongest of any platform reviewed here. Budgets, forecasting, AP/AR management, trust account handling (required for professional property managers), and detailed GL reports. If you manage properties for other owners, Buildium's investor reporting tools are unmatched.

The tenant portal and screening tools are excellent. Applicants can apply online, pay the screening fee, and get approved/denied through automated workflows you configure.

Buildium's support is comprehensive—phone, chat, email, and extensive training resources.

Where It Falls Short

At $62/month for up to 20 units, Buildium is the most expensive option for small landlords. If you only have 5 properties, you're paying $12/unit/month for features you'll never touch.

The Starter plan doesn't include live customer support. You get email and the knowledge base. For $62/month, that's insulting.

The interface is dated and cluttered. It works, but it feels like enterprise software from 2015.

Onboarding is complex. Expect to spend hours setting up properties, configuring workflows, and learning the system. Simpler platforms like Avail or Baselane get you running in 20 minutes.

Some landlords complain about extra charges—premium tenant screening, e-signatures, and certain integrations aren't included in the base price.

Who Should Skip This

If you have fewer than 10 units, Buildium is wasteful. You're paying for CAM reconciliation, trust accounting, and multi-level approval workflows you don't need.

If you want simple, user-friendly software, Buildium will frustrate you.

If you're price-sensitive, free options like Baselane and TenantCloud cover 90% of Buildium's small-landlord use cases.

Bottom line: Buildium is the right choice if you're managing 15-20 units, handle properties for other owners, or plan to become a full-time property manager. For DIY landlords with 1-10 units, it's like buying a semi-truck to haul groceries—technically excellent, but absurdly overbuilt.

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Comparison Table

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Final Recommendations by Landlord Type

"I Own 1-3 Single-Family Homes"

Use Baselane (free) for rent collection and banking, plus Avail (free) for listing properties and tenant screening.

Why two? Baselane doesn't handle vacancy marketing. Avail's free tier covers that. Once you have tenants, Baselane handles everything else for $0/month with better banking benefits than your current checking account.

"I Have 5-15 Units and Manage Everything Myself"

Use TenantCloud (free) if you don't mind a clunky interface and want to pay nothing.

Use Stessa ($12/month) if you value clean accounting and can handle listings/screening elsewhere.

Use Baselane (free) if banking integration and modern UI matter more than vacancy marketing tools.

"I'm Scaling to 20-50 Units in the Next 2-3 Years"

Use DoorLoop ($69-139/month). You need automation, better reporting, and features that grow with you. The cost is justified when you're managing enough rent to treat this as a business.

"I Manage Properties for Other Owners"

Use Buildium ($62+/month). You need owner portals, trust accounting, and professional-grade reporting. The cost is a business expense you pass through to clients.

"I Just Want the Simplest Possible Software"

Use Avail (free). The onboarding explains everything, the interface isn't cluttered with features you'll never touch, and you can start collecting rent within an hour of signing up.

"I'm Obsessed with Optimizing Taxes and Tracking ROI"

Use Stessa ($12-28/month). Every receipt scanned, every transaction categorized, Schedule E ready at tax time. Your CPA will send you a thank-you card.

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What to Look For When Choosing Property Management Software

1. Total Cost (Not Just the Headline Price)

Most software advertises "$0/month!" then hits you with:

• Transaction fees (2-3% on rent payments)
• Per-tenant screening fees ($30-55 each)
• E-signature charges ($5-10/lease)
• "Premium" features locked behind higher tiers

Calculate your real monthly cost: (monthly fee) + (rent collection % × monthly rent) + (estimated screening costs / 12). A "$9/month" plan that takes 2.99% of $6,000 in rent costs $188/month, not $9.

2. Who Pays Transaction Fees

Some platforms (Baselane, RentRedi) let tenants cover payment processing fees. Others (Buildium, Stessa) charge landlords. On $2,000/month rent at 2.5%, that's $600/year out of your pocket.

3. Feature Bloat vs. Missing Essentials

You don't need:

• Investor portals (unless managing for others)
• AI lease optimization
• Custom branding
• Multi-currency support

You probably do need:

• Rent collection (ACH at minimum)
• Basic tenant screening
• Lease storage and e-signatures
• Maintenance request tracking
• Simple income/expense reports for taxes

Avoid software that charges for essentials while giving you useless enterprise features for free.

4. Mobile App Quality

If your software makes tenants email you photos of maintenance issues because the app doesn't work, you've failed. Test the tenant-facing app before committing.

5. Exit Strategy

Can you export your data if you switch platforms? Some software locks you in with proprietary formats. Look for CSV/PDF export of transactions, leases, and tenant history.

6. Support Model

Free software = community forums and knowledge bases.
$10-30/month = email support, maybe chat.
$60+/month = you should get phone support, onboarding help, and live chat.

If you're paying Buildium prices and can't call someone when QuickBooks integration breaks, you're being ripped off.

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The Overrated Software Everyone Recommends (But You Should Probably Skip)

AppFolio – Minimum 50 units, $280+/month. Great software, but unless you're a professional property manager, you're paying for features you don't need.

Rent Manager – Overkill for anyone under 100 units. The pricing isn't even public—they make you do a sales demo. Hard pass for small landlords.

Yardi – Enterprise-grade, designed for commercial real estate and thousands of units. If you're reading this article, Yardi is not for you.

TurboTenant – Aggressively marketed but doesn't offer anything Avail or Baselane don't do better. The "free" plan is more limited than competitors.

Cozy (now part of Apartments.com) – Was great, got acquired, slowly degraded. Former users migrated to Avail and Baselane.

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Bottom Line

If you're managing 1-20 units in 2026, you don't need to spend $100/month on software.

Baselane is free, includes high-yield banking, and covers rent collection, accounting, and tenant management. That's 90% of what small landlords need.

TenantCloud is free up to 75 units and includes features competitors charge $50/month for.

Avail is perfect for beginners who want hand-holding and a clean interface.

The paid options (DoorLoop, Buildium, RentRedi) are better software, but they're only worth it if you're scaling past 15 units or managing properties for others.

Start with Baselane. If you outgrow it, you'll know exactly what features you need—and you'll have saved hundreds of dollars while figuring it out.

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Full disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if you sign up (at no extra cost to you). We only recommend software we've actually tested and would use ourselves. If you hate affiliate links, just Google the company name—the recommendation stands either way.