Best Property Management Software for Small Landlords (2025)
Finding the Right Property Management Software in 2025
Managing rental properties—even just one or two units—requires juggling rent collection, late fee tracking, maintenance requests, lease management, and tenant communication. The right property management software can automate these tasks, ensure legal compliance, and save you hours each month.
But with dozens of options ranging from free to $100+/month, how do you choose? This guide compares the best property management software for small landlords (1-50 units) based on features, pricing, ease of use, and real user feedback.
Quick Comparison: Top Property Management Software 2025
| Software | Best For | Starting Price | Free Tier? | Late Fee Automation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RentLateFee.com | Late fee calculations | Free | Yes | State-compliant calculator |
| Avail | DIY landlords (1-10 units) | Free | Yes | Basic |
| TurboTenant | Tenant screening | Free | Yes | Basic |
| Zillow Rental Manager | Listing + basic management | Free | Yes | Limited |
| Buildium | Growing portfolios (10-50 units) | $52/month | No | Full automation |
| AppFolio | Professional managers (50+ units) | $280/month | No | Full automation |
| Rentec Direct | Value-conscious landlords | $45/month | No | Full automation |
| Stessa | Financial tracking | Free | Yes | None (financial focus) |
#1: RentLateFee.com — Best for Late Fee Compliance
Overview
RentLateFee.com is a specialized free tool focused on state-compliant late fee calculations. While not a full property management suite, it's the most accurate resource for ensuring your late fees comply with state laws.
Key Features
- State-specific calculators: Automatically applies your state's caps, grace periods, and rules
- PDF reports: Generate professional documentation for tenant records
- Grace period tracking: Know exactly when late fees can legally be charged
- Prorated rent calculator: For mid-month move-ins/move-outs
- Legal resource library: State-by-state regulation guides
Pricing
Free for all core features. Premium features for high-volume users.
Best For
Landlords who need accurate late fee calculations and want to ensure legal compliance. Pairs well with other property management tools that lack state-specific late fee rules.
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#2: Avail (by Realtor.com) — Best Free All-in-One for Small Landlords
Overview
Avail offers a comprehensive free tier that covers most needs for landlords with 1-10 properties. Now owned by Realtor.com, it provides solid core functionality without monthly fees.
Key Features
- Free online rent collection: ACH payments with 3-day processing
- Tenant screening: Credit, criminal, eviction reports ($30-55 paid by tenant)
- Digital lease signing: State-specific lease templates
- Maintenance tracking: Online request submission and management
- Rental listing syndication: Post to Realtor.com, Apartments.com, etc.
Late Fee Handling
Avail allows landlords to set late fee amounts and grace periods, but does not verify state compliance. You must know your state's rules independently.
Recommendation: Use Avail for rent collection, but verify late fee amounts with RentLateFee.com's calculator to ensure compliance.
Pricing
- Free tier: Rent collection (3-day ACH), listings, maintenance tracking
- Unlimited Plus ($7/unit/month): Next-day payments, custom applications, waived ACH fees
Best For
DIY landlords with 1-10 units who want free, basic property management without a learning curve.
Limitations
- No accounting/bookkeeping features
- Limited customization
- 3-day payment delay on free tier
- No state-specific late fee compliance verification
#3: TurboTenant — Best Free Tenant Screening
Overview
TurboTenant stands out for its robust free tenant screening options and clean, user-friendly interface. It's particularly strong for landlords focused on finding quality tenants.
Key Features
- Free rental applications: Unlimited applications at no cost
- Tenant screening: TransUnion reports with income verification
- Online rent collection: Free ACH payments
- Rental listing: Syndicated to major listing sites
- Lease creation: Attorney-reviewed templates
Late Fee Handling
Basic late fee settings available. Does not include state-specific compliance checks.
Pricing
- Free tier: Listings, applications, basic rent collection
- Premium ($8.25/month): Expedited payments, advanced screening, lease templates
Best For
Landlords who prioritize tenant screening and want a simple, free platform for basic management.
#4: Zillow Rental Manager — Best for Listings + Basic Management
Overview
Zillow Rental Manager leverages Zillow's massive audience for rental listings while offering basic property management features. Best for landlords who prioritize visibility over features.
Key Features
- Massive listing exposure: Zillow, Trulia, HotPads reach
- Free online rent collection: Built-in payment processing
- Tenant screening: Available (paid by tenant)
- Lease templates: Basic digital leases
Late Fee Handling
Very basic. You can set a late fee amount, but there's no automation or compliance verification.
Pricing
- Free: One active listing per property
- Paid listings: $29.99/week for featured placement
Best For
Landlords who want maximum listing visibility and don't need advanced management features.
Limitations
- Limited property management features
- No maintenance tracking
- No accounting tools
- Poor late fee automation
#5: Buildium — Best for Growing Portfolios (10-50 Units)
Overview
Buildium is a comprehensive property management platform designed for landlords scaling beyond 10 units. It offers professional-grade features with a price tag to match.
Key Features
- Full accounting suite: General ledger, financial reports, 1099 generation
- Online rent collection: ACH and credit card with automatic late fees
- Tenant portal: Maintenance requests, payment history, documents
- Owner portal: For property management companies
- Maintenance workflows: Work order management with vendor assignment
- Tenant screening: Comprehensive background checks
- eLeases: Digital lease signing with templates
Late Fee Handling
Full automation: Set late fee amounts, grace periods, and Buildium automatically applies fees. However, you must still verify amounts comply with state law using resources like RentLateFee.com's state guide.
Pricing
- Essential ($52/month): Up to 20 units, core features
- Growth ($166/month): Up to 150 units, advanced features
- Premium ($479/month): Unlimited units, priority support
Best For
Landlords with 10-50 units who need professional accounting, automated workflows, and scalability.
Limitations
- Expensive for 1-5 unit landlords
- Learning curve for full feature set
- No state-specific late fee compliance verification
#6: AppFolio — Best for Professional Property Managers
Overview
AppFolio is an enterprise-grade platform for professional property managers handling 50+ units. It's overkill for small landlords but unmatched for scaling operations.
Key Features
- AI-powered leasing: Automated showing scheduling, lead management
- Advanced accounting: Full GL, bank reconciliation, financial reporting
- Maintenance coordination: Vendor management, work order automation
- Owner and tenant portals: Self-service access for all parties
- Marketing website: Custom property management website included
Late Fee Handling
Full automation with customizable rules. Professional-grade fee management but requires manual state compliance verification.
Pricing
- Core ($280/month minimum): 50 unit minimum
- Plus/Max: Custom pricing for larger portfolios
Best For
Property management companies or landlords with 50+ units needing enterprise features.
Limitations
- 50-unit minimum makes it unsuitable for small landlords
- High monthly cost
- Complex setup
#7: Rentec Direct — Best Value for Paid Software
Overview
Rentec Direct offers professional features at a lower price point than Buildium or AppFolio, making it attractive for cost-conscious landlords with 5-30 units.
Key Features
- Full accounting: Trust accounting, owner statements, 1099s
- Online rent collection: ACH with automatic late fee posting
- Tenant screening: Credit, criminal, eviction checks
- Work order management: Maintenance tracking and vendor coordination
- Syndicated listings: Post to major rental sites
Late Fee Handling
Automatic late fee posting based on your settings. Good automation but no built-in state compliance checks.
Pricing
- Rentec Pro ($45/month): Up to 10 units
- Rentec PM ($55/month): For property managers, trust accounting
- Additional units: $1.50-2.00/unit/month
Best For
Landlords with 5-30 units who want professional features without premium pricing.
#8: Stessa — Best for Financial Tracking and Tax Prep
Overview
Stessa focuses specifically on financial tracking and tax preparation for real estate investors. It's not a full property management platform but excels at what it does.
Key Features
- Automatic transaction tracking: Links to bank accounts for automatic categorization
- Tax-ready reports: Schedule E, cash flow statements, net worth tracking
- Performance dashboards: Portfolio overview, property-level metrics
- Document storage: Keep leases, receipts, and records organized
- Rent collection: Basic ACH rent collection added
Late Fee Handling
None. Stessa tracks income and expenses but does not manage late fees. Use alongside RentLateFee.com for late fee calculations.
Pricing
- Free: Core financial tracking features
- Pro ($20/month): Advanced reporting, priority support
Best For
Real estate investors focused on financial performance and tax preparation rather than day-to-day management.
Feature Comparison Matrix
| Feature | RentLateFee | Avail | TurboTenant | Buildium | Rentec | Stessa |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Late Fee Calculator | State-specific | Basic | Basic | Automated | Automated | None |
| State Compliance | Built-in | Manual | Manual | Manual | Manual | N/A |
| Rent Collection | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tenant Screening | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Accounting | No | No | No | Full | Full | Full |
| Maintenance | No | Basic | Basic | Full | Full | No |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
How to Choose the Right Software
For 1-5 Units (DIY Landlords)
Recommended stack:
- Primary: Avail or TurboTenant (free rent collection + screening)
- Late fees: RentLateFee.com calculator (state compliance)
- Financials: Stessa (free tax tracking)
For 5-20 Units (Growing Landlords)
Recommended stack:
- Primary: Rentec Direct ($45-55/month for professional features)
- Late fees: Use Rentec automation + verify with RentLateFee state guides
For 20-50+ Units (Scaling Operations)
Recommended stack:
- Primary: Buildium Essential ($52/month)
- Late fees: Buildium automation + state compliance verification
Late Fee Compliance: The Hidden Risk
Most property management software lets you set late fee amounts—but none verify state compliance. This creates legal risk:
- New York: Fees over $50 or 5% may be unenforceable
- California: "Unreasonable" fees can void the entire late fee clause
- Massachusetts: Tenants can sue for triple damages on illegal fees
- Maine: Fees over 4% violate state law
Solution: Regardless of which property management software you choose, verify your late fee amounts using RentLateFee.com's state-specific calculator before setting up automation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best free property management software?
For overall features, Avail offers the best free tier with rent collection, screening, and maintenance. For late fee compliance specifically, RentLateFee.com is the most accurate free tool.
Do I need property management software for one rental?
It's not required, but even one property benefits from organized rent collection, proper late fee documentation, and maintenance tracking. Free tools like Avail or TurboTenant add minimal overhead.
Can property management software handle late fees automatically?
Paid platforms like Buildium and Rentec Direct can automatically apply late fees based on your settings. However, you must ensure amounts comply with state law—the software doesn't verify this.
What's the difference between Buildium and AppFolio?
Both are professional-grade platforms. Buildium has lower minimum requirements (no unit minimum on Essential) while AppFolio requires 50+ units and offers more advanced features for larger operations.
Conclusion
The best property management software depends on your portfolio size and needs:
- 1-5 units: Avail (free) + RentLateFee.com (compliance) + Stessa (financials)
- 5-20 units: Rentec Direct ($45/month) + RentLateFee.com (compliance)
- 20-50+ units: Buildium ($52+/month) or AppFolio ($280+/month)
Regardless of which platform you choose, always verify late fee compliance with state-specific tools. Use our free late fee calculator to ensure your fees are legal and enforceable.
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