Top Landlord Software for Real Estate Investors and Property Managers

If you own or manage rental properties, you know how easy it is for tasks to slip through the cracks—missed maintenance requests, late rent payments, or lost tenant records can all lead to unhappy renters and lower cash flow. Landlord software helps real estate investors and property managers streamline operations and improve profitability across their rental portfolios.

What Is Landlord Software?

Landlord software allows you to manage all aspects of rental property operations, including tenant screening, lease signing, maintenance tracking, rent collection, accounting, and reporting. These platforms come in two forms:

• Desktop-based software installed on a computer or tablet
• Cloud-based platforms accessible online from any internet-connected device

Many of today’s tools also include mobile apps to manage tasks on the go—perfect for landlords juggling multiple properties. Common features include tenant portals, online rent payments, digital lease signing, maintenance tracking, and automated reminders.

Top Software for Small Landlords

Smaller investors managing a few properties benefit from affordable, easy-to-use tools that help track income, expenses, and documents. Here are five great options:

1. Stessa

Best for: Rental property accounting and financial reporting

Stessa is a free platform offering automated income and expense tracking, unlimited property dashboards, monthly reports, and tax-ready financials. Premium services are available for investors who need mortgage support or market data.

2. Avail

Best for: DIY landlords

Avail offers online rent collection, tenant screening, state-specific leases, and maintenance tracking. The free plan includes unlimited units, while the paid plan ($5/unit/month) adds next-day rent payments, custom leases, and property listing pages.

3. Cozy

Best for: Online rent collection and tenant screening

Now integrated with Apartments.com, Cozy is free for landlords. Tenants pay for screening reports and credit card fees. Features include rent collection, document storage, and online applications.

4. Rentec Direct

Best for: Landlords with up to 10 properties

Rentec offers both free and paid plans. The Pro version ($35/month) includes rent collection, maintenance tracking, accounting, and tenant screening tools with customizable reports.

5. TenantCloud

Best for: Beginner landlords and property managers

TenantCloud includes rent tracking, payment processing, and maintenance management. The free plan supports up to 75 units, with paid plans starting at $9/month. Add-ons include QuickBooks integration and tenant screening services.

Best Software for Professional Property Managers

Larger portfolios require robust tools with advanced features for automation, collaboration, and portfolio analysis. Here are five leading solutions for professional use:

1. AppFolio

Best for: Large portfolios and mixed-use assets

AppFolio offers accounting, marketing, maintenance, screening, and tenant portals. It supports various asset types including single-family, multifamily, student housing, HOA, and commercial properties. Pricing starts at $250/month plus a setup fee.

2. Buildium

Best for: Residential and HOA property management

Buildium supports rental and association management. Pricing starts at $50/month for 20 units. Features include rent tracking, maintenance requests, e-signatures, and tenant portals. Add-ons are available for payments and lease signing.

3. MRI Software

Best for: Commercial landlords and large residential portfolios

With tools for accounting, lease templates, risk management, and compliance, MRI is a customizable system built for enterprise needs. Pricing is tailored per client and portfolio complexity.

4. Propertyware

Best for: Large-scale single-family home portfolios

Designed for landlords with 250+ homes, Propertyware offers solutions for inspections, rent collection, vendor portals, and tenant marketing. Pricing starts at $250/month plus implementation fees.

5. Yardi Breeze

Best for: Small-to-midsize portfolios

Yardi Breeze supports both residential and commercial property types. Residential pricing starts at $1/unit/month with a $100 minimum. Features include accounting, marketing, maintenance, and lease management tools.

Why Landlords Are Embracing Technology

According to industry research, the top features tenants expect include online rent payments, digital maintenance requests, and email or text communication. With occupancy rates near all-time highs, the competition to attract and retain tenants has never been greater.

Landlord software helps you:

• Improve tenant satisfaction and reduce turnover
• Streamline operations and automate routine tasks
• Track income, expenses, and property performance
• Access tax-ready financial statements and reports

For a deeper look at how software tools support real estate investors, check out our guide to real estate investing software for beginners.

Final Thoughts

Whether you're managing a few rental units or a large real estate portfolio, using landlord software can help you save time, reduce stress, and boost profitability. From free platforms like Stessa to enterprise systems like AppFolio and Buildium, there’s a solution for every scale and budget.

Choose the right tool based on your property count, task load, and long-term goals—and let automation do the heavy lifting while you focus on growing your business.