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Managing a handful of rental units alone means you are the rent collector, the person who answers the 9 p.m. maintenance text, and the one who has to remember which lease ends in March. You do not need enterprise software built for 500 doors. You need something that collects rent on time, keeps leases organized, and screens tenants without a pile of paperwork.
The good news is that several credible options are free or inexpensive for small landlords. Prices and features below come from public comparisons and vendor pages, many of them vendor-written, so confirm current details directly on each site.
The best tools for solo landlords and small property managers
Innago
Innago is the most often named free option, reported at $0 per month regardless of unit count. It covers automated rent collection, late fees, lease management, tenant screening (paid for by the applicant), and maintenance tracking. It is a strong default for a landlord who wants the basics without a subscription.
TurboTenant
TurboTenant offers a free plan aimed at landlords with roughly one to ten doors, with listing syndication, applications, screening, and lease tools in one platform. It suits a small landlord who regularly has vacancies to fill.
Avail
Avail, backed by Realtor.com, is aimed at do-it-yourself landlords with a small number of units. It is another free starting point for rent collection and tenant screening.
Leasense
Leasense is built around AI at small scale. Its vendor page lists a Starter plan at about $9 per month with online rent collection, AI lease risk analysis, and a tenant portal, plus a Professional tier at about $39 per month that adds accounting and maintenance requests. That is vendor-reported information, so test it with a trial.
Buildium
Buildium is a traditional platform with broader accounting and reporting. Entry pricing is reported between about $52 and $62 per month depending on the source. It is probably more than a one-to-five unit landlord needs, but it makes sense as you scale.
Which one should you choose?
If you own a few units and want to spend nothing, start with Innago or TurboTenant. If AI-assisted lease review and tenant communication appeal to you, Leasense is a low-cost way to try it. Move to Buildium when bookkeeping and reporting needs outgrow the free tools.
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Frequently asked questions
Are free landlord tools really free?
The software is free, but costs often shift elsewhere, such as tenant-paid screening fees or payment processing fees. Compare total cost at your real number of units.
Can AI write or review a lease for me?
Some tools offer AI lease risk analysis or state-specific assistants, but landlord-tenant law varies by state. Have an attorney or a trusted local resource review anything important.
Do I need accounting features in my property tool?
Not always. Some landlords pair a free rent-collection tool with their existing bookkeeping software. Tools like Landlord Studio or Baselane focus on bank feeds and tax reporting if that is your main need.
When does a small landlord need software like Buildium?
Typically when you have enough units, owners, or accounting complexity that free tools feel limiting. Many landlords with only a few doors never need it.