If you’re a property manager or landlord, you’ve likely felt the pressure to keep everything running smoothly day after day. There’s no room for delay. Managing rent, leases, vacancies, emergencies, оr Airbnb guests requires strong organizational skills.
Just the sheer volume of paperwork and administrative duties, such as lease agreements, reports, and financial statements is overwhelming.
That’s where property management software comes in. It helps you prioritize tasks and keep track of all your properties. Even better, many tools offer mobile apps, allowing you to manage tasks on the go without letting them pile up and without missing anything important.
Keep reading to see our curated list of property management apps. We’ll help you find the right one for you.
Rental property management software is a valuable tool for real estate investors, property managers, landlords, and short-term rental hosts. A property management system (PMS) automates labor-intensive tasks like rent payments, lease tracking, maintenance requests, and tenant communication.
While there are differences based on property type and purpose, most modern PMS solutions are cloud-based, providing access on both desktop and mobile devices. These tools vary widely depending on the type of rental business, whether it’s residential, commercial, student housing, hotels, or short-term rentals.
Let’s break down what makes the best property management app. It’s not a one-size-fits-all choice. These are the key things to pay attention to:
Residential Property Management focuses primarily on tenant relationships, including collecting rent, lease tracking, and addressing maintenance requests. The software typically provides tools for managing tenants’ payment history, applying late rent fees, and resolving repair requests.
Commercial Property Management Software should also include features for tracking multiple leases, calculating Common Area Maintenance charges, and managing long-term maintenance contracts.
Vacation Rental Property Management Software assists with guest communication, housekeeping, check-ins/check-outs, and marketing. Channel management handles bookings from multiple platforms, and automated messaging systems help ensure a smooth guest experience. Given the frequent turnover of guests, the management app must support seamless coordination of day-to-day operations.
While PMS solutions support common property management needs, the features are not exactly the same. A free version of an app might not include some features, such as unlimited leases, business analytics. In short, you should consider two key questions:
Even though the basic features can get the job done, you can also access extra functionalities that improve your operations on a larger scale. For example, companies are now starting to incorporate AI-enhanced capabilities.
In addition to a desktop version, most PMS solutions also offer a downloadable mobile app. While you might think there’s no big difference between mobile and desktop, it can really make a difference.
Whether you’re using iOS or Android, the mobile experience should be just as smooth – if not smoother – than the desktop version. This is especially important for rental managers who are often on the go and find themselves using the app daily.
Sometimes we run into questions or issues while using a tool. Can you reach customer service by phone, and how responsive are they? These factors can make a difference, so be sure to check out what the reviews say.
Property management companies and investors overseeing large portfolios will benefit from solutions catered to large or enterprise businesses. The same software won’t be suitable or affordable for small portfolios. On the other hand, many solutions catering to small and medium business operations can support you in a major way as you grow and scale.
When choosing your property management software, take a close look at what other platforms it can integrate with – it really depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. Want to get your properties in front of more potential tenants? Look for software that connects directly with popular listing sites like Zillow and Apartments.com. Need to make rent collection and payments smoother? Check if the software works with payment services like Stripe or PayPal.
And if you’re in the vacation rental business, you’ll want something like iGMS that directly integrates with major booking platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo.
Here’s out curated list of best property management software used by real estate professionals.
iGMS is a short-term rental property management software designed for Airbnb hosts and real estate investors. This management solution brings all automation tools under one umbrella:
As a busy rental manager, you can stay connected to your business on the go through the user-friendly iGMS app on your mobile device. Users report that iGMS simplifies their lives and short-term rental business, appreciating how easy it is to navigate and manage properties even if they’re not tech-savvy.
You can choose between Host, Flex, and Pro plans, with pricing starting at $18 per month. The Flex plan is ideal for situations when you have lower guest turnover or during slow seasons, while Host and Pro plans are a good fit for growing businesses.
This tool is built with multifamily properties as their primary focus. Since 2008, this company has been dedicated to developing modern software that caters to the needs of multifamily managers and investors.
This rental management software is an all-in-one solution that handles everything from lease agreements to accounting. Key features include leasing, tenant screening, fraud detection, payments, utilities, maintenance, and online training for your team. They offer an online portal that connects residents and staff, along with an iOS/Android app.
Although pricing isn’t publicly disclosed, they offer three pricing tiers: Start, Scale, and Thrive.
User reviews are generally positive, positioning ResMan as a solid solution for the multifamily industry.
This app is designed for self-managing landlords who manage tenants and multiple rental properties. TurboTenant Cloud serves residential management, handling up to 1,000 units.
Key features include: landlord forms package, state-specific lease agreements, rent payments with automated rent reminders and late fees, listing syndication to rental websites, accounting functionalities (profit and loss statements, one-click tax packets, balance sheets, etc.)
You can choose between Free, Pro, and Premium plans. The Free plan includes basic functionalities like online rent collection, tenant screening, and maintenance requests.
The Pro plan starts at $9.92 per month when billed annually.
AppFolio’s primary users are property management companies that need to streamline their operations and require a robust, comprehensive solution. Property managers collect rent online, create customized reports, handle property accounting, and communicate with vendors and residents through a centralized dashboard.
It’s an all in one platform that benefits real estate professionals, whether they’re managing residential or commercial portfolios, or a mix of both. Users praise its robust functionality and detailed reporting features that help them track finances quarter-over-quarter and reduce expenses.
Although they offer three pricing tiers, you’ll need to request a quote. AppFolio’s typical users are medium to large companies who are scaling their real estate businesses.
Described by users as the best condo app for HOAs and condominiums, this property management solution serves property managers, board members, owners, and residents.
According to reviews, Condo Control facilitates communication among residents, property managers, and board members, as well as to track work orders and projects. Residents have access to a user-friendly portal that allows them to submit maintenance requests, access community information, and pay maintenance fees, rent, and other costs.
The app is intuitive and easy to use, and it is highly praised for transparent and clear communication within the condominium community.
While pricing isn’t publicly disclosed, reviewers say they offer reasonable rates.
Landlord Studio is property management software designed specifically for landlords and property owners, especially those managing smaller portfolios.
The platform allows residents to set up automatic rent payments and submit maintenance requests, while landlords can screen tenants, manage maintenance issues, store important documents, and generate income and expense reports.
Available on both iOS and Android, Landlord Studio is known for being user-friendly and cost-effective. While it may not suit those needing a robust, feature-rich, and highly customizable system, self-managing landlords would find good value in using this platform, with plans starting at $12 per month.
TenantCloud is a modern residential maintenance management app with a user-friendly interface. Rental managers value how the platform keeps everything organized, from accounting and lease management to rent collection and marketing.
The software is tenant-oriented, offering rich features for comprehensive tenant management. Through its tenant portal, TenantCloud simplifies communication between a landlord or rental manager and their tenants. It allows unlimited units across all plans but limits the number of leases, document templates and storage capacity in the cheaper plans.
Overall, users choose this app for its extensive features combined with competitive pricing. The basic plan costs $15.60 per month with annual billing.
Rentec Direct is designed for managing multiple rental properties (from small portfolios to over 2,500 units), including both residential and commercial properties. Having been in business since 2007, the company has extensive experience serving property managers and DIY landlords.
While users find the website and mobile app fairly easy to navigate, some note that the interface looks somewhat outdated. The software comes in two versions: Rentec Pro and Rentec PM.
Rentec Pro caters to professional landlords and building managers, featuring a Tenant Portal where residents can access their accounts. The program supports online rent payments, syndicates rental listings to platforms like Dwellsy and Realtor, and allows users to store and share documents with renters and owners.
Rentec PM includes all Rentec Pro features while adding trust accounting and owner payment tracking capabilities, making it ideal for property management companies. Plans start at $45 per month with annual billing (for 20 units).
Buildium stands out as one of the most reviewed rental property management apps in the market. The platform offers a centralized system with comprehensive features, including property accounting, online rent collection, maintenance management, a resident center, rental listing syndication, tenant screening, property management websites, online leasing, and financial analytics.
The company shows a strong dedication to tenant management. Residents can upload photos or videos when reporting maintenance issues, making the process more efficient. Also, vendor bills and expenses can be tracked and paid within the system, without leaving the app.
Plans start at $58 per month, with various pricing tiers to accommodate different needs. The robust platform serves residential and commercial properties as well as community associations. Just as with other solutions, it’s important to ensure your chosen plan includes all necessary features. For instance, live phone support is only available in plans above the Essential tier.
In this article, we’ve listed property management apps that users rate highly and frequently recommend. Many of these companies offer free trials, so you can try out their apps and see how they work for you.
Think about your main goal. If you’re in the short-term rental business, high guest turnover shouldn’t keep you stuck at your computer responding to every guest or cleaner. At a certain point, you need to take one step ahead to improve your daily efficiency and cut down on manual tasks. That’s how you’ll free up time to focus on boosting your rental income and cash flow. See how iGMS can help.