Best app for independent landlords

[Yongming Huang]

I was trying to find the best software to manage my rental properties. Every app out there claims that they are the "one-stop" solution. Are they? I set out to find out. I created a spreadsheet to compare the eight apps I have heard of. Here are the results:

I listed 43 features to compare. As you can see, the apps can be divided into two groups: those that focus on leasing and management, and those that focus on accounting, although they often have overlapping features. 

Here is what I found:

If you have 1-7 rental units, Avail + Stessa would give you the most features and make the most economic sense, as Stessa is 100% free and Avail charges $5/unit/month. When you have 8 units or more, Rentec Direct seems to be the answer, as it is the single software that has the most features (27 out of 43), and their fee starts at $40/month.

What are your experiences with those tools?