Best Property Management Accounting Software Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 17 tools reviewed.
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
As a CFO, you understand how important it is to have accurate, efficient, and reliable tools for managing your property portfolio’s finances. Yet, if you’re still relying on outdated property management accounting software, you’re likely facing unnecessary challenges: time-consuming manual processes, limited integrations, or even inaccurate financial data. These issues don’t just hinder your productivity; they can also affect your decision-making and overall business performance.
But with all of the solutions available, how can you know which is right for you?
Using my experience as a fintech expert, I’ve helped countless financial leaders like you find solutions that align with their operational goals. I understand the specific challenges of balancing software and accounting requirements, and I'm confident that my insights into digital tools can help simplify financial workflows and focus on driving growth.
With this knowledge, I carefully tested and reviewed some of the best property management accounting software options available. These recommendations are based on their ability to streamline financial operations, improve accuracy, and integrate seamlessly into existing workflows.
What is Property Management Accounting Software?
Property management accounting software is a digital tool used to meet the financial requirements of property managers and landlords. These include managing rent payments, tracking expenses, and generating financial reports specific to property-related transactions.
With these tools, property managers can maintain organized financial records and make informed decisions related to both residential and commercial property investments.
Best Property Management Accounting Software Reviews
Based on a combination of features, functionality, UI, pricing, and portfolio scope, these are the best rental property management accounting platforms on the market today.
Rent Manager is a comprehensive property management software with a solid list of features. It offers full-featured accounting with exceptional AR and AP processes—as well as ample marketing, listing, and screening tools to run the day-to-day operations of property management.
Why I picked Rent Manager: I selected Rent Manager because it has excellent AP and AR processes to help finance teams work more efficiently. The platform allows you to designate categories for everything coming in (rent, late fees, storage, parking, etc.) and going out (repairs, maintenance, licensing fees, taxes, etc). Once set up, the additional context adds insight to your financial reports and gives you a better understanding of your financial performance.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include a complete accounting system, with advanced features like the ability to run in cash and accrual accounting modalities simultaneously. The platform can also generate over 450 unique financial reports for owners, stakeholders, and authorities.
Integrations include AmRent, Lease Track, Butterfly MX, Apartment List, and Experian.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Good balance of property management, finance, and accounting functionality
- Support for cash and accrual accounting simultaneously
- Solid accounting features
Cons:
- Pricing structure is overpriced for small portfolios
- Initial implementation costs 2x the normal monthly rate
Appfolio is a leading property management software that serves as an all-in-one platform for both residential and commercial managers. Its software is feature-rich and leans heavily on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to automate certain workflows and provide data-driven insights.
Why I picked Appfolio: I selected Appfolio because of its extensive use of AI/ML to drive efficiency across property management operations. I also like their performance insights to compare year-over-year, budget to actuals, etc.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include smart bill entry that scans PDF invoices for key data to import to Appfolio, automated AP, automated late fees, and an AI leasing assistant. You also have a vendor portal, tenant portal, and owner portal that help you customize and automate your communication with each one.
Integrations include ButterflyMX, CondoCerts, Knock, Lowes, NetVendor, and PetScreening.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Unique features like utility management and security deposit alternatives
- Easy integrations with a growing library of industry tools
- Ample automation features to save time
Cons:
- Does not support portfolios of under 50 units
- Pricing structure isn’t a good fit for small portfolios
Buildium is a property management software designed to help managers organize and handle just about every aspect of their business. Its dashboards serve as an overview of your entire operation, from outstanding rent to total door listings and tenancy rates.
Why I picked Buildium: I selected Buildium because it covers all the bases. From the accounting side, Buildium connects directly to bank accounts at most major financial institutions to help you track rent payments automatically. It also has built-in payment processing features for ACH payments and credit card purchases to help manage your accounts payable and vendor management. It even lets you accept cash payments through a partnership with PayNearMe.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include automatic bank syncing/reconciliation, making tracking rent payments much easier. It also has a slick resident portal, which helps tenants request quick maintenance, make payments, and manage lease agreements. By handling these more mundane tasks, Buildium allows managers to focus on higher-value activities.
Integrations include Obligo, LeadSimple, Tenant Turner, PetScreening, Gravy, and Hunter Warfield.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Useful resident portal for payments and maintenance requests
- Excellent mobile app
- All-in-one property management platform
Cons:
- A bit pricey for smaller managers (under 50 units)
TenantCloud is an affordable property management software that has basic accounting features built-in. It’s generally best when paired with external accounting software, but it can be sufficient on its own for simpler operations.
Why I picked TenantCloud: I selected TenantCloud because it’s one of the most affordable platforms on the market, with plans from just $15. The software also shines on the business side of property management: It’s great for listing available units to dozens of listing sites automatically, screening tenants, collecting rent, and more.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include many listing and marketing tools, like the ability to automatically add listings to dozens of listing sites. TenantCloud also helps with generating and managing tenant leads and running tenant screening reports.
Integrations include QuickBooks, Stripe, Zillow, and Google Calendar.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Tenant lead generation tools
- Solid listing tools
- Affordable price point
Cons:
- Best paired with additional accounting tools (like QuickBooks)
- Basic accounting functionality
Hemlane is a property management tool that covers leasing, tenant placement, lease tracking, and rent collection. It’s primarily designed for smaller portfolios (1 to 100 properties), and in fact, its pricing structure makes it a bit more expensive for large firms (but a pretty good value for smaller operations).
Why I picked Hemlane: I selected Hemlane because they offer managed repair and maintenance coordination services. Essentially, Hemlane’s admin team finds licensed professionals in your area to complete tenant repair requests and handles all the coordination for you.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include streamlined tenant management that makes your property oversight easier and more efficient. The software's automated rent collection saves you time by handling payments directly through the platform, while maintenance tracking helps you keep up with property repairs and issues, ensuring nothing is overlooked.
Integrations include Zillow Rental Manager, Stripe, and BetterCapital.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Solid marketing and listing tools
- Budget-friendly for smaller operations
- Managed repair coordination
Cons:
- Not suited to large operations
- Basic accounting features
Rentec Direct is a comprehensive property management software that’s known for excellent financial reporting capabilities. It’s a relatively simple tool to use, but it packs a punch in terms of features. It handles both the day-to-day operations (like collecting rent payments and recording expenses), as well as the bigger-picture financial projections and performance tracking.
Why I picked Rentec Direct: I selected Rentec Direct for a combination of the reporting features and its Trust Account Certified status. That means it complies with all state-level requirements for trust accounting and security deposit fund tracking.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include trust account certification in all US states to comply with state real estate board requirements. The software also provides strong financial reporting and projections, and built-in tenant communications via SMS and email to help streamline communications.
Integrations include PetScreening, Dropbox Sign, Twilio, Plaid, and CloudConvert.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Tenant and owner portals via mobile app
- Top-notch compliance support, including Trust Account Certification
- Robust financial reporting
Cons:
- Pricey for managers with smaller portfolios
Yardi Breeze is a cloud-based property management and accounting software that makes it easier for individual managers and small firms to manage their properties. It’s specifically designed to be simple to use, even for beginners and non-technical users.
Why I picked Yardi Breeze: I selected Yardi Breeze because of its intuitive UI and its responsive cloud-based design for cross-platform compatibility. The software also provides specialized applications for different property types, including residential, commercial, self-storage, and affordable housing.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include marketing and leasing tools that simplify property listings and leasing with online leases and electronic signatures. Your team can also manage rent collection with various tenant payment options, including online payments and automated invoicing. Additionally, the software makes maintenance management simple with the electronic submission of maintenance requests and document attachments.
Integrations include QuickBooks, Condo Control, Nexus, and Butterfly MX.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- No onboarding/initiation fees
- Simple integrations
- User-friendly
Cons:
- Annual contract (12 months)
- Pricing structure makes it expensive for managers with less than 50-100 doors
Stessa is a rental property management software that offers a diverse range of features. It focuses on all the aspects that are most important for property management: Tenant screening, rental applications, rent collection, insurance, landlord banking and payments, and accounting.
Why I picked Stessa: I selected Stessa primarily for its impressive reporting and business intelligence features. Its customizable dashboards can help managers monitor portfolio performance and optimize business operations. Plus, the advanced tenant screening features help you make more informed decisions about who you’re renting to by checking credit reports, income verification, and screening applicants for any outstanding judgments or liens.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include advanced reporting capabilities to create income statements, cash flow reports, and real-time balance sheets. Stessa also offers a cash management feature that allows you to set up checking accounts tied to each of your individual properties, helping to simplify expense tracking and produce more accurate and up-to-date financial reports.
Integrations include Appfolio and PropertyWare.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Cash management feature with competitive APY
- Excellent financial performance insights
- Free tier available
Cons:
- Accounting functionality is limited in the free tier
- Limited integrations
Doorloop is a full-service property management software tool, covering everything from tenant screening to payment collection to accounting.
Why I picked Doorloop: I picked Doorloop primarily because of its ease of use. The app’s design is slick and responsive on any device, and the tenant and owner portal versions are simplified enough to not confuse users who are less tech-savvy.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include a built-in CRM and tenant portal for all-in-one management, an intuitive owner portal, a simple UI with responsive design, and marketing features that help you find tenants and schedule showings. It’s very easy to use, whether you’re accessing the manager portal, owner portal, or tenant portal. The software also gives you lots of ways to automate and customize your text and email communication with tenants and owners.
Integrations include Zillow, Trulia, QuickBooks, Asana, DeskAI, Slack, Zoom, Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote, Gmail, Outlook, DocuSign, Salesforce, RingCentral, and Expensify.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Built-in marketing features to find tenants and schedule showings
- All-in-one platform
- Very simple to use for managers, owners, and tenants
Cons:
- Limit of one currency per account
- No free trial
MRI Commercial Management is a property management software tailored to the needs of large investors and commercial real estate managers. It focuses on leasing tools, lease flow monitoring, and advanced intelligent reporting and monitoring tools.
Why I picked MRI Commercial Management: I selected MRI because of its focus on commercial real estate (most tools on this list can support commercial properties, but few have a feature set as rich as MRI’s).
Standout features & integrations:
Features include lease flow CRM to manage the entire property lifecycle (and gain greater visibility into your leasing pipeline, helping to improve occupancy rates), and Secure Sign to manage and sign digital commercial real estate documents electronically. The software's AI-powered Lease Intelligence can also analyze commercial lease data, helping you manage lease agreements and other contract documents.
Integrations include AmRent, ApartmentFinder, Experian, HappyCo, Knock, and Obligo.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Responsive web-based design for use on any device
- Excellent lease management, lease flow, and lease analytics tools
- Designed for commercial property management
Cons:
- Somewhat outdated UI
- Accounting features are fairly basic
Tool | Best For | Trial Info | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Best for efficient AR and AP processes | Free demo available | From $1/unit/month ($200 minimum) | Website | |
2 | Best for automation | Free demo available | From $1.40/unit (minimum monthly fee of $280) | Website | |
3 | Best all-in-one property management software | 14-day free trial | From $50/user/month | Website | |
4 | Best value for money | Free trial and demo available | From $15/month | Website | |
5 | Best for collaboration | 14-day free trial | From $40/user/month | Website | |
6 | Best for financial reporting | 14-day free trial | From $45/month | Website | |
7 | Best for non-technical users | Not available | From $100/user/month | Website | |
8 | Best for portfolio performance insights | Not available | From $20/month + free plan available | Website | |
9 | Most intuitive | Free demo available | From $59/month (up to 20 units) | Website | |
10 | Best for commercial property management | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website |
Other Property Management Accounting Software Options
If you didn’t find quite what you were looking for, here are a few more options to consider.
- Proper.ai
Service for one-on-one support
- QuickBooks Online
For beginners
- Sage Intacct
For a variety of features
- Condo Control
For condos and homeowner associations
- Property Matrix
For customizations
- RealPage
For commercial and residential portfolios
- PropertyWare
For reporting and analysis
Related Reviews
If you still haven’t found what you’re looking for here, check out these other tools that we’ve tested and evaluated:
How I Selected the Best Property Management Accounting Software
Here’s a short summary of the main criteria I used to develop my list of the best rental property management software for this article:
Core functionality
At its core, property management accounting software should allow you to:
- Collect rent payments
- Record and reconcile property transactions
- Manage invoices and billing
- Prepare financial reports
- Account reconciliations
Additionally, if the software is a property management tool with accounting features built in, it should also enable you to:
- Screen potential tenants
- Manage lease paperwork
- Manage maintenance requests
- Accept rent payments with multiple payment options (ACH, check, credit card, etc.)
- Be accessible from any location
Key features
Here are some unique features I looked for when selecting rental management accounting software:
- Property management features: While this list focused on accounting functionality, having property management features (tenant screening, maintenance management, etc.) built-in to the software is a huge selling point in my book.
- Rent collection: All software on this list will be able to process payments from tenants/customers. But the ease of use is important, as are the payment options available. Property management platforms tend to have tenant “portals,” which tenants sign into to pay bills, set up auto-pay, etc. These often have more payment options, as well.
- Manager/tenant/owner communication: I gave preference to software that does a good job of connecting managers, tenants, and owners with different interfaces and reports. Ideally, software should be full-featured for managers and simplified for tenants.
- Tenant communications and notifications: Many of the best software options in this category provide tools to communicate with tenants, including automated rent reminders, and lease expiration from one platform.
Usability
Usability encompasses the user interface (UI) on all platforms, including mobile devices.
Not all of these tools have mobile apps or cloud-based access, but I gave preferential treatment to those that do (and to those that have intuitive UI in general).
I also considered the software’s usability for tenants for tools where there is a tenant-facing component like rent collection and maintenance requests.
Intended use and portfolio scope
This list is somewhat of a hybrid: There are a few accounting-specific options (like QuickBooks) and tons of property management software that come with some accounting features (like Buildium and Doorloop).
I included both, as different firms and managers may have different preferences.
I also considered the intended use and scope of each tool in terms of door count, residential/commercial, etc.
Integrations
Some of the platforms on this list are comprehensive enough that integrations become less essential. Others, like QuickBooks, are so accounting-focused that integrations with property management software are 100% necessary.
It’s essential to make sure the property management accounting software tool you choose can sync with your company’s checking accounts, and easily integrate with any software (such as ERPs) you’re already using to process payments or communicate with tenants, as well as any other tools you use in your day-to-day business.
Price
Property management software should save you time (and money). It’s not always worth the cost—especially for those managing just a few properties.
The price range for the tools on this list runs between $15 to $200 per month. Most property management accounting software also includes a per-unit charge, which typically runs between $1 to $5 per unit.
People Also Ask
Here are some common questions people have about buying property management accounting software.
Is QuickBooks good for collecting rent and other property management tasks?
QuickBooks is a complete accounting and bookkeeping tool, but it needs to be paired with a dedicated property management software. Because it’s not specifically designed for property managers, so it does require a few workarounds.
Is property management accounting software necessary?
Not necessarily, although it becomes more and more essential as the portfolio size increases. If you’re managing a few doors, you can likely handle the day-to-day finances on your own with a simple spreadsheet.
But for managers with dozens or hundreds of doors, a centralized software platform is vital.
What tasks can property management software help with?
Functionality varies depending on the product, but most property management software can help with:
- Tenant screening and communication
- Rental applications
- Rent and past due payment reminders
- Deposit collections
- Maintenance requests
- Bookkeeping tasks
- Managing transactions with owners and vendors
Some software focuses only on accounting/bookkeeping tasks, while other platforms offer more comprehensive features for property managers.
Other Accounting Software Options
If you still haven’t found what you’re looking for here, check out these other tools that we’ve tested and evaluated:
- Accounting Software For Midsize Businesses
- Accounting Software for PC
- Engineering Accounting Software
- Accounting Software for Teams
- Accounting Software With CRM
- Real Estate Accounting Software
- Accounting Software With Client Portals
- Multi-Company Accounting Software
- Legal Accounting Software
- Accounting Software for Startups
- AI Accounting Software
- Accounting Workflow Management Software
- Accounting Software With Payroll For Small Businesses
- Accounting Software For Service Companies
- Accounting Software For Rental Properties
- Accounting Software For Advertising Agencies
- Accounting Software For The Self-Employed
- Accounting Software For Large Business
- Accounting Software For Consultants
- Accounting Software for Mac
- Accounting Software For Accountants
- Cloud-Based Accounting Software
- Lease Accounting Software
- Small Business Accounting Software
- Construction Accounting Software
- Accounting Software For Nonprofits
- Online Accounting Software
- Business Accounting Software
Summary
Property management software solutions can help property managers save time, keep accurate books, collect rent payments, and improve relationships with tenants and owners.
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