Landlory
TurboTenant
Free software for DIY and small landlords; monetizes via tenant fees.
Overview
TurboTenant is a landlord software product aimed at DIY and small owners. It handles listing syndication, online applications, tenant screening, and rent collection, and the landlord side is free because the business model pushes costs onto tenant-paid fees. An optional Premium tier adds a few extras.
What makes it different
The pull is distribution married to zero upfront cost: one of the category's largest user bases plus frictionless listing syndication means a new landlord can get a unit posted, an applicant screened, and rent flowing without committing a dollar. Nothing else lowers the barrier to a first listing this far.
Who it's for
- First-time landlords who want to try software without spending
- Owners of a single rental who mainly need to fill and collect
- Small DIY landlords running a handful of doors themselves
Who should look elsewhere
- Firms that report to outside owners and need an owner portal
- Owners whose books require real double-entry accounting
Pros
- Genuinely free for landlords; large user base
- Easy listing syndication and tenant screening
- Best fit for 1–10 units
Cons
- Limited accounting depth; no owner portal
- Not built for PM companies
What users say
With a Capterra score near 4.6, TurboTenant tends to win over DIY landlords for being genuinely free, easy to list with, and quick for screening applicants — reviewers often mention how far it gets a first rental for no upfront cost. The common knocks are shallow accounting and no owner portal, with some noting it simply isn't built for managing on behalf of third-party owners.
Pricing
Landlords pay nothing on the free plan — marketing, applications, screening and rent collection are covered — because the model shifts costs to tenant-side fees. Paid tiers add landlord-side features: Essentials at $12.42/mo and Pro at $16.58/mo, both billed annually. The real cost to weigh isn't a landlord charge but the tenant-paid fees baked into the free model.
- Unlimited property listings
- Applications & screening
- Online rent collection
- Maintenance requests
- Unlimited lease agreements
- Unlimited e-signatures
- Lower screening fees
- Expedited rent payouts
- Everything in Essentials
- Income verification
- Free ACH payments
- Accounting insights & transaction tracking
Features
Rent & accounting
- Online rent collection✓
- Accounting✕
- Expense trackingPartial
- Bank integration✓
- ReportingPartial
Leasing & tenants
- Listing syndication✓
- Online applications✓
- Tenant screening✓
- Lease management✓
- Tenant portal✓
- Renters insurance✓
Management & ops
- Maintenance requests✓
- Owner portal✕
- Document storage✓
- AI features✕
- Mobile app✓
Alternatives to TurboTenant
FAQ
If TurboTenant is free, how does it actually make money?
It monetizes through tenant-side fees rather than landlord subscriptions — your renters typically pay for things like application processing and certain payment methods. The landlord-facing product is genuinely free; the cost is shifted to tenants.
Do my tenants pay fees when they apply or pay rent through TurboTenant?
Yes — that's the core of the free model. Tenants commonly absorb application and certain transaction fees, which is worth being transparent about with applicants since it affects their out-of-pocket cost.
Does TurboTenant have real accounting or an owner portal?
No on both counts — accounting isn't included and there's no owner portal, with only partial expense tracking on the paid tier. If you need to report to outside owners or do proper books, TurboTenant isn't the right tool.
Is TurboTenant suitable for a property management company?
No. It's built for DIY and small landlords (best for 1–10 units) and lacks the owner portal and accounting depth a PM company managing third-party owners would require.
What do TurboTenant's paid plans add, and are they worth it?
The paid tiers — Essentials ($12.42/mo) and Pro ($16.58/mo), both billed annually — add landlord-side extras like unlimited leases and e-signatures, lower screening fees, and on Pro income verification, free ACH payments and accounting insights. Useful upgrades for organized DIY landlords, but not a full accounting or PM-company platform.