1–20 unit landlords
Per-unit vs flat-rate landlord software — break-even at 3, 8, and 15 units
Brand pages sell features. For a small portfolio, the quieter question is: how does the bill scale when you add a door? This page works three common pricing shapes — flat subscription, free-first annual bands, and per-unit premium — at 3, 8, and 15 units, using RentRedi, TurboTenant, and Avail as concrete examples (not a ranking).
Three pricing shapes (what to model)
- Flat subscription — one landlord bill, unlimited units on that plan. Example: RentRedi’s single feature set billed monthly / 6-month / annually.
- Free-first + annual bands — $0 core tools; paid tiers unlock leases depth, waived ACH, books, etc., and step up by unit band. Example: TurboTenant Free / Essentials / Pro.
- Free + per-unit premium — $0 base; paid “Plus” multiplies by doors every month. Example: Avail Unlimited ($0/unit) vs Unlimited Plus ($9/unit/mo).
What we will not do: invent reviews, testimonials, or guaranteed totals. Figures below are approximate from public vendor pricing as of Sep 2026 and can change without notice. Tenant ACH/card fees and screening fees are separate — include them in your own spreadsheet.
Assumptions used in the tables (verify)
- RentRedi (flat): annual term ≈ $12/mo → $144/yr; month-to-month ≈ $29.95/mo → ~$359/yr. Same features either way; unlimited units (official pricing page).
- TurboTenant (bands): Free = $0. Essentials / Pro for 1–10 units ≈ $149 / $199 per year; for 11–30 units ≈ $199 / $399 per year (official “Priced to grow with you” band table). Monthly “starting at” figures on their site are usually annual ÷ 12.
- Avail: Unlimited free = $0/unit. Unlimited Plus ≈ $9 per unit per month (official pricing page).
- Not modeled here: screening report fees, card % fees, cash retail fees, listing boosts, or full-service / Autopilot-style management.
Annual software cost at 3, 8, and 15 units
| Scenario | RentRedi (annual flat) | TurboTenant Essentials | TurboTenant Pro | Avail Plus ($9×units×12) | Any free tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 units | ~$144/yr | ~$149/yr (1–10 band) | ~$199/yr (1–10 band) | ~$324/yr ($27/mo) | $0 (TT Free / Avail Unlimited) |
| 8 units | ~$144/yr | ~$149/yr (1–10 band) | ~$199/yr (1–10 band) | ~$864/yr ($72/mo) | $0 if free tier still covers your must-haves |
| 15 units | ~$144/yr | ~$199/yr (11–30 band) | ~$399/yr (11–30 band) | ~$1,620/yr ($135/mo) | $0 if free tier still covers your must-haves |
If you pay RentRedi month-to-month instead of annually, use ~$359/yr in the flat column — the break-even vs per-unit moves, but flat still wins long before 15 doors.
Break-even formulas (plug in your quote)
Per-unit vs flat annual
Break-even units ≈ flat_annual ÷ (per_unit_monthly × 12).
Example with $144 flat and $9/unit/mo: 144 ÷ 108 ≈ 1.3 units. Past ~2 doors, the flat annual quote undercuts that per-unit premium on subscription alone.
Per-unit vs free-first annual band
Same formula with the band price you actually need (Essentials vs Pro).
Example: $199 Pro vs $9/unit/mo → 199 ÷ 108 ≈ 1.8 units. At 3+ doors, band pricing usually beats per-unit Plus if you were going to pay either way.
Free tier changes everything
If TurboTenant Free or Avail Unlimited already covers list / screen / collect, your software bill is $0 until a gated feature forces an upgrade. Then re-run the table at the paid tier you need — not the homepage “starting at.”
Soft costs (still real money)
Tenant ACH fees (often ~$2–$2.50 on free tiers; sometimes waived on paid), card %, and screening fees can dwarf a $50/yr software difference. Quote those on the same spreadsheet as the subscription.
What the math says at each size
3 units
Flat annual (~$144) and TurboTenant’s small-band Essentials/Pro (~$149–$199) sit in the same neighborhood. Avail Plus (~$324) is already the expensive paid path. Free tiers remain rational if you do not need waived ACH, deeper leases, or books.
8 units
Flat and small-band annual plans barely move. Avail Plus (~$864/yr) is several times the flat bill. Per-unit premium only wins if Plus features are must-haves and you refuse the free/flat alternatives — uncommon at this size.
15 units
Flat stays ~$144. TurboTenant steps into the 11–30 band (~$199 Essentials / ~$399 Pro). Avail Plus (~$1,620/yr) is an order of magnitude above flat. This is where “$9/unit feels small” stops being small.
Rule of thumb
Price shape before brand. If you expect 8–15 doors within a year, prefer flat or free-first bands over per-unit premium unless a specific Plus feature is non-negotiable.
15-minute worksheet
- Write your expected unit count in 12 months (not your dream portfolio).
- List must-haves that force a paid tier (waived ACH, unlimited e-sign, Schedule E helpers, FastPay, etc.).
- Open each vendor’s pricing page; copy the quote that matches that tier and unit band.
- Add estimated annual tenant ACH fees (fee × payments × units) and screening volume.
- Pick the lowest total that still ships your must-haves — then do a 30-minute product bake-off.
Related
- Renewals & lease extensions — notice windows, e-sign renewals vs new lease, rent bumps, free vs paid gates
- RentRedi vs TurboTenant vs Avail — criteria table beyond price
- Best PMS for 1–5 units — shortlist including when to skip Buildium-class tools
- Where DIY tools list vacancies — Zillow, Apartments.com, Realtor.com syndication + paid boosts
- Late fees & autopay — grace periods, auto fees, who controls tenant autopay
- Maintenance & work orders — tenant submit, photos, vendor / work-order paths
- Lease & e-sign — state forms, wet vs e-sign, free vs paid gaps
- Accounting & Schedule E — expense categories, CSV/PDF exports, free vs paid books depth
- Owner statements & 1099 — investor packets, vendor totals for 1099-NEC prep, free vs paid gaps
- Rent roll & occupancy — what each exports (CSV/PDF/email), free vs paid gates, cutover handoff
- Small Portfolio Desk home
- Landlord software switch checklist — export data before you migrate
- Tenant payment fees (ACH, card, cash) — what you pay beyond the subscription
- Tenant screening costs — who pays for credit / criminal / eviction, what’s in the bundle
Educational product research only — not legal, tax, or fair-housing advice. Fees, free-tier limits, and screening rules change. Verify current pricing and terms on each vendor’s site before you subscribe.