5 Best Property Management Software with a Tenant Portal

Managing a portfolio of rental properties or a property management company is like juggling; there’s too much in the air at once, and everything needs to be handled seamlessly.

This is where rental property management software (and this guide) comes in.

On any given day, you could be doing any or multiple of the following:

• Collecting rent payments from several tenants
• Navigating multiple new maintenance requests
• Paying out vendors for previous ones
• Screening several applicants
• Completing some applications
• Sending a report to one of your owners
• Putting up the listing for a vacant unit

That’s a lot to deal with.

Sure, a team really helps with that. But so does technology.

Below, we’ll talk a bit about what property management software with a tenant portal can do for your business and how it can transform how you operate.

We’ll follow it up with a list of the 5 best rental property management software tools with tenant portals available so you have great options to choose from.

First, let’s talk about features you should look for in a great rental property management tool.

Features to Look For

Not every rental property management tool is made equal (i.e., has the same features).

When deciding which software to choose, you should consider these factors:

• What features does a particular software have?
• Which features would be helpful to you?
• Which features do you need (i.e., an online portal, the ability to accept payments online, an online portal app, and much more)?

Depending on the software, you might only be getting the core features. Others offer additional features that can help you streamline and automate additional areas of your property management efforts.

Here are some features you should look for in good property management software:

1. Automatic rent payments and tenant portal

The #1 thing rental property management software does for you is make collecting rent and communicating with tenants easier.

The bottom line is most important, and having software that facilitates faster, reliable, and semi-automated rent payments is invaluable.

Many property management software solutions offer a complete tenant portal where you can collect rent and communicate directly with tenants.

Tenants can then handle rent and additional responsibilities through the portal, such as pet rent, parking fees, and even maintenance requests.

Talk about efficiency.

Rent faster, more reliably, and with less work on your end? Perfect worlds do exist.

2. Manage maintenance orders

Following up with this person while putting in this order and replying to that vendor... Juggling work orders between tenants and vendors can be a pain.

Another major area that online rental property management software helps with is streamlining your work order system.

With most property management tools, you can perform a variety of tasks:

• Accept maintenance requests directly from tenants (and tenants can request maintenance via their tenant portal)
• Create work orders and add attachments such as notes and images
• Assign that work order to a vendor
• Pay that vendor
• Communicate with tenants on that maintenance request for information and status updates

All your work orders are in one place, with one central communication tool that helps you simplify and streamline the entire process.

3. Applicant screening and online applications

The best rental property management software doesn’t just help simplify and even semi-automate rent collection and maintenance orders; it does the same to help you bring in new tenants.

Many property management tools offer these features:

• Online applications: Tenants can sign applications entirely online and process their application fees. You can view the status of those applications with a few clicks.
• Applicant screening: To make the entire entry process even easier, many tools allow applicants to also request their own background check while submitting their application and processing the payment.

4. Automatic vacancy listings

Need help earlier in the pipeline as well?

Vacant units are a missed opportunity and money that’s actively slipping through your fingers.

Fortunately, many rental management tools allow you to list vacant units on key property listing platforms automatically. No additional work is necessary.

That way, you have less downtime between tenants and can maximize cash flow.

The 5 Best Rental Property Management Software With Tenant Portals

Now that we’ve covered some of the key features in the average rental property management tool, let’s dive into the best software options available.

You’ll find a lot of options for rental property management software online.

The only problem is many don’t deliver on all of the features we listed above. And even if they do, some have horrible customer service or lack in another significant area.

That’s why we gathered a list of some of the best property management tools specifically designed to handle rental properties.

Here are 5 of the best options available in 2023:

1. DoorLoop

Want an all-in-one rental property management solution with a robust tenant portal?

DoorLoop is the pick for you if you want these features and more:

• All the features mentioned above (and more)
• Stellar—and responsive—customer service
• A design with ease-of-use in mind starting with the login page
• Affordable pricing
• Renters insurance (a partnership with Lemonade and Sure)

DoorLoop is designed by property managers, for property managers.

It was crafted with many of the common pain points of other property management software (i.e., slow and clunky UI and lousy customer service) in mind.

Whether you deal strictly in rental properties or have a mixed portfolio, DoorLoop can handle any type of property.

DoorLoop features

• Manage your entire property accounting in one place: DoorLoop allows your tenants to pay rent online (and owners receive payments directly to their bank account) , automatic payments, payment history, integration with accounting software like QuickBooks.
• Give residents access to a convenient tenant portal: Collect rent, communicate with tenants, and even allow tenants to submit maintenance requests themselves directly within the app.
• Streamline your work order management: After tenants submit their maintenance request or service request within the app, the property manager can create the work order, attach notes and images, assign it to a vendor, pay that vendor, and communicate with the tenant every step of the way.
• Grant property owners access to their own portal: Print checks, run reports, and more to maintain transparency with your property owners.
• Make your marketing and screening easy: Automatically list vacant units on top sites, screen tenants, and run background checks, all within the app.
• Benefit from much more: DoorLoop has a plethora of other features to give your property management business a competitive edge in the industry.

DoorLoop pricing

The most significant variance within the property management software space is easily price. Some are affordable, while others are way outside the average budget.

Fortunately, DoorLoop has you covered.

DoorLoop pricing starts at just $59 per month when billed annually for up to 20 properties.

Schedule a free demo today!

2. Rentroom

Rentroom is a complete property management solution that boasts good accounting features and an intuitive interface.

The software also has some unique community features, making it a decent option for condos, multi-family, and HOA properties.

Rentroom’s accounting reports are limited, though. If that’s a key feature for you, this might not be the best option.

Rentroom features

• Online rent collection and payment reminders
• Other basic accounting features such as cash reconciliation
• Tenant portal
• Maintenance management

Rentroom Pricing

Rentroom's pricing starts at $49.99 for up to 15 tenants. If you have more properties or need more features, you'll have to upgrade.

3. TenantCloud

TenantCloud is one of the more affordable options on this list.

What’s the trade-off? TenantCloud as a whole offers a limited number and scope of features compared to most other property management tools.

TenandCloud features

• Basic accounting features like online rent payments and reports
• Work order management
• Vendor payments

TenantCloud pricing

TenantCloud's basic Starter plan starts at $15 per moth. If you need more features, you can upgrade to its Growth or Business plan. The Growth plan costs $50 per month. You'll have to contact the company directly for pricing on the Business plan, though.

4. Rent Manager

Similar to Landlord Studio, Rent Manager offers a clean desktop and app version.

However, where Rent Manager differs is in its relatively expansive feature set.

Rent Manager easily has one of the longest lists of features of the software mentioned here, but its UI is known for being a bit clunky. Its pricing isn’t transparent either.

Rent Manager features

• Accounting features such as online rent payments and reporting
• Owner portal
• Vendor payments
• QuickBooks integration

Rent Manager pricing

Rent Manager’s pricing model is complex, to say the least. They use two pricing models: per unit and per month. It then has pricing tiers for each of its multiple software versions as well as monthly minimums.

For example, the Basic plan starts at $1 per unit per month with a $200 monthly minimum.

5. Propertyware

Propertyware is another rental management software with strong accounting features, such as custom reporting and automatic payment reminders.

If you’re particularly interested in strong accounting report capabilities, Propertyware is worth considering. It has some of the best accounting features on this list.

The big drawback is that Propertyware is designed for more extensive portfolios above 250 units, so pricing is high.

Propertyware features

• Strong accounting features and comprehensive reports
• Maintenance order management
• Owner portal
• Tenant communications

Propertyware pricing

As opposed to the common per unit, per month mode, Propertyware uses a strictly per unit model that is anchored by a monthly minimum.

Its basic plan is $1 per unit per month with a $250 minimum, making it pricey compared to most of the options on this list.

In addition to the monthly fee, there is an additional onboarding fee equal to x2 your monthly payment ($500 if you’re paying the $250 monthly minimum).

Try the Best-Rated Property Management Software in the Industry

Sifting through the sea of options can make it hard to choose which rental property management tool you go with.

You can jump in now and see why DoorLoop is known for its ease-of-use and responsive customer service while getting all features you need to take your property management efforts to a whole new level.

Get started with DoorLoop’s rental property management software today by scheduling a free demo.