Where to List Your Rental Property for Free

Managing rental properties involves handling multiple tasks, from collecting rent to addressing tenant requests. However, keeping your properties occupied is key, and that’s where advertising comes in.

Fortunately, there are numerous platforms where you can list your rental property for free, ensuring you maximize visibility without extra costs. This guide will explore a wide range of platforms, all of which allow you to list your rental for free or at a low cost.

Whether you're a new landlord or managing multiple units, these free platforms will help you reach potential tenants quickly and easily.

Free Platforms to List Your Rental Property

Here are some of the best platforms where you can list your rental property for free, helping you reach a wider audience without breaking the bank:

Zillow Rental Manager

Zillow remains one of the largest platforms for rental listings, allowing you to post your property for free for 30 days. After that, there’s a small weekly fee. What makes Zillow stand out is that your listing is automatically syndicated to other popular sites like Trulia and HotPads, maximizing visibility.

• Pros: Broad reach through syndication to Trulia and HotPads. Trusted platform with a large user base.
• Cons: Free listing is limited to 30 days; weekly fee afterward could add up quickly.

Apartments.com

As one of the most popular rental-specific platforms, Apartments.com gives you free access to a huge audience of renters. Your listing will also appear on sites like ApartmentFinder and ForRent.com, giving your property a boost across multiple platforms without added effort.

• Pros: Free listings syndicated across platforms like ForRent.com and ApartmentFinder. High visibility among renters.
• Cons: Upgrading to a paid listing is required for top search placement.

Realtor.com

While primarily known for home buying, Realtor.com also has a significant number of rental listings. It’s a solid platform for getting exposure, especially because it draws high traffic from renters who may also be considering buying in the future.

• Pros: High traffic platform with strong visibility for rental listings. Trusted brand in real estate with a broad audience.
• Cons: Less rental-specific compared to platforms like Zillow or Apartments.com, which may result in fewer direct renter leads.

Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace has become an increasingly popular way to list rental properties. With its free posting and local targeting features, it allows you to reach renters within specific neighborhoods. The platform is easy to use, but it may require more hands-on management, such as responding to messages directly and keeping the post updated.

• Pros: Free to post with great local targeting capabilities. Access to a large and active user base through Facebook.
• Cons: Requires manual management of inquiries and frequent updates. Less formal platform, so leads may not always be high-quality.

Craigslist

Despite its dated appearance, Craigslist still draws a significant amount of local traffic. It’s especially useful if you’re targeting renters in a specific area, as many people still check Craigslist for rental listings. The simplicity of posting makes it a quick option, but the downside is that it may require frequent updates to stay visible.

• Pros: Free to post and excellent for targeting local renters. Simple and quick to use.
• Cons: Requires frequent updates to stay visible. Platform design can be outdated and less user-friendly.

Rentberry

Rentberry is a newer platform that focuses on long-term rentals and offers free listings. Your listing is syndicated across several other platforms like Doorsteps and Oodle, which increases exposure.

Rentberry also has a bidding feature that allows tenants to submit their rental offers, making it an interesting option for landlords who want more flexibility.

• Pros: Free listings with good syndication to other rental platforms. Allows tenants to submit rental offers, offering flexibility.
• Cons: Not as widely known or as trafficked as larger platforms like Zillow. Some features, such as increased visibility, require a paid upgrade.

Zumper

Zumper is designed specifically for renters and allows you to list properties for free. Like Rentberry, Zumper syndicates listings to other platforms, such as PadMapper, to extend reach. It’s a solid choice if you're looking for a platform that targets renters directly.

• Pros: Free listings and wide syndication through PadMapper and other sites. Targeted audience of renters actively searching for properties.
• Cons: Some landlords may find the paid options necessary to increase listing visibility. Limited exposure compared to larger platforms like Zillow.

Dwellsy

Dwellsy is a rental-specific platform that allows landlords to post their listings for free. It caters to both small investors and larger property managers, making it a versatile option. Dwellsy’s focus on rental listings ensures that your property reaches an audience actively searching for a place to rent, and the platform emphasizes free listings for landlords.

• Pros: Free to list, and it caters to both small landlords and large property managers. Focused entirely on rental listings.
• Cons: Less widely known, which may limit overall traffic. May not have the reach of larger platforms.

RentDigs

RentDigs is another free platform where you can list your rental property without any upfront cost. One of its benefits is that it syndicates your listing to other rental sites like Trovit and Oodle, increasing visibility. The platform is straightforward to use, making it a convenient choice for landlords who want to get their property listed quickly.

• Pros: Easy-to-use platform with free listings. Syndicates listings to other rental sites, increasing exposure.
• Cons: Not as popular as platforms like Apartments.com or Zillow, which could result in fewer leads. Limited tools for managing listings or tenants.

Oodle

Oodle is a classifieds platform that allows you to list rental properties for free. It’s part of a larger network that aggregates listings from various sources, giving your property more visibility. While it’s not as widely known as some of the other rental-specific platforms, Oodle’s syndication makes it a useful tool for landlords looking for extra reach without any costs.

• Pros: Free to list with broad syndication across other sites, increasing visibility. Useful for landlords who want extra reach without cost.
• Cons: Less focused on rental-specific listings, which may result in lower-quality leads. Not as widely known as more established rental platforms.

RentHop

RentHop focuses on connecting renters with landlords and property managers. While RentHop does offer paid options for boosting your listings, you can post your property for free with basic visibility. This platform is particularly useful for urban areas with high rental demand, making it a great option for landlords in cities.

• Pros: Great for urban rentals where demand is high. Free to list with options to boost visibility through paid upgrades.
• Cons: Limited reach compared to larger platforms like Zillow. Paid options may be necessary for high exposure in competitive markets.

PadMapper

PadMapper, owned by Zumper, is a rental search platform that allows free listings. It’s a simple and effective tool for getting your rental property in front of potential tenants, especially in high-demand rental markets. By syndicating with Zumper, PadMapper increases your listing’s exposure to a broader audience without charging any fees.

• Pros: Free to list and syndicates with Zumper, increasing visibility. Simple platform designed specifically for renters.
• Cons: Not as popular as bigger platforms, which may lead to fewer leads. Some landlords may find the visibility limited without paid options.

Paid Options to List Rental Properties: When and Why You Might Consider Them

While listing your rental property for free is a great starting point, some landlords and property managers may find value in paying for additional exposure. Paid platforms or premium features can help fill vacancies faster by reaching a wider audience or promoting your listing to the top of search results.

Here are a few paid options and when it might be worth considering them:

Zillow Rental Manager (Beyond the Free Listing)

After the initial free 30-day listing on Zillow, you’ll need to pay $9.99 per week to keep your property visible. This paid option can be valuable if your property isn’t filling quickly, as Zillow syndicates your listing across its network, increasing the chances of finding a tenant.

Apartments.com Premium Listings

While you can list for free on Apartments.com, upgrading to a premium listing allows you to reach more renters through added visibility and placement at the top of search results. If you're managing multiple units or a high-demand property, paying for this feature can help you fill vacancies faster.

RentHop Paid Listings

RentHop offers paid options that give your listings higher visibility through their HopScore algorithm, which prioritizes well-maintained and actively managed listings. If you're in a competitive market, boosting your property on RentHop might be worth the cost to stand out from other listings.

Zumper Premium Listings

Zumper offers a free listing option, but you can choose to upgrade to a premium plan for added exposure. This gives your property priority in search results, increasing visibility to potential renters. If you’re struggling to fill your vacancy in a competitive area, the premium listing could help attract more qualified applicants quickly.

Streamline Listing Rental Properties Using DoorLoop

If you're looking for a more efficient way to list your rental properties across top platforms, DoorLoop’s automatic listing tools offer a hassle-free solution. Instead of managing each platform separately, DoorLoop allows you to create and post rental listings to major sites like Zillow and Apartments.com in just a few clicks.

When every moment counts, DoorLoop helps you fill vacancies faster by attracting qualified tenants, saving you time and effort. Beyond just listings, DoorLoop offers a full suite of features, including:

• Maintenance management: Track and resolve maintenance requests easily.
• Accounting tools: Handle rent payments, expenses, and other financials with DoorLoop’s full accounting suite.
• Tenant and owner portals: Streamline communication and document sharing with built-in CRM tools.

DoorLoop’s is an all-in-one software that helps you manage your properties more effectively, giving you the tools you need to keep your units filled and running smoothly.