When “free” property-management software stops being free
A $0 subscription can be a great deal. But “free software” often means the vendor charges somewhere else: tenants pay transaction fees, applicants pay for screening, advanced accounting sits behind a paid tier, or the free plan stops fitting once the portfolio grows.
Research standard: plan and pricing details are checked against vendor-published sources. When exact portfolio pricing is not public, we label it quote-dependent rather than inventing a number. See our methodology.
Seven cost triggers to check before choosing a free plan
- Payment processing: a $0 landlord subscription can still create a per-rent-payment cost for the tenant or landlord.
- Tenant screening: screening may be applicant-paid, but the fee still affects the leasing experience and can be regulated locally.
- Lease forms and e-signatures: free tiers may handle documents but reserve reusable legal forms or unlimited signatures for paid plans.
- Accounting depth: advanced reports, automatic categorization or tax workflows are common upgrade triggers.
- Property or unit limits: some “free” plans are truly unlimited; others are only free for a tiny portfolio.
- Support and team access: phone support, permissions and multi-user workflows often sit behind paid tiers.
- Service add-ons: maintenance coordination, premium listings, leasing assistance and full-service management can dwarf the software subscription.
How four popular free plans differ
| Platform | What is genuinely free | Where cost/limits appear |
|---|---|---|
| Innago | $0 landlord subscription; core management tools | Payment/screening fees can be tenant/applicant paid or absorbed by landlord |
| TurboTenant | Free plan with listings, screening, rent collection and maintenance | Advanced leases, accounting, e-signatures, bank accounts and waived ACH fees are paid-plan features |
| Hemlane Starter | No-cost starter package | Only 1 active property; no rent collection or maintenance/repair features |
| Stessa Essentials | Free plan with unlimited properties, bank feeds and basic reports | eSignatures, legal forms and advanced reporting expand on Manage/Pro |
Innago: free software, transaction economics
Innago’s base landlord software is currently $0 with no setup fee or contract. Its current materials list a $2 ACH fee and 2.99% card fee, generally paid by tenants unless the landlord chooses to absorb the charge. Screening is also commonly applicant-paid.
This can be a strong model for a landlord who is comfortable with tenant-paid transaction economics. If you absorb one $2 ACH fee per occupied unit every month, however, the annual cost scales with the portfolio even though the subscription remains free.
See our detailed Innago pricing scenarios →
TurboTenant: free core, paid operational depth
TurboTenant’s Free plan currently includes unlimited property listings, applications/screening, online rent collection and maintenance requests. Paid Essentials and Pro tiers add capabilities such as state-specific lease agreements, lower screening fees, faster payouts and—on Pro—accounting, unlimited e-signatures, multiple bank accounts, team roles and waived ACH fees.
Its published annual pricing rises by portfolio size: Essentials currently ranges from $149 to $349/year, while Pro ranges from $199 to $999/year.
Hemlane Starter: “free” is a product sample, not a 10–50-unit plan
Hemlane Starter is useful for testing parts of the platform, but its support documentation limits the package to one active property and one synced bank account, and excludes rent collection plus maintenance/repair features. For a multi-property operating portfolio, the paid packages are the relevant comparison.
Stessa Essentials: unusually broad free property count
Stessa’s current pricing lists Essentials as free with unlimited properties, automated bank feeds, basic financial reports, vacancy marketing, screening and rent collection. Paid Manage ($12/month billed annually) and Pro ($28/month billed annually) add more legal/eSignature, reporting and support capabilities.
Calculate the cost trigger—not just the sticker price
Use this simple framework:
A free plan can remain the cheapest option well beyond 50 units if the workflow still fits. It can also become expensive at 10 units if it forces duplicate bookkeeping, manual owner reports or third-party tools.
When should you upgrade?
- When the paid tier replaces a separate product you already pay for.
- When fee savings alone cover the subscription.
- When accounting or reporting work is taking recurring staff time.
- When property/unit limits prevent you from running the full portfolio in one system.
- When team permissions, support or client reporting become operational requirements.
Our recommendation for 10–50 units
Start with the workflow you actually need, not the word “free.” Innago is compelling when a $0 landlord subscription and broad core workflow are the priority. TurboTenant is compelling when the Free plan fits but you want a clear paid upgrade path. Stessa is particularly strong for investor accounting/portfolio organization. Hemlane Starter should be treated as a one-property entry point rather than a complete free multi-property management plan.
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Official sources
Pricing and plan limits reviewed October 7, 2026.