Hey — We’re the Landlord Cart team, all small landlords ourselves with 1–10 units. From what we see every week on Reddit, G2, and in our inbox, Avail starts strong with free basics but quickly frustrates with price hikes (up to $120–$300/yr for Pro) and add-on fees for simple lease tweaks. That’s why we built Landlord Cart — to fix those exact pain points without the surprises.
Full disclosure: This page is written by the Landlord Cart team (all landlords, no copywriters). Every price and limitation below was verified directly from Avail’s public site in November 2025. No affiliate links, no fake “independent” review.
Every single week we get the same email: “Avail seemed cheap… until the $9–$25 per custom lease or the screening add-ons piled up.” This is the comparison we wish more landlords had back then.
Here’s exactly how they stack up in 2025:
| Feature | Avail Free/Basic | Avail Pro/Plus | Landlord Cart ($99/yr) | What most small landlords pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cost to landlord | $0 + add-ons ($96/yr avg) | $120–$300+/yr | $99 flat forever | Landlord Cart |
| Rent collection | Built-in ACH/cards | Faster payouts | No — you keep using Zelle/Venmo/Cash App (full control) | Landlord Cart |
| State-specific lease creation | Basic templates only | Limited custom clauses ($9–$25 each) | Unlimited AI-generated, fully custom | Landlord Cart |
| Tenant screening | Tenant pays $30–$55 | Landlord pays | You run your own or any third-party | Landlord Cart |
| Maintenance tracking | Basic | Yes + photos | Yes + photos & vendor assignment | Landlord Cart |
| Document storage | Very limited on free | Unlimited | Truly unlimited | Landlord Cart |
| Hidden fees / upsells | Many (clauses, fast pay) | Fewer | Zero | Landlord Cart |
| Mobile experience | App + web | App + web | Works perfectly in any browser (no app needed) | Tie |
Who This Comparison Is Really For
- You already collect rent with Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, or checks — and you want to keep it that way.
- You’re tired of paying extra for every lease tweak or running into free-tier storage walls.
- You want unlimited, bulletproof, state-specific leases without $9–$25 surprises.
- You advertise yourself on Facebook Marketplace, Zillow FSBO, yard signs — you don’t need syndication.
Four Reasons Landlords Are Switching in 2025
- Keep 100% control of rent collection. No platform in the middle. Tenants still Zelle on the 1st — instant, free, zero drama.
- Unlimited AI lease builder trained on thousands of real executed leases. Answer a few quick questions (rent amount, move-in date, pets, late-fee rules, etc.) and the AI instantly creates a fully custom, state-compliant lease ready to e-sign. Takes under a minute. No per-lease charges — ever.
- Zero upsells or tenant fees. $99 once a year unlocks everything. No more $9 clause fees killing your budget.
- One clean, professional dashboard for everything else. Maintenance with photos, tenant portal, move-in/out checklists, balance tracking — all in a fast interface that works perfectly on phone or desktop.
“Avail’s price jump to $120+ for Pro ran me off — $25 for a pet clause? Landlord Cart lets me customize unlimited for $99 flat. Finally no more surprises.”
— Sarah, 3 units in Florida (from G2 review, used with permission)
When You Should Still Choose Avail
- You have literally $0 budget right now and can live with add-on fees.
- You rely heavily on their Realtor.com syndication for listings.
- You want the platform to handle rent collection for you.
When Landlord Cart Is the Obvious Choice
- You refuse to pay hidden fees — or make your tenants pay them.
- You want the most powerful unlimited lease tool on the market for one flat price.
- You already have rent collection dialed in and just need everything else organized.
- You want to run your rentals your way — not the software’s way.
Ready to Switch and Save a Few Hundred Bucks This Year?
14-day no-obligation free trial — no credit card required.
Questions? Fill out our Contact Us form or give us a call at (877) 887-9482 — we actually answer (usually in under an hour).
— The Landlord Cart team
All landlords, zero salespeople.