Use TransUnion SmartMove for tenant screening (tenants pay $35-45) and Landlord Cart for everything else. Both 100% free for landlords. Save $240-600/year vs traditional platforms.
Free for 2 properties forever • No Hidden Fees • Our Guarantee
Compare the real annual costs
| Buildium | AppFolio | Rent Manager | Landlord Cart + SmartMove | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Platform Fee | $50/month | $280/month | $45/month | $0 |
| Screening Fee (Landlord) | $20+ each | $20+ each | $25+ each | $0 |
| Who Pays Screening | You or tenant | You or tenant | You or tenant | Tenant only |
| Annual Cost | $600+ | $3,360+ | $540+ | $0 |
| Your Savings | - | - | - | $540-3,360/year |
Use TransUnion SmartMove. Tenant pays $35-45 directly. Get credit, criminal, and eviction reports in minutes.
Cost to you: $0
Signup for Free TransUnion AccountCollect rent online, track expenses, store leases. All in one free platform.
Cost to you: $0
Signup for Free Landlord Cart AccountNo monthly fees. No hidden charges. Free for 2 properties forever, then just $8.25/month for up to 10 properties.
Total cost: $0
You're hands-on. You collect rent with Zelle, Cash App, Venmo, or checks.
You list on free sites like Zillow, Facebook Marketplace, or Craigslist.
Tired of paying $50–$150/month + 1–3% of every rent payment to bloated software?
Whether you choose to pass fees to tenants or absorb ACH fees on paid plans, Landlord Cart gives you full control. Your tenants pay securely from any device, while you get automatic tracking, clean records, and zero payout surprises.
Example: Free Plan · ACH Payment
Landlords keep 100% of rent due
Keep 100% of your rent instead of giving 8–12% ($1,200–$5,000+/year) to a property manager forever
Landlord Cart makes it take only 2–4 hours a week—and starts completely free.
| Self-Manage with Landlord Cart | Hire a Property Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost |
Free forever or low fixed fee $0–$20.75/month – Keep 99.5–100% of rent |
8–12% of rent forever $1,200–$5,000+/yr + setup fees |
| Control | Full oversight on repairs, pricing, and decisions | Limited visibility; they call the shots |
| Time Commitment | 2–4 hrs/week with automated tools | Hands-off, less personal involvement |
| Tenant Relationships | Direct, professional portal builds loyalty | Indirect; delays/missteps possible |
| Repairs & Maintenance |
Shop best prices yourself (save 20–30%) |
Convenient but often higher costs/padding |
| Scalability | Perfect for 1–30 properties with flexible plans | Better for 10+ units; overkill for small portfolios |
| Pros | Affordable, flexible, empowering | Time-saving for busy owners |
| Cons | Some hands-on effort required | Expensive, less control, potential conflicts |
Secure, reliable, and always accessible, our AI agent ensures your tenant interactions are smarter, faster, and fully integrated into your property management workflow.
Tenants receive their own exclusive, secure portal where they can download their lease, view payment history, and easily send or respond to maintenance requests — all in one place.
Best of all, the tenant portal can be fully white-labeled with your property management company’s name, logo, and even runs on its own dedicated domain for a truly professional and branded experience.
Ditch the phone tag and endless text chains. Our platform allows you to efficiently handle tenant requests for maintenance or repairs, ensuring every interaction is tracked and documented.
Learn More on how our Message and Document Center saves you time and improves communications.
Reports can be filtered by your total portfolio or individual properties.
If you’re in the US, we follow the IRS Rental rules to properly categorize your deductible expenses
from the ones you can’t, like improvements (of course, always consult with your tax professional).
