9 Best Property Management Software Solutions for Tenant Retention
by Dulan Perera
Director of Growth
Updated 03 February 2026
Tenant turnover costs property owners an average of $31,927 per departing tenant according to recent industry analysis from Alvéole. Beyond the direct expenses, there's the lost rental income, the time spent remarketing, and the operational disruption that comes with each vacancy.
Key Takeaways
- High Cost of Turnover: Replacing a commercial tenant costs an average of $31,927, making retention a critical financial strategy.
- Retention Benchmark: Aim for a 70% retention rate for retail and commercial properties to ensure stable asset value.
- Essential Tech Features: Prioritize software with tenant portals, automated maintenance workflows, and proactive lease renewal tracking.
- AI Integration: Modern platforms like Re-Leased use AI for lease abstraction and automated task management to reduce human error.
- Top 2025 Solutions: Re-Leased (Commercial-first), MRI (Enterprise), and Yardi Breeze (Small-to-mid) lead the market for retention-focused tools.
Property management software that's built for commercial operations gives you the tools to respond faster, track lease events proactively, and create tenant experiences that drive renewals. Here's what you need to know about choosing property management software that supports tenant retention for commercial and mixed-use portfolios.
Why Tenant Retention Matters for Property Managers
A strong tenant base is the foundation of commercial real estate value. Tenant retention is not just about avoiding vacancy; it is a financial, co-tenancy, and management strategy that, when executed well, maximizes the long-term value of an asset.
For owner-operators, landlords, funds, and holding companies managing their own portfolios, tenant turnover hits the P&L directly. Every vacancy is lost revenue on your balance sheet. For property management firms, the impact is indirect but still significant. Client satisfaction, mandate retention, and operational efficiency all depend on keeping tenants in place.
Here's why retention deserves priority in your technology and process decisions:
- Reduced vacancy periods: Empty units generate no income while still incurring costs. Minimizing tenant turnover leads to substantial savings.
- Marketing Savings: Reduce marketing expenses, which can range from $50 to several hundred dollars.
- Revenue Protection: Eliminate the revenue gap due to vacancy loss, which tends to average 30 to 45 days.
- Lower turnover expenses: Tenant replacement costs are three times higher than retention costs according to industry analysis from Alvéole. Marketing, cleaning, repairs, and re-leasing all take time and resources that could be spent on higher-value activities.
- Predictable cash flow: Long-term tenants create more stable revenue forecasting. When you can count on consistent rental income, you can plan capital improvements, manage debt service, and report confidently to stakeholders.
- Stronger tenant relationships: By understanding tenant needs, enhancing satisfaction, offering flexibility, and leveraging technology, property owners can create a positive tenant experience By understanding tenant needs, enhancing satisfaction, offering flexibility, and leveraging technology, property owners can create a positive tenant experience that encourages lease renewals and reduces turnover costs. Strong landlord-tenant relationships, combined with proactive and responsive management, can ultimately lead to a more stable and profitable investment.
For commercial portfolios, office, retail, industrial, and mixed-use, you want to aim for around 70% tenant retention, as businesses tend to stay in one place for significantly longer than residents. If your rates fall below this benchmark, it's worth examining whether your systems and processes are supporting or hindering the tenant experience.
Key Features That Improve Tenant Retention
When you evaluate property management software for tenant retention, focus on capabilities that change day-to-day tenant experience: how tenants communicate with your team, how quickly issues get resolved, and whether lease events get handled proactively. Tenant management software simplifies property and tenant management with online rent collection, tenant screening, and maintenance tools. And with the help of automation, the right software can help boost your bottom line, reduce operational costs, and improve tenant retention.
Tenant Portals and Self-Service Tools
A tenant portal gives your tenants 24/7 access to the information they need: lease details, payment history, documents, and communication with your team. Tenant portals where tenants can pay rent, submit maintenance requests, and access lease documents help streamline communication and improve satisfaction.
Self-service access isn't just convenience; it's control. When tenants can check their lease terms, submit maintenance requests, or review payment history at 11 PM, you're removing friction from the relationship. Less friction means fewer reasons to leave.
Maintenance Request Management
Here's what matters for maintenance: response time and visibility. Properties implementing real-time communication systems, mobile apps, and digital amenity management report measurable improvements in satisfaction and retention. Responsive maintenance programs create 70% improvement in tenant satisfaction when addressing requests promptly, according to Alvéole.
Essential maintenance features to look for:
- Real-time maintenance request submission and tracking.
- Automated Common Area Maintenance (CAM) tracking.
- Integrated inspection tools and work order creation.
- Side-by-side vendor sourcing and scheduling.
Priority maintenance-related software features include the ability to receive and manage maintenance requests and track common area maintenance. The ability to manage inspections and easily create work ordersPriority maintenance-related software features include the ability to receive and manage maintenance requests and track common area maintenance. The ability to manage inspections and easily create work orders inside the application is crucial. Look for property management software that provides the ability to schedule maintenance and source vendors side-by-side. This will save significant time for property managers and streamline the entire maintenance process.
Proactive Lease and Renewal Tracking
Lease event tracking prevents the most expensive mistake in commercial property management: letting a tenant reach their expiry date without a renewal conversationLease event tracking prevents the most expensive mistake in commercial property management: letting a tenant reach their expiry date without a renewal conversation. Most commercial real estate tenants are busy running their own businesses. Lease renewal is not usually a high priority, and crossing your fingers and hoping they'll renew on time is a less-than-effective tenant retention strategy, as explained in tenant retention dos and don’ts.
The best commercial property management software will store key terms (start/end dates, options, clauses, rent steps, escalations), automate reminders for renewals, expirations, option windows, and insurance/COI expirations, and support complex terms (NNN, percentage rent, CPI/indexed increases, base year, caps).
Automated Communication and Alerts
Poor communication from landlords or property managers can sour a tenant's relationship with a rental property quickly.
Automated reminders, notifications, and updates keep tenants informed without manual effort. This includes payment reminders, maintenance updates, and lease milestone alerts. Consistent communication builds trust and reduces the friction that leads tenants to consider other options.
Online Rent Collection and Payment Flexibility
Payment friction creates late payments. Simple payment processes encourage on-time payments, improve cash flow, and reduce processing time.
Offering convenient digital payment options reduces friction and late payments. Tenants appreciate flexibility in how and when they pay, whether that's ACH transfers, credit cards, or other methods.
Reporting and Tenant Satisfaction Analytics
Occupancy rates indicate successful tenant retention. Tracking the percentage of tenants who renew their leases provides insight into tenant satisfaction. Regularly collecting and analyzing tenant feedback helps identify strengths and areas for improvement, as discussed in commercial tenant retention strategies.
The right reporting shows you which tenants haven't logged a maintenance request in months (potential dissatisfaction), which leases are approaching expiry without renewal conversations (revenue risk), and where your response times are slipping (operational gaps). Data-driven decisions improve retention strategies by showing you where to focus your efforts.
Mobile Apps for Tenants and Property Managers
Efficient mobile application interfaces, clean dashboard designs, and streamlined communication with tenants and maintenance teams are essential features for modern property management. This allows tenants to submit requests and view information on the go while property managers can respond faster from anywhere.
How to Choose Property Management Software for Tenant Retention
Choosing software that matches your portfolio type, size, and operational needs ensures you get the features that drive retention. Property type matters – do you manage residential, commercial, or mixed-use properties? Some software caters specifically to certain types. Here's how to evaluate your options based on what actually matters:
Scalability and Portfolio Fit
Scalability isn't about handling more units. It's about handling more complexity without breaking. When you evaluate commercial property management software, core functionality like CAM (Common Area Maintenance) reconciliation, multi-tenant support, and tools for managing complex lease structures are essential. Prioritize platforms that scale with portfolios of all sizes and offer cost-effective solutions for commercial-specific needs, such as advanced reporting and integrations with ERP systems.
Commercial portfolios have different needs than residential. Complex lease structuresCommercial portfolios have different needs than residential. Complex lease structures, multi-tenant buildings, and shared cost allocation require purpose-built tools rather than residential systems stretched beyond their design.
Integration With Accounting and ERP Systems
Two-way sync with accounting platforms (Xero, QuickBooks, NetSuite, Sage Intacct) avoids double entry and ensures financial accuracy. Ensure the software can connect with ERP platforms, accounting tools like QuickBooks, or tenant screening systems for a seamless workflow.
Integration with your accounting system isn't about convenience. It's about creating a single source of truth. When property data syncs cleanly into your GL, you reduce reconciliation errors, cut month-end chaos, and give finance teams confidence in the numbers.
AI and Automation Capabilities
Since the primary goal of property management software is to save time and streamline processes, it's essential to choose a tool that can be honed to your needs and do some of the work for you. Look for customizable templates, integration with automation tools, and other features that simplify communications and task execution.
Most AI in property software is surface-level. Chatbots without context, generic insights, or OCR with a new label don't change outcomes. What makes AI valuable is the data foundation it works from. Platforms with structured lease data can use AI to extract documents, answer lease questions with source references, and automate workflows. Without that foundation, AI is just marketing.
AI-powered features like document extraction, lease Q&A, and workflow suggestions reduce manual work and speed up decision-making. The key is that AI should enhance structured data, not replace core functionality.
Ease of Use and Onboarding Support
Intuitive design and strong onboarding resources are important for ensuring smooth adoption by property management teams. Software adoption depends on usability. Look for intuitive interfaces, training resources, and responsive customer support.
Usability in commercial property software isn't about pretty interfaces. It's about whether your team can execute complex workflows without constant support tickets. Can a new PM understand the CAM reconciliation process? Can finance trace a lease event back to its source document? That's real usability.
Total Cost of Ownership
Unless you're starting a commercial property management business from scratch, odds are you already have some software systems and online services you use in your industry. Consider migration and integration costs, and avoid solutions that lock you into their suite of services with expensive modules and add-ons.
Consider not only subscription fees but also implementation, training, and integration costs. Value should be measured against time saved and revenue protected.
Total cost of ownership includes what you pay and what you avoid. Implementation fees matter, but so does the cost of missed rent reviews, incorrect CAM recovery, and manual reconciliation. Calculate ROI based on revenue protection, not just time savings.
Best Property Management Software for Tenant Retention in 2025
Most property management software treats tenant retention as a feature checklist. The reality is different: retention is the outcome of operational excellence across every lease event, maintenance workflow, and tenant touchpoint. Here's how the leading platforms approach this challenge and where their architectures create different outcomes.
This comparison includes platforms across the spectrum, from commercial-first systems to residential-focused tools with commercial features. If you manage commercial or mixed-use portfolios with complex lease structures, prioritize platforms built for commercial operations rather than residential systems stretched beyond their design.
Software Comparison at a Glance
| Software | Best for | Key retention features | Accounting integrations | Pricing model | G2 rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Re-Leased | Commercial and mixed-use portfolios | Tenant app, maintenance hub, lease tracking, Credia AI | Xero, QuickBooks, NetSuite, Sage Intacct | Quote-based | 4.6/5 |
| MRI Software | Enterprise portfolios | Comprehensive tenant engagement tools, MRI Engage @Work | Multiple ERP integrations | Quote-based (enterprise) | 4.2/5 |
| Yardi Breeze | Small to mid-size portfolios | Tenant portal, online payments, CAM reconciliation | Yardi ecosystem | Starting at $2/unit/month (commercial) | 4.1/5 |
| Buildium | Residential and mixed portfolios | Resident center, maintenance tracking | QuickBooks (via API) | Starting at $62/month | 4.4/5 |
| AppFolio | Growing property managers | Online portal, communication tools, CAM tracking | Built-in accounting, AppFolio Stack | Quote-based | 4.6/5 |
| Entrata | Multifamily portfolios | Resident portal, renewal management, ELI AI | Proprietary | Quote-based | 4.6/5 |
| Rent Manager | Diverse portfolio types | Customizable tenant features, 450+ reports | Multiple options | Quote-based | 4.6/5 |
| TenantCloud | Smaller landlords | Basic tenant portal, maintenance | QuickBooks, Stripe | Starting at $18/month | 4.3/5 (Capterra) |
| Propertyware | Single-family portfolios | Tenant screening, portal | Built-in accounting | Starting at $1/unit/month | 3.7/5 |
***Evaluation methodology disclaimer:** This comparison is based on publicly available product information, user reviews from G2 and Capterra, and vendor documentation. Ratings and features may change over time. We recommend conducting your own evaluation based on your specific requirements, including demos and reference checks with current customers in your market segment.*
Re-Leased
Commercial-first property management platform with AI-powered lease administration
Re-Leased is a cloud property management platform positioned primarily for commercial real estate operations, with mobile apps for property managers, landlords/owners, and tenants, and a strong emphasis on lease events, outgoings/CAM-style workflows, and accounting connectivity.
Why it's great for tenant retention:
Re-Leased's commercial-first data model means it's built natively around commercial leases, not residential systems adapted for commercial use. The platform includes a tenant-facing app designed for lease visibility and maintenance logging, enabling tenants to submit requests with photos and receive rent reminders and document access. Key date tracking for renewals, expiries, and rent reviews ensures you never miss a critical lease event that could lead to tenant departure.
- Tenant app: Rent reminders, document access, and maintenance issue logging with photos.
- Maintenance hub: Streamlined workflows from request submission to resolution.
- Proactive lease tracking: Key date alerts for renewals, expiries, rent reviews, and break options.
- Credia AI: Document extraction (Extract), lease Q&A with source references (Advise), and automated task creation from emails (Action).
Limitations:
- Pricing is quote-based and not publicly published.
- Best suited for commercial portfolios. Residential-heavy operations may find the platform over-engineered for their needs.
Best for: Property managers and owner-operators with commercial and mixed-use portfolios (50–20,000+ leases) who need strong lease-event governance, tenant communication, and accounting-system alignment.
Pricing: Quote-based. Contact vendor for pricing based on portfolio size and requirements.
Integrations: Xero (continuous two-way sync approximately every 10 minutes), QuickBooks Online, NetSuite, Sage Intacct.
User ratings: 4.6/5 on G2 (151 reviews) | 4.5/5 on Capterra (84 reviews)
Quick differentiators: Commercial-first data model | AI-powered lease administration | Four-way integration between property, finance, tenants, and owners | Purpose-built for complex lease structures (NNN, percentage rent, CAM)NNN, percentage rent, CAM)
MRI Software
Enterprise real estate technology for complex multi-asset portfolios
MRI Software is an enterprise real estate technology provider offering property management plus adjacent platforms (tenant engagement portals, lease abstraction, facilities, etc.), positioned for complex multi-asset portfolios and enterprise operating models.
Why it's great for tenant retention:
MRI Engage @Work is a tenant portal for CRE designed to unify payments, maintenance requests, communications, and (for retail) sales data entry. The platform's enterprise ecosystem approach means multiple MRI products and modules can be integrated for end-to-end operations across CRE and multifamily engagement.
- Tenant portal: Self-service payments, maintenance requests, document/lease info, and retail sales entry.
- Multi-sector support: Tailored solutions across retail, industrial/logistics, office, healthcare, education, and multifamily.
- Lease abstraction: Converting documents into structured data for M&A/audit contexts.
Limitations:
- The initial setup of such an extensive framework is often time-consuming, and the advanced features require purchasing additional modules for the software, which may lead to higher-than-expected expenses, as noted in this Wint review.
- Enterprise pricing and complexity may exceed the needs of smaller portfolios.
Best for: Enterprises managing complex and large portfolios requiring a tailored and customized solution, as described in this Wint guide.
Pricing: Enterprise quote-based. Pricing varies by module and portfolio size.
Integrations: MRI PMX, MRI Angus, multiple payment solutions (MRI RentPayment, Aptexx, ClickPay, ProfitStars).
User ratings: 4.2/5 on G2 (275 reviews across products) | 4.2/5 on Capterra (91 reviews)
Quick differentiators: Enterprise-grade ecosystem | Multi-sector coverage | Comprehensive tenant engagement | Lease abstraction capabilities
Yardi Breeze
Accessible property management for small to mid-size commercial portfolios
Yardi Breeze is positioned as "refreshingly simple" property management software within the broader Yardi ecosystem, with feature sets and pricing that vary by property type (residential, commercial, affordable, self storage, etc.).
Why it's great for tenant retention:
Yardi Breeze Premier includes CAM reconciliation automation, percentage rents, sales information tracking, and a commercial tenant portal with online payments and maintenance. Users recommend Yardi Breeze for medium-sized commercial operators in Yardi’s commercial features.
- Commercial tenant portal: Online payments, maintenance requests, and lease document access.
- CAM reconciliation: Automated common area maintenance calculations.
- Lease tracking: Commercial property managers using Breeze Premier can easily add a clause to a lease or a renewal option to a tenant. These can also both be pushed out to the tenant's CommercialCafe portal or be kept hidden. Either way, it's easy to track important lease info within Breeze's tenant record, which provides a lease abstract of tenant info, dates, renewal options, clauses and more, as highlighted in these top features.
Limitations:
- Mixed-use portfolios (residential + commercial) may require separate configurations – confirm whether a single account can seamlessly manage both lease models.
- Part of larger Yardi ecosystem, which may add complexity for standalone commercial operations.
Best for: Small-to-mid portfolios seeking a simpler system with clear property-type packages and core accounting plus portals.
Pricing: Commercial Breeze starting at $2/unit/month. Breeze Premier commercial pricing is plan/region dependent – contact sales for details. No onboarding, training, or support fees for some packages.
Integrations: Yardi ecosystem, RentCafe portal variations, payment processing.
User ratings: 4.1/5 on G2 (348 reviews) | 4.2/5 on Capterra (326 reviews)
Quick differentiators: Published pricing | Part of Yardi ecosystem | Strong customer support reputation | Percentage rent and sales tracking for retail
Buildium
All-in-one platform for residential property managers and associations
Buildium (a RealPage company) is a property management platform positioned for residential property managers and community associations, with a "Resident Center" experience, maintenance tracking, and tiered plans (Essential/Growth/Premium).
Why it's great for tenant retention:
Buildium's Resident Center provides online payments, payment history, recurring payments, maintenance requests with photos and status tracking, and text/email updates and announcements. Overall efficiency, ease of communication, accounting you can trust, new revenue streams – if these are aspects of your business that you'd like to grab ahold of, then there are plenty of reasons why you'd want to use property management software. Some of the top benefits involve making quick work of maintenance with improved response times and task automation; getting paid faster by automating payments and collecting rents, fees, bills and more, as described on Buildium.
- Resident Center: Online payments, maintenance requests with photos, status tracking.
- Communication tools: Text/email updates and announcements to keep tenants informed.
- Open API: Premium plan includes API for custom integrations and extensibility.
Limitations:
- Not positioned as a commercial platform – if your portfolio includes retail/office, verify whether Buildium supports CRE lease structures (CAM, percentage rent, complex clauses).
- Best interpreted as "mixed residential" (SFR + multifamily + associations) rather than CRE mixed-use.
Best for: Residential PM firms and association managers who want a central platform with resident self-service and maintenance tracking.
Pricing: Essential: $62/month; Growth: $192/month; Premium: $400/month. Onboarding required for Growth and Premium (additional fees apply). Separate pricing for 5,000+ units or community associations.
Integrations: Buildium Open API (REST) requires Premium subscription. Integration with specialized apps in accounting, lead tracking, and more.
User ratings: 4.4/5 on G2 (259 reviews) | 4.5/5 on Capterra (2,152 reviews)
Quick differentiators: Strong residential focus | Large user base | Resident Center portal | Association management capabilities
AppFolio
Scalable platform for growing property management businesses
AppFolio Property Manager is positioned as a scalable platform for property management businesses, offering tiered plans (Core/Plus/Max) and supporting multiple portfolio types from single-family through commercial and investment management.
Why it's great for tenant retention:
With robust accounting and reporting tools, powerful universal search, and purpose-built features, AppFolio's commercial property management software gives you the freedom to include commercial properties alongside other property types, as outlined in AppFolio’s commercial overview. Streamlined Common Area Maintenance tracking and reconciliation processes save your team time and boost profitability. With AppFolio's commercial property management software, your team will be informed and ready to act, as described in AppFolio’s commercial overview.
- Multi-portfolio support: Single family, multifamily, student housing, affordable housing, community associations, commercial, and investment management.
- CAM tracking: Streamlined common area maintenance tracking and reconciliation.
- AppFolio Stack: Marketplace for integrations and extensibility.
- Database API: Max tier includes API for portfolio-level consolidation and BI warehousing.
Limitations:
- While the feature-rich solution offers an all-in-one experience for property managers, it is limited in customization, lacks API connectivity (except at higher tiers), and can be one of the more expensive options for medium portfolios, as noted in this Wint guide.
- Retail-specific features like percentage rent/sales reporting should be confirmed in demo.
Best for: Property management companies that manage a mix of commercial and multifamily residential spaces with a minimum of 50 units, as described in this Wint guide.
Pricing: Quote-based. Contact AppFolio for pricing based on portfolio size and tier requirements.
Integrations: AppFolio Stack marketplace (Plus tier), Database API (Max tier), built-in accounting.
User ratings: 4.6/5 on G2 (848 reviews) | 4.5/5 on Capterra (1,886 reviews)
Quick differentiators: Multi-portfolio type support | Strong user ratings | Tiered feature packaging | Growing marketplace ecosystem
Entrata
All-in-one operating system for multifamily properties
Entrata positions itself as an "operating system" for multifamily, covering accounting, purchasing, facilities, and leasing in one platform, with strong resident portal and renewal tooling.
Why it's great for tenant retention:
Entrata's ResidentPortal enables tenants to pay rent, submit work orders, access community information, surveys/newsletters/events, and communicate with property management. Entrata is billed as a property management solution for multifamily communities. The AI-powered Entrata Layered Intelligence (ELI) automates many time-consuming aspects of multifamily property management, including responding to maintenance requests and generating lease renewals, as noted in 2025 reviews & pricing.
- Resident portal: Rent payments, work orders, community information, surveys, and events.
- Renewal automation: Identify expiring leases, send renewal options, generate leases, and execute renewals digitally.
- ELI AI: Automates maintenance responses and lease renewal generation.
- Unified dashboard: Track leads and communications for multiple properties.
Limitations:
- Not positioned as a commercial platform – confirm suitability if you manage office/retail/industrial.
- Strong for mixed conventional + affordable + student within residential domain, but true residential+commercial mixed-use should be validated.
Best for: Multifamily operators prioritizing resident experience, operational centralization, renewals workflow, and facilities management.
Pricing: Quote-based. Pricing depends on modules and portfolio size.
Integrations: Proprietary ecosystem with various partner integrations.
User ratings: 4.6/5 on G2 (738 reviews) | 4.6/5 on Capterra (413 reviews)
Quick differentiators: Multifamily specialization | AI-powered renewals | Comprehensive resident engagement | Student and affordable housing support
Rent Manager
Configurable platform for diverse residential and commercial portfolios
Rent Manager (by London Computer Systems) is a configurable property management platform positioned for both residential and commercial portfolios, emphasizing accounting depth, automation, communications, and a large reporting library.
Why it's great for tenant retention:
Rent Manager offers strong communications capabilities including texting, email, web chat, and phone broadcast – useful for tenant retention communications across asset classes. Commercial-specific tools include asset tracking (warranties/depreciation/expenses), inspections and violations via mobile, project-management tools, and integrated billing for tenant chargebacks.
- Communication suite: Texting, email, web chat, phone broadcast for tenant engagement.
- Commercial tools: Asset tracking, inspections, project management, tenant chargebacks.
- Reporting library: More than 450 comprehensive reports with export/download/email capabilities.
- Accounting depth: Cash and accrual simultaneously.
Limitations:
- Retail-specific features like percentage rent/sales reporting are not confirmed – verify if needed.
- Quote-based pricing requires vendor engagement to understand costs.
Best for: Operators who want customization, strong accounting/reporting, and the flexibility to manage both residential and commercial in one system.
Pricing: Quote-based. Contact vendor for pricing.
Integrations: "Ever-growing network of integrated technology providers" with hundreds of integrated providers referenced.
User ratings: 4.6/5 on G2 (260 reviews) | 4.5/5 on Capterra (561 reviews)
Quick differentiators: High configurability | 450+ reports | Dual residential/commercial support | Strong accounting capabilities
TenantCloud
Budget-friendly option for smaller landlords and portfolios
TenantCloud is a property management platform targeting DIY landlords and smaller-to-mid operators, with published flat-rate subscription tiers and a focus on online payments, maintenance, leasing, and basic-to-advancing accounting features depending on plan.
Why it's great for tenant retention:
TenantCloud helps you simplify and grow your property management business. Find everything you need to list properties, collect rent, and screen tenants – in one, easy place on TenantCloud. No more chasing down payments. With TenantCloud, tenants have a flexible, convenient way to pay rent online, and you get peace of mind with TenantCloud.
- Tenant portal: Online payments, maintenance requests, and communication.
- Autopay: Flexible payment options to reduce late payments.
- QuickBooks sync: Supports synchronizing transactions to QuickBooks Online with manual or real-time sync options.
- Published pricing: Transparent subscription tiers with "unlimited units" at entry levels.
Limitations:
- Commercial features are not a major stated focus – verify if you need CRE lease constructs.
- Best for "mixed" in the sense of multiple residential properties rather than residential+commercial mixed-use.
- Enhanced reporting and multi-entity features are tier-dependent.
Best for: Smaller residential landlords/PMs who want online payments, tenant portal, maintenance, and basic-to-moderate accounting without enterprise implementation overhead.
Pricing: Starter: $18/month; Growth: $35/month (and additional tiers). ACH fees are plan-dependent (e.g., Starter shows $1.95/transaction).
Integrations: Payments powered by Stripe (ACH + card). QuickBooks Online sync (US/Canada only).
User ratings: Reviews on G2 | 4.3/5 on Capterra (450 reviews)
Quick differentiators: Published transparent pricing | Unlimited units at entry tiers | DIY landlord friendly | Stripe-powered payments
Propertyware
Customizable platform for single-family and residential portfolios
Propertyware (RealPage) is positioned as a comprehensive and highly customizable property management system, marketed especially for rental portfolio operators seeking configurable workflows, portals, maintenance, and accounting, with optional API add-on pricing.
Why it's great for tenant retention:
Propertyware includes tenant portals, owner portals, maintenance, accounting, screening, and payments in all plans, with higher tiers adding texting, eSignature, and inspections. "Global customization & reports" across plans supports scaling operations via workflow standardization and reporting.
- Tenant portals: Self-service access for payments, documents, and communication.
- Customization: Highly configurable workflows and reporting.
- Optional API: Enterprise/API add-on for advanced integrations.
- Published pricing: Transparent per-unit pricing with clear tier structure.
Limitations:
- Strongly positioned for residential rental portfolios – commercial/retail lease model support should be verified.
- Implementation fees (2× monthly subscription) add to initial costs.
- Lower user ratings compared to competitors suggest evaluating carefully against your needs.
Best for: Residential portfolio operators who value customization, structured workflows, and configurable reporting, and who can justify implementation and minimum fees.
Pricing: Basic: $1/unit/month with $250 monthly minimum + implementation fee. Plus: $1.50/unit/month with $350 minimum. Premium: $2/unit/month with $450 minimum. Enterprise/API add-on +$1/unit/month.
Integrations: Built-in accounting, API available as add-on.
User ratings: 3.7/5 on G2 (28 reviews) | 3.9/5 on Capterra (324 reviews)
Quick differentiators: High customization | Published pricing | Single-family focus | RealPage ecosystem
Frequently asked questions
Tenant management software or rental property management software is designed to help property managers, owners, and investors with their daily tasks, and much more, as outlined in tenant management software. It handles day-to-day tenant administration like rent collection and lease tracking. Tenant retention software specifically focuses on features that improve tenant satisfaction and encourage renewals – such as responsive maintenance workflows, proactive lease renewal tracking, and communication tools that keep tenants engaged.
In practice, the best property management platforms combine both capabilities, using operational efficiency to drive better tenant experiences that lead to higher retention rates.
Happy tenants are more likely to stay longer and take better care of the property. Tenant management software enables better tenant engagement through easy communication and swift issue resolution. Providing a positive renting experience improves tenant retention rates, reducing vacancies and turnover costs, as explained in tenant management software.
Property management software improves retention by enabling faster maintenance responses, proactive lease renewal outreach, convenient self-service options, and consistent communication that makes tenants feel valued.
Some platforms serve both, but commercial properties have unique needs like complex lease structures, CAM/outgoings management, percentage rent calculations, and multi-tenant billing that residential-focused systems may not handle well. While both residential and commercial property management software serve the same purpose – making property management more efficient – their core features differ because of the types of properties they're designed to manage, as noted in commercial property management software.
If you manage commercial or mixed-use portfolios, look for software built with a commercial-first data model rather than residential systems with commercial features bolted on.
Look for two-way integrations with platforms like Xero, QuickBooks Online, Sage Intacct, or NetSuite to ensure accurate financial data and reduce manual reconciliation work. Our property management accounting experts say that accounting and maintenance are neck and neck in tenant experience. The fewer reasons a tenant has to contact you, the better. If your tenant knows your accountant's name, they're probably not happy! If payments they've made haven't been posted to their account, or if they see surprise fees, or balance miscalculations, chances are they'll be calling your accountant. Remember: Any kind of negative interaction has an impact on the tenant's experience and their desire to stay, as covered in real estate accounting.
Accurate ledgers and seamless accounting integration directly support tenant retention by minimizing billing errors and payment confusion.
Most property managers notice operational improvements within the first few months – faster maintenance responses, better communication workflows, and reduced administrative burden. Measurable retention gains typically become visible after one full lease cycle as renewal rates and tenant feedback trends emerge.
The key is to track baseline metrics before implementation (current retention rate, average maintenance response time, tenant satisfaction scores) so you can measure improvement over time. Occupancy rates indicate successful tenant retention. Tracking the percentage of tenants who renew their leases provides insight into tenant satisfaction. Regularly collecting and analyzing tenant feedback helps identify strengths and areas for improvement, as discussed in commercial tenant retention strategies.
About the Author
Dulan Perera
Director, Growth
Dulan combines strategic marketing expertise with deep knowledge of commercial real estate (CRE) to drive meaningful growth across the industry. His focus is on connecting property professionals with insights that matter, spanning compliance, financial operations, property management, stakeholder relationships, and the evolving role of technology and AI. His goal: help real estate businesses scale smarter in a digital-first world.
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