Many real estate investors looking to optimize their processes wonder, “What’s the best rental property accounting software for small landlords?” Your books are the foundation of your rental business. That means the bookkeeping software you choose can have a serious impact, not just on your tax returns but on your accounting processes all year. That’s why we’re sharing this guide.
First, we’ll discuss why bookkeeping software is crucial for rental property owners and share tips on how to choose the right solution for you. Then we’ll lay out the pros and cons of popular software solutions for small-scale landlords. Let’s get started!
Key Insights
- Generic bookkeeping platforms create extra work for landlords.
- Real estate–specific accounting software reduces errors.
- Ease of use and strong support matter for accounting platforms.
- Purpose-built tools support tax prep for real estate investors.
Why Bookkeeping Software Matters for Landlords
Accurate bookkeeping is a core part of managing profitable rental properties. Staying on top of income, expenses, and documentation helps you file correct tax returns, avoid costly errors, and understand how each property performs. When your financial records are clean and up to date, you can confidently make decisions that support your long-term goals.
The Pitfalls of Spreadsheets and Templates
While it may seem more straightforward to track everything in a spreadsheet or keep paper receipts, that manual approach creates a weak foundation. Formula mistakes, missing entries, or lost paperwork can lead to inaccurate reports, surprise tax bills, and penalties that eat into your profits. It also takes valuable time—time you could spend finding great tenants, making improvements, or expanding your portfolio.
The Trouble with Generic Accounting Platforms
Generic accounting software like QuickBooks isn’t built for rental property needs. Landlords must customize charts of accounts, create workarounds to track properties and tenants, and pay additional fees for features such as depreciation or 1099 filing. These tools also lack built-in property reports and seamless integrations with property management software platforms—leading to more manual work, higher costs, and a greater risk of bookkeeping errors.
The Advantage of Accounting Software for Small Landlords
Modern real estate accounting software solves these problems. With the right platform, you’ll be more efficient and effective:
- Save time with automatic bank imports, integrations, and helpful reminders.
- Boost accuracy by reducing manual entry and catching errors early.
- Stay organized with digital documentation linked to specific transactions.
- Gain insight through clear reports that show your true financial performance.
Instead of patchwork solutions, accounting software gives landlords a secure, cloud-based system that grows with their business. It removes the guesswork, protects your bottom line, and helps you operate like the successful investor you are.
How to Choose Rental Property Accounting Software for Small Landlords
Choosing accounting software isn’t just about picking a tool you’ve heard of. It’s about finding a system that supports your rental business the way you work. Small-scale landlords often juggle multiple responsibilities, and bookkeeping is rarely the task anyone looks forward to.
The right software should simplify accounting, give you confidence in your numbers, and help you stay organized without spending hours buried in spreadsheets.
As you compare platforms, keep the following four factors in mind:
1. Your Needs
Start by identifying what you actually need help with. Are you mainly looking for a clean, accurate way to track rental income and expenses? Or do you also want tools for rent collection, tenant communication, or maintenance requests?
If your focus is bookkeeping, all-in-one systems may include more features than you’ll ever use—features you’re still paying for. Too many bells and whistles can clutter your workflow rather than support it.
On the flip side, using multiple separate tools—one for rent payments, one for property management, one for accounting—can increase your workload and your costs. Ideally, your accounting software should do one of two things:
- Integrate smoothly with your existing property management system
- Include essential landlord-focused features in one connected platform
That way, you’re spending more time on managing properties and less time trying to make different tools work together.
2. Price vs. Value
It’s tempting to start with the lowest-priced subscription, especially when you’re managing just a handful of units. General accounting software built for all types of businesses may look like the cheapest option at first glance. However, because these systems aren’t designed for real estate, you may need to spend additional time setting up the platform, customizing accounts, or creating rental-specific reports.
Real estate–specific platforms may cost a bit more, but they’re built to handle landlord workflows right away. That often gives you three advantages:
- You need fewer add-ons.
- Setup is faster.
- The platform comes with reports that actually help you understand how each property is performing.
When evaluating costs, consider the total value—your time, accuracy, stress levels, and confidence in managing your business.
3. User Friendliness
Software should make your life easier, not more complicated. If the interface is confusing or difficult to navigate, bookkeeping quickly becomes something you avoid—and that’s when errors pile up.
Before subscribing, take advantage of free trials or demos. While testing, consider four questions:
- How quickly can you accurately enter income and expense data?
- Can you easily upload receipts or attach documents?
- Are menus and dashboards clear and intuitive?
- Can you find help articles or tutorials when you need them?
Be honest about how the trial goes. If you feel frustrated during the free trial period, the software will only feel harder once you’re on a deadline or preparing for tax season.
4. Customer Support
When something goes wrong—or you just have a question—responsive support matters. Solid customer service can be the difference between a 5-minute fix and hours of stress.
Look for five elements of strong customer support:
- Helpful onboarding materials
- Multiple support options (email, chat, phone)
- Clearly stated response times
- Availability that matches your schedule
- Positive feedback from other landlords about their support experience
Reading reviews is a great last check. Real users will tell you whether the support team is knowledgeable or leaves you on hold.
REI Hub: Best for Short-Term Rental Accounting
REI Hub is accounting software made for rental property owners. This platform focuses on making accounting easier and more efficient for small-scale landlords. Each subscription includes every feature and report, so you can skip the hassle of choosing tiers or plans.
Pros
- Bookkeeping essentials: CPA-approved double-entry accounting, income and expense tracking, secure linked accounts for transaction feeds, bank reconciliations, and a customizable chart of accounts preconfigured for real estate
- Comprehensive financial reports for the unit, property, and portfolio levels
- Extensive customer support: knowledge base, resource articles, FAQ guides, free email and phone support from live, US-based reps, and free onboarding support
- Mobile app
- Real estate–specific tools: automated mortgage accounting, integrated lease tracking, rental-specific templates, and performance metric reports, like cash-on-cash and net operating income
- Tax prep features: 1099 vendor tracking, asset basis and depreciation tracking, Schedule E reports, mileage logs, document storage, tax packet exports
Cons
- Limited integrations with property management platforms
- Reports of disruptions to the bank feeds
- Varied pricing structure depending on how users sign up
TurboTenant Accounting: The Best All-in-One Solution for Landlords
Initially, TurboTenant offered property management software, but it has since become an all-in-one solution for landlords following its acquisition of REI Hub. Users can easily manage tenants, finances, and tax prep with streamlined rental workflows. Landlord accounts are free, but users can access advanced features, like income verification, lower screening fees, and unlimited lease agreements, with higher subscription tiers.
Pros
- Expanded reporting: financial reports at the unit, property, and portfolio levels, plus real estate–specific performance metrics
- Extensive education and support resources: resource articles, calculators, podcasts
- Mobile apps for landlords and tenants
- Must-have accounting tools: fixed-asset tracking, depreciation calculations, mileage tracking, transaction imports, rule-based expense categorization, and automated mortgage accounting
- Property management features: advertising, tenant screening, and lease compliance with state laws
- Rent collection tools: auto-reminders and custom late fees
- Very affordable: among the most inexpensive solutions on the market
Cons
- Fewer subscription levels: users may pay for property management features they don’t need
- Limited direct support options: live chat and email support aren’t 24/7
Kashoo: Simple Bookkeeping for Very Small Businesses
Branded as the world’s simplest accounting software, Kashoo is geared toward small-business owners. If you’re just getting your business started or you have a small portfolio, Kashoo’s TrulySmall tools may be a good fit for your portfolio.
Pros
- 14-day free trial
- Affordable start-up cost
- Automated data entry and expense categorization
- Automatic reminders about open client invoices
- Budget tracking
- Customizable chart of accounts
- Invoice templates
- Mobile app
- Multicurrency feature
- Multiuser access
- Simple user interface
- Support resources: small-business guides and checklists, articles, tax help, FAQs, and support by email and phone
Cons
- Fewer integrations with third-party software, compared to QuickBooks or Xero
- Limited features for users who need multi-entity tracking or deeper analytics
Sage Accounting: Small-Business Accounting for Multiusers and Growth
Multiuser access matters. Maybe you’re in a partnership or real estate investment group, or perhaps you want your CPA to have ongoing access to your books. One of Sage’s key selling points is its flexibility. You can configure the platform to suit different accounting roles for users, plus as your business grows, the platform can scale up with you depending on your needs. Sage offers several products in the US, covering small- to enterprise-level businesses.
Pros
- 30-day free trial
- Accounting Start option is good for start-ups and small businesses
- Robust bank feed integration
- Cash flow forecasting
- Mobile app
- Multiple currency feature
- Multi-entity tracking
- Sage Copilot, an AI tool that can suggest changes and point out possible accounting errors
- Variety of educational resources: video tutorials, community forum, knowledge base, Sage University
Cons
- Expensive: the average cost is $744
- Lack of direct support for customers: no customer service phone number, web portal, or email options
- Limited basic plan: doesn’t support quotes, estimates, vendor bills, or forecasting
- No automatic expense categorization for some plans
- Steep learning curve
ZipBooks: Bookkeeping for Budget-Conscious Businesses
A newer addition to cloud-based accounting options, ZipBooks offers a competitive Starter package. It’s free for a single user and includes limitless invoicing, vendors, and customers. The next tier provides users with automated reminders, scheduled invoicing, and multiple bank connections. The top two tiers unlock account reconciliation, customizations, and advanced reporting.
Pros
- 1099 vendor tracking
- Account reconciliation
- Advanced reporting
- AI features for automatically categorizing expenses
- Auto-billing
- Bank syncing
- Customer support: knowledge base, social media, start-up videos, and options for chat and email help
- Document storage and sharing
- Modern, intuitive design
- Multiuser access
- Payment processing
- Solid free tier: unlimited invoicing, customers, and basic accounting tools
- Time tracking
Cons
- Forced upgrades: account reconciliation is part of the third tier level
- Limits within the free tier: single user only, one bank connection, and restricted reporting options
- Not as well-known as QuickBooks or Xero, so finding experienced advisors may present challenges
Patriot Accounting: Accounting and Payroll for US-Based Businesses
Patriot Accounting is designed for people who aren’t accountants, and users have voted it most user-friendly and affordable. With two tier options, the software can grow with users as their needs change. Patriot also offers an add-on bookkeeping service for those who want to outsource their bookkeeping entirely.
Pros
- 1099 and 1096 tracking, form creation, and filing
- 30-day free trial
- Advanced features: estimates, reminders, recurring invoicing, receipt storage, user-based permissions
- Affordable, starting around $20 per month
- Check printing for vendor payments
- Essential accounting features: invoicing, payment records, account reconciliations, transaction imports, and bank connections
- Highly rated customer service: phone, email, or chat support from US-based reps
- Import options for data, customers, trial balances, and chart of accounts
- Integrations with payroll
Cons
- Complicated initial setup and learning curve
- No budgeting or forecasting features
- Not ideal for multicurrency or international operations
- Add-on fees for extra services like 1099 filing
- Subaccounts in the chart of accounts are a premium feature
- The app is meant for payroll time tracking, not business management
Conclusion: Finding Your Ideal Accounting Solution
The ideal rental property accounting software for small landlords must move beyond generic tools and spreadsheets, which create manual work and increase the risk of errors. Specialized real estate accounting platforms are crucial for accurate bookkeeping, time savings through automation, and property-specific reports to support smart financial decisions.
Choosing the right platform requires careful consideration of four key factors: your specific needs (whether you need only accounting or an all-in-one management suite), the overall value it provides relative to cost, its user-friendliness, and the quality of customer support. Solutions such as REI Hub, TurboTenant Accounting, and others offer distinct advantages, ranging from deep specialization to integrated property management features.
By selecting an intuitive, dedicated accounting solution, you establish a secure and scalable financial foundation. This investment transforms bookkeeping from a burden into a strategic asset, empowering you to manage your properties efficiently, avoid costly errors, and confidently grow your real estate investment portfolio.
