Avail vs Rentec Direct
Rentec Direct scores 7.8/10 vs 7.5/10. Best for: Cost-conscious landlords and property managers who prioritize accounting and responsive support.
Rentec Direct scores higher overall at 7.8/10 vs 7.5/10. Rentec Direct is reliable no-frills property management that punches above its weight on accounting and support. Free ACH payments and trust accounting make it attractive for professional managers. Not the most modern looking but solid value for the price.
Avail 
Rentec Direct Rank
#9 of 26
Rank
#7 of 26
Features
10/17
Features
15/17
Starting at
$0/mo
Starting at
$55/mo
User reviews
4.8/5 (350)
User reviews
4.5/5 (250)
What they cost
| Avail | Rentec Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting at | Free /mo | $55 /mo |
| Free trial | Free tier available | 14 days |
| Number of plans | 2 | 2 |
What the pricing really means
At first glance, Avail looks cheaper at $0/month vs $55/month. But sticker price is only part of the story. Look at what is included on the base plan, how many users you get, and whether you need add-ons to get the features you actually need. The $99/month plan that requires $200 in add-ons is actually more expensive than the $250/month plan that includes everything.
Where Avail wins
- Genuinely free tier with no unit limits covering core landlord needs
- State-specific lease templates and e-signatures included free
- Listings syndicate to Zillow, Realtor.com, and 20+ sites
- Simple clean interface for non-professional landlords
Where Rentec Direct wins
- Free ACH rent payments with no transaction fees which is rare
- Excellent customer support consistently praised in reviews
- Trust accounting and owner portal well-suited for pro managers
- Simple two-plan structure, no confusing tier matrix
Where Avail falls short
- Recent 300%+ price increase on Plus plan has upset users
- No real accounting depth, just basic expense tracking
- No API access or integrations
- No owner portal, not for third-party management
Where Rentec Direct falls short
- UI feels dated compared to newer competitors
- Custom reporting is limited
- Open API still in rollout
- Version updates sometimes introduce bugs
Who is each product built for?
Avail
Target: 1-50 units
Avail is the best free option for independent landlords needing basic rent collection, screening, and leases. The free tier is genuinely useful. Strictly for DIY landlords with no owner portal or real accounting. Recent price increases on Plus have frustrated users.
Rentec Direct
Target: 1-2500 units
Rentec Direct is reliable no-frills property management that punches above its weight on accounting and support. Free ACH payments and trust accounting make it attractive for professional managers. Not the most modern looking but solid value for the price.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Avail | Rentec Direct |
|---|---|---|
| Tenant Management | ||
| Tenant screening | ||
| Online rent collection | ||
| Lease management | ||
| Tenant portal | ||
| E-signatures | ||
| Property Operations | ||
| Maintenance requests | ||
| Owner portal | ||
| Property inspections | ||
| Vendor management | ||
| Vacancy advertising | ||
| Finance & Reporting | ||
| Accounting/bookkeeping | ||
| Bank account management | ||
| Insurance tracking | ||
| Reporting/analytics | ||
| Platform | ||
| Document storage | ||
| Mobile app | ||
| API access | ||
Common questions
Avail is designed for 1-50 units, making it a strong pick for small shops. Rentec Direct targets 1-2500 units.
Avail starts at $0/month. Rentec Direct starts at $55/month. Pricing was last verified in 2026-03-01.
Avail has a free tier you can use to get started.
Yes, you can switch between Property Management tools. The main effort is migrating your data and setting up new workflows. Plan for 1-2 weeks of overlap where you run both systems.
The bottom line
Pick Avail if...
Independent DIY landlords who want free or low-cost basic rent collection and tenant screening
Pick Rentec Direct if...
Cost-conscious landlords and property managers who prioritize accounting and responsive support