Best Property Management Software for Small Landlords (2026): Picks for 1–50 Units

DealFlowAI on January 30, 2026

Best property management software for small landlords (2026) showing Buildium vs TurboTenant picks for 1–50 units

If you self-manage rentals (or run a small portfolio), the real goal isn’t “more features.”
It’s fewer mistakes and less time per unit: faster leasing, on-time rent collection, clean maintenance tracking, and simple reporting at tax time.

This guide ranks the best property management software for small landlords (1–50 units) by workflow:

“All-in-one PM operations” (accounting + owner reports + maintenance)
“Simple leasing + rent collection” (fast setup, low friction)
“Scale-ready” (when you’re adding units and need structure)

Quick verdict

Pick Buildium if you want a more complete system (accounting + reporting + maintenance workflows) and plan to grow.
Pick TurboTenant if you want a simpler, faster setup for leasing + rent collection (especially if you’re smaller and want low overhead).

Try Buildium

Try TurboTenant

Disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I’d use to run an investor operation. See our Affiliate Disclosure: /affiliate-disclosure/

Want the deeper breakdown? See our Buildium review for who it fits best, pros/cons, and when it’s worth paying for a full PM ops system: /buildium-review/

Side-by-side comparison (Buildium vs TurboTenant)

Buildium vs TurboTenant full breakdown (choose by workflow): /buildium-vs-turbotenant/

Tool	Best for	Why it wins	Watch-outs	Best next step
Buildium	All-in-one PM ops + reporting	Stronger structure for maintenance, reporting, and scale-ready workflows	More setup; can feel heavier for very small portfolios	Try Buildium
TurboTenant	Simple leasing + rent collection	Fast setup for applications, screening, leases, and rent—low friction for small landlords	May feel limited if you want deeper accounting/reporting as you scale	Try TurboTenant

What “best” should mean for small landlords (choose by workflow)

1) If you want the most complete PM operations system

Best pick: Buildium
Buildium is typically the better fit when you want real PM operations: maintenance tracking, accounting structure, reporting, and cleaner workflows as you add doors.

If you want the full breakdown (features, workflows, and best-fit landlord scenarios), read the full Buildium review here: /buildium-review/

Best for:

10–50 units (and growing)
You want cleaner books + reporting
You manage vendors/maintenance frequently
You want a “system,” not just rent collection

Try Buildium

See Buildium pricing and which plan to buy.

2) If you want fast setup for leasing + rent collection

Best pick: TurboTenant
TurboTenant is usually the best fit when you want something simple and landlord-friendly, especially if you’re smaller and optimizing for speed and low overhead.

Read the full TurboTenant review (features, pros/cons, and who it’s best for).

Best for:

1–20 units
You want fast leasing workflows
You don’t want heavy setup
You mainly need: applications → screening → lease → rent

Try TurboTenant

Also read our TurboTenant Pricing guide.

3) If you’re scaling and care about reporting (and future-proofing)

If you expect your portfolio to grow, the question is: do you want a tool you’ll outgrow in 12–18 months?
If “no,” lean toward the platform with stronger structure and reporting.

Operator take:

If you’re a long-term hold investor building a portfolio: Buildium tends to age better.
If you’re optimizing for simplicity today: TurboTenant is often the fastest win.

Feature breakdown (what matters most)

Rent collection + tenant payments

Both handle the fundamentals, but your decision should be based on:

friction to set up
tenant experience
how clean the records are for reporting

Maintenance tracking + vendors

If maintenance is frequent (older homes, multiple units, vendors), you’ll want:

work order tracking
clear status updates
history by unit/tenant

Accounting and reporting (the “tax time test”)

This is where landlords feel pain. If you want:

clean reports
fewer spreadsheet headaches
portfolio visibility
…you’ll prefer the stronger reporting tool.

Best-by-scenario recommendations

Suggested stacks (how I’d run it)

Starter stack (1–10 units)

TurboTenant for leasing + rent collection → /go/turbotenant
Simple maintenance tracking process (even if lightweight)
A consistent follow-up system for leads (if you still buy deals)

If you’re still sourcing deals, start here:
Best AI lead gen software → /best-real-estate-lead-generation-software-ai/

Growth stack (10–50 units)

Buildium for systemized PM ops + reporting → /go/buildium
A simple SOP for maintenance (request → assign → update → close)
Portfolio reporting cadence (monthly review)

FAQs

What is the best property management software for small landlords?

For most landlords under 50 units, the best choice depends on whether you want a full operations system (Buildium) or a simpler leasing/rent tool (TurboTenant).

Do I need property management software if I only have a few units?

If you’re at 1–5 units, you can still benefit from software that reduces leasing and rent collection friction. The ROI is usually time + fewer missed steps.

What’s the biggest mistake small landlords make with PM software?

Choosing based on features instead of workflow. The right tool is the one you’ll actually use weekly: leasing, rent, maintenance, and records.

Can I switch later?

Yes — but switching is annoying. If you plan to grow, pick the tool that won’t feel cramped in 12–18 months.

Best AI tools for real estate investors → /best-ai-tools-real-estate-investors/
Best AI lead generation software → /best-real-estate-lead-generation-software-ai/
Best AI CRM for real estate investors → /best-ai-crm-real-estate-investors/
AI follow-up sequence system → /ai-follow-up-sequence-real-estate-investors/

Sources:

Buildium official site
TurboTenant official site

Category: Property Management, Tools