Innago vs TurboTenant: Which Free Landlord Software Is Actually Better?
Both Innago and TurboTenant are free for landlords, but they make very different trade-offs. Here's an honest breakdown of features, screening, and who each platform is built for.
Innago is the better pick if you want a genuinely free, no-premium-tier platform with flexible lease customization and lower screening costs to tenants. TurboTenant wins on listing reach and has a larger user community — worth it if syndication breadth matters most.
If you’re a self-managing landlord searching for free property management software, Innago and TurboTenant will be near the top of every list you find. Both are legitimately free for landlords. Both cover the core workflow: listings, online applications, tenant screening, rent collection, and lease management.
The difference is in where each platform makes its trade-offs.
Innago is a fully free platform with no premium tier at all. It’s designed to stay free forever by charging tenants for optional services (screening, card payments) rather than building a paid landlord tier. That model results in a clean, no-upsell experience — and some of the most flexible lease tools in this price range.
TurboTenant operates a freemium model. The free tier is genuinely useful, but a paid Premium plan unlocks unlimited e-signatures, custom application questions, and priority support. TurboTenant also syndicates listings to a broader network of rental sites than most competitors — an edge that matters if you’re in a competitive rental market.
Both platforms are worth serious consideration. Here’s how to choose.
Quick Verdict
| Innago | TurboTenant | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Full-feature free platform, lease flexibility | Listing reach, tenant screening depth |
| Landlord cost | Always free | Free (basic) / $8.25–$16.58/month (premium) |
| Screening cost (to tenant) | ~$30–$35 | ~$55 |
| Listing syndication | Major sites (Zillow, Apartments.com) | 30+ sites (widest in class) |
| Lease builder | Custom templates, fully editable | Templates, less customizable on free tier |
| E-signatures | Unlimited, free | Limited on free; unlimited on premium |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Maintenance tracking | Yes | Basic (free tier) |
| Phone support | Yes | Premium tier only |
| Best portfolio size | 1–25 units | 1–20 units |
Choose Innago if: You want zero fees for landlords, cheaper tenant screening, and strong lease customization — with no pressure to upgrade.
Choose TurboTenant if: You want the best listing distribution and a large user community, and you don’t mind tenants paying more for screening.
Methodology
PickStack evaluates property management software on six criteria: pricing transparency, tenant screening quality and cost, listing distribution reach, rent collection reliability, lease management flexibility, and support quality. We review publicly available feature documentation, pricing pages, and user feedback from sources including Reddit’s r/landlord and r/realestateinvesting communities. We do not accept paid placements or rank products based on affiliate relationships.
Feature Comparison
Tenant Screening
Both platforms use TransUnion to power their screening reports. The reports are similar in scope: credit history, criminal background check, and eviction records. The meaningful difference is cost.
Innago charges tenants approximately $30–$35 for a full screening package. That’s among the lowest in the landlord-pays-nothing model, and for applicants being screened for multiple properties simultaneously, the lower cost reduces friction.
TurboTenant’s screening package runs approximately $55 per applicant. The reports are comprehensive and well-organized, and TurboTenant includes income verification as an optional add-on. But for applicants, $55 is a real barrier — and some landlords report losing applicants who decline to pay.
Winner: Innago — comparable report quality at meaningfully lower cost to the tenant.
Listing Distribution and Marketing
This is where TurboTenant has a clear edge. TurboTenant syndicates to 30+ partner sites including Zillow, Apartments.com, Rent.com, Avail, Zumper, and more. Listings typically appear across the network within hours of being published.
Innago syndicates to major platforms (Zillow and Apartments.com are confirmed partners) but does not publish a full list of all partner sites, and the distribution network is narrower than TurboTenant’s.
For landlords in competitive urban markets with high vacancy costs, the reach difference matters. For rural landlords or those in markets where Zillow alone drives most leads, the gap is less significant.
Winner: TurboTenant — widest listing distribution in this price tier.
Online Rent Collection
Both platforms support ACH bank transfers for rent collection at no cost to landlords or tenants. Both also allow card payments with a fee passed to the tenant (Innago: 2.9% + $0.30; TurboTenant: similar rates on the premium plan).
Innago includes automated late fee application, recurring payment reminders, partial payment controls, and a tenant portal on the free plan. The workflow is straightforward and doesn’t require any paid upgrade.
TurboTenant’s free rent collection is solid but more basic. Automated late fees and advanced payment controls are available on the free tier, but some landlords report needing the premium tier for consistent reminder automation.
Winner: Innago — more complete rent collection automation at no cost.
Lease Management
Innago’s lease builder is one of its strongest features. Landlords can create fully custom lease templates, add their own clauses, and adjust terms per property or tenant. E-signatures are included free with no document limits. Once signed, leases are stored in the platform, and Innago sends automated renewal reminders ahead of lease expiration.
TurboTenant provides lease templates and e-signature functionality, but the free plan caps the number of e-signature documents per month. Unlimited e-signatures require the premium tier. The templates are less customizable than Innago’s — useful for standard leases but limiting for landlords who want to add property-specific addenda.
Winner: Innago — more customizable leases, unlimited e-signatures, no paywall.
Maintenance Management
Innago includes a maintenance request module in the free plan. Tenants submit requests through the tenant portal with descriptions and photos. Landlords can track open requests, communicate with tenants, and update status. It’s not the most advanced maintenance workflow available, but it’s functional and included at no cost.
TurboTenant’s maintenance tracking on the free tier is more limited — it supports basic communication but doesn’t offer the same structured request-to-resolution tracking that Innago provides. More complete maintenance tools are a feature of higher-tier platforms like RentRedi or DoorLoop.
Winner: Innago — better maintenance workflow at the free tier.
Mobile App
Both platforms have mobile apps for landlords and tenant-facing portals. Neither is as polished as RentRedi’s dedicated landlord and tenant apps, but both are functional for on-the-go management tasks.
Innago’s mobile app covers the core use cases: viewing applications, tracking rent, and responding to maintenance requests. TurboTenant’s app is similarly capable, with a slight edge in design polish based on user reviews, though neither app is a primary reason to choose one over the other.
Winner: Tie — both are adequate; neither is best-in-class.
Customer Support
Innago offers email and phone support on the free plan — which is unusual for a no-cost product. Response times are generally reported as fast (under a few hours for email, live during business hours for phone).
TurboTenant’s free tier is limited to email and chat support. Phone support is reserved for Premium subscribers. For landlords who want direct phone access without paying, Innago wins clearly.
Winner: Innago — phone support included at no cost.
Pricing Breakdown
Innago
| Plan | Price | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Free (only plan) | $0/month | Listings, applications, tenant screening (tenant-paid ~$30–$35), rent collection, lease builder, unlimited e-signatures, maintenance tracking, phone + email support |
Innago has no paid tier. Revenue comes from optional tenant-side fees (screening, card processing) and landlord add-ons like renter’s insurance referrals. There is no premium upsell for landlords.
TurboTenant
| Plan | Price | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month | Listings, applications, tenant screening (tenant-paid ~$55), rent collection, basic lease storage |
| Premium (1 unit) | $16.58/month | Unlimited e-signatures, custom applications, automated late fees, priority support, rent price analysis |
| Premium (unlimited) | $8.25/month (billed annually) | Same as above, per-unit pricing drops with scale |
Tenant screening is always an add-on (~$55/applicant, billed to tenant) regardless of plan tier.
Pros and Cons
Innago
Pros:
- Genuinely free with no premium tier — no upsell pressure
- Lower screening cost to tenants (~$30–$35)
- Fully customizable lease builder with unlimited e-signatures
- Automated rent collection and late fees included free
- Phone support available at no cost
- Clean, low-friction interface
Cons:
- Narrower listing syndication network than TurboTenant
- Smaller user community (fewer Reddit posts, fewer third-party reviews)
- Less name recognition — some tenants unfamiliar with the platform
- No built-in accounting or profit/loss reporting
TurboTenant
Pros:
- Best-in-class listing distribution (30+ syndication partners)
- Large, active user community and extensive help documentation
- Comprehensive TransUnion screening reports
- Well-designed interface with a gentle learning curve
- Premium tier available if you want more features
Cons:
- Tenant screening costs significantly more (~$55 vs. ~$35)
- E-signatures capped on free plan
- Phone support requires premium subscription
- Maintenance tracking is limited without upgrading
- Premium pricing can add up for multi-unit landlords
Who Should Choose Each Platform?
Innago is right for you if:
- You want a 100% free platform with no upsell pressure or feature gating
- Lower applicant screening costs are important (lower barrier for applicants)
- You need flexible lease customization and unlimited e-signatures
- You want phone support included at no cost
- Your portfolio is 1–15 units and you’re not in a hyper-competitive market where syndication breadth is critical
TurboTenant is right for you if:
- You’re in a competitive rental market and want the broadest listing distribution
- You value a larger user community and more third-party reviews/tutorials
- You don’t mind tenants covering a higher screening cost
- You may want to upgrade to premium features later as your portfolio grows
- You want a platform with a longer track record and more brand recognition
Our Recommendation
For most independent landlords managing 1–10 units, Innago’s free platform is the stronger daily driver. It removes more friction from the landlord side (lower tenant screening costs, unlimited e-signatures, phone support, better lease tools) without requiring any upgrade. The narrower listing syndication is the main trade-off, but for most landlords, Zillow and Apartments.com cover the bulk of qualified leads.
TurboTenant is the right pick if listing reach is your primary concern — particularly if you’re managing in a market where vacancy costs are high and you want every advantage filling units quickly. The broader syndication network is real, and TurboTenant’s established user base means more community resources and tutorials if you ever need help.
Both platforms are genuinely free for landlords. There’s no wrong answer — but if you’re choosing on features alone, Innago gives you more per dollar (of which you spend zero).
Try Innago Free | Try TurboTenant Free
FAQ
Is Innago really free? What’s the catch? Innago is free for landlords with no premium tier. The platform earns revenue from tenant-side fees (screening charges paid by applicants, card processing fees) and optional add-ons like renter’s insurance. Landlords pay nothing to use the core platform — that’s the business model, not a trial period.
Why does TurboTenant charge tenants so much more for screening?
TurboTenant’s TransUnion screening package ($55) is more comprehensive than some competitors and includes income verification as an optional add-on. The higher price reflects a more detailed report. Innago’s screening ($30–$35) covers the same core data points (credit, criminal, eviction) at a lower price point. Whether the extra detail justifies the cost depends on your screening priorities.
Can I switch from TurboTenant to Innago (or vice versa) without losing data? Neither platform offers a direct data migration tool. You can export tenant records and lease documents manually, but the switch requires setting up your properties and tenants fresh on the new platform. Most landlords do this between tenancies rather than mid-lease to minimize disruption.
Which platform is better for landlords with fewer than 3 units? Both are well-suited for micro-landlords. Innago’s lower screening cost and fully free model make it slightly more attractive at very small scale. TurboTenant’s free tier is also solid for 1–2 units, though the value of the premium upgrade is less compelling at that size.
More Property Management Comparisons
- TurboTenant vs Avail — Two popular free platforms head-to-head
- TurboTenant vs RentRedi — Free vs. flat-fee mobile-first platform
- Stessa vs TurboTenant — Investor tracking vs. free landlord management
- Stessa vs Baselane — Financial tracking vs. integrated banking
- RentRedi vs DoorLoop — Mid-market mobile vs. full property management suite
- Full Property Management Software Roundup — All top platforms compared
PickStack researches and tests tools independently. Some links may be affiliate links — we only recommend tools we’d use ourselves.