The final decision on your property management software platform might not be an easy one to make.
With so many options out there, you may struggle finding which one is the best for you.
In this article, we’ll be comparing two popular property management software platforms: Innago and Rentec Direct. By the end, it should be clear why Innago is the better choice between the two.
Pricing
Rentec Direct follows a unit-based pricing model using a pricing calculator. You pay a monthly fee based on the number of units you manage. If you own 1 to 10 units, for example, your monthly fee is $45. This fee increases with the number of units you manage, reaching several thousands of dollars. Within this pricing model, there are two different kinds of plans. There’s Rentec Pro which is for landlords and Investors, and there’s Rentec PM which is for property managers who manage rentals for another owner.
Innago’s pricing is far simpler than this. Innago is totally free for landlords and property managers regardless of how many units you manage. So, how does Innago make money?
Innago revenue comes from nominal fees charged to Tenants for add-on services. For instance, when a tenant takes care of a bill using an ACH payment, they’re charged an additional $2. When they pay with a card, it’s an additional 2.75% fee. You have the option to absorb these fees if you want to.
When renters apply for your property, they’re charged a $30 application fee for credit and criminal reports or a $35 fee to also include eviction reports. Finally, tenants can also buy individually priced renters insurance policies directly from the platform.
Customer Support
Both Rentec Direct and Innago come with customer support when you use their platforms.
They both provide their users with full email and phone support. They both also provide a live chat option during business hours. Innago assigns a specific representative to your account, and you’re given their phone and email contact information. After hours, you’ll also almost always be able to reach someone through the general support line, though it may not be your specific representative. If you can’t get ahold of someone immediately, you’re sure to get a response after a couple hours.
Both platforms also host webinars and offer educational articles to help answer any questions you might have.
Overall, Innago received 4.9 out of 5 stars on Capterra for its customer support, while Rentec Direct received 4.6 stars.
Interface
The easier a software is to use, the more effective it will be for everyone involved, both landlords and tenants, regardless of their technical know-how. On Capterra, Innago received a 4.8-star rating for ease of use, compared to Rentec Direct’s 4.5-star rating.
Several reviews for Innago point out how user-friendly and navigable to software is. While Rentec Direct has also received positive feedback in this regard, many reviews discuss how the platform has downgraded in recent years.
Features
Not only do you want to make sure your software is affordable, but it should also provide you with all the features your business needs.
Both platforms provide many of the same key features:
- Tenant screening reports and custom applications
- Online rent payments through ACH, credit card, and debit card
- Online leasing, digital signatures, and unlimited file storage
- Automated payment reminders and tenant communication tools
- Automated late fees, billing, and invoices
- Listing syndication, marketing, and advertising
- Tenant maintenance request portal
- Renters insurance options
- Financial tracking and reporting
While both platforms provide most of the same features, Innago received a 4.8 out of 5 by Capterra reviewers for its features, compared to Rentec Direct’s 4.3. If you read the reviews on major sites, it becomes clear that users prefer Innago’s features to Rentec Direct’s.
Conclusion
Overall, Innago users appear to be happier with the platform than Rentec Direct users. On Capterra, 97.4% of reviewers said they were likely to recommend Innago vs Rentec Direct’s 89.7%. This is an important stat because it showcases someone’s true feelings for the platform.
Innago surpasses Rentec Direct in every category. It has an easier-to-use interface, better customer support, better features, and, of course, it’s free compared to the hundreds or even thousands of dollars per month you could end up spending on Rentec Direct.
