Avail alternatives: landlord price and tenant fees side by side
Avail offers an Unlimited plan at $0 for landlords and an Unlimited Plus plan at $9 per unit per month, per its pricing page read on 2026-10-30. On the free plan tenants pay $2.50 per bank transfer and 3.5% by card. If you want fewer tenant fees, accounting depth or a lower per-unit price than the paid tier, these five alternatives are worth comparing on the numbers below.
What does Avail publish?
Avail's pricing page lists two plans and says e-signatures are included in both. Screening prices are not published because they vary by state, and the landlord or the tenant may pay. Renters insurance quotes are available to tenants with no figures given.
| Item | Unlimited | Unlimited Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Landlord price | $0, unlimited units | $9 per unit per month |
| Tenant bank transfer | $2.50 per payment | $0 |
| Tenant card payment | 3.5% | 3.5% |
Example a made-up owner with 15 units on Unlimited Plus pays 15 x $9 x 12 = $1,620 a year. The same 15 units on Unlimited cost the owner $0, while 15 tenants each paying rent by bank pay 15 x 12 x $2.50 = $450 in fees across the year.
How do the alternatives compare?
| Option | Landlord pays | Tenants pay for bank rent | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| TurboTenant | $0, or $149 to $999 a year by band | $2 on Free, $0 on Pro | None stated |
| DoorLoop One | $2.50 per unit per month | Owner pays $1.50 per payment | $199 a month |
| Buildium Essential | From $65 a month | Owner pays $2.35, can pass on | None stated |
| Yardi Breeze | $1 per unit per month | $0.95 unless Yardi is primary processor | $100 a month |
| DoorKeeping | $2 per unit per month | No DoorKeeping fee | None |
Which fits whom?
Avail suits a landlord filling vacancies who wants a free plan and accepts tenant fees. TurboTenant is the closest free-start comparison, with a published $2 versus free bank payment gap between its plans; see its pricing explainer. DoorLoop and Buildium fit owners who want deeper management and will pay minimums or per-use fees. Yardi Breeze suits larger portfolios. DoorKeeping suits owners with tenants in place who want ask-and-approve bookkeeping. Before choosing, work out the yearly cost at your own unit count and how many tenants pay by bank, and check each company's page again, since prices and fee tables change and these were read on 2026-10-30. Screening, renters insurance and card fees are the items most likely to differ from what you expect.
Who actually pays on a free plan?
A $0 landlord plan moves cost to other places. On Avail Unlimited the tenant pays $2.50 per bank transfer and 3.5% by card, and screening prices vary by state with the landlord or tenant paying as chosen. Over a year a tenant paying rent by bank transfer covers 12 x $2.50 = $30, and for a 10-unit owner that is $300 across tenants. Whether that matters depends on your tenants and your market. Tenants who pay by card face a 3.5% fee on every plan, which on a $1,400 rent is 3.5% x $1,400 = $49 a month. Ask your tenants how they prefer to pay, and tell them before the switch which method is cheapest for them, because most late or missed payments in a changeover come from confusion about where and how to pay. If you want tenants to pay nothing extra, compare the plans where the owner covers or avoids those fees, and read each company's page for the current figures.
How does DoorKeeping handle tenant fees?
Tenants pay rent to the owner's own bank by bank transfer, with no DoorKeeping charge, and screening is passed through at cost. Rent and payments stay in your own bank accounts. DoorKeeping never holds your money and sends a payment only when you approve it. The software costs $2 per unit per month, so 15 units cost $360 a year.
Sources
- Avail, Pricing, read Oct 30, 2026
- TurboTenant, Pricing, read Oct 30, 2026
- DoorLoop, Pricing, read Oct 30, 2026
- Buildium, Pricing options (per-use fees), read Oct 30, 2026
- Yardi Breeze, Terms of Use (fee schedule), read Oct 30, 2026
Questions
- Is Avail really free?
- The Unlimited plan is $0 for landlords. Tenants pay $2.50 per bank transfer and 3.5% on cards on that plan.
- What does Avail Unlimited Plus cost?
- $9 per unit per month, with the tenant bank transfer fee at $0.
- What is the closest alternative to Avail?
- TurboTenant, which also has a $0 plan, though its renter fees and screening prices differ.
- Which Avail alternative has no tenant fee?
- DoorKeeping charges tenants no fee for bank-transfer rent. Several others charge by default or let the landlord pass fees on.