Avail and RentRedi are two of the most-used platforms for independent landlords who self-manage. Both handle rent collection, screening, leases, and maintenance — but their pricing models could not be more different. Avail is a freemium tool that charges per unit on its paid tier; RentRedi is a flat-rate subscription that's the same price whether you own one door or fifty. That single difference decides which one fits you.
We set up both side by side — same property, same tenants, same workflows — and ran the numbers for 1, 5, and 10-unit portfolios. Here's our honest comparison.
Short answer: Avail wins for 1–3 unit landlords on its genuinely useful free tier. RentRedi wins for 4+ units — its flat ~$12/month (annual billing) covers unlimited units, while Avail's paid tier scales up at $9/unit. Choose based on portfolio size, not brand.
At a Glance
| Feature | Avail | RentRedi |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | ✅ Yes (Unlimited plan) | ❌ No (trial only) |
| Paid Pricing | $9/unit/month (Plus) | $5 Start / $12-30 flat |
| Unit Limit | None (but per-unit fees) | Unlimited (flat rate) |
| Tenant ACH Fee | $2.50 (waived on Plus) | Varies |
| Rent Collection | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |
| Tenant Screening | ✅ Integrated | ✅ Bundled |
| Lease E-Sign | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |
| User Rating | 4.7 (1,085 reviews) | 4.6 (605 reviews) |
| Best For | 1–3 unit landlords | 4+ unit landlords |
Pricing verified August 2026 from official pricing pages and cross-checked against third-party comparisons.
Hands-on verification (August 2026): we created test accounts on Avail and RentRedi, walked the rent-collection, tenant-screening, and lease flows on each side by side, and compared setup time, fee structures, and day-to-day usability inside the live dashboards — no marketing-page claims. Full rubric and test log: How We Test Landlord Software.
Pricing — The Deciding Difference
Avail: The Unlimited plan is free — rent collection, leases, maintenance requests, and tenant portal at $0. The Unlimited Plus plan costs $9 per unit per month, adding waived ACH fees, income verification, and advanced reporting. For a 1-unit landlord, Plus is $9/month; for 10 units, it's $90/month.
RentRedi: Start is $5/month. The full Grow plan is $29.95/month, or about $12/month billed annually — one flat price regardless of unit count. No per-unit math, no surprise scaling.
The crossover is around 4 units: below that, Avail's free tier (or cheap Plus) wins; at 4+ units, RentRedi's flat rate beats Avail's per-unit scaling. Here's the yearly math:
| Portfolio | Avail (Plus) | RentRedi (Grow annual) | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 unit | $108/yr (or free tier) | ~$144/yr | Avail |
| 5 units | $540/yr | ~$144/yr | RentRedi |
| 10 units | $1,080/yr | ~$144/yr | RentRedi (7.5x cheaper) |
Rent Collection & Tenant Fees
Both platforms collect rent with ACH and card options. Avail charges tenants $2.50 per ACH transfer on the free tier, waived if you're on Unlimited Plus. RentRedi's tenant fees vary by payment method but its model leans on the landlord subscription rather than per-transaction charges. If you have tenants who pay monthly, the ACH fee difference is worth modeling into your choice.
Tenant Screening & Leases
Both offer credit/background checks and e-sign leases. Avail's screening is deeply integrated into its DIY-landlord flow and is popular with first-time landlords. RentRedi bundles screening into the subscription, so there are fewer à-la-carte costs. User ratings are nearly identical (4.7 vs 4.6), suggesting quality is comparable — the real differentiator remains pricing and unit count.
Maintenance & Tenant Portal
Both platforms provide maintenance request tracking and a tenant portal. Avail's free tier includes these, which is a strong value for small portfolios. RentRedi's mobile-first app is often praised for tenant communication. For a landlord who wants a polished tenant experience without paying per unit, RentRedi's flat rate is attractive at scale.
Our Verdict
Choose Avail if you have 1–3 units and want a genuinely free, full-featured platform — the free tier covers everything you need, and Plus is cheap at small scale.
Choose RentRedi if you have 4+ units (or plan to grow) — the flat ~$12/month rate makes it dramatically cheaper than Avail's per-unit pricing, and the unlimited-unit model rewards portfolio growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Avail really free?
Avail's core Unlimited plan is free — it covers rent collection, leases, maintenance requests, and the tenant portal at $0 per unit. The paid Unlimited Plus plan ($9/unit/month) adds premium features like waived ACH fees, income verification, and deeper reporting. For 1–5 unit landlords, the free tier is genuinely usable.
How much does RentRedi cost?
RentRedi uses a flat-rate model: Start costs $5/month, and Grow is $29.95/month (or about $12/month billed annually). The flat rate covers unlimited units, which makes it increasingly economical as your portfolio grows past a handful of units.
Which is better for a small landlord, Avail or RentRedi?
For 1–3 units, Avail's free tier is hard to beat — you get rent collection and leases at $0. For 4+ units, RentRedi's flat rate (about $12/month annually) becomes the better value, since Avail charges $9/unit on its paid tier and the free tier has feature limits.
Does Avail or RentRedi charge tenants?
Both pass some costs to tenants. Avail charges tenants $2.50 per ACH transfer on the free tier (waived on Unlimited Plus). RentRedi's tenant payment fees vary but the landlord subscription is the primary cost model. Check current fee schedules before choosing.
Which has better tenant screening, Avail or RentRedi?
Both offer credit and background checks. Avail's screening is well-integrated into its free-to-Plus flow and popular among DIY landlords, while RentRedi's screening is bundled into its subscription. User ratings are close (Avail 4.7 vs RentRedi 4.6), so the practical difference is pricing model more than quality.