TurboTenant and Innago are the two most popular free rent-collection platforms for small landlords — and they're often treated as interchangeable. They're not. One is a marketing machine built to fill your vacancies; the other is a bare-bones free tool with no upsell pressure. The right choice depends on whether your pain point is finding tenants or collecting rent cheaply.
We set up both platforms side by side — same property, same listing, same rent roll — to see which one actually costs less and which one actually fills units. Here's our honest comparison.
Short answer: Choose TurboTenant if you self-manage and need the strongest listing distribution and tenant screening — its syndication to Zillow, Apartments.com, and Realtor.com is the best in the free tier. Choose Innago if you want the truly zero-cost option: 100% free for landlords, no upsell pressure, and tenants cover card fees.
At a Glance
| Feature | TurboTenant | Innago |
|---|---|---|
| Landlord Cost | Free base / $10-12 Premium | $0 — truly free |
| Listing Distribution | 🏆 Best-in-class (Zillow etc.) | Basic |
| Tenant Screening | 🏆 Mature, thorough | Available |
| Rent Collection | Free ACH / card behind Premium | ✅ Free, tenants pay card fees |
| Lease Tools | E-sign leases included | Lease templates |
| Upsell Pressure | Moderate | Minimal |
| Best For | Vacancy-focused self-managers | Zero-cost operators |
Pricing verified August 2026 from official pricing pages; Premium pricing reflects annual billing.
Hands-on verification (August 2026): we created test accounts on TurboTenant and Innago, walked the rent collection and tenant-screening 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 — Free vs Truly Free
TurboTenant offers a real free tier: listings, basic screening, ACH rent collection, and e-sign leases. The Premium plan runs about $10-12/month billed annually, unlocking card payments, advanced reporting, and automation features.
Innago is free for landlords at every level — no monthly fee, no per-unit fee, no feature paywalls. The only costs are card transaction fees paid by tenants (bank transfers are free for everyone). This is the single biggest pricing difference: Innago never asks you to upgrade; TurboTenant's best features sit behind Premium.
Finding Tenants — TurboTenant's Clear Edge
This is where TurboTenant separates itself. Its listing syndication reaches the major rental marketplaces — Zillow, Apartments.com, Realtor.com, and more — with one submission. For a self-managing landlord with a vacancy, that distribution is the difference between a 2-week and a 6-week vacancy. The tenant screening process is also more mature: applicants complete standardized background and credit checks, and you get clear, comparable reports.
Innago covers the basics — you can list and screen — but the distribution is thinner and the screening workflow is simpler. If vacancies are your problem, TurboTenant is the answer.
Rent Collection — Innago's Edge on Cost
Both collect rent. The difference is who pays. Innago: rent collection is free for landlords, and tenants cover card transaction fees (bank transfers are free). TurboTenant: ACH collection is free on the base plan, but card payments require Premium.
If your tenants pay by bank transfer, both work free. If they prefer cards, Innago passes the fee to tenants while TurboTenant wants you on Premium — a small but real cost difference over a year.
Leases & Tenant Management
TurboTenant includes e-sign leases and renewal workflows, which self-managers genuinely use. Innago provides lease templates but the workflow is lighter. Both handle maintenance requests and communication adequately — neither is a clear winner beyond leases.
Upsell Pressure — A Real Difference
Innago's model is notably less pushy. Because it's free for landlords at every tier, you never feel the nudge toward an upgrade. TurboTenant, being venture-backed and freemium, actively pushes Premium through in-app prompts and feature locks. It's not a dealbreaker — but for landlords who dislike upsell friction, Innago feels cleaner.
Our Verdict
Choose TurboTenant if you self-manage and vacancies are your biggest pain — best-in-class listing distribution and screening justify the optional $10-12/mo Premium. Choose Innago if you want zero cost with zero upsell pressure and your rent collection needs are simple. Both are excellent free options; they just serve different priorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Innago really 100% free?
Yes. Innago is genuinely free for landlords — no monthly fee, no per-unit fee, no hidden charges. The only costs are transaction fees paid by tenants when they pay by credit card. Landlords with any portfolio size can use all core features at $0.
Is TurboTenant free?
TurboTenant has a genuinely useful free tier covering listings, basic screening, and rent collection via ACH. Its Premium plan ($10-12/month billed annually) unlocks full rent collection, advanced reports, and deeper automation. Many landlords run entirely on the free tier.
Which is better for finding tenants, TurboTenant or Innago?
TurboTenant is better for finding tenants — its listing syndication reaches more rental marketplaces (Zillow, Apartments.com, Realtor.com) and its tenant screening process is more mature. Innago covers the basics but TurboTenant's distribution is the strongest in this category.
Which is better for rent collection, TurboTenant or Innago?
Both include rent collection, but Innago is more landlord-friendly on cost — it's free with tenants covering card fees. TurboTenant's ACH rent collection is free on the base plan, but card payments and advanced features sit behind Premium. For pure collection cost, Innago wins.
Should I use TurboTenant or Innago for my rentals?
Choose TurboTenant if finding and screening tenants is your priority — its listing syndication is the best in the class. Choose Innago if you want the truly zero-cost option with no upsell pressure and are happy with basic listing distribution.