If you're going to trust a recommendation for the software that runs your rentals, you deserve to know exactly how it was made. This page explains the full methodology behind every comparison on LandlordTechLab — what we test, how we score, where the data comes from, and how we stay independent.
Test Log: What We Actually Ran
Every comparison page on this site links back to a dated entry in this log. If a tool isn't in the log, it doesn't get a score.
| Date | Test | Tools Covered | What We Did |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-16 | Rent collection setup | Baselane, Innago, TurboTenant, Avail, TenantCloud, RentRedi | Created free accounts; ran a real ACH transfer test ($1) through each; timed setup from signup to first scheduled collection. |
| 2026-08-18 | Accounting & Schedule E export | Stessa, Landlord Studio, Baselane Core | Entered 30 identical sample transactions into each; compared categorization accuracy and exported Schedule E drafts side by side. |
| 2026-08-19 | Tenant screening accuracy | TurboTenant, Avail, RentRedi | Submitted 3 test applicant profiles (including 1 with a flagged record); compared report turnaround, data sources, and landlord-side cost. |
| 2026-08-20 | Landlord insurance quotes | Steadily, Obie, Lemonade, Proper, Progressive, State Farm, Allstate | Requested real quotes for the same 3-unit property (Columbus OH, $500k dwelling, $1M liability); logged every premium. See the insurance comparison for full numbers. |
| 2026-08-21 | Lease e-sign & document flow | TurboTenant, Avail, TenantCloud | Uploaded the same sample lease to each; timed the full e-sign cycle (sign, countersign, storage, reminder). |
| 2026-08-25 | Maintenance request workflow | TenantCloud, DoorLoop (demo), Baselane | Logged a sample maintenance request as a tenant; compared notification, tracking, and vendor-assignment flows. |
All tests run on current public versions as of the logged date. Free tiers tested in full; paid tiers tested via 14-30 day trials where available. Screenshots and raw test notes are retained for editorial review.
Scoring Formula
Every tool gets a /10 score weighted across five dimensions. The weights reflect what matters most to small landlords (1-20 units) running a side business:
| Dimension | Weight | What We Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & Value | 30% | Real cost for a typical small landlord; what the "free" tier actually includes; upgrade pressure |
| Core Features | 25% | Rent collection, accounting, screening, maintenance — do the promised features work? |
| Ease of Use | 25% | Time from signup to first completed task; mobile experience; admin complexity |
| Trust & Support | 20% | Response times, documentation quality, security posture, company stability |
Score = 0.30 × Pricing + 0.25 × Features + 0.25 × Usability + 0.20 × Trust. Scores are rounded to one decimal. We publish the dimension scores inside each comparison's detailed breakdown, so you can re-weight for your own situation — a tool that scores 8.2 for us might be a 9.0 for you if you weight pricing at 50%.
The 5-Step Process
- Shortlist. We start from search data (what landlords actually search), community threads (Reddit r/landlord, BiggerPockets), and tool popularity — not from vendor pitches.
- Hands-on test. We create real accounts and run real workflows, logged with dates in the Test Log above. Where a full test isn't possible (e.g., enterprise tools), we say so on the page and weight the score accordingly.
- Pricing verification. Every price on this site is checked against the vendor's official pricing page within 30 days of publication. We flag "from $X" marketing prices that don't survive the checkout flow.
- Cross-check. We compare our hands-on findings against public user reviews (G2, Capterra, Play Store) to catch blind spots — but user reviews never override our own test results.
- Dated publication. Every page carries its test dates and last-updated date, so you can judge freshness yourself.
Where Our Data Comes From
- Primary: our own hands-on tests (Test Log above) — dated, reproducible, documented
- Secondary: vendor pricing pages (verified within 30 days), official documentation, public API docs
- Cross-check: aggregated user reviews on G2, Capterra, and app stores — used to validate, never to rank
- Excluded: vendor-provided feature claims, press releases, and "sponsored review" content. If a vendor claims a feature we couldn't verify hands-on, we mark it as unverified rather than repeating it.
How We Stay Independent
- No paid rankings. No vendor can pay for a score, a position, or a "best" label. Period.
- Affiliate disclosure. Some links on this site are affiliate links — if you purchase through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate relationships never influence scores or placement; you can verify this in our disclosure.
- Vendor contact is one-way. We reach out to vendors for factual corrections and press access; vendors do not review or approve our content before publication.
- Corrections. If we get something wrong, we fix it fast and note the correction on the page. Email us at corrections@landlordtechlab.com.
How Often We Update
Pricing pages are re-verified at least every 90 days. Core comparisons are re-tested when a tool ships a significant update or changes its pricing model. Every page shows its last-updated date; if a page is more than 6 months old, treat its pricing with caution and check the vendor's site before buying.