4.9 stars from 10,000+ landlords

Landlord Studio: The best alternative to Zillow Rental Manager

Landlord Studio is the Zillow Rental Manager alternative for landlords who want full rental property accounting, not just listings and applications. Online rent collection, tenant screening, automated bank feeds, AI receipt scanning, Xero integration, and one-click Schedule E reports come standard from $12 a month, so once a tenant is placed, your books and tax prep stay one step ahead.

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Overview: Zillow Rental Manager vs Landlord Studio

Compare Landlord Studio vs Zillow Rental Manager and the difference comes down to what each is for. Zillow Rental Manager is a listings-first marketplace — it puts your rental in front of millions of renters, takes applications, screens tenants, and collects rent, mostly free to the landlord. Landlord Studio is built accounting-first for self-managing landlords, with property-by-property bookkeeping, reporting, and Schedule E at the core. Zillow helps you fill the unit; Landlord Studio helps you run the business behind it.

Landlord Studio pairs full rental property accounting with the day-to-day tools landlords use most — online rent collection, tenant screening, listings, lease tracking, and maintenance. Automated bank feeds, AI receipt scanning, GPS mileage tracking, Xero integration, 15+ landlord-specific reports, and a one-click Schedule E export come standard on PRO at $12 a month, with a free GO plan for up to three units. Where a marketplace stops once the lease is signed, Landlord Studio keeps your finances clean and tax-ready all year.

Zillow Rental Manager is a listings-first marketplace. Its unmatched strength is reach: a listing on Zillow reaches one of the largest renter audiences in the US, with tenant-paid applications and screening (via Experian and CIC), digital leases, and free ACH rent collection. The trade-off for landlords is that it isn't an accounting or property-management platform. There's no income and expense tracking, no bank feeds, no landlord reporting, no Schedule E export, and no Xero integration, so once you've placed a tenant you still need a separate tool to manage the money. That's why landlords pair or replace Zillow with Landlord Studio for the financial side.

What our customers say

Who's Landlord Studio Best For?

Tailored for landlords and property managers, Landlord Studio is a user-friendly software which offers a seamless approach to real estate accounting and property management. From automated rent collection to advanced tax reporting.

  • Pricing: GO (Free for up to 3 units), Pro ($12/mo), Pro Plus ($28/mo)
  • Features: Collect rent online, financial reports, real estate accounting, listings
  • Best Suited For: Self managing landlords with small-medium portfolios.
  • Key Advantage: Full-featured, user-friendly interface, and affordable pricing.

Who's Zillow Rental Manager Best For?

Zillow Rental Manager is a listings-first rental marketplace built for landlords who want maximum exposure when advertising a vacancy. It lets you list, take online applications, screen tenants, sign leases, and collect rent, mostly free to the landlord, with tenants covering application and screening costs. It is a marketing and leasing tool rather than a property accounting platform.

  • Zillow Rental Manager pricing: First listing free, then $9.99 per property per week (premium upgrade $29.99 one-time for up to 90 days). Applications and screening are free to the landlord — renters pay a $35 fee covering unlimited applications for 30 days. Rent collection is free by ACH; card payments cost 2.95% and debit $9.95.
  • Key features: High-traffic rental listings, online applications, tenant screening via Experian and CIC (credit, background, eviction), digital lease signing, and online rent collection.
  • Best suited for: Landlords who want broad listing exposure and a simple, low-cost way to advertise vacancies, take applications, and screen tenants.
  • Key advantage: Massive renter reach and free, tenant-paid screening. The trade-off is no income and expense tracking, no bank feeds, no landlord reporting, no Schedule E export, and no Xero integration.

Landlord Studio, Simplified Accounting Software

  • Manage your properties on the go via desktop or mobile app.
  • Save time and money with advanced accounting tools. Connect your bank accounts, digitize receipts and more.
  • File your accurate end-of-year tax return without the headache with our Schedule E report.
  • Powerful property management features designed specifically for landlords.
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Feature Comparison

Landlord StudioZillow Rental Manager
Pricing & scope
PricingFree for up to 3 units, paid plans from $12/moFirst listing free, then $9.99/wk per listing
What it isFull rental platform, accounting-firstListings marketplace
Listing reachSyndicated listingsOne of the largest US renter audiences
Accounting & tax
Income & expense trackingUnlimited, built-inNot supported
Automated bank feedsIncludedNot supported
Schedule E exportOne-clickNot supported
Xero integrationNative two-way syncNot supported
Landlord reports15+ built-inNot supported
Day-to-day landlord tools
Online rent collectionBuilt-inBuilt-in (free ACH)
Tenant screeningBuilt-in (TransUnion)Built-in (Experian/CIC, tenant-paid)
Listings & applicationsBuilt-inCore product
Lease trackingBuilt-inDigital lease signing
Best forLandlords who want to run the whole businessLandlords advertising a vacancy

Why landlords are choosing Landlord Studio over Zillow Rental Manager

Say goodbye to late rent forever.

Landlord Studio ensures you give tenants multiple ways to pay along with the tools to ensure you get paid on time, every time.

  • Online rent collection with Landlord Studio is ungated without any up-sells
  • Connect your bank accounts to import transactions and reconcile with the tap of a button.
  • Collect rent via Credit Card and ACH easily without having to upgrade with Landlord Studio
  • Automate your rent reminders to tenants so you never have to chase rent again.

Schedule E reports in 1 Click

Instantly generate and share professional reports. All our reports can be customized by date range, property, owner, expense categories, and payment categories.

At tax time, run our built in Schedule E report and share with your accountant with a few taps.

E-Sign, Tenant Screening and Syndicated Property Listings all in one platform

List, screen and sign documents all from the same platform without the hidden charges.

Manage your portfolio in one place and complete your end to end landlord lifecycle easily.

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Landlord Studio

Appfolio

Income & expense tracking

Manual expense tracking

Recurring expenses

Automated bank feeds

Smart receipt scanner

Automatic mileage tracker

Portfolio dashboard

Online rent collection

Collect rent online

Receipts and reminders

Collect deposit online

Control partial payments

Tenant auto-pay

Reporting & tax returns

Integration with Xero

Tax reporting

Accountant collaboration

Find & screen tenants

Create a listing

Manage applicants

Screen applicants

Property maintenance

Track Maintenance Tasks

Tenant Portal

Document storage

Native iOS and Android app

Limited functionality

End to end property management software

From finding tenants and collecting rent to managing maintenance requests, our suite of features will help you save time and run a professional and scalable property portfolio.

FAQs

Is Landlord Studio a good Zillow Rental Manager alternative?

Yes. Landlord Studio is a strong alternative for the parts Zillow doesn't cover — full rental accounting, bank feeds, 15+ reports, and a one-click Schedule E export — alongside online rent collection, tenant screening, listings, and lease tracking, from $12 a month.

Does Zillow Rental Manager have accounting?

No. Zillow Rental Manager is a listings-first marketplace with no income and expense tracking, bank feeds, landlord reporting, or Schedule E export. Landlord Studio is built accounting-first to handle all of that.

How much does Zillow Rental Manager cost?

The first listing is free, then it's $9.99 per property per week, with an optional $29.99 premium upgrade. Applications and screening are free to the landlord (renters pay a $35 fee), and ACH rent collection is free. Landlord Studio PRO is $12 a month with full accounting included.

Can I use Zillow Rental Manager and Landlord Studio together?

Yes, and many landlords do. You can advertise vacancies on Zillow for reach, then use Landlord Studio to collect rent, track income and expenses, and keep tax-ready books once a tenant is placed.

Does Zillow Rental Manager do Schedule E?

No. Zillow Rental Manager has no Schedule E report or expense tracking. Landlord Studio includes a one-click Schedule E export plus 15+ landlord-specific reports.

Which is better for managing rental finances?

Zillow is best for advertising a vacancy and placing a tenant. For managing rent, expenses, and tax-ready books over the life of the tenancy, Landlord Studio is purpose-built for the financial side.