The Best Real Estate Accounting Software of 2022
- Buildium: Best overall for property managers
- Bench: Best for hands-off bookkeeping
- Zoho Books: Best for real estate useful integrations
- FreshBooks: Best for Airbnb hosts
- Xero: Best for real estate agents
- QuickBooks Online Accountant: Best for real estate business growth assistance
- Intuit QuickBooks: Best for unlimited invoices and payment processing
- Sage Accounting: Best for sublease management tools
- Quicken: Best for small business landlords
- NetSuite: Best for large real estate businesses
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best Overall for Property Managers
Buildium
4.7
Our ratings take into account the card’s rewards, fees, rates along with the card’s category. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
$50 per month
Free trial
Yes, 14 days
Client portal
Yes
Starting price
$50 per month
Free trial
Yes, 14 days
Client portal
Yes
Why We Picked It
With plans starting at $50, Buildium offers lots of features for managing rental properties’ finances and tenant journeys. Accounting tools allow for resident and rental payment recording; fee, deposit and refund collection and processing; vendor calculations; bill payments; automated payments; 1099 e-filing and online payment processing and bank reconciliation. Online portals allow tenants to submit online payments.
In addition to accounting tools, Buildium offers features to manage the entire tenant journey. Such features include lead generation, tenant screening, lease application processing, property maintenance-issue management and business-performance analytics tools. Users even receive a free do-it-yourself (DIY) marketing website hosted by Buildium for marketing properties. Finally, its mobile app allows for remote property management.
Who should use it:
Property managers looking for a full-journey software for managing their properties’ accounting and tenant experiences should consider Buildium.
Pros & Cons
- Free 14-day trial
- Mobile property management app
- Financial health reporting
- Automated payment processing
- Online tenant portal
- Limited on some common accounting features
- Extra fees for property inspection, e-signatures and bank accounting set-up tools
- Ticket support only in first-tiered plans
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Hands-off Bookkeeping
Bench
4.6
Our ratings take into account the card’s rewards, fees, rates along with the card’s category. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
$249 per month
(billed annually)
Free trial
Yes, 30 days
Client portal
No
Starting price
$249 per month
(billed annually)
Free trial
Yes, 30 days
Client portal
No
Why We Picked It
Bench is not real estate accounting software but it can be used in place of one for real estate professionals looking for an easy way to keep their books each month. The company offers assistance with quarterly tax preparation and filings, applying for loans, bookkeeping and even bookkeeping catch-up services.
The best part of Bench’s services is that, unlike real estate accounting software, there is no learning curve. Sync your bank account and payment platforms with Bench. Then, its dedicated team of bookkeepers, tax experts and small business professionals take over from there to get you caught up and all your essential filings prepared and done. It will even offer you one month of services for free, complete with financial statements you can keep.
Who should use it:
Real estate professionals looking for a hands-off basic bookkeeping and tax service should consider hiring Bench.
Pros & Cons
- Free 30-day trial
- No learning curve
- Little time commitment
- Live support
- No software
- No payroll services
- No real estate management services
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Real Estate Useful Integrations
Zoho Books
4.5
Our ratings take into account the card’s rewards, fees, rates along with the card’s category. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
Free; $15 per month
(billed annually)
Free trial
14-day free trial for paid plans
Client portal
Yes
Learn More
Read Forbes' Review
Starting price
Free; $15 per month
(billed annually)
Free trial
14-day free trial for paid plans
Client portal
Yes
Why We Picked It
Zoho Books offers a free plan and six paid ones. Its free plan offers the ability to add one user and one accountant, client management tools, a client portal, online and offline payment processing, automated payment reminders, expense and mileage tracking, invoicing tools and key tax calculators and reports. Its paid plans add features, such as the ability to invite more users, pay bills, assign custom roles, manage timesheets and set up automation rules.
While Zoho Books offers few real estate-specific tools, its integratable proprietary apps expand its ability further to serve real estate professionals. Some real estate useful integrations include Zoho Sign (for e-sign capabilities and encryption of estimates and invoices), Zoho Expense (to manage travel and other expenses), Zoho People (for employee-time billing) and Zoho CRM (for contact management). All offer unique value to real estate professionals.
For example, the Zoho CRM can be integrated with Zoho Books to allow real estate professionals to add their contacts and develop a profile for each of them. Users can then keep track of client or tenant purchase patterns, payment details, credit history and more. Then, they can automatically send tenants or clients invoices from the platform.
Learn More: Read our full Zoho Books review.
Who should use it:
Real estate professionals who need basic accounting software, then lots of integrations to tailor the solution to their unique business needs should consider Zoho Books.
Pros & Cons
- Free version available
- Affordable monthly plans
- Full accounting features
- Lots of useful integrations and apps for real estate professionals
- $2.50 per month fee for each additional user above plan limitations
- No real estate-specific features
- Integrations sometimes cost extra
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Airbnb Hosts
Freshbooks
4.4
Our ratings take into account the card’s rewards, fees, rates along with the card’s category. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
$4.50 per month
(current promotion)
Free trial
30-day free trial
Client portal
No
Learn More
Read Forbes' Review
Starting price
$4.50 per month
(current promotion)
Free trial
30-day free trial
Client portal
No
Why We Picked It
Freshbooks offers plans from $4.50 to $15.00 per month (current promotion) and a custom pricing option. Its $4.50 Lite plan allows you to send unlimited invoices to five clients, track unlimited expenses and sales tax, receive credit card payments and manage your accounting via mobile devices. Higher-tiered plans allow you to invoice more clients, pull double-entry accounting reports, send estimates and proposals and automate late payment reminders.
Freshbooks offers many accounting features that are particularly useful for Airbnb hosts. Invoices are customizable so you can manage multiple Airbnb property brands easily. If a client asks to rent a room tomorrow, you can easily send them an email with an invoice they can pay online. Instead of having to go to the bank daily to process payments, you can offer a list of accepted cards for added convenience and instant payment processing.
As you enter information on each rental client, the software automatically creates profit and loss reports, sales tax summaries (for easy quarterly estimates) and expense reports. You can even search payments collected by client, status and date. These reports make tax time effortless by putting all the estimates and sales records at your fingertips.
Learn More: Read our full Freshbooks review.
Who should use it:
Airbnb hosts who manage one to two properties with a few customers at a time should consider Freshbooks for their accounting software.
Pros & Cons
- Extremely affordable plans
- Sales tax tracking
- Customizable invoicing
- In-depth financial reporting
- Instant payment acceptance options
- Limited clients in most affordable plans
- No client portal
- No free plan
- Must pay $10 per month to add a team member
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Real Estate Agents
Xero
4.4
Our ratings take into account the card’s rewards, fees, rates along with the card’s category. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
$12
per month
Free trial
30-day free trial
Client portal
No
Learn More
Read Forbes' Review
Starting price
$12
per month
Free trial
30-day free trial
Client portal
No
Why We Picked It
Xero offers three plans ranging from $12 to $65 per month. Its Early plan offers quotes and up to 20 invoices per month, bill payment for up to five bills, bank reconciliation, bill and receipt capture tools and short-term cash flow and business snapshots. Their Growing and Established plans offer added features like bulk-transaction reconciliation, multicurrency support, analytics, expense tracking and management tools and project tracking tools.
Xero is most suitable for real estate agents. Agents enter bills, send invoices and quotes, reconcile bank accounts and capture expenses for easy quarterly and annual tax preparation. They can then also work with team members when on the go via the Xero app. While information is fresh and using the app, they can add notes about all interactions with clients, send invoices and invite clients to pay instantly using third-party integrations like Stripe.
Learn More: Read our full Xero review.
Who should use it:
Real estate agents that need a full-feature but easy-to-use accounting software that’s accessible for their use even while showing homes or meeting with clients should consider Xero.
Pros & Cons
- 30-day free trial
- Affordably-priced plans
- Unlimited users in all plans
- All basic accounting features
- Expense tracking tools
- Must pay an additional $40 per month, plus $6 per person for Payroll processing
- No time tracking
- No discount for paying annually
- No free plan
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Real Estate Business Growth Assistance
QuickBooks Online Accountant
4.3
Our ratings take into account the card’s rewards, fees, rates along with the card’s category. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
Varies by accountant
Free trial
No, but many offer free consultations
Client portal
No
Starting price
Varies by accountant
Free trial
No, but many offer free consultations
Client portal
No
Why We Picked It
QuickBooks Online Accountant is a program that trains accountants on proper accounting practices as well as business health and growth. To find a QuickBooks Online Accountant and learn their pricing, visit the Find a ProAdvisor website and input your zip code. On the next page, use the drop-down to select “Real Estate/Developer” for the industry you serve. Also filter results by services provided (accounting, payroll or bookkeeping, for example).
When you hire a QuickBooks Online Accountant, you access the expertise QuickBooks offers them. For example, QuickBooks teaches its accountants to identify common bookkeeping issues, visualize their clients’ business performance and compare it with industry peers to advise on areas of improvement. With more accurate accounting practices and guidance on how to compete in the real estate industry, you are set up for business health and growth.
Who should use it:
Real estate professionals looking to ensure their financial health, then grow their businesses should consider hiring a QuickBooks Online Accountant.
Pros & Cons
- Lots of opportunities to learn financial health and growth strategies
- Easy to use
- Full-featured services available
- Industry-specific services available
- Lacks straightforward pricing
- No free trial
- Pricier than some software alternatives
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Unlimited Invoices and Payment Processing
Intuit QuickBooks
4.2
Our ratings take into account the card’s rewards, fees, rates along with the card’s category. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
$15 per month per user
(for first three months, then $30 per month)
Free trial
30-day free trial
Client portal
No
Learn More
Read Forbes' Review
Starting price
$15 per month per user
(for first three months, then $30 per month)
Free trial
30-day free trial
Client portal
No
Why We Picked It
Intuit QuickBooks offers four plans ranging from $15 per year (for three months) to $549.99 per year. Their most affordable plans include the ability to track up to five users, track income and expenses, capture and organize receipts, automated tax deduction tools, mileage tracking, cash flow management tools, unlimited invoices and payment acceptance, financial reporting, estimates, tax tracking, 1099 contractor management tools and bill pay capabilities.
Intuit QuickBooks stands out for unlimited invoicing and payment acceptance in all plans. Even its $15-per-month Simple Start plan offers this perk. Other unlimited features in even its starter plan include unlimited estimates, 1099 contractors, receipt capture and bill pay. Though it limits users to one in its first-tier plan, solo real estate professionals can use the software long-term, knowing their basic needs are met as they grow their clientele.
Learn More: Read our full QuickBooks Online review.
Who should use it:
Solopreneur real estate professionals who rely on contractors for added hands should consider Intuit QuickBooks for their accounting needs.
Pros & Cons
- Unlimited invoicing and payment acceptance in all plans
- Affordable small-business or solopreneur plans
- 1099 contractor management tools
- Unlimited basic accounting features in all plans
- Must pay extra for Payroll services
- Limited users per plan
- No real estate-specific accounting features
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Sublease Management Tools
Sage Accounting
4.1
Our ratings take into account the card’s rewards, fees, rates along with the card’s category. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
$7.50 per month
(current promotion for first six months)
Free trial
30-day free trial
Client portal
No
Starting price
$7.50 per month
(current promotion for first six months)
Free trial
30-day free trial
Client portal
No
Why We Picked It
Sage Accounting offers two plans at $7.50 (current promotion) and $10 per month. Its $10 per month Sage Accounting Start plan offers the ability to track expenses, create and send invoices and reconcile bank accounts. Its Sage Accounting $7.50 per month plan (current promotion) includes receipt capture tools (free for three months), unlimited users, quotes and estimates, cash flow forecasting and invoice management tools.
Sage Intacct debuted its new Sage Intacct Real Estate integration with tools specifically for managing subleases. It helps landlords manage multiple tenants via unique lease provisions for each sublease arrangement, move-in and move-out tracking, lease start and termination tracking, prorating tools, deposit interest and tax calculations, billing and fee collection tools, tools to issue tenant 1099-INT and reconcile final charges, credits and deposits.
Who should use it:
Landlords who must manage multiple subleases should consider Sage Accounting with a Sage Intacct Real Estate integration to meet their real estate accounting software needs.
Pros & Cons
- 30-day free trial
- 6-month promotion of 70% off Sage Accounting Plan
- Workflow automations
- Basic accounting features
- Cash flow forecasting
- No free plan
- No real estate-specific features in core software
- No payroll processing
- Must add an integration for real estate-specific features
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Small Business Landlords
Quicken
4.1
Our ratings take into account the card’s rewards, fees, rates along with the card’s category. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
$3.99
per month
Free trial
No
Client portal
No
Learn More
Read Forbes' Review
Starting price
$3.99
per month
Free trial
No
Client portal
No
Why We Picked It
Quicken has five affordable plans ranging from $3.99 to $8.99 per month. Its $8.99 per month Home & Business plan offers features specific to real estate professionals. These include property value assessment tools, rental income and expense tracking with IRS categories, accounts payable (A/P) and accounts receivable (A/R) and multiproperty tenant and rent tracking. All plans include accounting features like budgeting, bill pay, tax planning and reporting tools.
The limitations in the Home & Business plan make Quicken best for landlords with a couple or a few properties. The Home & Business plan is the only one that offers real estate-specific features. It is desktop software for Windows computers and does not offer payroll tools. For these reasons, it is unsuitable for landlords with a large portfolio of properties or those that need to manage their business on the go or via staff members who use a variety of devices.
Learn More: Read our full Quicken review.
Who should use it:
Landlords who manage one or two properties using a Windows desktop computer should consider Quicken’s Home & Business plan for their real estate accounting needs.
Pros & Cons
- Robust real estate-specific features
- Extremely competitively priced plans
- Full-featured plans
- 30-day risk-free guarantee
- First tiered plans lack real estate-specific features
- No free plan
- Real estate-specific plan only available on Windows computers
- No payroll processing
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Large Real Estate Businesses
NetSuite
4.1
Our ratings take into account the card’s rewards, fees, rates along with the card’s category. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
Does not disclose
Free trial
No
Client portal
No
Learn More
Read Forbes' Review
Starting price
Does not disclose
Free trial
No
Client portal
No
Why We Picked It
NetSuite offers an advanced accounting software solution for large real estate businesses. Its tool offering includes financial metrics tracking, such as liabilities, cash positions, taxes and profitability ratios, automation tools for tasks like reconciling bank statements and anomaly and trend detection, mobile accounting capabilities, A/R and A/P, cash flow reporting, bill pay tools and real-time reporting and tax management tools.
Businesses can build onto NetSuite’s Accounting software to create a tailored software infrastructure for managing every aspect of their real estate businesses, no matter how large and complex they are. Its customer service management (CRM) software, for example, allows real estate professionals to build a profile and a relationship with a large body of tenants and its human capital management component offers payroll and performance management tools.
Learn More: Read our full NetSuite review.
Who should use it:
Large real estate businesses that need a tailored digital infrastructure to manage lots of properties and a large staff should consider NetSuite for their real estate accounting and general business operations software needs.
Pros & Cons
- Tailored infrastructure for managing real estate finances and operations
- Automation tools
- Full-featured accounting software
- Advanced financial metrics reporting
- No pricing transparency
- No free trial
- One-time implementation fee
- Large learning curve
- No payroll processing in core accounting software
Summary: The Best Real Estate Accounting Software of 2022
Company | Company - Logo | Forbes Advisor Rating | Forbes Advisor Rating | Starting price | Free trial | Client portal | Learn More CTA text | Learn more CTA below text | LEARN MORE |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Buildium | 4.7 | $50 per month | Yes, 14 days | Yes | View More | ||||
Bench | 4.6 | $249 per month (billed annually) | Yes, 30 days | No | View More | ||||
Zoho Books | 4.5 | Free; $15 per month (billed annually) | 14-day free trial for paid plans | Yes | View More | Read Forbes' Review | |||
Freshbooks | 4.4 | $4.50 per month (current promotion) | 30-day free trial | No | View More | Read Forbes' Review | |||
Xero | 4.4 | $12 per month | 30-day free trial | No | View More | Read Forbes' Review | |||
QuickBooks Online Accountant | 4.3 | Varies by accountant | No, but many offer free consultations | No | View More | ||||
Intuit QuickBooks | 4.2 | $15 per month per user (for first three months, then $30 per month) | 30-day free trial | No | View More | Read Forbes' Review | |||
Sage Accounting | 4.1 | $7.50 per month (current promotion for first six months) | 30-day free trial | No | View More | ||||
Quicken | 4.1 | $3.99 per month | No | No | View More | Read Forbes' Review | |||
NetSuite | 4.1 | Does not disclose | No | No | View More | Read Forbes' Review |
Methodology
When evaluating real estate accounting software for inclusion on this best of list, we considered the software’s ease of use, cost and extra fees, customer support, customer reviews and features and functionality. Here is a closer look at our evaluation process for each of these criteria:
- Ease of use: We looked for real estate accounting software with the appropriate learning curve for different types of businesses. For example, we included a provider for large real estate businesses with knowledgeable tech departments and ones for solopreneur real estate agents or landlords with little technical knowledge.
- Cost and fees: We evaluated each software included on this list to ensure it had at least one plan that was affordable for small to midsized real estate agents. Most inclusions on this list had plans for under $50 per month.
- Customer support: We preferred that inclusions on this list offered live customer support options, such as live phone or chat support. However, we assessed each provider to ensure they offer customer support at a minimum during normal business hours.
- Features and functionality: We looked for accounting software with key features real estate professionals need, such as the ability to track expenses, invoice clients, perform accounts receivable and payable and accept online payments. We preferred those with extra features that specifically are useful to real estate professionals, such as the ability to send estimates or implement unique sublease provisions.
How To Choose Real Estate Accounting Software
To choose real estate accounting software, first consider the best fit for your budget. Then, look at the feature offerings to determine if they meet your accounting needs. Finally, determine the software’s ease of use, including whether it offers accessible customer support and how deep of a learning curve is associated with its use.
Look at each plan offered by a considered software and select the one that will most likely meet your needs, particularly in terms of the number of users and breadth of features. Compare that plan’s pricing with your budget to determine if the price will be manageable. Also, determine if the software offers any free trials, free versions or discounts. This information can usually be found in the frequently asked questions (FAQs) section of the software’s pricing website page.
Next, make a list of the key features your real estate business needs to adequately fulfill its accounting responsibilities. Compare that feature list with the plan you are considering to determine if anything is missing. When assessing the feature sets of real estate accounting software, for example, many real estate professionals might find that the software they’re considering does not offer payroll services or that they must pay extra for such services.
Finally, to assess its learning curve, look at the plan you are considering to see if it offers live support or any support at all. Next, look at customer reviews on software review sites to determine the learning curve other users report. Consider your own experience with such software. If you have no experience, you are likely to need software with more live customer support options and a lower learning curve as expressed in user reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best accounting software for real estate agents?
The best software for real estate agents depends on the specifics of each agent’s business. Large real estate agencies, for example, need different features and capabilities than solopreneur agents. However, we have found that Xero is often well suited to the needs of real estate agents, offering key accounting tools real estate agents need and a mobile app for inputting information into the software in real-time even when agents are on the go.
Is Quicken good for real estate agents?
Quicken is a good accounting software option for real estate agents. It has affordable plans ranging from $3.99 to $8.99 per month. It also offers key accounting tools and capabilities that many real estate agents need, such as budgeting, bill pay, tax planning and financial reporting tools.
What technology do real estate agents use?
Real estate agents use many technologies to run their businesses and interact with clients. For example, marketing technology used by real estate agents include website builders, video creation tools and email marketing software. They also use business operations technology like payroll processing software, business automation software, accounting software, project management software and CRMs.