Is Azibo Really Free for Landlords?

When choosing a property management platform, transparency and cost are top concerns for landlords. Landlords evaluating Azibo want to know if it is truly free and how it compares to other platforms that often come with hidden fees and subscription costs. 

The goal, then, is to reassure landlords that Azibo offers a clear, transparent pricing structure without any unexpected charges, addressing the common question: Is Azibo really free?

The answer is yes — Azibo provides essential services like rent collection, accounting, and maintenance tracking with no hidden fees or monthly subscriptions. Below, you’ll find a detailed breakdown of Azibo’s free vs. paid features and a comparison to other platforms to help you make an informed decision.

What does “free” mean with Azibo?

Azibo offers a comprehensive suite of free tools designed to save landlords time and money, making property management more efficient without any hidden fees. Here’s a breakdown of the key free features:

• Automated rent payments: Landlords can collect rent online with no transaction fees, and renters can make ACH payments for free, ensuring a seamless payment process.
• Accelerated payments: Rent is paid out to landlords as soon as two business days, compared to the standard five business days for ACH payments.
• Customizable automatic late fees: Landlords can automate late fees at no extra cost, helping to ensure on-time payments.
• Itemized payouts: Renters’ payments are clearly itemized, allowing landlords to keep their financials organized with ease.
• Full accounting suite: Azibo’s accounting tools are specifically designed for rental property owners, offering robust solutions to manage property finances, including profit and loss statements, tax documents, and cash flow reports.
• Security deposits: Landlords can collect and return security deposits for free, though this feature is available for Azibo Banking customers.
• Digital renter applications: Renters can apply digitally, simplifying the application process for landlords and tenants alike.
• Tenant screening services: Credit and background checks are available to landlords at no cost, while tenants typically pay a one-time fee of $39.99 per application. Landlords also have the option to cover some or all of the screening fees to comply with state laws.
• Maintenance requests: Landlords can receive, track, and manage maintenance requests directly through the platform, streamlining communication with tenants at no charge.
• One-time invoices: Landlords can send one-time payment requests for variable payments, such as utilities, for free.
• Autopay for renters: Renters can set up automatic rent payments for free, enhancing payment reliability.
• Rent reminders: Renters receive automated reminders to pay rent, ensuring timely payments.
• Document storage: Landlords receive 1GB of free storage for real estate-related documents, keeping important paperwork easily accessible and organized.

Unlimited units with no fees

Azibo stands out by offering landlords the ability to manage unlimited properties and units at no additional cost. Unlike many competitors who charge based on the number of units managed, Azibo’s free plan allows the following unlimited:

• Properties
• Units
• Portfolios
• Bank accounts (linked for rent collection)
  

This means landlords can scale their portfolio management without worrying about hidden costs or tiered pricing structures as they grow.

Transparent pricing breakdown

While most of Azibo’s tools are free, several optional paid services are available to enhance the platform’s functionality and provide additional value:

• Premium tenant screening reports: Azibo provides in-depth tenant screening services, including credit checks, background checks, and eviction histories, for a one-time fee of $39.99 per application. This fee is typically paid by the tenant, but landlords have the option to cover some or all of the screening fees to comply with state laws. These reports ensure landlords can make informed decisions without any additional cost.
• Premium onboarding service: For landlords with larger portfolios (up to 100 units), Azibo offers a premium onboarding service for a one-time fee of $300. This service helps landlords streamline the process of setting up properties and onboarding tenants, saving time and ensuring a smooth transition, particularly for those with complex portfolios.
• Collaborator seats: Landlords can add collaborators to help manage properties for $99 per seat, per year. This is ideal for landlords with larger portfolios who need additional support from team members, making it easier to delegate and manage tasks efficiently.
• Renters insurance (optional for tenants): Tenants can opt to purchase renters insurance through Azibo, providing protection for their personal belongings. This optional feature enhances the renting experience by offering peace of mind for tenants, while landlords benefit from reduced risk of tenant liability issues.
• Next-Day ACH transfers: While standard ACH transfers are free, Azibo offers the option for next-day ACH transfers for 1% per transaction (with a $1 minimum), providing faster access to rent payments when needed.
• Resident benefits powered by Latchel: Tenants can opt for Latchel-powered benefits, such as accidental damage protection (up to $1,000) and additional perks, for $11.99 per month. This feature adds value to the tenant experience while offering landlords the opportunity to provide enhanced services.
• Maintenance on demand (optional for landlords): Azibo’s Maintenance On Demand, powered by Latchel, enables landlords to book trusted vendors for property repairs effortlessly. Pricing is service-based, allowing landlords to set budgets and rely on Latchel to handle tenant communication and vendor payments, making property maintenance seamless and stress-free.

Visit our pricing page here. 

How paid options complement the free features

Azibo’s paid services are entirely optional and designed to enhance convenience and efficiency without affecting the comprehensive suite of free features. These paid options allow landlords to customize their experience based on their specific needs while maintaining the platform’s core functionality at no cost. 

By choosing these services, landlords can do the following:

• Gain deeper tenant insights: Premium tenant screening services provide access to detailed reports, including credit scores, background checks, and eviction histories. This empowers landlords to make more informed decisions and select the most reliable tenants.
• Offer added security for tenants: Renters insurance through Azibo helps tenants protect their belongings, providing peace of mind while reducing potential liability for landlords. This enhanced tenant experience fosters better landlord-tenant relationships.
• Simplify operations for larger portfolios: The premium onboarding service for landlords with larger portfolios streamlines the process of setting up properties and onboarding tenants. By saving time on setup, landlords can focus more on strategic growth and other key aspects of their business.
• Delegate tasks effectively: Collaborator seats allow landlords to add team members to help manage properties, providing extra support for larger portfolios and enabling efficient delegation.

Azibo’s pricing structure offers flexibility, ensuring that landlords have access to all the essential tools they need for free. Optional paid add-ons are available for those who require advanced features, allowing landlords to scale their operations without hidden fees or unnecessary costs.

How Azibo’s pricing compares to competitors

Azibo stands out in the property management space by offering a comprehensive suite of free services, which many competitors typically charge for. Let’s take a closer look at how Azibo’s pricing compares to other platforms.

Rent collection fees

Many platforms charge landlords transaction fees for collecting rent online. For instance, some property management tools apply fees ranging from 1% to 3% per transaction, especially for ACH or credit card payments. 

In contrast, Azibo allows landlords to collect rent via ACH at no cost, with no monthly subscription fees or hidden charges. This alone can save landlords hundreds of dollars per year, especially those managing multiple properties.

Subscription and monthly fees

Competitors often operate on a subscription-based model, charging landlords anywhere from $25 to $100+ per month, depending on the number of units managed. Platforms like Buildium and AppFolio charge monthly fees and additional per-unit fees, which can quickly add up for landlords with growing portfolios. 

Azibo, on the other hand, allows landlords to manage unlimited properties and units at no cost, eliminating the need to worry about tiered pricing or scaling expenses as they grow their portfolio.

Tenant screening 

‍Azibo offers premium tenant screening services, including credit and background checks, with the cost typically passed to the tenant. This gives landlords access to detailed screening reports without incurring additional expenses. 

‍Other platforms often charge landlords for similar screening services, adding to the overall cost of tenant management.

Renters insurance

Azibo provides renters insurance as an optional add-on for tenants, allowing them to protect their personal belongings. Offering renters insurance adds value for tenants while also helping landlords by reducing the potential for liability.

Importantly, landlords don’t pay for this option, so it offers a competitive edge compared to platforms that may not offer integrated insurance solutions.

Document and lease management

Competitors frequently charge for document storage or eSignature services. Azibo provides free document storage (up to 1GB) and charges a nominal fee for state-specific lease agreements and eSigning services. 

Many competitors bundle these features into higher-priced plans, limiting access for smaller landlords unless they pay for premium packages.

Overall, Azibo helps landlords save hundreds to thousands of dollars annually by avoiding transaction fees, subscription costs, and other hidden charges that are common among competitor platforms.

If it's free, then how does Azibo make money?

One of the most common questions we get from landlords is, “How can Azibo offer all of this for free? It sounds too good to be true!”

Our mission at Azibo is to level the playing field for independent landlords who are up against institutional investors with access to more resources. That’s why we provide free financial tools to help landlords save time, stay organized, and grow their business. 

So rather than charging fees like traditional banks and software companies, Azibo makes money in other ways in order to provide our platform and tools at no cost to landlords. 

Here are the primary ways that Azibo makes money: 

1. We earn interest on cash balances.

Like most banks, we earn interest on cash deposits in Azibo bank accounts. Our accounts also have zero monthly or hidden fees and no minimum balance requirements. 

2. We take a small convenience fee on debit and credit card transactions.

Azibo provides flexible online payment options for landlords to pay bills and tenants to pay rent. You can make payments through Azibo for free using an ACH bank transfer. Or, if you or your renter wants to pay using a credit or debit card, Azibo charges a 2.99% transaction fee. 

3. We offer optional paid features.

As stated above, Azibo offers additional features beyond our core free services for both landlords and renters. These optional paid features include state-specific lease agreements with eSigning, Credit Boost to help tenants build their credit by reporting on-time rent payments, and premium tenant screening services (paid by the tenant applicant). 

Additionally, landlords can collaborate with others by adding team members to help manage their properties for $99 per seat per year. Renters also benefit from optional services like accidental damage protection powered by Latchel, offering added security and convenience during their rental experience.

4. We earn commissions when you buy products from our partners.

We make a commission if you use Azibo to buy products from our insurance partners, or other companies we’ve teamed up with through the Azibo Marketplace — which offers exclusive offers for real estate services like loans, maintenance, legal services, and more. 

Testimonials from happy Azibo landlords

Azibo has helped many landlords streamline their property management, saving them time and improving their operations. Here are a few stories from real estate investors who have benefited from Azibo’s free features.

Jua McMillan, a real estate investor managing properties across states, describes Azibo as a “lifesaver.” Before using Azibo, Jua faced challenges with rent collection and was frustrated with transaction limits and fees from mobile payment apps like Venmo. 

With Azibo, he enjoys automated rent reminders, itemized payouts, and integrated accounting tools, which help him manage his long-distance properties seamlessly. Jua highlights how Azibo saves him four hours every month and gives him the ability to “set it and forget it” when managing his rentals. “I love the fact that it’s automated,” Jua explains. “You can pretty much set it and forget it until it’s time to renew the lease.”

Read the full article here.
Similarly, Andrew Winter and his wife, Camala, real estate investors managing properties across Cleveland and St. Petersburg, found peace of mind with Azibo. 

They initially explored the platform for its tax and accounting tools but soon integrated rent collection and banking into their property management process. Andrew emphasizes the time savings, noting how Azibo consolidated his rent payments from various apps into one platform, saving him hours each month. 

“With the ability to track rent payments, I can sleep at night,” Andrew shares, emphasizing how Azibo’s all-in-one platform makes property management easier and more transparent.

Read the full article here.

Steven Toth, another satisfied Azibo user, shares how the platform has saved him up to nine hours a month managing multiple properties in Tempe, Arizona. 

By offering flexible payment methods to his tenants and automating rent collection, Steven was able to minimize administrative tasks while ensuring payments were tracked and on time. He explains, “Without Azibo, I would have lost a lot of money due to the challenges of keeping track of cash, partial payments, and Venmo payments.” 

Steven also appreciates the automated late fees, which help him enforce payment deadlines without feeling like the “bad guy.”

Read the full article here.

These testimonials show how Azibo has transformed the way landlords manage their properties, providing a user-friendly experience that eliminates manual tasks and increases efficiency. Whether it’s rent collection, accounting, or offering tenants flexible payment options, Azibo helps landlords achieve a hands-off approach to property management, allowing them to focus on growing their portfolios.

Leveling the playing field for independent rental property owners 

Azibo's commitment to providing a comprehensive, free property management platform is revolutionizing the way independent landlords operate. By offering essential services without hidden fees or monthly subscriptions, Azibo levels the playing field, allowing small to medium-sized property owners to compete with larger, institutional investors.

From automated rent collection and accounting tools to maintenance tracking and unlimited unit management, Azibo empowers landlords to streamline their operations, save time, and focus on growing their real estate portfolios. The optional paid features provide additional value for those looking to further enhance their property management capabilities.

Don't let complex pricing structures or hidden fees hold your real estate business back any longer. Experience the difference that truly free, transparent property management can make.

Ready to simplify your property management and boost your efficiency? Sign up for Azibo today and join thousands of satisfied landlords who are already benefiting from our free, comprehensive platform. Visit azibo.com to create your account and start managing your properties smarter, not harder. Your future in effortless property management begins now!

Sign up today.