Managing property finances shouldn’t feel like flipping through a filing cabinet with a flashlight. Between rent rolls, vendor invoices, owner statements, and asset depreciation, real estate accounting gets messy. So, I explored the tools that weren’t just compatible with real estate — they were built for it. I looked at not just accounting software that “can work” for real estate but also tools that actually speak your language: lease income, KPIs, maintenance costs, occupancy, and investor reporting.
Here are my five best real estate accounting software:
- Best overall real estate accounting software: RealPage Accounting
- Enterprise-ready real estate accounting software: Yardi Voyager
- Best for pros wanting intuitive, flexible tools: QuickBooks Online
- Best for firms requiring built-in fixed asset tracking: Xero
- Best for teams needing client portals and easy payment tracking: Zoho Books
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TL;DR for real estate pros
- Use RealPage Accounting if you manage multiple properties or entities and need built-in compliance for HUD, affordable housing, or multi-asset portfolios. It’s my top pick for firms wanting real estate-specific tools without bloated complexity.
- Choose Yardi Voyager if you run a large, enterprise-level operation with in-house IT and need a single platform for accounting, leasing, and operations. It is powerful but comes with a steep learning curve and long setup.
- Go with QuickBooks Online if you already have property management tools and just need solid, flexible accounting. It is widely supported and works well with third-party integrations.
- Pick Xero if you want clean accounting with automation, unlimited users, and built-in fixed asset tracking but don’t need native rent roll or lease tracking. It’s best for real estate pros comfortable building their tech stack.
- Get Zoho Books if you’re a small team looking for low-cost accounting with custom fields, billing automation, and client portals. It’s not made for property management, but it stretches surprisingly far for its price.
Quick comparison of accounting software for real estate
| Meet our experts | |
|---|---|
 | Eric Gerard Ruiz, a licensed CPA in the Philippines, specializes in financial accounting and reporting (IFRS), managerial accounting, and cost accounting. He has tested and reviewed accounting software, like QuickBooks and Xero, and other small business tools. |
 | Andrew Wan is a subject matter expert in Small Business Finance. With over a decade of experience in mortgage lending, he was also previously a certified technician for various Apple, Dell, and Microsoft products. He holds a California real estate broker license. |
RealPage Accounting: Best overall real estate accounting software
For real estate firms needing robust functionality without excessive complexity, RealPage strikes a strong balance between power and practicality. It’s my best real estate accounting software for several reasons. Its reporting capabilities stand out, with clear budget vs. actuals, property-level and GL code drilldowns, and built-in consolidation across entities.
I also appreciate the compliance support for HUD and affordable housing, which comes preconfigured rather than bolted on. The workflows are purpose-built for real estate accounting, not adapted from generic systems, which makes day-to-day tasks more intuitive.
CPA’s verdict
RealPage Accounting isn’t exactly plug-and-play, so expect a real learning curve, both in setup and day-to-day use. But after spending hours with it, I can say confidently that the real estate-specific features are worth the effort. If you’re willing to invest the time to learn and integrate it into your system, it delivers serious value for firms requiring more than just a general ledger.
Pricing
RealPage Accounting doesn’t publish pricing information, so reach out to its sales team for information. Based on Capterra, RealPage’s monthly price ranges from $1.50 to $3.00 per unit for multifamily properties under 2,000 units and from $7.30 to $12.50 per 10,000 square feet for commercial properties.
What stands out
- Multiple entities and property types are consolidated in one platform.
- Automated bank reconciliation and job costing make month-end close noticeably faster.
- Built-in compliance for HUD and affordable housing is a strong fit for firms in that space.
- Budget vs. actuals reporting is clear, customizable, and easy to drill into.
- Downside: Learning curve is real; can be difficult for real estate pros shifting from simpler software.
Pros & cons
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Yardi Voyager: Enterprise-ready real estate accounting software
Yardi Voyager is the most enterprise-ready accounting software for real estate that I’ve researched, and it delivers on that promise. It impressed me with its depth: from property accounting to leasing, maintenance, and procurement, it centralizes nearly everything without relying on third-party tools. That kind of integration is rare and powerful but comes with tolerable tradeoffs: long implementation timelines, a steep learning curve, and the need for solid in-house IT support. The platform isn’t for beginners — it’s a true command center for large firms.
CPA’s verdict
Yardi Voyager is a heavy lift. But if you already run an enterprise portfolio and need tight integration between accounting and operations, I recommend it as one of the most complete platforms. However, if you have a midsize firm or a company without in-house IT and training support, I’d steer clear. The power is there, but you’ll pay for every bit of it.
Pricing
Contact its sales team for details, as Yardi Voyager doesn’t publish pricing information.
What stands out
- Everything from CAM reconciliation to vendor contracts is available in one ecosystem with no external add-ons required.
- Custom reporting is incredibly deep, though you’ll likely need help from Yardi consultants to unlock its full power.
- Strong compliance tools across multifamily, affordable, senior, and commercial portfolios are available.
- Role-based dashboards improve both internal controls and team visibility.
- Downside: Every report tweak, integration, or customization adds layers of complexity and cost, which is a common challenge with enterprise-grade property management accounting software.
Pros & cons
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QuickBooks Online: Best for pros wanting intuitive, flexible tools
I see QuickBooks Online as a suitable tool for real estate pros seeking flexibility without a steep learning curve. It isn’t built specifically for property management because it has no real estate-specific features. But, don’t underestimate it because you reconfigure QuickBooks to have some real estate-specific feel (e.g., custom tags and classes). On top of that, it plays well with tons of third-party tools.
It stood out to me as the best general-purpose real estate accounting software. It is perfect if your business already has systems for leases, tenants, and maintenance and just needs clean books.
CPA’s verdict
QuickBooks Online is the Swiss Army knife of accounting software. Plus, it’s easy to find US-based ProAdvisors and CPAs who understand real estate, which makes support and customization more accessible than most general tools.
Pricing
- Simple Start: $35 for one user
- Essentials: $65 for up to three users
- Plus: $99 for up to five users
- Advanced: $235 for up to 25 users
QuickBooks Online has steadily increased its pricing, especially at the higher tiers. While I still find it affordable for most real estate businesses, the jump from Plus to Advanced is hard to ignore, especially since core accounting features stay largely the same. The upgrade mostly adds user permissions, analytics, and automation, which not every firm will need.
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What stands out
- Class and location tracking offer a simple way to separate income and expenses by property.
- Tons of integrations with property management platforms and payroll providers are available with no dev work.
- Custom reports to track owner draws and property-level cash flow are available.
- Automated bank feeds and rules sped up reconciliations and reduced manual entry.
- Custom chart of accounts let you build categories that mirror your property types and investor reporting needs.
- Downside: Doesn’t handle rent roll, tenant communication, or maintenance; you’ll need to plug those gaps by integrating third-party tools.
Pros & cons
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Xero: Best for firms requiring built-in fixed asset tracking
If QuickBooks feels bloated or intimidating to you, Xero might be the breath of fresh air you’re looking for. It’s clean, modern, and frankly just more pleasant to use daily. Xero stood out to me not because it offers the kind of automation, multi-entity access, and usability that busy investors actually need.
Its fixed asset manager is also useful for tracking real property depreciation and information. Xero is the only cloud accounting software on this list with a built-in fixed asset manager, and honestly, it’s a big win if you’re serious about tracking depreciation without messy workarounds.
CPA’s verdict
Xero is great until you need it to act like property management software. I like how clean and flexible it feels compared with QuickBooks, and it delivers on general accounting. But once you get into real estate-specific needs like tenant tracking or detailed portfolio reports, it starts to fall short. It’s a solid workaround, not a full solution.
Pricing
- Early: $20 per month
- Growing: $47 per month
- Established: $80 per month
Xero easily outclasses QuickBooks on pricing, and unlimited users in every plan make it a no-brainer for growing teams. QuickBooks Online Plus costs $99 a month for just five seats, which feels steep compared with Xero Established at $80 monthly for unlimited users. Honestly, it’s hard to justify the difference. For real estate pros who don’t appreciate surprise costs and user limits, Xero offers serious value without the usual nickel-and-diming.
What stands out
- Clean, modern UI makes it easy to navigate even with multiple entities and accounts.
- Bank rules are easy to set up, and transactions are auto-categorized.
- Recurring invoices, auto-reminders, and scheduled bills can automate rent collection and vendor payment workflows.
- Contact management feature lets you assign custom fields and tags to tenants, owners, and vendors.
- Downsides: No native support for lease tracking or rent rolls, plus report customization is limited.
Pros & cons
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Zoho Books: Best for teams needing client portals and easy payment tracking
Zoho Books is a strong pick if you have a smaller real estate business requiring reliable accounting and wanting to avoid paying for features it won’t use. It’s not built for property management, but the customization, automation tools, and clean interface make it surprisingly adaptable. I set up property tags, recurring invoices, and user roles in minutes — no support needed. That said, if you manage multiple entities or need tight integration with real estate platforms, Zoho Books’ limits will show fast.
CPA’s verdict
If you’re a real estate pro managing a few properties and wanting a clean, flexible accounting system, Zoho Books is a hard-to-beat accounting software for real estate. It won’t handle leases or complex consolidations, but it gives you smart tools to stay on top of billing, expenses, and cash flow. Just know you’ll outgrow it quickly if your portfolio or reporting needs start getting serious.
Pricing
- Free: $0 per month for one user (for businesses with annual revenue less than $50,000)
- Standard: $20 per month for three users
- Professional: $50 per month for five users
- Premium: $70 per month for 10 users
- Elite: $150 per month for 10 users
- Ultimate: $275 per month for 15 users
- Additional users: $3 per seat, per month
Zoho Books stands out for its pricing flexibility. You can start with the low-cost Standard plan and upgrade only when needed; no bloated features or forced jumps. It’s a rare mix of affordability and scalability, though keep in mind you’re paying for general accounting, not property-specific tools.
What stands out
- Custom fields let you tag every transaction by property, unit, or owner, which is helpful for tracking cash flow.
- Built-in automation handles reminders, recurring billing, and approval workflows without third-party tools.
- The client portal is a nice bonus to send statements and collect payments from owners.
- Mobile app for expense tracking and invoicing is outstanding.
- Reporting is decent but needs Excel for more advanced views like portfolio-level cash flow.
- Downsides: No native fixed asset tracking or rent roll tools, which is frustrating given how customizable the rest of Zoho feels.
Pros & cons
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My methodology
I evaluated each accounting platform based on what real estate professionals actually need — not just generic bookkeeping tasks, but the real day-to-day demands of managing properties, collecting rent, and reporting to stakeholders.
Here’s how I broke it down:
- General accounting: I looked for clean bank feeds, solid reconciliation tools, customizable charts of accounts, and the ability to track income and expenses accurately.
- Accounting features specific to real estate: I prioritized tools that could handle lease income, rent roll tracking, owner distributions, and property-level reporting. Even if the software wasn’t built for property management, I looked at how well it could be adapted to fit those needs.
- Scalability: Whether someone manages a handful of single-family rentals or hundreds of units across entities, the software needs to scale. I looked at how it handled multiple properties, legal entities, and users and how painful (or seamless) that process was.
- Ease of use and setup: I reviewed how property setup works, tagged transactions, tested reports, and walked through onboarding flows. Some tools made that fast and intuitive, whereas others buried critical features behind complex menus or required outside help.
- Cost: I compared pricing tiers not just on sticker price but also on what you get for the money. While some tools seem affordable until you need multi-entity support or advanced reporting, others offer more upfront but bake in value with fewer add-ons.
How to choose real estate accounting software
You need a solution that fits your financial workflow, not something that’s just affordable. Before you decide, think about how you manage your books today and what you’ll need as your portfolio grows.
Here’s where to start:
✅ Determine your needs as a real estate pro. Are you a landlord managing a few doors or an investor juggling multiple LLCs? Ensure the tool supports property-level income tracking, owner distributions, and customizable reports that reflect how you actually operate.
✅ Think about tax complexities. Real estate comes with depreciation, passive activity rules, and investor splits. A strong accounting platform should help you handle fixed assets, track equity, and prepare clean financials for your CPA, not dump it all in a generic P&L.
✅ Plan for outsourced bookkeeping. If you plan to hand off the books, choose software that your bookkeeper or firm already supports. Cloud-based tools with audit trails, role-based access, and simple workflows make it easier to delegate without losing visibility.
✅ Consider your future growth. As you scale, you’ll likely need more users, deeper reporting, and stronger automation. Avoid tools that cap your growth or force an expensive switch later.
✅ Set a budget. Some platforms look cheap until you need multiple entities or add-ons. Compare what’s included with each tier and factor in costs for support, integrations, or outside help.
FAQs about real estate accounting software
Is there free accounting software suitable for real estate professionals?
Yes, but most free tools lack property-level tracking, fixed asset support, or rent-specific features. They’re best for solo landlords with simple needs.
Can real estate accounting software handle multiple properties or units?
Yes, the best platforms let you tag income and expenses by property, generate unit-level reports, and track performance across your portfolio.
Can I use general accounting software for my real estate business?
Yes, but you’ll need to customize it. Tools like QuickBooks or Xero can work well if you set up classes, locations, and custom fields to track each property.
