When it comes to managing your properties, access to the top tools and resources can make or break your experience.
Software is one way to streamline your rental management and automate much of your daily tasks.
However, with so many property management software options on the market, it can be challenging to decide between them.
Innago and AppFolio are two popular choices in the industry. While both offer similar functionality, there are some key differences to be aware of if you’re considering either option.
This article reviews the pros and cons of Innago and AppFolio. By the end, you’ll be better informed to decide which platform is best for your rental business.
Pricing
Appfolio
Pricing is a critical component of your decision to buy any product for your business.
AppFolio’s pricing model has two plans: Core and Plus. Both plans are unit-based, meaning that your monthly fee depends on how many units you add to the software.
The Core plan costs $1.40 per unit per month. However, keep in mind that the minimum for this plan is $280, so the minimum portfolio size required is 50 units. With the Core plan, you’ll have access to features like rental accounting, online leasing, maintenance management, a mobile app, and live chat or scheduled call support.
AppFolio’s Plus plan offers all the above features, plus performance insights, revenue management, premium integrations, data export capabilities, and priority support. The Plus plan costs $3 per unit per month, with a minimum monthly fee of $1,500 (equivalent to 500 units).
Innago
Innago has a different approach to pricing: access to the software is entirely free for landlords.
How can this be? Instead of charging you, Innago charges your tenants small fees for add-on services, like ACH transfers, credit transactions, or renter’s insurance. Rental applicants also pay for their credit and criminal reports ($30 and $35, respectively) by default.
Landlords can cover any of these costs if they want but aren’t required to. This makes Innago highly accessible to a wide variety of landlords while keeping costs reasonable to tenants.
Unlike AppFolio, there’s no minimum number of units required either – even new landlords with only a handful of units can use Innago.
Features
AppFolio
AppFolio’s features depend on the plan you purchase. The Core features include:
- Rental accounting and reporting
- Virtual marketing and leasing
- Resident and owner management
- Maintenance management
- A mobile app
- Software updates
- Live chat support and calls by appointment
Plus members also have access to:
- Workflow management
- Performance insights
- Revenue management
- Premium integrations
- Data export capabilities
- Priority customer support
Overall, AppFolio’s features received 4.3 out of 5 stars on Capterra.
Innago
Innago’s features are available to all users. They include:
- Online rent collection via ACH transfer, credit, or debit
- Online leasing with eSignatures and unlimited Cloud storage
- Automated rent payment reminders and late fee enforcement
- Custom rental application builder
- Tenant screening, including credit, criminal, and eviction reports
- Maintenance management with image/video upload and ticket tracking
- A mobile app
- Listing syndication and rental advertising
- Financial reporting tools
- Tenant communication tools
- Customer support via phone, email, or live chat
Overall, Innago received 4.8 out of 5 possible stars for its features.
Customer Support
Customer support is an essential component of any software tool. If you have questions or problems, you need access to reliable and knowledgeable support personnel.
AppFolio offers customer support via live chat and phone by appointment. The platform also offers a help center with educational articles about the software and training videos. While these features are a plus, remember that only Plus members get priority support, and onboarding fees vary depending on portfolio size.
Innago has a different approach: the company assigns each user a dedicated account representative, who walks them through the set-up and onboarding process and can answer questions via phone, email, or live chat any time after. Users can also usually contact the general support line after hours, and representatives always return calls within a couple hours.
Additionally, Innago’s website offers additional resources such as educational blog articles and feature walk-throughs. The company also regularly hosts live webinars and users can always request one-on-one demos.
Overall, Innago’s customer service received 4.9 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot as well as glowing reviews for support. On the other hand, AppFolio’s customer support only earned 3.3 stars. Reviewers of AppFolio confirm frequent issues with the company’s support for users.
Reviews
The “likelihood to recommend” metric measures how strongly users believe in the value of the software.
On Capterra, 84.7% of reviewers said they were likely to recommend AppFolio to other users. On the other hand, 97.4% of Innago reviewers said the same. This over 12% difference represents just how much more satisfied Innago users are with their choice of software than AppFolio users.
Conclusion
If you’re considering Innago vs. AppFolio, the choice should be clear by now. No other platform beats Innago’s free pricing, high ratings, and exceptional customer service. If you’re looking for a property management software platform to propel your business forward in 2023, look no further than Innago.