A vacant rental costs landlords money every day, but filling the unit is only the beginning. You still have to screen applicants, prepare a lease, collect rent, track expenses, and respond when something inevitably needs repair.
If you’re comparing Zillow Rental Manager vs Avail, the biggest difference is what happens after you find a tenant. Zillow Rental Manager offers access to Zillow’s enormous rental audience, while Avail provides a more complete collection of ongoing property management tools. In this Avail vs Zillow comparison, I evaluate pricing, listing exposure, applications, screening, leases, payments, maintenance, and accounting to determine which platform is better for different landlords.
Before I dive into the details, here is a quick breakdown os what each platform does best:
| Zillow Rental Manager | Best for landlords who want to market a vacancy across Zillow, Trulia, and HotPads while accessing basic leasing and payment tools for free. |
| Avail | Best for DIY landlords who want one platform for listings, screening, leases, payments, maintenance, communication, and rental property accounting. |
Zillow Rental Manager vs. Avail: A head-to-head comparison
| Feature | ||
| Starting price | ||
| Paid option | ||
| Rental listing distribution | ||
| Online applications | ||
| Credit, criminal, and eviction reports | ||
| Income verification | ||
| Custom application questions | ||
| State-specific lease templates | ||
| Upload and electronically sign your own lease | ||
| Online rent collection | ||
| Free ACH payments | ||
| Maintenance tracking | ||
| Income and expense tracking | ||
| Tenant communication | ||
| Dedicated mobile app |
Why you can trust The Close
As a licensed real estate agent, I understand how important accurate listings, careful screening, organized documents, and timely communication are throughout a real estate transaction. Those responsibilities become even more important when you are managing a rental property and maintaining an ongoing relationship with a tenant.
For this comparison, I reviewed each platform’s current pricing, product features, payment policies, screening tools, lease options, and support resources. At The Close, our editorial approach is centered on providing practical, unbiased guidance that helps real estate professionals and investors make confident business decisions.
Sophia Doyle
Staff Writer-The Close
Zillow Rental Manager vs. Avail: Overview and when to use
Zillow Rental Manager helps landlords advertise vacancies, communicate with prospective tenants, schedule tours, accept applications, run screening reports, prepare leases, and collect payments. Its biggest advantage is access to the Zillow rental network, which includes Zillow, Trulia, and HotPADS and reaches more than 30 million monthly visitors. Standard listings are free, while a $39.99 Premium upgrade provides greater search visibility, pricing insights, performance recommendations, and priority support for up to 90 days.
Landlords can also manage leads, collect rent and other fees, upload leases for electronic signatures, and use Fast Payments to receive eligible payments in as little as two business days. However, rental applications cannot include custom questions, and Zillow’s customizable lease builder is available only in certain states and select California markets. Landlords outside those locations can still upload and electronically sign their own leases.
 |
|
|---|---|
| Pros | Cons |
| Free standard rental listings | Listings are limited to Zillow rental network |
| Listings appear on Zillow, Trulia, and HotPads | Applications cannot be customized |
| Access to more than 30 million monthly rental visitors | Lease builder is available only in select locations |
| Free tenant screening tools for landlords | Limited rental accounting functionality |
| Free ACH rent collection for landlords and tenants | No bulk discount for multiple Premium listings |
| Dedicated mobile app | More advanced property management features are limited |
| Optional Premium listing does not renew automatically | Premium placement costs $39.99 per listing |
When to use Zillow Rental Manager
- You want your vacancy advertised on the Zillow network.
- Reaching a large audience of renters is your main priority.
- You manage one or a small number of rental properties.
- You want free online applications and screening tools.
- You want to collect rent through free ACH transfers.
- You already have your own lease and need electronic signatures.
- You want a dedicated mobile app for managing leads and listings.
- You do not need advanced maintenance or accounting features.
Avail is an all-in-one rental management platform designed for DIY landlords. It supports the complete rental cycle, allowing landlords to advertise vacancies across 19 partner websites, manage leads, schedule showings, screen applicants, create leases, collect rent, communicate with tenants, track maintenance, and record income and expenses. Its free Unlimited plan supports unlimited units and includes most of these essential tools.
Avail Unlimited Plus costs $9 per unit monthly and adds FastPay, waived ACH fees, custom application questions, customizable and reusable lease templates, a branded property website, and priority support. Avail does not provide access to Zillow, Trulia, or HotPads, but its state-specific leases, maintenance workflows, tenant portal, centralized messaging, and accounting dashboard make it the more complete option for ongoing rental management.
 |
|
|---|---|
| Pros | Cons |
| Free plan supports unlimited units | Free-plan tenants pay $2.50 per ACH transfer |
| Listings are syndicated to 19 rental websites | Card payments include a 3.5% processing fee |
| State-specific, lawyer-reviewed lease templates | Advanced features cost $9 per unit monthly |
| Tenant screening includes reference checks | Paid pricing becomes more expensive as a portfolio grows |
| Maintenance and expense tracking included | Does not provide Zillow’s concentrated rental audience |
| Centralized landlords and tenant messaging | Screening costs vary by location and selected reports |
| Paid plan includes customizable applications and leases | Some landlords may not need all the management tools |
When to use Avail
- You want one platform for the full rental cycle.
- You manage your own rental properties.
- You need state-specific, lawyer-reviewed lease templates.
- You want customizable applications or leases.
- You want to track maintenance requests and repair costs.
- You need rental income and expense tracking.
- You want a dedicated tenant portal.
- You need centralized communication with applicants and tenants.
- You manage multiple units and want consistent workflows.
- You are willing to pay per unit for advanced customization and faster payments.
Zillow Rental Manager vs. Avail: Who wins in each category?
Pricing and value
Both Zillow Rental Manager and Avail offer free plans, but they structure their paid features differently. Zillow allows landlords to publish standard listings for free. Its optional Premium upgrade costs $39.99 per listing and lasts for up to 90 days. Premium includes greater exposure, customized listing recommendations, price and market insights, listing performance data, and priority support. It does not renew automatically.
Applications and screening reports are free for Zillow landlords, while renters pay a $35 application fee. That fee lets a renter apply to an unlimited number of participating properties for 30 days. Zillow also makes ACH rent payments free for landlords and tenants. Tenants pay 2.95% when using a credit card or $9.95 when using a debit card for rent, deposits, and prorated charges. The debit fee for other rental charges is $4.95.
Avail’s Unlimited plan is free for an unlimited number of units. However, tenants on the free plan pay $2.50 per ACH bank transfer. Credit and debit card payments carry a 3.5% processing fee. Unlimited Plus costs $9 per unit monthly and waives the tenant’s ACH fee. It also includes FastPay, custom application questions, customizable and reusable lease templates, a branded property website, and priority support.
Avail’s free plan includes more property management features, but Zillow has the edge for landlords and tenants who want to make basic ACH rent payments without monthly charges.
🏆Winner: Zillow Rental Manager
Rental listing exposure
Avail distributes listings to 19 rental platforms, including Realtor.com, Redfin, Zumper, PadMapper, Walk Score, Rentable, Doorsteps, and Apartment List. That broad distribution can help a property appear in front of renters using several different websites.
Zillow Rental Manager distributes listings to only three platforms: Zillow, Trulia, and HotPads. However, those websites are among the most recognizable rental networks in the country. Zillow reports more than 30 million monthly rental visitors.
I give Zillow the advantage because most landlords are not simply looking for a platform that sends listings to the largest number of websites. They want qualified renters to actually see it. Zillow’s concentrated audience and familiar consumer brand make it particularly valuable for quickly filling a vacancy.
Landlords can also pay $39.99 for Premium placement, which positions the listing higher in relevance in Zillow searches for up to 90 days.
🏆Winner: Zillow Rental Manager
Applications and tenant screening
Zillow and Avail both provide online applications, credit information, criminal background checks, eviction history checks, and income verification. Zillow’s application is straightforward and renter-friendly. The renter pays $35 and can use the application to view an unlimited number of participating properties for 30 days. Credit reports are provided by Experian, while background and eviction information comes from CIC.
The downside is customization. Zillow asks common questions about income, household members, prior residences, and contact information, but landlords cannot add their own questions or criteria.
Avail gives landlords great control. Its screening tools use TransUnion reports that can include credit, criminal, and eviction history. The platform also supports income documentation and automated checks of residence and employment. Unlimited Plus users can add custom questions to the rental application.
Screening fees on Avail vary based on local laws and the reports the landlord requests. The landlord can decide whether to pay the fee or pass it to the applicant. Zillow’s mobile app is convenient for renters, but Avail’s reference checks and application customization provide landlords with a more comprehensive screening process.
🏆Winner: Avail
Lease creation and electronic signatures
Both platforms allow landlords to sign rental documents electronically, but Avail provides more extensive lease-building tools. Zillow landlords can upload an existing lease and send it to tenants for signatures. Zillow also offers a customizable lease builder, but that feature is available online in certain states and select California markets.
Avail offers state-specific, lawyer-reviewed lease templates. Its LocalAssist feature supplies locally generated clauses, rules, and disclosures, helping landlords account for requirements that may vary by state or municipality.
The free Avail plan includes state-specific templates and electronic signatures. Unlimited Plus adds customizable clauses, reusable lease templates, attachments, and other advanced options.
These tools can make preparing and renewing leases considerably easier, especially for landlords who do not already have a trusted lease template. Landlords should still review documents for their property and location and seek legal advice when necessary.
🏆Winner: Avail
Online rent collection
Zillow offers a strong rent collection system at no cost. Landlords can collect rent, utilities, security deposits, prorated rent, and other move-in charges. Tenants can schedule recurring payments, and both landlords and tenants can use ACH transfers for free.
Zillow also sends payment reminders, organizes transaction records, provides access to applicable tax documents, and allows tenants to build credit through eligible on-time payments. Standard deposits can take up to five business days, although Zillow also offers Fast Payments that can arrive in as little as two business days.
Avail can collect rent, security deposits, and additional fees while automatically generating receipts and reminders. Landlords can set up recurring charges, apply automatic late fees, maintain separate bank accounts for different properties, and view payments alongside other income and expenses.
Avail’s FastPay feature provides next-day payment deposits for Unlimited Plus users. Tenants may also use CreditBoost to report eligible rent payments to TransUnion.
Zillow is more affordable for basic ACH collection. However, Avail provides more controls for landlords managing recurring fees, late payments, deposits, multiple properties, and accounting records.
🏆Winner: Avail
Maintenance and rental accounting
This is the category where the difference between the platforms becomes more apparent.
Zillow Rental Manager provides payment records, rent collection documentation, applicable 1099 information, and a selection of landlord management tools. Its current platform also references maintenance and move-out support, but these functions are less developed and less clearly defined than Avail’s maintenance and accounting workflows.
Avail allows tenants and landlords to create maintenance tickets, upload photographs, discuss issues through centralized messaging, and track their status. Requests can also be forwarded to maintenance professionals.
Once a repair is completed, landlords can record its cost in Avail’s accounting dashboard. Rent payments and maintenance expenses are automatically added to the property’s financial records, making it easier to monitor how much money is coming in and going out.
That does not replace professional bookkeeping or tax advice, but it gives DIY landlords a more organized way to track everyday rental finances.
🏆Winner: Avail
Ease of use and mobile access
Zillow Rental Manager benefits from familiarity. Many landlords and renters already have experience with Zillow, and the platform provides a relatively direct path from posting a vacancy to receiving inquiries and applications.
Zillow also offers a dedicated Rental Manager mobile app. Landlords can manage listings, review leads, schedule showings, and monitor their rentals while away from a computer.
Avail is accessible on various devices and consolidates more parts of the rental process into a single dashboard. That can reduce the number of separate systems landlords use, but the larger collection of tools may require more setup than Zillow’s simpler workflow.
Avail remains accessible to DIY landlords, especially those who want to establish a repeatable system. However, Zillow is likely to feel more familiar to a landlord who has one vacancy and wants to get a listing online quickly.
🏆Winner: Zillow Rental Manager
Overall winner: Avail
Zillow Rental Manager wins three categories: pricing, rental exposure, and ease of use. Avail wins four: tenant screening, leasing, rent collection functionality, and maintenance and accounting.
That does not make Zillow Rental Manager the wrong choice. If your main goal is to advertise an available unit, receive applications, and collect rent without paying a monthly subscription, Zillow may be all you need.
Landlords also do not necessarily have to choose only one. You could market a vacancy through Zillow Rental Manager and use Avail to manage the lease, payments, maintenance, and accounting. The trade-off is that you may need to transfer applicant information and keep activity organized across two systems.
Methodology
I compared Zillow Rental Manager and Avail and evaluated the features most likely to affect a landlord’s experience and rental property operations:
My criteria included the following:
- Rental listing exposure: I compared the websites where listings appear, the size and relevance of the potential renter audience, free distribution, Premium placement, showing tools, and lead management capabilities.
- Applications and tenant screening: I evaluated online applications, credit reports, criminal background searches, eviction history, income verification, reference checks, customization, portability, and whether the landlord or tenant pays.
- Leasing tools: I considered electronic signatures, document uploads, state-specific templates, local clauses and disclosures, customization options, attachments, and lease renewal tools.
- Online rent collection: I reviewed ACH and card payment fees, processing speeds, recurring payments, reminders, receipts, late fees, deposits, property-specific accounts, and rent reporting.
- Property management features: I compared maintenance requests, ticket tracking, photographs, tenant communication, repair costs, income tracking, expense tracking, and financial organization.
- Pricing and value: I compared free-plan availability, subscription costs, listing upgrades, per-unit pricing, tenant fees, and which features require a paid plan.
- Ease of use and support: I considered platform accessibility, mobile use, workflow complexity, help resources, and priority support options.
Read more about our methodology here.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Which platform is best for first-time landlords?
Avail is generally the best option for first-time landlords who need guidance and tools for the complete rental process. Its state-specific leases, maintenance tracking, tenant portal, payment system, and accounting dashboard provide a clearer structure for managing a property.
Zillow Rental Manager may be sufficient for a first-time landlord who already has a lease and mainly needs help finding a tenant, screening applicants, and collecting rent.
Can landlords use Zillow Rental Manager and Avail together?
Yes. A landlord could use Zillow Rental Manager to reach renters through Zillow, Trulia, and HotPads, then use Avail for screening, leases, rent collection, maintenance, and accounting.
Using both platforms may provide broader marketing and more complete management tools, but landlords will need to keep applicant information and communication organized between the two systems.
Does Avail syndicate listings to Zillow?
No, Avail does not currently syndicate rental listings to Zillow, Trulia, or HotPads. It distributes listings to 19 other rental websites, including Realtor.com, Redfin, Zumper, PadMapper, and Apartment List. Landlords who want their rental to appear on Zillow’s network will need to create a separate listing through Zillow Rental Manager.
You take
Zillow Rental Manager and Avail can both save landlords from managing a rental through a combination of spreadsheets, paper applications, emailed leases, and payments apps. The better option depends on whether your priority is filling the vacancy or managing what happens afterward.
Choose Zillow Rental Manager if you want strong rental exposure, fee screening tools, and no-cost ACH rent collection. Choose Avail if you want a more complete system for lease, payments, maintenance, tenant communication, and financial tracking.
For most DIY landlords, Avail is the stronger long-term platform. However, Zillow Rental Manager remains difficult to beat when the immediate goal is to get a vacancy in front of as many active renters as possible.
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