Key Takeaways
Using property management software leads to measurable positive outcomes for landlords, including more rental income, tenant renewals, and time saved.
87% of survey respondents named online rent collection as a top most valuable feature.
"Full adopters" of Innago's features reported saving 53% more time on average than minimal users.
Using software is a data-backed way to improve efficiency, income, and tenant satisfaction in your rental business.
Introduction
Property management software offers landlords dozens of ways to simplify day-to-day rental management, but which tools are landlords actually using, and which ones make the biggest difference?
To find out, we analyzed platform-wide usage data from July 2025 through June 2026, along with survey responses from 425 landlords and 3,450 active tenants. The results reveal the property management software trends and features landlords value most, where some tools remain underused, and how greater feature adoption can translate into more time saved, more on-time rent payments, higher renewal rates, and a better tenant experience.
In this article, we’ll break down the biggest findings from our 2026 Feature Usage Report, including the most valuable features for landlords, how those features translate into real, quantifiable positive outcomes, and what the data suggests landlords should prioritize in their own rental businesses. We'll focus on a few of the key takeaways, but for the full breakdown and insights, be sure to visit REI Grove.
Online Rent Collection is the Most Valuable Property Management Feature
Online rent collection was by far the most valued property management software feature in our survey, with 87.3% of landlords naming it as one of their top three features.
Innago platform data also shows why. Between July 2025 and June 2026, 63.1% of rent payments made online were paid on time, compared to only 30.6% of offline payments. That means tenants who pay online are more than twice as likely to pay on-time—a fact that could make a huge difference in your bottom line.
For landlords, digital rent collection offers benefits beyond convenience. It helps tenants pay on time, creates more predictable income, and encourages them to remain in their rentals longer.
Another benefit of collecting rent online is the option to automate late fee collection. Automating late fees can turn a commonly overlooked part of rent collection into a source of additional revenue. Our data found that landlords using automated late fees generated additional income while enforcing payment expectations more consistently.
Exactly much of a difference can automated payments and late fees make for your portfolio? Our full report features an online rent collection calculator, so that you can get a concrete idea of what making the switch could mean for your portfolio, measured in real dollars.
Screened Tenants Pay Rent On Time More Often
Tenant screening is another of the most valuable property management software features for landlords. In our survey, 40% of landlords selected tenant screening as one of their top three valuable tools.
Platform data suggests that screening has a measurable effect on rent payment performance later in a lease. Our research found that tenants screened through the Innago platform paid rent on time approximately 10% more often than tenants who were not screened through Innago. These findings suggest that screening can reduce exposure to late or lost rent by identifying applicants with stronger payment histories before they move in.
Although no screening process can completely guarantee how a tenant will perform, consistent screening gives landlords more information with which to make informed leasing decisions.
Property Management Software Makes Tenant Screening More Efficient
Screening in any capacity will get you the benefits of properly vetting rental applicants, but using property management software to do so comes with extra efficiencies.
For most landlords, gathering and reviewing applicant information takes time. 31.5% of landlords said screening and vetting applicants was one of their most time-consuming or frustrating tasks before using Innago.
Without a full-service screening tool, landlords may need to locate and review information from multiple state, county, and third-party sources. Property management software can consolidate important screening information, including:
Credit history
Criminal history
Eviction records
Income verification
Centralizing these reports reduces the time landlords spend searching for records individually. It also allows them to devote more attention to the parts of screening that require personal judgment, such as verifying employment, following up with previous employers, reviewing an applicant’s income, or discussing unusual findings.
Saving time becomes even more important as your portfolio grows. More units typically mean more turnover, more applications, and more screening work. By managing applicant reports through the same platform used for rent collection, leases, and other rental tasks, landlords can create a more efficient and consistent screening process.
Landlords Who Use More Features Save More Time
While rent collection and screening are arguably the two most widely used features, property management software platforms like Innago offer many more tools and features.
As it turns out, landlords who use more of these features report saving 52% more time each month than partial users. This statistic demonstrates that more features doesn't mean more bloat and complexity, but true time savings long-term.
Our survey also found that most landlords were able to adopt their most valuable features relatively quickly, suggesting that expanding software use doesn't necessarily require a major time investment.
What kind of features are we talking about? Property management software features general support five essential responsibilities, other than collecting rent and screening tenants:
Preparing and signing leases
Tracking income and expenses
Responding to maintenance requests
Marketing vacant units
Communicating with tenants
Online leases, accounting tools, maintenance tracking, listings, and tenant messaging can each reduce work in a different area of your business. Most of these features are simple to set up, yet the most common reason landlords reported not using these features was simply that they had not gotten to it yet.
Independent landlords are generally very busy people—the more tasks you offload to your software, the more time you free up to pursue bigger and better goals for your rental business.
Tenants Value Digital Conveniences Offered by Software
Property management software does not only change how landlords work. It also shapes how tenants pay rent, request repairs, access documents, and communicate throughout their leases.
Our survey found that that tenants generally value these conveniences. Digital tools can make routine rental responsibilities easier to complete while keeping tenants more informed and involved in their rental experience. Here's how:
Most Tenants Already Pay Rent Online
In our survey of 3,450 active tenants, more than 88% currently paid rent online through the platform. Additionally, 80% agreed that Innago made paying rent on time easier.
And usage was only marginally lower among the oldest tenants, among whom more than two-thirds of those ages 65 and older still paid through Innago. This challenges the assumption that older renters will necessarily resist digital payments. With clear instructions and support during setup, online rent collection can be accessible to tenants across generations.
Tenants Are Satisfied with Their Landlords' Use of Software
The benefits of property management software extend beyond payments. In our survey, 72% of tenants said they were satisfied with how their landlord used Innago, while 76% said they would recommend the platform to other renters.
A positive digital rental experience can include the ability to:
Submit maintenance requests online
Sign lease renewals digitally
Receive reminders before payments or late fees are due
Access lease documents from a mobile device
Communicate with a landlord through one platform
Together, these tools give tenants more convenient access to the information and services they need.
What These 2026 Property Management Software Trends Mean for Landlords
So, what should your main takeaways be from all of this data? Our findings point to a broader shift in how landlords use property management software. Rather than treating it as a tool for one isolated task, landlords are increasingly using connected features to manage the entire rental process.
Four major property management software trends stand out:
Core financial and administrative tools remain the priority. Rent collection was the clear leader, followed by online lease signing and tenant screening.
Using more features leads to greater time savings.
Tenant-facing technology is becoming part of the rental experience, and tenants appreciate greater access to software tools.
For landlords, the larger takeaway is that the value of property management software grows when its features work together. Online payments can connect with automated late fees, screening can lead into digital leases, and maintenance requests and tenant messages can remain within the same system.
These findings only scratch the surface. Our 2026 Feature Usage Report explores the complete data on feature adoption, landlord time savings, payment behavior, tenant satisfaction, and more. You can view the full report with your REI Grove+ membership by clicking below.
FAQs
What is the best software for managing rental properties?
Innago is a powerful, easy-to-use option for managing rental properties. It brings rent collection, tenant screening, lease signing, accounting, maintenance, listings, and messaging into one platform. Landlords who use more Innago features tend to save more time.
What are the key features of property management software?
The most important features include online rent collection, tenant screening, online lease signing, accounting, maintenance management, rental listings, and tenant messaging.
Is Innago good for small landlords?
Yes, Innago is designed to help small landlords manage their properties without unnecessary complexity. Landlords can start with the features they need and expand their use of the platform as their business grows.
Can Innago collect rent online?
Yes, Innago lets landlords collect rent online and automate important parts of the payment process. In the 2026 report, 63.1% of online rent payments were made on time, compared with 30.6% of offline payments.
What are the benefits of property management software?
Property management software can automate repetitive rental tasks and keep your workflow organized. Tools like online payments, maintenance tracking, and tenant communication can save landlords time and reduce manual work.
Is property management software worth it for landlords?
For many landlords, property management software can make managing rentals easier and more efficient. Landlords who use more features tend to save more time each month.
