Free landlord software UK 2026: what you actually get | August

Free landlord software UK 2026: what you actually get

Written by the August editorial team. Last reviewed June 2026. August is one of the platforms compared here, and we say so plainly; free-tier limits change, so verify the current position with each provider before committing.

Free landlord software exists in the UK, but "free" covers a wide range of reality, from a genuinely unlimited tier to a time-bombed trial dressed up as permanent access. This guide cuts through the marketing. It covers the genuinely free options available to UK landlords in 2026, what each tier actually includes, what it withholds, and the points at which free stops being sufficient. If you manage one or two properties with straightforward needs, the right free tier will serve you well. If you manage more, or if Making Tax Digital applies to your income, you need to know exactly where free runs out before committing. Free is one end of a wider decision about which platform to run, covered in our best property management software guide.

What counts as genuinely free

For this guide, a free tier means indefinite access: not a 14-day trial, not a free month that auto-converts to paid, and not a platform that calls itself free but bills you once you connect a bank account or add a second tenant. The platforms below all offer free access with no time limit for at least one property or tenancy. Some cap properties, some cap features, and all have limits; the question is whether those limits matter for your portfolio. One filter applies. Several tools that surface in "free landlord software UK" searches, including Stessa, Baselane and TurboTenant, are built for the US market and do not support UK compliance, UK tax categories or HMRC requirements, so they are excluded here and in your search.

The genuinely free options compared

August Free

August's free tier covers up to two tenancies with no time limit and no credit card. Within that limit it includes rent tracking, expense logging in HMRC-aligned categories, compliance checklists, document storage with expiry-date tracking (up to five documents on the free tier), smart reminders that read expiry dates from uploaded certificates, and the tenant app, so tenants can submit maintenance requests and receive documents without the landlord acting as intermediary.

What the free tier does not include: Open Banking bank feeds, MTD quarterly submission, and more than two tenancies. These come with the Growth plan at £8.99 per month. The free tier is designed as a permanent option for landlords with one or two properties and simple needs, not as a hook to force an upgrade, so if you manage two tenancies and do not yet fall within the MTD threshold, it covers the core workflow.

Best for: landlords with one or two properties who want UK compliance reminders, document storage and rent tracking without paying anything.

RentalBux Free

RentalBux is the most feature-complete free tier available to UK landlords in 2026, offering unlimited properties, direct HMRC integration for MTD submissions, Open Banking bank feeds, property-level income and expense tracking and Section 24 mortgage-interest handling, all at no cost. It is newer and less established than the others here, with a smaller community and less third-party support material, but its free-tier breadth is genuinely unusual. The platform has stated its free tier will remain free at least through 2028, with pricing beyond that unconfirmed, so if you adopt it primarily for free MTD it is worth tracking that commitment as 2028 approaches. As with every platform here, confirm the current terms before relying on them.

Best for: landlords above the MTD threshold who want full MTD compliance at no cost and are comfortable with a newer, less-established platform.

Landlord Studio GO

Landlord Studio's free tier, branded GO, covers one property with income and expense tracking, receipt scanning and basic tax reports. It is one of the better-designed mobile apps in the market, with fast receipt scanning and a clean interface, but it does not include compliance reminders, MTD submission or a bank feed on the free tier. The platform is US-origin with a UK-localised version and appropriate tax categories, so for a UK landlord with a single buy-to-let who mainly wants expense tracking on their phone it is a practical option; beyond one property it needs a paid plan.

Best for: single-property landlords who want a clean mobile app for expense logging and basic tax reports.

Hammock Free

Hammock's free tier covers one property and includes automated bank reconciliation via Open Banking, a meaningful feature to offer free and one most platforms charge for. It does not include MTD submission or compliance certificate tracking on the free tier. Hammock is built around financial management, and the free tier reflects that: the bank feed and basic income and expense tracking are solid, but broader compliance and document features need a paid plan.

Best for: single-property landlords who want automated bank reconciliation and financial tracking as their primary need.

Rentila Free

Rentila covers two properties on its free tier with income and expense tracking, basic document storage and a tenant portal. It is a European platform with a UK presence and only partial UK compliance awareness: it does not track gas safety, EICR or EPC renewal dates, and it does not support MTD. For a UK landlord the absence of compliance tracking is a meaningful gap given how consequential those obligations are, so it suits landlords who mainly want a simple rent ledger and tenant communication tool.

Best for: landlords who want a simple rent ledger and basic tenant communication for up to two properties, with no compliance-tracking requirement.

Spreadsheets

A well-structured spreadsheet is technically free and can track income and expenses accurately for a small portfolio; HMRC's own guidance acknowledges spreadsheets as a record-keeping tool, and for landlords below the MTD threshold with one or two properties, a spreadsheet plus a calendar reminder covers the basics. What spreadsheets do not provide is automated bank reconciliation, compliance certificate expiry tracking, tenant communication, document storage with audit trails or MTD quarterly submission, and they require manual discipline that most landlords find hard to sustain across multiple properties or several years. The common failure mode among landlords who later move to software is the same: the spreadsheet works for year one, then falls progressively behind as tenancies change and receipts go missing, and the switch usually happens after one difficult self-assessment rather than before.

The hidden costs of free software

Free does not mean zero cost; every free platform here involves at least one trade-off. Without a bank feed, every transaction is entered manually, which is manageable for two properties but a material overhead at ten. Most free tiers do not include MTD quarterly submission, and from April 2026 landlords with gross property income above £50,000 must submit using HMRC-recognised software (the threshold drops to £30,000 in April 2027 and £20,000 in April 2028), so if you are below the threshold now it is worth checking when you will cross it, because separate MTD software on top of a free tool often costs more than one platform that does both. Several free tiers do not track gas safety, EICR, EPC or Right to Rent at all, which leaves you relying on memory or a calendar for the obligations that carry the most severe penalties. Support on free tiers is slower, which matters most at a critical moment such as a quarterly deadline or a deposit dispute. And data portability varies: if you may switch later, check how easily you can export your records, August provides clean human-readable exports of properties, tenancies and transactions on all tiers including free, and not every platform does.

When does free stop being enough?

There are four clear trigger points. The first is scale: most free tiers cap at one to three properties or tenancies, and beyond that the only genuinely unlimited free option is RentalBux, with the caveats above. The second is MTD: once your qualifying income crosses the threshold (£50,000 now, £30,000 from April 2027, £20,000 from April 2028), a free tier without submission means paying for separate bridging or filing software on top, often more than a single paid landlord platform; if Making Tax Digital applies to you, the software question narrows quickly, and our best MTD software for landlords guide covers the recognised options. The third is arrears: managing a case, serving notices and keeping a clean audit trail needs timestamped records and document storage that most free tiers do not provide at the depth required, and under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, in force since 1 May 2026, possession runs through a Section 8 claim and a clean evidential record, so organised documentation matters more than it did (see the Renters' Rights Act hub). The fourth is your accountant: if they bill by the hour and regularly ask you to reformat or re-explain your records, a paid plan with property-level P&L exports will save more per year than it costs.

August Free: what you get in full

For landlords starting with August's free tier, here is what is included with no time limit and no credit card: rent tracking for up to two tenancies, with payment status, partial-payment flagging and rent history; expense logging with HMRC-aligned categories; compliance checklists covering gas safety, EICR, EPC, deposit protection and Right to Rent; document storage with expiry-date tracking, up to five documents; smart reminders that read expiry dates from uploaded documents; the tenant app for maintenance requests, document access and communication; and access on iOS, Android and web. What requires the Growth plan at £8.99 per month is Open Banking rent tracking via Plaid, MTD quarterly submission, and more than two tenancies. You can start for free, with no credit card and no time limit.

Frequently asked questions

Is there genuinely free landlord software in the UK? 

Yes. August, RentalBux, Landlord Studio GO, Hammock and Rentila all offer indefinite free tiers with no time limit, though the scope of each varies; see the table above and confirm current terms with each provider.

Can free landlord software handle MTD? 

RentalBux is the main platform offering MTD quarterly submission on a free tier, with the caveat that its free tier is stated through 2028 and not confirmed beyond. August includes MTD submission from the Growth plan at £8.99 per month. Other free tiers here need a paid upgrade or a separate filing tool; see our best MTD software for landlords guide for the full comparison.

Is free landlord software safe to use? 

Yes, provided the platform is UK-based or has a UK-verified legal entity, stores data in line with GDPR, and holds FCA authorisation for any Open Banking functionality. August is regulated as an agent of Plaid Financial Ltd, an FCA-authorised payment institution. Check any platform's data and regulatory position before uploading tenant or financial data.

What is the best free landlord app in the UK? 

For most landlords with one or two properties, August's free tier offers the best combination of compliance tracking, document storage and smart reminders. For landlords above the MTD threshold wanting free submission, RentalBux is the main option in 2026. For single-property mobile expense tracking, Landlord Studio GO has the best mobile experience.

When should I upgrade from free to paid? 

The clearest triggers are crossing the MTD threshold, adding a third tenancy, or reaching the point where manual bank reconciliation takes more than an hour a month. At August's Growth price of £8.99 per month, the upgrade pays for itself in a few avoided admin hours.

This article is general guidance, not legal, tax or professional advice. August is one of the platforms compared. Platform features and free-tier limits change, so verify current offerings directly with each provider before committing.