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Indlu vs reOS vs PayProp: Which Rental Software Is Right for You?

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Indlu vs reOS vs PayProp: Which Rental Software Is Right for You?

South African landlords and property managers have three serious contenders when it comes to rental software: Indlu, reOS, and PayProp. Each platform has clear strengths — but they serve very different users.

This three-way comparison will help you decide which rental software is the right fit for your portfolio, whether you manage one property or one hundred.

Quick Overview

Indlu is an AI-powered property management platform built for individual South African landlords. It combines tenant screening, compliance tools, and portfolio management at an affordable price point.

reOS (Real Estate Operating System) is a comprehensive property management platform designed for mid-to-large rental agencies that need end-to-end lifecycle management — from listings to maintenance to accounting.

PayProp is South Africa’s leading automated rental payment processing platform, specialising in trust account management and rent distribution for agencies.

Feature Comparison

Tenant Screening

  • Indlu: Built-in AI screening aggregating TPN, TransUnion, and Experian data. Includes document verification, affordability modelling, and automated POPIA consent. Part of the standard subscription.
  • reOS: Basic screening integrations available. Typically requires connecting to external providers and managing the process separately.
  • PayProp: No screening functionality. You need a separate TPN or bureau account.

Best for screening: Indlu — it’s the only platform where multi-bureau AI screening is a core feature, not an add-on.

Rent Collection and Payment Processing

  • Indlu: Automated invoicing, payment tracking, and arrears management. Designed for landlords collecting rent directly from tenants.
  • reOS: Full rent collection and distribution with trust account management. Handles multi-owner disbursements.
  • PayProp: Industry-leading automated payment processing. Excellent at collecting rent, deducting fees, and distributing funds across multiple stakeholders through compliant trust accounts.

Best for payments: PayProp for agency-scale trust account processing. Indlu for individual landlords collecting rent directly.

Property and Lease Management

  • Indlu: Lease generation compliant with the Rental Housing Act, deposit tracking with interest calculations, tenant records, and portfolio overview.
  • reOS: Full lifecycle management including listings syndication, lease administration, tenant communication portals, and document management.
  • PayProp: Basic tenant and lease records. Primarily a payment platform — management features are secondary.

Best for management: reOS for comprehensive lifecycle needs. Indlu for streamlined individual landlord management.

Maintenance and Repairs

  • Indlu: Maintenance request logging and tracking. Straightforward workflow for self-managing landlords.
  • reOS: Comprehensive maintenance management with contractor databases, work order tracking, cost approvals, and tenant communication.
  • PayProp: Not a core feature. Limited to basic record-keeping.

Best for maintenance: reOS — its maintenance workflow is built for agencies managing high volumes of repair requests.

Compliance

  • Indlu: Dedicated compliance dashboard covering POPIA, Rental Housing Act obligations, deposit rules, lease requirements, and screening consent.
  • reOS: SA compliance features built into the platform, though primarily oriented toward agency compliance (trust accounts, EAAB requirements).
  • PayProp: Strong trust account compliance. Limited individual landlord compliance tools.

Best for landlord compliance: Indlu — purpose-built for individual landlord obligations.

Financial Reporting

  • Indlu: Income and expense tracking, tax-ready SARS summaries, rental yield calculations, and portfolio performance analytics.
  • reOS: Comprehensive accounting and financial management, including trust accounting, owner statements, and integration with major accounting platforms.
  • PayProp: Detailed payment reports and transaction histories. Integrates with Xero, Sage, and other accounting software.

Best for reporting: reOS for agency-grade accounting. Indlu for individual landlord tax and performance reporting.

Listings and Marketing

  • Indlu: Currently focused on management and screening. Listings features in development.
  • reOS: Strong listings syndication to Property24, Private Property, and other major SA portals. Automated marketing tools.
  • PayProp: No listings functionality.

Best for listings: reOS.

Pricing Comparison

Indlu

  • Free tier available (1 property, basic features)
  • Starter: R99/mo (up to 5 properties, full screening, compliance tools)
  • Pro: R249/mo (up to 20 properties, advanced analytics, priority support)
  • No setup fees. No volume charges. No lock-in contracts.

reOS

  • Tiered pricing based on portfolio size
  • Setup and onboarding fees apply
  • Monthly subscription plus per-unit charges at higher tiers
  • Pricing not publicly listed — requires demo and quote

PayProp

  • Volume-based pricing with setup fees and monthly licence costs
  • Per-transaction or percentage-based charges
  • Pricing not publicly listed — requires demo and quote
  • Setup fees typically range from R2,000–R5,000+

Most affordable for small landlords: Indlu, by a significant margin. You know exactly what you’ll pay from day one.

Choose Indlu If…

  • You’re an individual landlord managing 1–20 properties yourself
  • Tenant screening is a priority and you want it built into your platform
  • You need help staying compliant with the Rental Housing Act and POPIA
  • You want transparent, affordable pricing without setup fees
  • You prefer a modern, self-service platform you can set up in minutes
  • You need tax-ready financial reports for SARS without external accounting software

Choose reOS If…

  • You run a rental agency managing properties for multiple owners
  • You need end-to-end lifecycle management from listings to maintenance
  • Listings syndication to Property24 and other portals is important
  • You have a dedicated team that can handle the steeper learning curve
  • You need comprehensive maintenance workflows with contractor management
  • Your portfolio exceeds 50+ properties and you need enterprise-grade tools

Choose PayProp If…

  • You’re a rental agency that primarily needs automated payment processing
  • Trust account compliance is a core requirement
  • You manage properties for multiple owners and need automated fund distribution
  • You already have tenant screening handled through a separate provider
  • You value PayProp’s market reputation and established track record

Can You Use Them Together?

Some agencies actually use PayProp for payment processing alongside reOS for management — they solve different problems. However, for individual landlords, this kind of multi-platform setup adds unnecessary cost and complexity.

Indlu is designed to be your single platform — screening, management, compliance, and reporting all in one place. No need to juggle multiple subscriptions and logins.

The Verdict

There’s no single “best” rental software — it depends on who you are and what you need. But the decision framework is straightforward:

  • Individual landlords: Indlu gives you the best value with built-in screening and compliance at R99/mo
  • Full-service agencies: reOS provides the most comprehensive lifecycle management
  • Payment-focused agencies: PayProp leads in automated rent processing and trust accounts

For a broader view of the market, see our full best property management software comparison.

Try Indlu free for your first property — no setup fees, no credit card required. Get started today.

Ibhalwe ngu

Indlu Team

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