An August alternative for landlords who mainly need repairs and certificates handled
If you're looking for an August alternative, the honest short answer is that it depends on what you need the app for. August is a strong all-round landlord app with rent tracking, bank feeds and Making Tax Digital reporting, and it's free for up to two tenancies. Gaffy does less, on purpose: it gives each property a repair link your tenant opens in their browser, puts every request in one maintenance inbox, and keeps your gas safety, EICR and EPC certificates in a vault that warns you before they expire. If your pain is money and tax, August is likely the better fit. If your pain is repairs arriving by text at 11pm and certificates you forget to renew, Gaffy is built for exactly that.
Updated
What August offers today (checked 21 October 2026)
We re-read August's pricing page on 21 October 2026 before writing this. According to that page:
- Free plan: up to 2 tenancies, 1 bank account, income and expenses view, smart tenancy setup and auto-document scanning, with no card required.
- Growth: £8.99 a month, up to 5 tenancies, with MTD reporting.
- Portfolio: £14.99 a month, up to 20 tenancies and 6 bank accounts.
- Portfolio+: £29.99 a month, unlimited tenancies and 20 bank accounts.
- Paid plans come with a 30-day free trial and a 14-day money-back guarantee, annual billing saves 20%, and tenants use August free.
- Document storage is capped by plan: 5 documents on Free, 100 on Growth, unlimited above that.
August's plan table also lists tenant maintenance requests and maintenance logging, certificate reminders and document linking, and a compliance task tracker. In other words, August covers repairs and compliance too. It's a genuine all-in-one, and we'd rather say that plainly than pretend otherwise.
August vs Gaffy: the main differences
| August | Gaffy | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free for 2 tenancies; Growth £8.99/mo for 5 | £12/mo for up to 5 properties, first month free |
| Larger portfolios | £14.99/mo up to 20 tenancies; £29.99/mo unlimited | £4/mo for each property over 5 |
| Rent tracking and bank feeds | Yes | No |
| Making Tax Digital reporting | Yes, on paid plans | No; we suggest pairing with accounting software |
| How tenants report repairs | Tenant uses the August app (free for tenants) | A browser link for each property; no app, no tenant account |
| Document storage | 5 / 100 / unlimited documents by plan | Document vault per property on every plan |
| Certificate expiry reminders | Yes | Yes (gas safety, EICR, EPC) |
| Done-for-you setup | Not stated on pricing page | Yes, we'll set up your properties for you |
Sources: August pricing page; Gaffy pricing page. Both fetched 21 October 2026.
When August is the better choice
We'd point you to August if:
- You want one app for money and maintenance. Rent tracking with bank feeds and transaction matching is a core part of August, and Gaffy doesn't do it.
- Making Tax Digital is your biggest worry. August includes MTD reporting on Growth, Portfolio and Portfolio+. Gaffy doesn't file anything with HMRC.
- You have one or two lets and want to pay nothing. August's Free plan covers 2 tenancies at no cost. Gaffy's first month is free, then it's £12 a month.
When Gaffy is the better August alternative
Gaffy tends to suit landlords who already have their money side handled (an accountant, a spreadsheet they're happy with, or tools like Hammock) and want the operational side calmer.
Your tenants won't install another app
With Gaffy, every property gets its own link. The tenant opens it in their phone's browser, describes the problem and attaches up to 5 photos. There's no download, no password and no account. If your tenants are the sort who ignore app invites, a link you can text them is the difference between a tidy repair record and a WhatsApp thread.
You want a proper maintenance inbox
Every report lands in one inbox, filed against the right property, and moves from New to Scheduled to Done. Photos and the outcome stay with the request, so next time the boiler plays up you can see what happened before and who fixed it.
You have lots of certificates to keep track of
Each property has a vault. Tag a document as gas safety (CP12), EICR or EPC, add its expiry date, and Gaffy flags anything expired or expiring soon. There's no document cap on any plan.
You'd like someone to set it up for you
Short on time? Tell us about your properties and we'll set them up in Gaffy for you, so your tenants can have their repair links straight away.
How much does an August alternative cost?
Price is where the two differ most, so it's worth being precise.
- 1 to 2 tenancies: August Free costs £0. Gaffy costs £12 a month after the free first month.
- 3 to 5: August Growth is £8.99 a month. Gaffy is £12 a month.
- 10 properties: August Portfolio is £14.99 a month. Gaffy is £12 + (5 × £4) = £32 a month.
- 20 properties: August Portfolio is £14.99 a month. Gaffy is £12 + (15 × £4) = £72 a month.
So August is cheaper at almost every size. Gaffy is worth paying for only if the browser repair link, the per-property vault with no document cap, and our setup service save you more time than the difference costs. Gaffy is not VAT registered.
Is there an August alternative with no tenant app?
Yes, that's the core of Gaffy. A lot of landlord apps (August included) ask tenants to use their app. That works well when tenants engage. When they don't, repairs drift back to text and phone calls, and you lose the paper trail. A link needs nothing from the tenant beyond opening it. It's also simple to add to a tenancy welcome email or a sticker by the boiler.
Can I use Gaffy and August together?
You can. Some landlords keep August's Free plan for rent tracking on two tenancies and use Gaffy for repairs and certificates. If you do that, keep certificates in one place only, so you aren't maintaining two sets of expiry dates.
How to switch from August to Gaffy
- Export or download your certificates from August (gas safety, EICR, EPC and anything else you want to keep).
- Sign up to Gaffy free. No card needed for the first month.
- Add each property and upload the certificates with their expiry dates. Or send us the details and we'll do it for you.
- Text your tenant their repair link. From that point, new repairs arrive in your Gaffy inbox.
- Keep August running for rent if you still want it, or cancel through August once you've moved what you need.
What Gaffy doesn't do
To keep this fair: Gaffy doesn't track rent, connect to your bank, file Making Tax Digital returns, sign contracts electronically, or dispatch contractors. We remind you about certificates; we don't book the engineer. If those features matter to you, August or an accounting tool will serve you better.
See features, pricing and the other alternatives.
FAQ
What is the best August alternative for UK landlords?
It depends on why you're leaving. For landlords who want maintenance and certificates handled without asking tenants to download an app, Gaffy is a focused alternative. For accounting-heavy needs, look at tools built around tax, such as Landlord Vision or Hammock.
Is August free for landlords?
August's pricing page says the Free plan covers up to 2 tenancies with no card required. Paid plans start at £8.99 a month for up to 5 tenancies (checked 21 October 2026).
Is Gaffy cheaper than August?
No. At most portfolio sizes August's listed prices are lower. Gaffy is £12 a month for up to 5 properties plus £4 for each extra, with the first month free.
Does Gaffy do Making Tax Digital like August?
No. Gaffy doesn't submit anything to HMRC. You can log repair costs against each property, which helps at tax time, but you'll need MTD-compatible software for filing.
Do my tenants need an app with Gaffy?
No. Tenants report repairs through a link in their phone's browser, with up to 5 photos, and don't need an account.
Does August have tenant maintenance requests?
Yes. August's plan comparison lists tenant maintenance requests and maintenance logging.
Can you move my properties into Gaffy for me?
Yes. Tell us about your properties and we'll set them up in Gaffy for you.
Do you add VAT to the price?
No. Gaffy is not VAT registered.
Sources
- August pricing: https://www.augustapp.com/pricing (fetched 21 October 2026)
- Gaffy pricing: https://gaffy.co/pricing
- Gaffy features: https://gaffy.co/features
Start free for 1 month No card needed.