Landlord software free of charge: what you really get in the UK
August has a free plan for up to 2 tenancies [1]. Hammock offers a 30-day free trial before its paid plans, which start at £8 + VAT a month [2]. A spreadsheet plus your email is free forever but gives you no reminders. Gaffy is free for your first month with no card needed, then £12 a month for up to 5 properties and £4 a month for each additional property.
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If you're searching for landlord software free of charge, the honest answer is that genuinely free tools exist, but almost all of them are free up to a limit: a number of tenancies, a number of documents, or a trial period. That's not a trick. It's how the market works. This page sets out what the main free options include as of 22 October 2026, where the limits usually bite, and when paying a small monthly fee saves you more time than it costs.
Is there any landlord software free forever?
Yes, but with caps. When we checked August's pricing page on 21 October 2026, its Free plan covered up to 2 tenancies, 1 bank account and 5 documents, with no card required [1]. That's a real option for an accidental landlord with one flat.
Most other landlord tools are free only as a trial. Hammock lists a 30-day free trial, then Basic at £8 + VAT a month for 1 to 3 properties [2]. Landlord Vision's pricing page shows paid plans only [3].
The free-forever route most landlords already use is the DIY stack: a spreadsheet for rent, a folder for certificates and WhatsApp for repairs. It costs nothing. What it lacks is anything that tells you when a gas safety record is about to expire, or a clean record of what a tenant reported and when.
Free landlord software UK options compared
| Option | What's free | Where the limit is | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| August | Free plan [1] | 2 tenancies, 1 bank account, 5 documents [1] | One or two lets, rent tracking |
| Hammock | 30-day trial [2] | Paid after the trial, from £8 + VAT a month [2] | Accounting and Making Tax Digital |
| Landlord Vision | No free plan listed [3] | Paid plans [3] | Full accounting suite |
| Spreadsheet + email | Free forever | No reminders, no tenant channel | Very simple portfolios |
| Gaffy | First month free, no card | £12 a month after, for up to 5 properties | Repairs, certificates, documents |
Prices are as published on each provider's site when we checked; they change, so check before you sign up.
What "free" usually leaves out
Free plans tend to limit the things that grow with your portfolio:
- Number of tenancies or properties. The second or third let tips you onto a paid plan.
- Document storage. A cap of a handful of documents fills up fast once you store a gas safety record, EICR, EPC, tenancy agreement and deposit certificate for each property.
- Making Tax Digital. Filing tools are usually on paid tiers. If MTD for Income Tax applies to you, you'll need compatible software [4].
- Support. Free users often get help articles rather than a person.
None of that makes free plans bad. It just means you should pick the one whose limits sit furthest from the thing you need most.
When free landlord software is enough
Free is usually enough if you have one property, your tenant rarely reports problems, and you're under the Making Tax Digital thresholds. From 6 April 2026, MTD for Income Tax applies to landlords and sole traders with qualifying income over £50,000 in 2024–25; from 6 April 2027 the threshold is £30,000, and from 6 April 2028 it's £20,000 [4]. Below those, a spreadsheet for income and expenses still works, as long as you keep your records for at least 5 years after the 31 January filing deadline [5].
When it's worth paying a little
Paying starts to make sense when a missed date or a lost message would cost more than the subscription. Gas safety checks must be done every 12 months and you must give tenants a copy of the record [6]. An EICR is needed at least every 5 years in England [7]. Miss either and you're exposed to fines, and a lost repair message is harder to defend if a dispute comes up.
That's the gap Gaffy is built for. For £12 a month for up to 5 properties, you get:
- a repair link for each property, which your tenant opens in their phone's browser to report a problem with photos, with no app or account,
- one maintenance inbox, so every request has its photos, status and outcome in one place,
- a document vault for each property, where gas safety, EICR and EPC certificates are tagged with expiry dates and flagged before they lapse,
- simple cost logging against each property, a room-by-room inventory, and dated move-in and move-out photo sets.
We don't collect rent, do referencing or file tax. If you need those, pair Gaffy with a tool that does.
Is Gaffy free?
Your first month is free, with every feature included and no card needed to start. After that it's £12 a month for up to 5 properties, plus £4 a month for each property over 5. So 6 properties is £16 a month and 10 is £32. If you're short on time, tell us about your properties and we'll set them up in Gaffy for you.
How to choose free landlord software in 5 minutes
- List your properties and tenancies. If you have more than 2 tenancies, most free-forever plans won't fit.
- Check whether MTD applies to you. Use HMRC's checker [4]. If it does, you need compatible software, so look at Hammock, Landlord Vision or August's paid tiers.
- Name your biggest headache. Money, tax, or repairs and certificates. Pick the tool built for that.
- Count your documents. Each property needs several certificates. Make sure storage won't run out.
- Try before paying. Use the free plan or free month with a real property, not a test one.
People also ask
Is there free landlord software in the UK?
Yes. August has a free plan for up to 2 tenancies [1], and most others, including Hammock and Gaffy, offer a free trial period before paid plans [2].
What is the best free landlord app?
It depends on the job. For rent tracking on one or two tenancies, August's free plan is a strong start [1]. For tenant repairs and certificate reminders, Gaffy's free first month lets you test it on all your properties.
Can I manage my rental with a spreadsheet for free?
Yes. HMRC accepts records kept in a spreadsheet if MTD doesn't apply to you yet, but you must keep accurate records of rent and expenses [5]. A spreadsheet won't remind you about certificate expiry dates, so add calendar reminders.
Do I need software for Making Tax Digital?
Only if you're in scope. If your qualifying income was over £50,000 in 2024–25, you've needed MTD-compatible software since 6 April 2026 [4]. Gaffy isn't MTD software.
Does Gaffy have a free plan?
Gaffy has a free first month with every feature included. After that it's £12 a month for up to 5 properties.
Start your free month · See all features · Pricing
FAQ
Do I need a card to start Gaffy's free month?
No. You can sign up and add your first property without a card.
Will my tenant need to download anything?
No. Each property has its own repair link that opens in the tenant's browser.
Can I use Gaffy alongside free accounting tools?
Yes. Many landlords keep their books in one tool and use Gaffy for repairs and certificates.
Is VAT added to Gaffy's price?
No. The price you see is the price you pay.
Sources
- August pricing (ww.augustapp.com/pricing (checked 21 October 2026)
- Hammock pricing (ww.usehammock.com/pricing (checked 22 October 2026)
- Landlord Vision pricing (ww.landlordvision.co.uk/pricing/ (checked 22 October 2026)
- HMRC, Find out if and when you need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (ww.gov.uk/guidance/find-out-if-and-when-you-need-to-use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax)
- HMRC, Work out your rental income when you let property (ww.gov.uk/guidance/income-tax-when-you-rent-out-a-property-working-out-your-rental-income)
- HSE, Gas safety: landlords and letting agents (ww.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/faqlandlord.htm)
- GOV.UK, Electrical safety standards in the private rented sector (ww.gov.uk/government/publications/electrical-safety-standards-in-the-private-rented-sector-guidance-for-landlords-tenants-and-local-authorities)