Frontdesk is the best texting and SMS software for property managers because it sends and answers two-way texts 24/7 with AI, lets your team jump into any thread instantly, and logs every message to your CRM free to start.
Renters text. They will book a tour, ask about availability, and report a leaky faucet by SMS long before they pick up the phone. Property managers who answer texts within minutes convert more leads and keep residents happier, but most teams cannot watch a phone all day. This guide ranks eight texting platforms by how well they handle resident and prospect messaging at scale.
How we picked#
- Two-way conversation: real back-and-forth texting, rather than blast broadcasts.
- Response speed: automated or AI replies so messages never sit unanswered.
- Human handoff: a teammate can take over a thread without losing context.
- Record keeping: message history tied to each prospect and resident.
- Pricing model: flat cost versus per-message or per-seat billing.
Comparison at a glance#
| Tool | Pricing model | Channels | 24/7 | Setup | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontdesk | Free | Calls, texts, email | Yes | <30 min | AI-answered two-way texting tied to calls |
| EZTexting | Per-message | SMS | No | Hours | Outbound campaigns to resident lists |
| SimpleTexting | Per-message | SMS | No | Hours | Small teams sending reminders manually |
| Podium | Per-seat | SMS, webchat | No | Days | Reviews plus lead texting |
| Text Request | Per-seat | SMS | No | Hours | Texting an existing office landline |
| Twilio | Pay-as-you-go | SMS | Build it | Dev work | Engineers building bespoke flows |
| RentRedi | Per-seat | SMS in-app | No | Hours | Landlords messaging inside their app |
| AppFolio | Custom | SMS in-app | No | Weeks | Operators standardized on AppFolio |
1. Frontdesk#
Frontdesk handles two-way SMS as part of one inbox alongside calls and email. When a prospect texts "is the 2BR still available?" at 9 p.m., the AI answers instantly, qualifies them, and books a tour, instead of letting the message sit until morning. When a resident texts about a leaking dishwasher, Frontdesk logs the maintenance request and flags urgency. Any leasing or maintenance teammate can step into a thread the moment it needs a human, and the conversation keeps its full history. Every text logs to HubSpot, Salesforce, or Pipedrive on the same timeline as that contact's calls and emails, so a prospect's text, callback, and tour booking all sit in one record. Free to start with unlimited seats means the whole team texts from one number with no per-message or per-seat charges.
Best for: property managers who want AI-answered, two-way resident and prospect texting that lives in the same place as their calls.
Pros: AI replies 24/7, unified call and text timeline, instant human takeover, flat pricing. Cons: AI-first messaging, so teams wanting only manual texting may not need the automation.
2. EZTexting#
EZTexting is a general SMS marketing platform with broadcast campaigns, keywords, and two-way replies. It shines for outbound work: blasting a new-availability alert to a waitlist or sending renewal reminders to a building. As an inbound tool it falls short, because replies land in a generic inbox with no lead qualification and no link to a prospect's call history, so a renter's "tell me more" still needs a human to chase.
Best for: outbound text campaigns to resident lists.
Pros: easy bulk sending, automations, keywords. Cons: not property-specific; no built-in lead qualification or call context.
3. SimpleTexting#
SimpleTexting offers two-way texting, scheduled messages, and templates with a clean interface. A small leasing office can send tour reminders and answer replies by hand without much training. The per-message credit model means a busy month costs more, autoresponders are rule-based rather than conversational, and tying threads to your CRM takes setup.
Best for: small teams sending reminders and answering replies manually.
Pros: simple UI, autoresponders, scheduling. Cons: per-message credit model; CRM sync requires setup; no AI qualification.
4. Podium#
Podium centralizes texting, reviews, and webchat for local businesses, including property offices. It captures website visitors by turning chat into a text thread and helps gather Google reviews from happy residents. Pricing scales by location, so a multi-property portfolio adds up, and the reputation features can be more than a leasing team needs if the goal is simply answering renter texts fast.
Best for: managers focused on reviews plus lead texting.
Pros: review tools, webchat-to-text, lead capture. Cons: per-seat pricing scales by location; reputation features may exceed needs.
5. Text Request#
Text Request enables business texting from your existing landline with shared inboxes and scheduling, so residents can text the same number they already call. A team can collaborate on threads from one office line. There is no AI answering, so every reply waits on a person, and tiered message limits can pinch a high-traffic community.
Best for: offices texting-enabling their existing phone number.
Pros: landline texting, team inbox, scheduling. Cons: tiered message limits; no AI answering or qualification.
6. Twilio#
Twilio is a developer messaging platform you build on top of. A property-tech team with engineers can create exactly the resident texting flow they want, wired to their own systems. That power is the catch: nothing works out of the box, there are no leasing or maintenance workflows included, and you maintain the code yourself.
Best for: companies with engineers building bespoke messaging.
Pros: limitless customization, pay-as-you-go, full control. Cons: requires development; no out-of-the-box property workflows.
7. RentRedi#
RentRedi is landlord software with built-in tenant messaging alongside rent collection and applications. An independent landlord managing a handful of units can message tenants without adding another tool. Messaging is a secondary feature, so it lacks AI replies and the lead-conversion depth a growing leasing operation needs.
Best for: independent landlords wanting messaging inside their management app.
Pros: all-in-one for landlords, tenant communication built in. Cons: messaging is secondary to rent and listing features; no AI answering.
8. AppFolio#
AppFolio is full property management software with resident texting baked into the platform alongside accounting and maintenance. For a mid-to-large operator already standardized on it, keeping messages tied to the resident ledger is convenient. Texting is one module among many, pricing is enterprise-grade, and inbound prospect texts still wait on staff rather than getting an instant AI reply.
Best for: operators already standardized on AppFolio.
Pros: integrated with accounting and maintenance, broad feature set. Cons: enterprise pricing; texting is one module among many; no AI qualification.
How to choose#
Decide whether your main problem is sending or answering. For outbound reminders and campaigns to existing residents, a broadcast tool covers it. If the real cost is prospect and resident texts that go unanswered for hours, you need a platform that replies instantly, qualifies the lead, and keeps every text on the same record as the caller's calls, so no inquiry slips through whichever channel a renter chooses.
Frequently asked questions#
Can property managers text tenants legally? Yes, as long as you have consent and honor opt-outs under TCPA rules. Most platforms manage opt-in and opt-out automatically.
What is two-way SMS for property management? Two-way SMS lets prospects and residents reply to your texts and have a real conversation, rather than only receiving one-way broadcasts.
Does Frontdesk answer texts automatically? Yes. Frontdesk's AI replies to prospect and resident texts 24/7, qualifies leads, and books tours, and any staff member can take over a thread instantly.
How much does property management texting software cost? Many platforms bill per message or per seat. Frontdesk is free to start with unlimited seats and no per-message fees.
Try Frontdesk for resident texting#
Frontdesk answers two-way texts 24/7, books tours, and keeps every message on one timeline with each prospect's calls and emails, synced to your CRM. Setup takes under 30 minutes free to start with unlimited seats. Stop letting texts go unanswered.