Most platforms charge 2.9% + 30¢ and pocket the difference. We don't. Renters pay $3 flat for bank transfers and 2.9% + $0.30 for card — Stripe's exact rate, passed straight through. Landlords receive 100% of rent.
Free for landlords. Renters pay at cost — no rent extraction, just stewardship.
Percentage-based fees sound small until you run the numbers annually. Here's exactly what you're losing.
| Monthly Rent | Platform @ 2.9% + 30¢ | VerticalRent $3 flat (at cost) | You Keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| $800/mo | $23.50/mo → $282/yr | $3/mo → $36/yr | $246/yr |
| $1,200/mo | $35.10/mo → $421/yr | $3/mo → $36/yr | $385/yr |
| $1,500/mo | $43.80/mo → $526/yr | $3/mo → $36/yr | $490/yr |
| $2,000/mo | $58.30/mo → $700/yr | $3/mo → $36/yr | $664/yr |
| 5 units @ $1,200 | $175/mo → $2,106/yr | $15/mo → $180/yr | $1,926/yr |
Competitor percentage fee calculated at 2.9% + $0.30 (standard Stripe pass-through rate). Many platforms add additional per-unit or monthly fees on top.
Set it up once. Get paid automatically every month. Stop chasing rent.
Tenants set up auto-pay once. On the due date each month, payment is sent automatically. You don't chase, they don't forget.
Automated reminders go out 3 days before rent is due. If payment isn't received by the due date, a second reminder goes out automatically.
You set the grace period (e.g., 5 days). When it expires, late fees are automatically added to the tenant's balance and tracked in the ledger.
Late fees are calculated, applied, and communicated automatically based on the terms in your lease. No awkward conversations.
Every payment hits your income ledger automatically — categorized as rental income and ready for your Schedule E at year end.
Funds deposit directly to your bank account. ACH settles in 2–3 business days. No platform holding your money.
A smooth tenant payment experience means fewer late payments and fewer headaches for you. VerticalRent is designed to be dead simple for tenants.
Processing fee: $3.00 flat (at our actual cost)
Rent collection and your financial records work together — not separately.
Every rent payment is automatically recorded as rental income in the correct Schedule E category. No manual entry.
Income and expenses tracked per property. See profitability for each unit at a glance — not everything lumped together.
At year end, your entire ledger is ready to hand to your accountant — or run through VerticalRent's AI Tax Summary feature for a Schedule E breakdown.
The real cost of "free" rent collection platforms is hiding in the fee structure.
| Platform | Fee Per Payment | Annual Cost @ $1,500 rent | Late Fee Automation | Ledger Integration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VerticalRent ★ | $3.00 flat (at cost) | $36/yr | ✓ | ✓ |
| TurboTenant | 2.99% | $539/yr | ✓ | ✗ |
| Apartments.com | 2.75% | $495/yr | ✗ | ✗ |
| Zelle / Venmo | $0 | $0 | ✗ | ✗ |
Note on Zelle/Venmo: While they have no payment fee, you get zero automation — no auto-pay, no late fee enforcement, no ledger integration, no receipts, no records. One audit or tax question and you'll wish you had a paper trail.
Renters pay $3.00 flat for bank transfers — that's our at-cost price with no markup. Card payments are 2.9% + $0.30, Stripe's exact rate passed straight through. Landlords receive 100% of rent. We don't profit from rent payments.
Because rent payment is a utility, not a profit center. Charging 2.9% on a $1,500 rent payment is $526/year extracted from a renter's paycheck just for moving money. We think that's wrong. We pass through what Stripe charges us and call it even.
Yes. Bank transfer ($3 flat) or credit/debit card (2.9% + $0.30 — Stripe's exact rate). Both support autopay. Landlords always receive 100% of rent regardless of which method the tenant chooses.
Yes. Set your late fee amount and grace period once. When the grace period expires, late fees are automatically applied, the tenant is notified, and the amount is tracked in your ledger.
Bank transfers: 2–3 business days. Card payments: 1–2 business days. Funds go directly to your bank account — VerticalRent doesn't hold your money.
$3 flat (at cost). Auto-pay. Late fee enforcement. Ledger integration. Free to set up. No rent extraction.
Set Up Rent Collection Free