Cozy Shut Down. Here's the Best Alternative in 2026.
On December 31, 2022, CoStar Group shut down Cozy and redirected its users to Apartments.com. If you loved what Cozy was — simple, free, landlord-friendly — VerticalRent is the closest thing to what Cozy should have become.
No credit card required. Free plan includes 1 door and enough AI credits to try John.
Your price at 10 units
First door included. Additional doors $2/month each. Never more than $99/month.
Cozy shut down in 2022 — it is not a live $0 product. At 10 units, VerticalRent landlord Platinum is $23/mo.
Cozy is discontinued. Source https://www.cozy.co/ (checked 2026-09-20).
The Story of Cozy's Shutdown
CoStar Group acquires Cozy. The platform continues to operate mostly unchanged as CoStar evaluates how to integrate it with their portfolio of real estate sites (Apartments.com, LoopNet, Homes.com).
CoStar announces Cozy will shut down on December 31, 2022. All users will be migrated to Apartments.com's landlord platform. Hundreds of thousands of landlords scramble to find alternatives.
Cozy goes offline permanently. User data migrated to Apartments.com. CoStar already had Apartments.com — running two parallel free landlord platforms didn't fit their business model.
Why CoStar Really Shut Down Cozy
CoStar's primary business is selling listing exposure and real estate data to landlords, agents, and investors. Cozy's hundreds of thousands of landlords represented a user base CoStar could migrate to Apartments.com — where those landlords would be encouraged to pay for premium listings and ad placement. Free tools for landlords weren't the business model. Listing revenue was.
What You Loved About Cozy (And What's Available Now)
Cozy was genuinely good. Here's how the alternatives stack up against what it offered.
| Feature | Cozy (RIP) | Apartments.com | VerticalRent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free rent collection | Yes — landlord free | With fees & limits | 3% platform fee |
| Truly free for landlords | Yes | $4/mo for dashboard | Free plan available |
| No monthly fees | Yes — genuinely free | $4/mo landlord fee | Free $0; Platinum $5 optional |
| AI risk score | Not available | Not available | Platinum AI Risk Score 0–100 |
| AI lease generation | Not available | Not available | Platinum — full lease in seconds |
| Background check | Basic (applicant pays) | Available | Criminal, eviction, rental history — pick is Platinum |
| Lease storage | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile-friendly | Yes | Yes | Full responsive design |
| Built for landlords (not listings) | Yes | Primarily a listing platform | Yes — landlord-first |
Based on publicly available information as of 2026.
Why Apartments.com Is Not a Real Cozy Replacement
Apartments.com took Cozy's user base but not Cozy's mission. Apartments.com's primary business is selling listing exposure to landlords — the free landlord tools are a funnel to get you to pay for premium listings.
Rent collection through Apartments.com now has landlord fees ($2–$4/month for the full dashboard) and tenant card fees (2.99%). Cozy was genuinely free for landlords. Apartments.com is free-ish, with asterisks.
More importantly: Apartments.com has no AI features. In 2022, that wasn't a differentiator. In 2026, it's a significant gap.
All the Cozy Alternatives, Ranked Honestly
TurboTenant
Good for basicsSolid free tier for basic management. No AI features. Good for landlords who want simple rent collection without the bells.
AI features
Avail (by Realtor.com)
Good for listingsStrong listing distribution on Realtor.com network. No AI features. Post-CoStar acquisition has been focused on listing funnels over landlord tools.
AI features
Innago
Truly freeTruly free platform. No AI features. Simple and clean — a reasonable choice if you want basic rent collection for free.
AI features
VerticalRent
AI-poweredAI-powered platform with 3% rent collection, applicant-paid application fees, Platinum AI leases, and a free first door. The most modern option.
AI features
Why VerticalRent Is the Cozy Successor Built for 2026
Cozy was beloved because it was simple, landlord-first, and genuinely free. VerticalRent carries that same DNA: free for 1 unit, honest pricing when you grow, built for the self-managing landlord who doesn't want enterprise software.
The difference is what's been added on top: Platinum AI tenant risk scoring, Platinum AI lease generation, Platinum AI maintenance triage, and 3% rent collection that's actually more affordable than the fees Apartments.com now charges.
Free for 1 unit
Like Cozy was
3% rent fee
After Verify $5 or Platinum
Platinum AI
Leases, screening pick, triage
15 min setup
Simple like Cozy
Cozy App FAQ
Did Cozy app shut down?
Yes. Cozy shut down on December 31, 2022. CoStar Group, which acquired Cozy in 2018, redirected all users to Apartments.com's landlord platform.
What is the best Cozy alternative?
VerticalRent is the closest to what Cozy was: simple, landlord-first, and free to start. Platinum adds AI Cozy never had — AI risk scoring, AI lease generation, and AI maintenance triage. Any single report is 1 screening credit ($5). A $5 identity check becomes 1 credit. Platinum includes identity and 1 report each month.
What happened to my Cozy data?
CoStar migrated Cozy user data to Apartments.com in January 2023. If you haven't logged in since the migration, contact Apartments.com support to recover your data.
Is Apartments.com a good Cozy replacement?
Adequate for listing visibility, but Apartments.com is primarily a listing platform — not a landlord management tool. The free tier has limitations Cozy didn't have.
Can I use VerticalRent for free like I used Cozy?
Yes. VerticalRent's free plan supports 1 door with workspace tools and John. AI leases and extra doors are Platinum at $5/month. Rent collection uses a 3% platform fee after Verify ($5) or Platinum.
The New Home for Cozy Landlords
Simple. Landlord-first. Free to start. With AI features Cozy never had.
Start Free — No Credit CardFree plan · 1 door · enough AI to try John · Cancel anytime