How to choose property management software in Kenya

Updated 7 November 2026

1. It must work with how your tenants already pay

Most rent in Kenya is paid on M-Pesa, either to a bank paybill with the landlord's account number or to the landlord's own paybill or till. The software should record payments from all of these without asking tenants to change anything. Check:

• Bank paybill payments are matched to the right tenant automatically, not typed in by you.
• Your own M-Pesa paybill or till can be connected, if you have one.
• Cash and cheque payments can still be recorded by hand, with a receipt sent.
• When a tenant sends an M-Pesa code, you can confirm it in one tap instead of searching your messages.

Our guide to collecting rent on M-Pesa compares the options.

2. Your money should never sit in someone else's account

Some systems collect rent into their own account and pay you later, minus a fee. That adds a delay, a cost and a risk you don't need. Prefer software that only records rent paid directly to you and charges a flat subscription, not a percentage of your rent.

3. Reminders and chasing should run on their own

The biggest saving is not sending the same SMS to every tenant every month. Look for reminders before the due date, on the due date and after it, receipts the moment a payment lands, and an optional late fee after a grace period you choose. You should be able to see every message that went out on your behalf.

4. Water, service charges and deposits

If your units have water meters, the software should let you or your caretaker enter readings on a phone and add the charge to the next invoice. See billing tenants for water. Deposits should be tracked separately from rent so a move-out refund is easy to work out.

5. KRA rental income tax done for you

Resident landlords earning residential rent between KES 288,000 and KES 15 million a year pay Monthly Rental Income tax at 7.5% of gross rent received. Software that already knows what you received should work the figure out each month and remind you before the 20th. Read the KRA rental income tax guide.

6. Caretakers and agents with limited access

If someone else runs the building day to day, give them their own login that sees only the properties they handle and only what they need: meter readings and repairs, say, but not your bank details or reports.

7. What it should cost

Prices in Kenya range from free plans for a handful of units to monthly fees that rise with the number of units. Compare the price per unit at your size, check what SMS reminders cost, and ask whether there is a free trial so you can run one real rent cycle before paying. Nyumba's plans are on the pricing page.

A short checklist

• Rent goes straight to my paybill, till or bank — never through the software company.
• Payments are matched to tenants automatically.
• Reminders, receipts and late fees run without me.
• Tenants without smartphones are covered by SMS.
• Water and other charges go on the same invoice as rent.
• Monthly KRA rental tax is worked out for me.
• Caretakers get their own limited login.
• My data can be exported, and the company follows Kenya's Data Protection Act.

Common questions

Do I need property management software for a few units?

Not always. With three or four tenants a notebook can work. Once you are matching more than ten M-Pesa messages a month, chasing arrears by phone or working out KRA rental tax by hand, software usually pays for itself in time saved and rent that is no longer forgotten.

Should the software collect the rent for me?

It is safer if it doesn't. Look for software that records rent paid straight to your own paybill, till or bank account. If rent passes through the software company's account first, you wait for payouts and carry their risk.

Will my tenants need to download an app?

They shouldn't have to. Tenants without smartphones should still get SMS reminders and receipts and pay the way they do today. An app or web portal is a bonus for tenants who want to see their statement.

Can I move my existing tenants and arrears in?

Ask before you sign up. Good software lets you upload existing tenancies in bulk, including each tenant's balance from before, so the first month's statements are right.