RentPay

RentPay is a tenant payment service for people whose rent is managed by an agent. It is most appealing to renters who want to align deposits with payday and use more than one way to pay. The free account is useful, but payment charges and the agent-only rule shape the decision.

Overview

Rather than serving landlords, RentPay focuses on getting rent funds ready before they are due. Its scheduled deposits, bill smoothing and optional rewards and credit-building tools make it broader than a payment portal alone. The trade-off is a narrow eligibility rule: tenants renting directly from a private landlord cannot use it.

Key features

Deposits can run weekly, fortnightly or monthly, and RentPay can debit funds on payday before rent is due. Payments can be made by bank transfer, PayID, BPAY, debit or credit card, PayPal, Alipay, WeChat Pay or UnionPay. That choice can help tenants match their payment route to their circumstances, but card and some digital-wallet payments incur charges.

Cleared funds earn 2.50% p.a. while in the RentPay account before being paid into the agent’s trust account. Interest is calculated on balances up to $9,500 and the wallet caps at $9,999, making this a limited holding benefit rather than a reason to keep a large balance there.

Bill smoothing lets users contribute toward bills from any Australian provider on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly schedule. Paylab rewards can reach 15% at more than 140 Australian retailers and can be transferred to the RentPay account. These features broaden the account’s usefulness beyond rent, though rewards are most relevant to people who shop with participating retailers.

Scorebuilder reports account status monthly to illion. Any drawn funds are repaid by automatic direct debit over four fortnights, so its credit-building purpose comes with a repayment commitment and separate fees. RentPay says funds are held in an Australian bank trust account, personal and payment information is stored in a high-security data centre, and its PCI compliance is supported by annual security audits.

RentPay works alongside existing trust-accounting software and supports BPAY/DEFT or bank-transfer/OSKO payments to agents. Australian-based support is available by phone, email or live chat Monday to Friday, 8:30am–6:30pm AEST. Payment history can be viewed in the app, but cannot currently be downloaded, which limits record-keeping outside the service.

Pricing

The RentPay account costs nothing, with $0 monthly fee, $0 to sign up and $0 to send money. Payment-method charges still apply: 1.15% for credit/debit card, 1.75% for PayPal, 1.50% for Alipay/WeChat Pay, 2.20% for UnionPay and $1.00 for BPAY. Bank transfer and PayID are listed as payment methods without a stated charge. The free account suits tenants who can use a lower-cost route; frequent card or wallet payers should account for the recurring transaction fees.

Scorebuilder costs A$5, paid once, a $5.00 one-time application fee, and includes up to $500 credit. It also carries a $1.50 monthly account fee, a $4.00 fortnightly usage fee with an outstanding balance and a $15.00 missed-payment fee. This is for renters who specifically want the credit-building feature and can manage its automatic repayments; it is not necessary for using the free RentPay account.

Platforms

RentPay is available on Android, iOS and the web. Autopay, payment reminders and a tenant payment portal support routine rent administration; owner disbursements are not part of the service.

Who it's for

RentPay fits tenants paying through an agent who want scheduled funding, multiple payment routes or bill smoothing in one service. It is less suitable for private-landlord renters, people seeking downloadable payment records, or anyone unwilling to pay method-specific fees for card and wallet convenience.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Weekly, fortnightly and monthly schedules can align rent funding with paydays.
• Pros: A broad set of payment methods, bill smoothing and transferable retailer rewards add uses beyond rent payments.
• Pros: Cleared balances earn 2.50% p.a. before rent is paid to the agent, subject to the interest cap.
• Cons: Only tenants renting through an agent are eligible.
• Cons: Card, wallet and BPAY payments have stated charges, so the account is not fee-free for every payment route.
• Cons: Payment history cannot be downloaded, and Scorebuilder adds ongoing fees and a missed-payment charge.

Alternatives

For a broader rental-management tool rather than an agent-eligible tenant payment account, consider Rentberry, whose free tenant plan includes rent negotiation, maintenance requests, property tour requests, eSign and cloud storage. Baselane Rent Collection is another option for users seeking banking and bookkeeping alongside automated rent collection, reminders and late fees on its free Core plan; it also offers a trial.

RentMerchant may suit users managing up to three properties at no charge, with a paid Pro plan for unlimited properties and units. For a web-based rental management system with a permanent free tier capped at three units, consider Dawzer RMS. EstateDeck offers a free DIY Landlord plan for up to five units, while RentRedi has a free plan for up to two properties on Android and iOS.

Avail is worth considering for web users who want unlimited units on its free plan or next-day deposits and waived ACH charges on Unlimited Plus. NoBroker Rent Collection is another rent-collection alternative.

Browse the Rent Payment Software category for more options.

Verdict

Choose RentPay if you rent through an agent and want rent funding scheduled around your income, with bill smoothing and several payment routes in the same account. Its free monthly account price is attractive, but method fees, Scorebuilder costs and the lack of downloadable history are meaningful limits. Private-landlord tenants should look elsewhere.