How to Find Tenants in 2026: The 5 Best Places to Look

A lot of property management software advertise their rentals through Zillow or Redfin. At Hemlane, we advertise your rentals to top premium listing sites through our rental property management software. Listing your property for rent can be a daunting task. With so many rental listing platforms out there - some free, some paid, some that look great but you’ve never heard of, it’s hard to know what the best option is for your property. Most landlords are looking for the same two things when they start their listing platform search: a great, reliable tenant and the lowest vacancy possible. We’ve ranked the top five rental listing platforms for you based on real data from our over 32,000 rental listings across the country. We’re here to share where prospective and active tenants living in Hemlane properties search, apply for, and eventually sign a lease, creating happy tenants and happy owners. 

TL;DR: Hemlane operates under the “more is more” philosophy when it comes to choosing a rental listing platform. Why choose just one and miss out on an amazing tenant looking for a home just like yours on the other end of one of the platforms you pass up? You can syndicate your property to 10+ listing sites with Hemlane and manage all inquiries and screenings through our easy to use platform. Ready to get started? Don’t blame you.

Now, let's get into it.

#1 Highest Searched Rental Website: Zillow Group (Zillow, HotPads, Trulia)

Up first, Zillow isn’t only the most recognizable household name in real estate listing platforms, it’s also the most highly searched and the largest generator of Hemlane tenants. Among Hemlane listings, Zillow generates the largest number of rental inquiries over its competitors by a landslide, and takes the lead in number of applicant screenings submitted and active tenants placed. Why? Zillow is an easy-to-use listing platform for owner, which leads to a high volume of rental listings (think: millions) available for prospective tenants to check out, ie. their maps are going to be covered in purple dots available to rent. 

Tenants love a large selection so they can find the best property for their needs that lines up with their timeline, at the best price. Zillow’s mega-high tenant search volumes and inquiries do typically turn into a lower percentage of total inquiries becoming active tenants, simply because with so many properties that each tenant is reaching out to on the platform, not every inquiry can be fruitful. However, even a small percentage of these inquiries turning into active tenants makes a huge impact on the rental landscape due to the sheer volume, making it a no-brainer for owners and prospective renters alike to hit Zillow’s website as their first line of business.

#2 Most Renter-Focused: Rent. & Redfin Network

The Rent. & Redfin network comes in second on the list of top-searched rental platforms for Hemlane listings. Aside from these two listing sites, this network includes ApartmentGuide, LiveLovely, and RentPath and their many platforms are much of what help them reach far and wide. Aside from Redfin, most of these sites are focused solely on rental listings.  It can definitely feel easier for a prospective tenant not to have to filter for rentals vs. sales listings. There’s nothing worse than falling in love with a listing only to realize it’s for sale for $1.5M vs. for rent for $1,500. Bummer. RentPath and some of the others in this network take that mistake out of the equation.

#3 The Platform Built on Trust: Realtor.com

Coming in hot at number three is Realtor.com, which allows listings only from licensed real estate agents and brokers. This aspect of the platform builds in a layer of trust in the quality of the listings that makes it an appealing place for prospective tenants to search for their next home.

#4 The Rental Matchmaker: Apartment List

Apartment List markets themselves as the “rental matchmaker” of the rental listing industry. They ask prospective tenants a series of questions about their search, such as how many bedrooms they’re seeking, budget, and specific neighborhood interest, in order to help match them to their perfect apartment. This is a great resource for searchers who don’t want to spend time weeding through filters on different rental listing platforms and would rather cut right to the chase. About 50% of Hemlane’s interested rental applicants from Apartment List turn into active tenants!

#5 The Flexible-Friendly Listings: Zumper

Zumper is another one of the more tenant-oriented platforms focused primarily on rentals vs. a mix of sales and rentals. They are a flexible platform where tenants can easily search for long-term and shorter term rentals, as well, making it an attractive place for prospective tenants to take on the sometimes stressful search for a place to call home for a flexible amount of time. The search can be hard enough - having a platform that promotes understanding of different timelines sure can help.

So, where should you list your rental property to find the best tenants with the fastest lease-up time?

As we said right off the bat, more is more when it comes to advertising your rental listing. Even if certain platforms have a higher volume of searches than others, at the end of the day, our data shows that prospective tenants are searching all over the place and becoming active tenants through a variety of rental listing platforms. So, why wouldn’t you want your listing to be seen by as many potential renters as possible? Most likely, your answer is because setting up listing accounts through fifteen different listing sites doesn’t feel worth the hassle, even if your dream tenant might be on the other side of one of the foregone platforms. 

We understand that it’s a pain - so much so that we developed Hemlane to help you reach as many prospective tenants as possible through only one account. On our platform, you will create just one(!) rental listing that we will syndicate out to 10+ rental platforms for you, including (of course), our top five performers above.

All tenant inquiries will come right to you through your Hemlane account, where you can directly answer questions, run tenant screenings, and select your perfect tenant to sign a lease with (which you can also do through our platform)! With Hemlane you never have to miss out on the perfect tenant again. The best news? You can do all of this through a free trial and it’s just a click away.

Key Takeaways: Best Rental Listing Platforms for Landlords

Zillow Group (Zillow, HotPads, Trulia)

Pros:

• Highest search volume among Hemlane listings
• Generates the most rental inquiries, applicant screenings, and active tenants
• Strong brand recognition with renters

Cons:

• Higher inquiry volume can also mean lower-quality leads
• Renters may contact multiple listings at once, which can reduce conversion rates

Rent. and Redfin Network

Pros:

• Strong renter-focused experience
• Includes multiple platforms such as ApartmentGuide, LiveLovely, and RentPath
• Makes it easier for renters to search rental-only listings

Cons:

• Lower total volume than Zillow Group
• Performance may vary depending on which partner site renters use

Realtor.com

Pros:

• Strong trust factor because listings come from licensed agents and brokers
• Can appeal to renters who value listing credibility

Cons:

• More limited access than open listing marketplaces
• May not drive as much rental traffic as Zillow Group

Apartment List

Pros:

• Strong renter-matching experience based on preferences
• Can deliver higher-intent renters
• About 50% of Hemlane’s interested rental applicants from Apartment List turn into active tenants

Cons:

• Lower search volume than top listing platforms
• Best results may depend on your market and property type

Zumper

Pros:

• Flexible for both long-term and shorter-term rental searches
• Tenant-focused search experience
• Useful for reaching renters with varying timeline needs

Cons:

• Not as dominant in volume as Zillow Group
• May deliver fewer inquiries than larger listing networks

Bottom Line for Landlords

Pros of listing on multiple rental platforms:

• Expands your property’s visibility
• Helps reduce vacancy by reaching renters across different websites
• Increases your chances of finding the right tenant faster

Cons of listing on multiple platforms manually:

• Managing separate accounts takes time
• Responding to inquiries across multiple sites can get messy
• Screening and tracking applicants can feel fragmented

The biggest takeaway is simple: more exposure usually leads to better leasing results. Instead of relying on just one listing site, landlords often get the best outcome by syndicating across multiple rental platforms and managing everything in one place.

FAQs About Rental Listing Platforms

What is the best rental listing platform for landlords?

The best rental listing platform depends on your goals, but Zillow Group stands out for overall search volume, rental inquiries, applicant screenings, and active tenants among Hemlane listings. That said, the strongest strategy is usually not choosing just one platform, but getting your property in front of renters across multiple listing sites.

Where should I list my rental property to find tenants faster?

Landlords should list their rental property across multiple rental listing platforms to increase visibility and reduce vacancy. Prospective tenants search in different places, so broader distribution gives your listing a better chance of being seen by the right renter at the right time.

Does Zillow get the most rental inquiries?

Yes. Based on Hemlane data from over 32,000 rental listings, Zillow generates the largest number of rental inquiries compared to other listing platforms, along with the most applicant screenings and active tenants.

Is it better to list on one rental site or multiple rental sites?

It is generally better to list on multiple rental sites. Even if one platform generates the most traffic, renters still search across a variety of websites. Listing on multiple platforms helps landlords reach more prospective tenants and improves the chances of faster lease-up.

Which rental listing platform is best for high-quality tenant matches?

Apartment List stands out for stronger renter matching because it asks tenants questions about budget, bedrooms, and neighborhood preferences before suggesting listings. This can help connect landlords with renters who are a better fit for the property.

Why do rental listing syndication tools matter?

Rental listing syndication tools save landlords time by allowing them to create one listing and distribute it to multiple rental websites. Instead of setting up separate accounts and manually managing listings on many platforms, landlords can centralize the process and still maximize visibility.

What are the benefits of using Hemlane to advertise rentals?

Hemlane allows landlords to create one rental listing and syndicate it across 10+ rental platforms. It also centralizes tenant inquiries, screening, communication, and lease signing so landlords can manage the full leasing process from one platform.

Which rental websites are best for tenant-focused searches?

Rent., Redfin, Apartment List, and Zumper are all renter-friendly options because they focus heavily on the rental experience. Some make it easier to browse rentals only, while others help renters match with listings based on preferences and timeline.