How is A-du different from TurboTenant?

TurboTenant is a general landlord toolkit that begins at the listing: marketing, applications, screening, leases, and rent collection for any rental nationwide. A-du does the leasing parts too, but is built specifically for Accessory Dwelling Units and adds the entire pre-rental side: ADU plans, permit-fee calculators, GIS lot lookup, and licensed contractor bidding. A-du also adds a vetted property-manager marketplace.

TurboTenant is free for landlords. Is A-du?

A-du does not charge the landlord a fee out of rent. The landlord receives 100% of the listed rent, and the tenant pays the service fee (lower for ACH, higher for card). Screening is paid per report. Compare total cost on the features you will actually use, since TurboTenant also charges for some add-ons.

Should I switch from TurboTenant to A-du?

If you own a standard rental anywhere in the US and only need leasing tools, TurboTenant is a solid choice. If you own or are building an ADU in a market A-du serves, A-du covers the build and permitting steps TurboTenant does not, and keeps your screening, lease, and rent collection in one ADU-specific system.

Does A-du handle FCRA adverse action?

Yes. When a screening result leads to a denial, A-du runs the full FCRA adverse-action workflow, including pre-adverse and final notices on a timed schedule. The screening result is shown as pass/fail rather than exposing a raw score to the landlord.

A-du vs TurboTenant

A-du and TurboTenant are both landlord platforms, but A-du is specialized for Accessory Dwelling Units across their whole lifecycle, while TurboTenant is a general-purpose leasing and management toolkit for any rental.

The biggest difference is where each one starts: TurboTenant begins at the listing; A-du begins at design and permitting.

The short version

TurboTenant is genuinely good at the leasing workflow (marketing, applications, screening, leases, and rent collection), and it is landlord-friendly on price. If you own a typical rental and that is all you need, it is a strong option.

A-du overlaps with TurboTenant on those leasing steps, but it is built for one thing TurboTenant is not: the ADU itself. Before there is anything to list, A-du helps you find pre-approved ADU plans, estimate permit fees, look up your lot, and collect license-verified contractor bids. After the unit is built, the leasing tools are tuned to ADU rules and an ADU-specific renter audience, and you can hand off operations through the manager marketplace.

Feature comparison

A-du vs TurboTenant for ADU owners (2026)
Feature	A-du	TurboTenant
Primary purposeWhat the product is actually built to do.	End-to-end ADU platform: build, rent, and manage	General landlord leasing & management toolkit
ADU design & pre-approved plansHelp before the unit exists.	YesPlan marketplace incl. LADBS Standard Plan and municipal pre-approved designs	No
Permitting tools	YesLA County + NYC permit-fee calculators, GIS lot lookup, permitting requests	No
Licensed contractor / vendor bids	YesLicense-verified architects, engineers, and contractors with structured bidding	No
Identity verification	RequiredStripe Identity KYC before listing or applying	LimitedNot a required gate
Tenant screening	FCRA-compliantPass/fail result, full adverse-action workflow, reusable portable profile (AB 2493)	YesApplicant-paid reports; landlord does own adverse-action handling
Lease & e-signature	YesGenerated lease + supplemental docs, e-signed and stored	YesState-specific lease templates and e-sign
Rent collection	YesLandlord receives 100% of listed rent; tenant pays the service fee	YesACH/card; fee structure varies by plan
Local ADU specializationRules, market, and discovery tuned to ADUs.	DeepLA County / NYC rules, permit data, ADU-only renter audience	GeneralNationwide, not ADU- or jurisdiction-specific
Property-manager marketplace	YesVetted local managers for hands-off ADU operation	No
Bottom line	An ADU-specific platform that starts at design and permitting and continues through leasing and rent collection.	A capable, landlord-friendly leasing toolkit for any rental, but it begins at the listing, with no ADU build or permitting side.

How to think about it

Think about when you need help, not just which features overlap. TurboTenant meets you the day you have a vacancy. A-du meets you a year earlier, the day you decide to build, and is still there for screening, leasing, and rent collection once the unit is finished and finaled.

Next steps: Explore ADU plans & contractors, see the rent-collection fees, or read the guide to renting out your ADU.

Related: Best PM software · vs Avail · vs Buildium · vs Zillow · Best ADU tools in LA.

Frequently asked questions

How is A-du different from TurboTenant?: TurboTenant is a general landlord toolkit that begins at the listing: marketing, applications, screening, leases, and rent collection for any rental nationwide. A-du does the leasing parts too, but is built specifically for Accessory Dwelling Units and adds the entire pre-rental side: ADU plans, permit-fee calculators, GIS lot lookup, and licensed contractor bidding. A-du also adds a vetted property-manager marketplace.
TurboTenant is free for landlords. Is A-du?: A-du does not charge the landlord a fee out of rent. The landlord receives 100% of the listed rent, and the tenant pays the service fee (lower for ACH, higher for card). Screening is paid per report. Compare total cost on the features you will actually use, since TurboTenant also charges for some add-ons.
Should I switch from TurboTenant to A-du?: If you own a standard rental anywhere in the US and only need leasing tools, TurboTenant is a solid choice. If you own or are building an ADU in a market A-du serves, A-du covers the build and permitting steps TurboTenant does not, and keeps your screening, lease, and rent collection in one ADU-specific system.
Does A-du handle FCRA adverse action?: Yes. When a screening result leads to a denial, A-du runs the full FCRA adverse-action workflow, including pre-adverse and final notices on a timed schedule. The screening result is shown as pass/fail rather than exposing a raw score to the landlord.

Comparison reflects publicly available product information as of 2026 and A-du features at time of writing. Competitor capabilities and pricing change; confirm current details with each provider.