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There are now dozens of apps that promise to “automate your PG”. Some are excellent, some are listing sites with an owner dashboard bolted on, and some charge in ways that only become clear after your fifth month. This guide will not tell you one product is best for everyone — it gives you a checklist to judge any of them, including ours.
Your options, honestly compared
| Option | Good for | Where it breaks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper register | A handful of beds, owner on site every day | No reminders, no history you can search, disputes over who paid |
| Spreadsheet (Excel / Google Sheets) | Owners comfortable with formulas, one property | Manual updates, no tenant-facing receipts, breaks when staff edit it |
| General accounting app | Tracking income and expenses | Knows nothing about beds, rooms, deposits or notice periods |
| Listing site with owner tools | Getting enquiries | Management features are often thin; your data sits inside a lead-generation business |
| Dedicated PG management app | Rent, tenants, rooms and reminders in one place | Quality and pricing vary widely — use the checklist below |
If you have more than about 15 beds, or anyone other than you collects rent, a dedicated PG app usually pays for itself in the first month through fewer late payments alone.
The 20-point checklist
Core management
| # | Feature | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rooms and beds, floor by floor | You should see every vacant bed at a glance, not count them |
| 2 | Multiple properties in one account | Separate reports per PG, one login |
| 3 | Full tenant profile with ID documents | Everything needed for police verification and disputes in one place |
| 4 | Deposits — collected, refunded, deductions | Deposit disputes are the most common PG conflict |
| 5 | Notice period and vacating workflow | Plan re-letting before the bed goes empty |
| 6 | Daily or short-stay guests | Interns and travellers pay differently from monthly residents |
Money
| # | Feature | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Monthly bills created automatically | Including joining-date pro-rating and mid-month exits |
| 8 | Partial and advance payments | Real tenants pay in parts; the app should keep a running balance |
| 9 | Automatic reminders on WhatsApp | Email and push alone are easy to ignore |
| 10 | Receipts sent on payment | Tenants need them for HRA; they end “I already paid” arguments |
| 11 | Online rent collection with clear fees | Know the gateway fee and who pays it before you switch it on |
| 12 | Electricity and extra charges split per room | Split by room, by person or by sub-meter |
| 13 | Expenses and monthly profit per PG | So you know what you actually earn |
People and operations
| # | Feature | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | A tenant app | Tenants check dues, pay, raise complaints and read notices without calling you |
| 15 | Complaints and notices | One channel instead of forty WhatsApp chats |
| 16 | Staff logins with permissions | Your warden can record payments without seeing your profit |
| 17 | Food menu and attendance (if relevant) | For PGs and hostels that serve meals |
| 18 | Rental agreements — e-signed or uploaded | Keep every agreement with the tenant’s record |
Trust
| # | Feature | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Data export and account deletion | Your tenants’ data should never be locked in |
| 20 | Real support in your language and hours | Test it during the trial, not after you have paid |
How PG software is priced — and what to watch
| Pricing model | How it works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Per bed / per tenant | Monthly fee multiplied by occupied beds or tenants | Your bill grows as your PG fills — you pay more for succeeding |
| Per property | Fee per PG building | Expensive once you add a second or third property |
| Tiered plans | Features unlocked by plan | Essentials like reminders or reports kept for the top tier |
| “Free” with payment fees | No subscription, but a cut of online rent | Percentage fees on every payment can cost more than a subscription |
| Flat fee | One price regardless of beds and properties | Check that it genuinely includes all features |
Do this calculation for any app you consider: (monthly fee + payment fees on your expected online rent) ÷ number of beds. That is your true cost per bed per month.
Red flags
- No free trial, or a trial without the features you will actually use.
- Pricing you can only get “on a call”.
- Rent collected into the app company’s account with unclear settlement timelines.
- No way to export your tenant and payment data.
- Reminders only by email.
- Reviews mentioning sudden price increases or features moved to higher plans.
Questions to ask before you pay
- What will I pay in total for my number of beds and properties, including payment fees?
- Can tenants pay online, where does the money land, and when?
- Do reminders go on WhatsApp, and can I switch them off per tenant?
- Is there a tenant app on Android and iPhone?
- Can my staff log in with limited access?
- How do I export everything if I leave?
- Who do I call when something breaks — and in which language?
How My PG Manager measures up
We built My PG Manager, so judge this section accordingly. Against the checklist:
- Covered: rooms and beds by floor, multiple properties, tenant profiles and documents, deposits, notice periods, daily guests, automatic monthly bills with partial and advance payments, WhatsApp reminders and receipts, online rent links, electricity and charge splitting, expenses and profit, a free tenant app, complaints and notices, staff logins with permissions, food menu and attendance, and e-signed or uploaded agreements.
- Pricing: flat ₹159/month for unlimited properties, rooms and tenants after a 14-day free trial — no per-bed fee.
- Honest limits: the tenant app is on Android today, with iPhone coming; if online rent collection is switched on, the payment gateway fee applies (the owner chooses who pays it).
Whatever you choose, run one full month of rent collection on the trial before committing. You will learn more from that month than from any demo.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best PG management software in India?
The best one is the one that covers your must-haves from the checklist above at a total cost per bed you are comfortable with. Shortlist two or three, and run a month of real rent collection on each trial.
How much does PG management software cost?
Models range from per-bed fees to per-property plans, tiered plans and flat fees, sometimes with payment fees on top. Work out the total monthly cost divided by your beds to compare fairly.
Is free PG software worth it?
“Free” apps usually earn from payment fees, ads or selling leads. Check what you pay per online payment and who owns your tenant data.
Do I need software for a small PG?
Below about 10 beds a disciplined spreadsheet can work. Beyond that, automatic reminders and receipts usually save more than they cost.
Can PG software handle hostels and flats too?
Many can. Check that the app understands your setup — beds and sharing for PGs and hostels, whole units for apartments and flats.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
We build My PG Manager, the app PG and hostel owners use for rooms, tenants, rent collection and WhatsApp reminders. Our guides come from running it with owners across India.
