Shifting to a new apartment can be both exciting and stress-inducing. While the move itself may be tiresome, choosing a place that suits your needs and budget can become quite time-consuming. With so many apartment rental sites out there, how do you choose the best one?
This article will guide you to 10 of the highest quality and most useful online apartment-finding services. If you’re planning to move soon – or even casually browsing for later – be sure to check out these websites with up-to-date listings for 2024.
Quick Summary
Transitioning into a new apartment is made vastly easier with the wealth of online rental platforms available today. Through an extensive analysis, we spotlighted 10 superior websites covering large databases, innovative tools, trustworthy sources and plans, niche filters, unique mapping capabilities, area insights, listing updates, projected costs and more.
Zillow, Apartments.com, RENTCafé, Realtor.com, HotPads, PadMapper, Walk Score, ForRent.com, Rent.com and Trulia should all be bookmarked when apartment hunting to maximize your options. Each caters well to specific user needs like pet owners, remote workers, frequent movers, and those focused on budget or neighborhood livability above all.
Consult our guide, individual site reviews and curated SWOT chart comparisons to discover your new go-to rental platform for fast, informed, on-target apartment hunting this 2024 leasing season and beyond!
Apartment Hunting Considerations
To start your search in finding a new apartment, whether renting or purchasing, there are a few key factors to keep in mind:
- Location. Where you live impacts daily life factors like commute times, what’s nearby for dining and entertainment, etc.
- Price. Especially useful for renting, setting a monthly budget will narrow down the listings.
- Amenities. Appliances, parking, fitness centers, pets, etc. – know what’s essential for you.
- Lease terms. Length and rules like subletting for a rental. Buying? Note: HOA fees, renovations needed.
Different Types of Rentals
There are a few popular categories of apartment rentals to consider while browsing listings:
- Conventional apartments – These encompass studio to multiple bedroom units, found in apartment complexes or within large residential buildings.
- Independent boutique apartments – Privately owned by landlords, these unique options may include features like vaulted ceilings, lots of windows, or historical charm.
- Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) – Also referred to as granny flats, these are secondary housing structures typically smaller than main homes that can be rented out on the same property lot.
Knowing what you’re looking for will make filtering through the numerous listings much more efficient and focused. Now, let’s explore the top apartment hunting sites.
Top 10 Apartment Rental Websites
The sites we’ll be covering have been selected and ranked based on user traffic, variety of listings, ease of filtering searches, and reputation based on first-hand renter experiences shared online.
Analyzing aggregate reviews and expert commentary, here are the top apartment hunting platforms to use this rental season:
1. Zillow
As one of the largest real estate marketplaces on the web, Zillow is hard to ignore for apartment searches.
Key features:
- Over 130 million US home and apartment listings
- Options to filter by rental price, bedrooms, neighborhood, pet policy and more
- The built-in affordability calculator shows if listings suit your budget
- Contact for touring and applications done directly through Zillow
Zillow also incorporates proprietary info like their Zestimates pricing model on homes for deeper market value insights. Especially useful for buying property, but still helpful context for long-term rental planning.
2. Apartments.com
With an inventory of over one million rentals, Apartments.com connects users to listings aggregated from property manager and landlord direct posts.
Stand out characteristics:
- Custom questionnaire helps refine your search
- Easy price sorting and filtering by unit details
- Apartment view 3D tours, photos, video
- Reviews of buildings and management companies
Owned by CoStar Group, Apartments.com also offers great customer support services via phone call and email.
3. RENTCafé
As an offshoot brand of Apartments.com, RENTCafé shares the same robust rental property database.
Why it stands out:
- Mapping feature visually displays locations of rentals coinciding with your search preferences
- Historical pricing data charts to assess potential increases year over year
- Filters to find apartments with current availability
- Links and directions to tour in person
With innovative tools like the RENTCafé Rental Manager, users can also access credit reports, background checks, and e-sign applications to streamline the leasing process from start to finish.
4. Realtor.com
Similar to Zillow, Realtor.com is most broadly known for buying and selling real estate. But with 90 million total active property listings across the country (Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago. Seattle, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Austin, Texas, Phoenix, Boston, Kansas City, New York, San Diego, Dallas, Atlanta), it contains over 5 million apartment rentals – making it a great spot to search.
Key perks:
- Options of conventional complexes alongside individually owned condos, townhomes and single family homes for rent
- Details like utilities costs, parking specifics, HOA fees and more
- Filter by must-have amenities like washer/dryer, AC, balconies and more
- Mobile app with tracking notifications for new rentals matching saved searches
As a trusted household name brand in real estate, Realtor.com is a reliable source for rentals.
5. HotPads
Focused squarely on rentals rather than purchases, HotPads provides a search experience tailored for tenants. Owned by Zillow, the database has plenty of up-to-date listings.
Notable features:
- Click map pins to preview rents without leaving map interface
- Filter by commute time preferences to work/school locations
- Email alerts for new listings
- History chart with pricing fluctuations over the past year
Integrated data from sources like the Department of Housing and Urban Development furthers assists renters to find affordable living options.
6. PadMapper
Uniquely optimized for map-based browsing, PadMapper is a versatile option for apartment hunting.
Key functionalities that impress:
- Aggregates Craigslist listings alongside additional sources
- Hundreds of thousands of units across America and Canada
- Real-time data refreshes every five minutes
- Custom keyword search to target must-have features
- Maps denote concentrations of rental suiting parameters
PadMapper appeals to hands-on renters that like visually digging into the data.
7. Walk Score
Most apartment searches prioritize location above all else. Walk Score’s niche is providing granular insights on the neighborhood livability by property.
How they excel:
- Score rates if daily errands are accessible by walking, biking or public transport
- Analysis of proximity to essential spots like grocery stores, parks, restaurants and more
- Option to research multiple addresses to compare areas side by side
- Trend data on changes to average rents and home values over time in each community
Whether you prefer vibrant urban areas or scenic suburbs, Walk Score makes it easy to identify areas matching your lifestyle.
8. ForRent.com
With over two million rentals across 700+ cities in America, ForRent.com allows refined filtering to pinpoint your perfect place.
Helpful tools include:
- Quantitative filters for price, bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage
- Lifestyle filters like fitness centers, landscaping, clubhouses
- Pet friendly, with dog parks and waste stations
- Search by city events, cultural attractions and walkability
Owned by CoStar Group, ForRent has the inventory and customization to satisfy diverse renter priorities.
9. Rent.com
As a longstanding staple brand for apartment hunting, Rent.com leverages their over 40 years of rental expertise.
Benefits for users:
- Proprietary scoring rates apartments on recommendation quality
- Confirmed rental history data
- REAL Credit consumer tool reports on payment history trends
- Videos, virtual tours, photos
- Moving cost calculator assessing fees based on location specifics
Rent.com has earned tenant trust over nearly half a century by evolving with user needs.
10. Trulia
While merged under the Zillow umbrella since 2015, Trulia has an efficient rental search process with valuable extras.
Standout features:
- Crime maps-locator denoting safety levels
- Filter by rental housing tags like lofts, studios, pet friendly
- Price drops and deal notifications
- Neighborhood insights based on census and employment stats
- Mobile app with tracking for saved searches
For understanding an area inside and out, Trulia goes beyond just the apartment specifics.
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