Comparison

Rent Connect vs Crib: Rent Collection Apps for Indian Owners Compared

Crib is one of the better-known rent collection apps in India, built around PGs, hostels and rental units. Owners with one or two flats often ask whether it is the right fit, or whether something designed for whole-flat owners and NRIs is better. This page compares them using Crib's App Store listing, and says where we could not find information.

What Crib says it is

Crib's App Store listing, by Purple Stack Ventures Private Limited, describes itself as India's number one software for property owners, property managers and operators of paying-guest accommodation. It names PGs, hostels, co-living, student housing, serviced apartments, rental units and commercial property as its users. The listing names four headline features: rent reminders and receipts sent on WhatsApp and SMS; a UPI QR feature (RentQR) that accepts UPI payments and reconciles them automatically; online tenant e-KYC; and digital rent agreements. The app is listed as free to download.

What Rent Connect is

Rent Connect is built for owners who let whole flats and houses, including owners who live in another city or country. It sends WhatsApp rent reminders, records each payment as pending, overdue or paid, generates a rent receipt when a payment is marked paid, keeps tenant details on record, tracks maintenance issues with photos, records vendor jobs (quote, final bill, completion date), and keeps a Deposit Ledger that records the agreed deposit and move-out deductions without holding the money. It is in early access, so there is a waitlist rather than a public sign-up.

Side by side

	Crib (from its App Store listing)	Rent Connect
Main owner type	PG, hostel and co-living operators; also rental units	Owners of whole flats and houses; NRI owners
Reminders and receipts	WhatsApp and SMS	WhatsApp reminders; a receipt for every payment
Collecting rent	RentQR: UPI payments reconciled automatically	UPI payments; each payment recorded as pending, overdue or paid
Tenant KYC	Online e-KYC	Tenant details on record (not verified by Rent Connect)
Agreements	Digital rent agreements	Agreement on the record; Aadhaar eSign for signing
Deposit	Not described on the listing	Deposit Ledger: records the deposit and move-out deductions with photos
Maintenance	Not described on the listing	Issue tracking with photos; vendor job record
NRI focus	Not described on the listing	Remote, WhatsApp-first
Price	Free to download; subscription terms not on the listing	Early access via a waitlist

On price. An undated Entrackr report said Crib gave owners three months free and then charged around ₹50 per bed per month. We could not confirm whether that is current. A per-bed price suits a PG with many beds; it suits a single flat less well. Ask Crib for its current plan.

How to decide

Crib suits a PG or hostel where per-bed pricing, room-by-room status and bulk reminders matter.
Rent Connect suits an owner of one to a few whole flats who wants a documented deposit, a maintenance trail and WhatsApp-first rent follow-up in one place, particularly from abroad.
Run a one-month trial on a real tenancy. The best test of any rent app is the first overdue payment.

More: how to collect rent online in India and the best property management apps.

How this page was checked

Competitor details were read from their public pages and listings on 16 October 2026, and are listed below. Products, plans and prices change, so check directly with the provider before you decide.

What we could not verify: We read only Crib's App Store listing, not its website or plans. Its "number one" claim is its own. The Entrackr pricing is undated. The listing shows no review count.

Frequently asked questions

Is Crib free?

The iOS app is listed as free to download. We could not find the current subscription terms; an undated report described three free months and then about ₹50 per bed per month.

Does Crib collect rent by UPI?

Its listing describes RentQR, a UPI QR feature that accepts payments and reconciles them automatically.

Is Crib suitable for one flat?

It lists rental units among its users, but its tooling and pricing are built around PGs and multi-bed properties. Test it on your flat before committing.

Does Rent Connect have per-bed management?

No. It treats a tenancy as one per property.

Does Crib have NRI features?

None were described on the App Store listing we read.

This comparison is written by Rent Connect and reflects Crib's App Store listing on 16 October 2026. Check Crib directly for current features and prices.

Manage your Indian property from anywhere

WhatsApp rent reminders, a receipt for every paid month, tenant details and the agreement on one record, and a Deposit Ledger that records the deposit without holding it. Someone local still handles keys and repairs.

Join the waitlist