How Homly compares to spreadsheets, WhatsApp and generic property software.
An honest look at how most PG owners run their property today — and where a purpose-built tool actually saves you time. No inflated claims, no invented competitor tables. Just what Homly does, and how it stacks up against the manual way.
The same PG chores, three different ways to handle them.
Capability
Spreadsheets + WhatsApp
Generic property software
Homly
Per-tenant rent & dues
Manual, easy to miss
Yes, but not per bed/room
Per-tenant dues, partial payments & advances
WhatsApp rent reminders
Sent one by one, by hand
Rarely — usually email-first
Automatic, before and on the due date
Reading payment screenshots
You read the UPI screenshot & record it
Not usually offered
AI reads the screenshot — you approve in one tap
Per-tenant electricity billing
Manual meter maths every month
Not usually built for it
Enter readings → itemised per-tenant share
Food / mess management
Separate registers or a WhatsApp group
Not offered
Menus, meal RSVP, per-meal or flat billing
Receipts & tenant ledger
Handwritten, easy to lose
Sometimes
Gap-free receipts + a full tenant ledger
Maintenance requests
Buried in chat threads
Yes
Ticket → assign vendor → track → close
Tenant onboarding & documents
Photos scattered in chats
Varies
Digital IDs, agreements & emergency contacts
App install for tenants
None (just chat)
Often required
None — WhatsApp + a simple web link
Free plan for your first property
Free, but entirely manual
Rarely
Free forever — 1 property, no credit card
Five things worth checking before you sign up for anything.
There are several India-built options in this space — RentOk, Crib, TrackMyPG and others. We won’t put words in their mouth with a feature grid we can’t keep accurate. Instead, here is exactly what we’d evaluate for any of them, Homly included.
Is it built for India and for PGs specifically?
Per-tenant electricity, food/mess and bed-level occupancy are PG realities generic property tools rarely handle. Homly is built around them.
Do tenants need to install an app?
Adoption dies when tenants have to download something. Homly works over WhatsApp and a web link — nothing to install.
How does rent actually get recorded?
Most PG rent arrives as a UPI screenshot. Homly reads the screenshot with AI and asks you to approve — instead of you typing it into a sheet.
Is there a genuine free plan — not just a trial?
Homly’s first property is free forever (1 property, 5 rooms, 5 tenants, unlimited WhatsApp). Paid plans start at ₹49/month only when you outgrow it.
What happens to your data if you leave?
Your property, tenant and payment data is yours to export in full, any time. Check that any tool you consider lets you take it with you.
What it actually costs
Start free with your first property. Upgrade only when you outgrow it.
₹0
1 property · 5 rooms · 5 tenants · unlimited WhatsApp
₹49/mo
1 property · 10 rooms · 10 tenants · 14-day trial
₹249/mo
3 properties · 50 rooms · 3 team members
₹549/mo
10 properties · 200 rooms · API access
Comparison questions we get asked
Is Homly better than managing my PG on Excel and WhatsApp?
Spreadsheets and WhatsApp are free, but everything is manual — you chase each tenant, do electricity maths by hand, record every UPI screenshot, and write receipts yourself. Homly automates those exact chores: WhatsApp reminders go out automatically, AI reads payment screenshots, electricity is split per tenant, and receipts are filed with a gap-free ledger. Your first property stays free.
How is Homly different from generic property management software?
Most generic property tools are built for whole-flat landlords, not paying-guest operators. They rarely handle per-tenant electricity billing, food/mess with meal RSVP, or bed-level occupancy — and many require tenants to install an app. Homly is built specifically for PGs and hostels, and tenants only ever need WhatsApp and a web link.
How does Homly compare to RentOk, Crib or TrackMyPG?
Those are real, India-built tools in the same space. We won't publish a feature-by-feature table with their prices here, because those details change and we'd rather not quote numbers we can't verify. What we'd suggest: compare current pricing and features on each tool's own site, and check the five things that matter most — India/PG fit, whether tenants need an app, how rent gets recorded, whether there's a genuine free plan, and data export. Homly’s honest answers to all five are on this page.
What does Homly cost?
Your first property is free forever — 1 property, up to 5 rooms and 5 tenants, unlimited WhatsApp reminders and 3 reports a month, with no credit card. Paid plans start at ₹49/month (Starter), ₹249/month (Professional, up to 3 properties) and ₹549/month (Enterprise, up to 10 properties with API access). Paid plans include a free trial.
Do my tenants need to download an app to use Homly?
No. Tenants receive WhatsApp reminders automatically and can view dues, receipts and raise maintenance requests through a simple web link. There is nothing to install on either side.
See the difference on your own PG.
Your first property is free forever. No credit card, nothing for your tenants to install.