How EstateOS is free for owners — and still safe with rent money.
The answer is the payment architecture. A licensed third-party processor moves the money and auto-splits a thin application fee to us. EstateOS never touches the funds or raw card data — and the owner pays nothing.
Three steps, one clean split
Money flows tenant → licensed processor → owner. Our fee is auto-split out by the processor, so we never sit in the middle of the funds.
STEP 1
Tenant pays online
The resident or storage customer pays from the portal. Bank transfer is the default and cheapest at 1% (min 2); cards are 3.5%. The small fee is added on top of rent.
STEP 2
A licensed processor moves & splits it
A regulated processor (Stripe Connect / Finix / Payrix) moves the funds and auto-splits a thin application fee — ~0.5% on cards, with bank transfers mostly margin since ACH costs pennies to move. EstateOS never moves the money itself.
STEP 3
Owner receives full rent, faster
The processor settles the full rent to the owner. No fee comes out of the owner's side — ever. The owner's monthly cost is $0.00 no matter how many units they add.
Tenant pays
$1,695
bank 1% · card 3.5%
Licensed processor
auto-split
moves & splits the fee
Owner receives
$1,695
full rent · $0 fees
The processor moves money — not EstateOS
This single architectural choice is what makes the product both free for owners and trustworthy with rent money.
We never touch raw card data
Card details go straight to the processor's secure fields — never to our servers. That keeps EstateOS in the lowest PCI compliance tier (SAQ A), the safest place to be.
We never hold or move the funds
The licensed processor moves the money and settles it to the owner. Because we don't transmit funds ourselves, we avoid needing a money-transmitter license.
Our fee is an auto-split application fee
The processor's platform splits a thin application fee to EstateOS on each transaction. It's automatic, transparent, and entirely separate from the owner's settlement.
Bank transfer first, cards optional
We default every tenant to bank transfer — the cheapest option — and offer cards as an opt-in. It is the best outcome for everyone at once.
Cheaper for the tenant
Bank transfer is just 1% (min 2) — far less than the 3.5% on a card.
Better margin for us
No 3% card cost to absorb; ACH costs pennies to move, so most of the 1% is clean margin.
Cleaner legally
Bank-to-bank transfers keep us further from card-network rules and out of any funds-handling role.
Bank / ACH
1% bank fee
Min $2. Owner receives full rent; ACH costs pennies so it's mostly margin for EstateOS.
Card
3.5% convenience fee
Processor ~3% + EstateOS ~0.5%. Storage uses the same rules. Owner still receives full rent.
Set up in a day
No migration project and no sales call required — you can be collecting rent online today.
STEP 1
Add your properties
Import units, leases, and tenants — or add them in minutes. Apartments and storage live side by side.
STEP 2
Verify with the processor
Connect your payout account through the licensed processor's onboarding. Standard identity verification, no money-transmitter setup on your end.
STEP 3
Invite tenants & go live
Tenants get a portal invite, enroll in autopay, and start paying online. Most owners are live the same day.
Lowest PCI tier
Card data never hits our servers
Licensed processor
Stripe Connect / Finix / Payrix
No funds held by us
No money-transmitter license needed
Full rent to owners
Owner cost is always $0.00
Free for owners. Safe with rent money. See it for yourself.
Walk through the owner side and the tenant payment flow with realistic data — no card required.