How is A-du different from DoorLoop?

DoorLoop is an all-in-one management dashboard that is often rated the easiest to learn, covering leasing, payments, accounting, maintenance, and reporting for any rental. It is general-purpose and begins at the listing. A-du is built specifically for Accessory Dwelling Units and adds the entire pre-rental side DoorLoop does not have: pre-approved plans, permit-fee calculators, GIS lot lookup, and licensed contractor bidding, then handles screening, leasing, and rent collection.

Is DoorLoop worth the subscription for one ADU?

DoorLoop starts around $59/mo and may add a setup fee, which is reasonable for an owner who wants a full management dashboard but more than a single-ADU landlord usually needs. A-du is free to list, so the landlord keeps 100% of the listed rent and the tenant pays the service fee, and the workflow is focused on the ADU rather than full portfolio management.

Does DoorLoop help build or permit an ADU?

No. DoorLoop manages existing rentals. It has no ADU design catalog, permit-fee tools, GIS lot lookup, or contractor bidding. Those pre-rental steps are exactly what A-du is built for, in addition to leasing and rent collection.

Which should I choose?

If you want one easy dashboard to manage a mixed portfolio, DoorLoop is a strong, user-friendly option. If your rental is an ADU, or you are building one, in a market A-du serves, A-du covers the build and permitting steps DoorLoop cannot and keeps screening, leasing, and rent collection in one ADU-specific system.

A-du vs DoorLoop

A-du and DoorLoop are both landlord platforms, but A-du is specialized for Accessory Dwelling Units across their whole lifecycle, while DoorLoop is a general-purpose all-in-one management dashboard for any rental.

DoorLoop is strongest as an easy-to-learn management hub; A-du is strongest at everything specific to creating and renting an ADU.

The short version

DoorLoop is frequently praised for being easy to set up and learn, with broad coverage of leasing, payments, accounting, maintenance, and reporting in one dashboard. For an owner who wants a single software-first hub, it is a capable choice.

A-du is built for a different owner: someone who owns or is building an Accessory Dwelling Unit. Before the unit exists, A-du offers pre-approved ADU plans, permit-fee calculators, GIS lot lookup, and license-verified contractor bids, none of which DoorLoop has. After it is built, A-du handles identity-verified screening, e-signed leases, and rent collection where the landlord keeps 100% of the listed rent, with no subscription or setup fee to start.

Feature comparison

A-du vs DoorLoop for ADU owners (2026)
Feature	A-du	DoorLoop
Primary purposeWhat the product is actually built to do.	End-to-end ADU platform: build, rent, and manage	All-in-one management dashboard
Best fit	ADU owners & small landlordsIn served markets (LA County, NYC)	Software-first ownersWho want one dashboard for everything
Pricing model	Free to listLandlord keeps 100% of rent; tenant pays the service fee	Tiered subscriptionStarts around $59/mo; setup fee may apply
ADU design & pre-approved plansHelp before the unit exists.	YesPlan marketplace incl. LADBS Standard Plan	No
Permitting tools	YesLA County + NYC permit-fee calculators, GIS lot lookup	No
License-verified contractor bids	Yes	No
Ease of setupWhere DoorLoop is strong.	SimpleGuided ADU workflow, free to list	EasyRated quick to learn; onboarding/setup fee
Tenant screening	FCRA-compliantPass/fail, full adverse-action workflow, portable profile (AB 2493)	YesBuilt-in screening
Local ADU specialization	DeepADU rules, permit data & renter audience	General-purpose
Bottom line	An ADU-specific platform that starts at design and permitting and runs through leasing and rent collection, free to list.	An easy, all-in-one management dashboard for any rental, but general-purpose and starting at the listing.

How to think about it

Match the tool to the job. DoorLoop wins as an easy all-in-one dashboard for a mixed portfolio. A-du wins when the rental is an ADU and you want help creating the unit plus a workflow tuned to local ADU rules, without a monthly subscription for capacity you will not use.

Next steps: See how A-du works, explore ADU plans & contractors, or review pricing.

Related: vs Buildium · vs RentRedi · vs Hemlane · Best PM software.

Frequently asked questions

How is A-du different from DoorLoop?: DoorLoop is an all-in-one management dashboard that is often rated the easiest to learn, covering leasing, payments, accounting, maintenance, and reporting for any rental. It is general-purpose and begins at the listing. A-du is built specifically for Accessory Dwelling Units and adds the entire pre-rental side DoorLoop does not have: pre-approved plans, permit-fee calculators, GIS lot lookup, and licensed contractor bidding, then handles screening, leasing, and rent collection.
Is DoorLoop worth the subscription for one ADU?: DoorLoop starts around $59/mo and may add a setup fee, which is reasonable for an owner who wants a full management dashboard but more than a single-ADU landlord usually needs. A-du is free to list, so the landlord keeps 100% of the listed rent and the tenant pays the service fee, and the workflow is focused on the ADU rather than full portfolio management.
Does DoorLoop help build or permit an ADU?: No. DoorLoop manages existing rentals. It has no ADU design catalog, permit-fee tools, GIS lot lookup, or contractor bidding. Those pre-rental steps are exactly what A-du is built for, in addition to leasing and rent collection.
Which should I choose?: If you want one easy dashboard to manage a mixed portfolio, DoorLoop is a strong, user-friendly option. If your rental is an ADU, or you are building one, in a market A-du serves, A-du covers the build and permitting steps DoorLoop cannot and keeps screening, leasing, and rent collection in one ADU-specific system.

Comparison reflects publicly available product information as of 2026 and A-du features at time of writing. Competitor pricing and capabilities change; confirm current details with each provider.