Rent tracking in Excel vs an app: which one should an Indian landlord use?
By Giridhar Reddy, founder of Domvio, Bengaluru
Updated
Excel or Google Sheets is enough if you have a few tenants who pay on time by UPI and you update the sheet the day money arrives. A rent app is worth it once you send reminders, take cash, write receipts or share collection with someone, because a sheet records what happened but does none of that work.
The real difference: a record vs a routine
A spreadsheet is a record. It is only as good as the last time you updated it, and it does nothing on its own. It does not remind a tenant, notice that rent is late or write a receipt.
A rent app is a routine. It sends the reminder, keeps the status and issues the receipt as part of collecting the rent, so the record fills itself in. The question is not which is better in general. It is how much of the monthly routine you are happy to do by hand.
Excel vs a rent app, job by job
| Job | Excel or Google Sheets | A rent app such as Domvio |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Varies. Domvio is free during early access; others charge per month or per bed |
| Reminding tenants | You send each message yourself | Sent automatically. Domvio sends a WhatsApp reminder 3 days before the due date, with the amount and a UPI link |
| Knowing who has paid | Open the bank app, match names to amounts, update the row | Status updates when you confirm a payment. Domvio shows Paid, Pending and Overdue on one screen |
| Cash payments | A row you must remember to add | Recorded as part of the payment. In Domvio, one tap or a WhatsApp message like "paid Ravi" |
| Receipts | Made separately, in Word or by hand | Issued with the payment. Domvio sends a PDF receipt to you and the tenant on WhatsApp |
| Mistakes | A broken formula or a missed row can go unnoticed for months | Fewer rows to type, but you still approve each payment yourself |
| Someone else collects | Shared sheets fall out of date quickly | Depends on the app. In Domvio, family or caretaker co-access is coming soon |
| Your own columns and reports | Anything you like: expenses, tax notes, loan EMIs | Limited to what the app offers |
| Who owns the data | You, in a file you keep | Stored by the app. Check how to get your records out before you commit |
| Works offline | Yes, in Excel | Needs an internet connection |
When Excel is the better choice
Plenty of landlords should stay on a spreadsheet. It is probably right for you if:
- You have one to three tenants, they pay by UPI, and they pay on time
- You update the sheet the same day the money arrives
- Your tenants rarely ask for receipts, or only once a year
- You want to track things no rent app does, such as property tax, loan EMIs and repairs, in the same file
- You want your records in a file you control, not inside someone else's app
If that is you, start with our free rent tracker template for Excel and Google Sheets. It works out balances and flags overdue rent for you.
When an app is the better choice
The sheet starts to cost you time, and sometimes money, when:
- You send the same reminder to several tenants every month
- You spend the first week of the month checking the bank app against the sheet
- Some tenants pay in cash, and you have argued about a payment before
- Tenants want a receipt every month for their HRA claim
- A parent, spouse or caretaker collects some of the rent
- You run a PG, where many beds pay on different days in different ways
Domvio does the routine, not just the record
Domvio reminds tenants on WhatsApp three days before rent is due, with a UPI link that pays straight to your account. You approve each payment with one tap, log cash with one message, and both of you get a PDF receipt. Tenants install nothing. Free during early access. See the rent collection app.
What a rent app will not fix
To be fair to the spreadsheet, an app is not magic:
- No app can make a tenant pay. It makes reminders consistent and keeps a record. If rent stops, see what to do when a tenant is not paying rent.
- Apps that pass rent through a payment gateway may charge a fee on it. Domvio does not: rent goes straight to your UPI ID with no commission.
- Most rent apps, Domvio included, do not track your expenses, property tax or loan EMIs. Many landlords keep a small sheet for those alongside the app.
- Domvio does not match payments against your bank statement automatically. You confirm each one with a tap.
Moving from Excel to an app without losing anything
Close the current year in the sheet
Bring every row up to date, check each tenant's balance and save a copy. Keep it for your income tax return and in case of a dispute.
Pick a start month
Switch at the start of a rent cycle, so one month is fully in the sheet and the next is fully in the app.
Add your properties and tenants
In Domvio, add each flat, house, room or PG bed with the rent and due date, save your UPI ID and invite each tenant on WhatsApp. It takes under 3 minutes for a single flat.
Tell your tenants what changes
Send a short WhatsApp message: rent still goes to the same UPI ID, reminders now come automatically, and they will get a receipt for every payment.
For more ways to cut down the monthly work, read how to collect rent online. To compare apps before you pick one, see our best rent collection apps in India roundup, or the best PG management apps if you run a PG.
Frequently asked questions
Is Excel good enough to track rent?
Yes, for a few tenants who pay on time by UPI, as long as you update it the day money arrives. It does not send reminders or receipts, so the work grows with every tenant. Our free rent tracker template is a ready-made sheet.
Is Google Sheets better than Excel for rent tracking?
Google Sheets is easier to open on a phone and share with a family member, and it saves automatically. Excel works offline and handles bigger files. Either is fine for a handful of tenants.
What does a rent app do that a spreadsheet cannot?
It acts on the record. A rent app like Domvio sends WhatsApp reminders before the due date, updates the status when you confirm a payment, and sends a PDF receipt to you and the tenant, including for cash.
Do I have to pay for a rent tracking app?
Not always. Domvio is free during early access, with no commission on rent. Some other apps charge a monthly fee, a per-bed fee or a gateway fee on each payment, so check before you sign up.
Can I use Excel and an app together?
Yes, and many landlords do. Let the app handle reminders, payment status and receipts, and keep a small sheet for expenses, property tax and loan EMIs, which rent apps usually do not track.
Stop chasing rent every month
Domvio reminds your tenants on WhatsApp, takes rent straight to your UPI ID and sends PDF receipts automatically. Free during early access.