The fun part of moving is finding the right apartment online first. The best apartment-finding apps have so many filters, so you can simply personalize your search and find exactly what you need from your next place. However, it’s all too easy to browse out of budget. You don’t want to fall in love with a two-bedroom apartment that will break the bank. 

Lucky for you, Rhino’s top-five apartment-finding apps can help you save on your next place with specialized filters for no-fee apartments and listings. Use these apps to move affordably this summer.

Top five apartment-finding apps to download

StreetEasy

New Yorkers know what we’re talking about. If you’re native to the Big Apple, StreetEasy is your best bet for finding an affordable no-fee apartment in NYC. 

Users can shop listings in all five boroughs and New Jersey, search exclusively no-fee apartments and apartments that use Rhino, and connect directly with real estate agents to request an in-person or virtual tour. Follow your favorite listings and receive updates on the status of the rental directly to your phone. 

The app has a 4.1 rating on Google Play, and is also available on the Apple App Store.

Zillow

Tried and true, Zillow’s app features are designed to help you search within budget. 

Thinking of moving to a trendy part of town? Zillow’s rent affordability calculator filters for rentals that fit your budget, in any neighborhood. If you find the perfect apartment via Zillow, you can call or text seamlessly from the app, which gives you more access to leasing decision makers. 

Other fun features: Self-tours enable you to see your future home safely, and saved searches make it easy for you to pick up where you left off. Get it on Google Play and Apple.

Renthop

Renthop is another apartment-finding app that allows you to search for no-fee apartments by simply checking a box. 

Praised for its easy-of-use interface, Renthop assigns each listing a HopScore which influences how they appear in the search order. This means you’ll see listings that are complete or have responsive managers first in the line-up! You can also sort listings by price, from high-to-low, or low-to-high, if you have a very specific budget.  

Want to live in a smaller building, get a sublet, or live close to the property owner/manager? No problem! Renthop allows you to specify if you would like to look at rentals that were listed by the owner. Available on Google Play and Apple iOS.   

Zumper

Once you find a place in your budget, you have to move quickly to sign a lease. Do you ever just wish you had a little more time to think it over? Zumper is an apartment-finding app that understands that renting a home is a tricky process. As a result, it has introduced Instarent, a feature that enables you to reserve an apartment, think it over, then sign a lease entirely online. 

Why is this helpful to your budget? With more time to consider your options, you won’t commit to the first affordable place. This combined with their “no deposit” filter helps renters afford more with security deposit alternatives from Rhino. 

You can download Zumper from Google Play or Apple for Android and Apple smartphones.

Image of two renters looking for an apartment through an apartment-finding website on a computer

Lovely

Applying for an apartment has become a competitive game. Unique apartment-finding sites and apps like Lovely acknowledge that property owners may want to get to know renters prior move-in. 

Create a unique Renter Card and share your basic info with landlords via Lovely, and you can see if it’s a match before meeting in person. You can share your income, profession, and why you’re moving with complete confidentiality between you and your future landlord. The real benefit is knowing that you won’t overcommit to an apartment that you can’t afford. 

Lovely is our wild card option, but this apartment-finder app is still available for Android and Apple iphone.

If you’re obsessed with apartment finder apps, you’re clearly not alone. The good news is you can enjoy hunting for your next rental without worrying about money. The best apartment-finder apps can help you filter out what you can’t afford so you can dream big on a budget. 

We at Rhino always work with our partners to ensure that listings that use Rhino are clearly identifiable on these apps! By searching for no-fee apartments or deposit-free apartments, you’re likely to see our name pop up in the listings. Learn more about our security deposit alternatives here.

a headshot image featuring kt heins-nagamoto
KT Heins-Nagamoto

KT Heins-Nagamoto is a senior brand writer at Rhino. They advocate for security deposit alternatives and renter rights in everything they write.