Overview

Chirp’s strongest case is its utility workflow: teams can review invoices, allocate costs by RUBS, occupancy, square footage or submeter readings, separate owner shares and produce resident statements. That breadth makes it relevant to operators handling utility recovery, rather than a substitute for every function in an established property-management system.

Adoption is modular, with CSV import and export supported. Direct two-way syncs with AppFolio, Buildium, Rentvine and Yardi are planned, not live, so teams should expect to manage data exchange through files for now. Chirp is in early access, and accounts are set up with its team rather than opened through self-service.

Key features

Utility billing and communications

Multiple allocation methods and resident statements give operators flexibility when properties use different billing rules. Bill pulling from utilities is available with setup. Portal and email are live communication channels; phone, SMS and voicemail are in progress, and phone lanes remain switched off until a provider is connected. The workflow can record collections, but it does not move money: online resident payments are unavailable.

Controls and data handling

Chirp describes account- and property-scoped access checks, human approval before statements are sent, and recorded edits, approvals and support access. Staff access for account help is time-limited, read-only, reason-recorded and reviewable in the customer staff access log. Sign-in uses Google, Microsoft Entra ID or single-use email links; Chirp says it stores no passwords and serves production traffic over HTTPS/TLS.

These controls offer useful visibility into access and billing changes, but they are not a substitute for a certification: Chirp does not claim SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA or PCI certification. Depending on deployment settings, bill extraction may use third-party services including Azure Document Intelligence, Google Cloud, OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, AWS Textract and Adobe PDF Services.

Pricing

Chirp uses a freemium, per-module model. The first 10 units in every module are free; properties and team members are unlimited, and final pricing is confirmed before activation. The published module rates are:

Plan	Price	What it includes
Core platform	Free	Unlimited properties and team members; first 10 units per module free.
Advanced reporting	0.40 USD per month	Per-month billing, automatic volume pricing and first 10 units per module free; priced on units using this module. Published owner statements are in progress.
Collections	0.50 USD per month	Per-month billing, automatic volume pricing and first 10 units per module free; priced on units using this module. Online payments are planned.
Maintenance & workflows	0.60 USD per month	Per-month billing, automatic volume pricing and first 10 units per module free; priced on units using this module.
Communications	0.70 USD per month	Per-month billing, automatic volume pricing and first 10 units per module free; priced on units using this module. Portal and email work today; phone, SMS and voicemail are in progress.
Utility billing & RUBS	0.90 USD per month	Per-month billing, automatic volume pricing and first 10 units per module free; priced on units using this module. Utility bill pulling is available with setup.

The free allowance lowers the cost of trying individual modules, while unlimited properties and team members avoid property-count and seat caps. Beyond the first 10 units, module charges depend on units using that module, with automatic volume pricing; the published rates alone do not state a final bill. Advanced reporting and Collections also have unfinished or planned capabilities, so buyers should match the current workflow to their needs before activating those modules.

Platforms

Chirp is available on the web and through an API. The pricing page includes a developer API; webhooks are available with setup. This will matter most to operators planning data workflows, though the major direct property-system syncs remain planned rather than live.

Who it's for

Chirp is best suited to independent and mid-sized operators managing 50–1,000 doors who want to adopt utility billing or other modules without immediately replacing their existing system. It is a weaker fit for teams that require online resident payments, live two-way integrations, or a self-serve signup process.

Pros and cons

Pros: Flexible allocation options, owner-share separation and resident statements support detailed utility recovery across different property setups.
Pros: The first 10 units per module are free, while properties and team members are unlimited, making modular adoption possible without a seat cap.
Pros: Recorded approvals and access, plus reviewable support access, give operators visibility into sensitive account activity.
Cons: Online resident payments are unavailable, so Chirp records payment status rather than collecting funds.
Cons: AppFolio, Buildium, Rentvine and Yardi syncs are planned rather than live; CSV exchange is the current option.
Cons: Early access requires team-assisted account setup, and several capabilities—including owner statements and expanded communications—are still in progress.
Cons: Chirp does not claim major security certifications, which may rule it out for buyers with certification requirements.

Alternatives

For a wider shortlist, see Property Management Utility Billing Software.

Genea Submeter Billing is a paid option on Android, iOS and web. Its Submeter Billing plan has custom pricing; Genea offers a demo and quote, with no setup fees and the first invoice on it.
Hadeda is a paid alternative available on Android, iOS and web.
MyVoltage Utility Management Platform is a paid alternative available on Android, iOS and web.
Smarty Utility Management is a paid option on Android, iOS and web. Its Rent-to-Own plan offers ownership after 36 months and a lower upfront barrier for phased rollouts; Monthly Rental is an evergreen option with no capital outlay.
Zego Utility is a paid option on Android, iOS and web, with utility expense management for multifamily accounts payable, auditing and cost recovery.
MRI Property Management X is a paid web, API and Windows option; its plan has custom pricing and requires a demo request.
ResidentIQ Utility Billing is a paid web alternative.
Ubility is a paid alternative available on web and through an API.

Verdict

Choose Chirp if you manage a mid-sized or independent portfolio and need flexible utility allocations, resident statements and modular adoption alongside your current system. Its free allowance and detailed billing workflow are compelling; look elsewhere if online payments, live integrations, self-service onboarding or formal security certifications are essential.

	Chirp Utilities	Livable
Free plan	Yes
Paid from	$0.40/mo
Platforms	api, Web	Web
Free plan	Yes	No
Allocation method	rubs	rubs
Utility invoice import	Yes	Yes
Resident billing	Yes	Yes
Online collections	No	Yes
Included units	50 units
Paid from		5 /mo
Commercial properties		Yes

Chirp Utilities vs Livable

Chirp Utilities

Livable