If you are researching online real estate investing platforms for long-term rentals, you have probably noticed the range of minimum investments, fee structures, and liquidity terms across the market. Some platforms ask for $10 and let you start today. Others require accredited investor status and $50,000 minimums. The 2025-2026 liquidity crisis that saw redemption suspensions at several major platforms made one thing clear: the question is not just which platform offers the highest advertised yield, but which one will let you access your capital when you need it.
Fractional real estate investing continues to grow rapidly as investors increasingly turn to online platforms for rental income. Investing in real estate carries risk, including potential loss of principal. With dozens of options competing for your capital, choosing the best real estate platforms for long-term rentals requires understanding the real differences in fees, liquidity, and stability, especially after a year that tested the industry’s redemption promises. We rank and review the seven leading long-term rental investing platforms to help you find the right fit.
Best Real Estate Platforms for Long-Term Rentals at a Glance
- Ark7: Fractional shares of individual rental properties starting at $20 with monthly dividends, zero ongoing AUM fees, and a continuous secondary market (PPEX ATS) for liquidity after 12 months.
- Arrived: Fractional ownership of single-family rentals and vacation homes with a portfolio of 550-plus properties across 65 markets, $100 minimum, and quarterly dividend distributions.
- Fundrise: Pooled eREIT and eFund structure providing broad diversification across 300-plus properties with a $10 minimum investment and historical returns of 8% to 12%.
- EquityMultiple: Commercial real estate debt and equity deals for accredited investors with a $5,000 minimum and institutional-quality underwriting with a 5% deal acceptance rate.
- Groundfloor: Real estate debt platform offering short-term fix-and-flip loans with zero investor fees, $10 minimum, and 7% to 14% target returns.
- RealtyMogul: Commercial real estate REITs and private placements with both accredited and non-accredited options, $5,000 REIT minimum, and 106 consecutive months of REIT dividends.
- Lofty.ai: Tokenized fractional real estate with daily rental distributions, $50 minimum, and blockchain-based property ownership through tradable tokens.
Key Takeaways
- Fee structures vary between platforms and are the single biggest determinant of your net returns. Ark7 charges zero ongoing AUM fees while competitors layer on annual management fees, disposition fees, and carried interest that can consume hundreds of dollars per $10,000 invested over five years.
- The 2025-2026 liquidity crisis reshaped the industry. Fundrise temporarily suspended its Equity REIT redemption plan in October 2025, RealtyMogul’s Income REIT NAV dropped 32%, its share repurchase program was suspended in April 2026, and several smaller platforms halted redemptions entirely. Platform liquidity is now the most important evaluation criterion beyond returns.
- Monthly dividend distributions from Ark7 provide more consistent cash flow than the quarterly or semi-annual schedules used by most competitors. Cash flow frequency matters for investors treating rental income as a regular income stream.
- Accredited investors have access to a wider range of private placement deals through platforms like EquityMultiple and RealtyMogul, while non-accredited investors can access fractional rental property ownership through Ark7, Arrived, Fundrise, Groundfloor, and Lofty.ai.
- The liquid secondary market is a significant differentiator in 2026. Ark7’s SEC-registered PPEX ATS enables continuous share trading after a 12-month hold, while most other platforms restrict exits to quarterly windows, managed redemptions, or offer no early exit at all.
New to passive real estate investing?
Explore Ark7 OpportunitiesWhat Are Online Real Estate Platforms for Long-Term Rentals?
Online real estate investing platforms are digital marketplaces that allow individuals to invest in rental properties without directly buying, financing, or managing real estate. These platforms pool investor capital to acquire single-family rentals, multifamily buildings, and commercial properties, then distribute rental income back to investors as dividends.
This model has grown quickly because it removes the three biggest barriers to real estate investing: the need for a large down payment, the operational burden of property management, and the concentration risk of owning a single property. Instead, investors can buy fractional shares of professionally managed properties for as little as $10 to $100, diversify across multiple properties and markets, and receive monthly or quarterly income without ever talking to a tenant. The key distinction between platforms comes down to fee structure, liquidity terms, property selection control, and accreditation requirements. These factors determine how much of a property’s rental income actually reaches your pocket.
How We Evaluated These Platforms
Each platform was evaluated against six criteria that directly impact long-term rental investors:
- Fee structure. Total cost over a 5-year holding period, including sourcing fees, AUM fees, management fees, disposition fees, and any carried interest or performance fees.
- Liquidity. How and when investors can exit their investment, including secondary markets, redemption windows, and any current suspensions or caps.
- Dividend yield and payment frequency. Historical rental income distributions and whether they are paid monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually.
- Minimum investment and accreditation. The capital required to start and whether the platform is open to non-accredited investors.
- Property selection and transparency. Whether investors can choose individual properties or must invest in blind pool funds, and how much financial data is available per property.
- Platform track record and stability. Years in operation, total funding raised, investor count, review scores, and any redemption issues or regulatory actions.
We analyzed data from platform websites, SEC filings, investor review sites, and industry research to build a comprehensive picture of each platform’s performance in the current market.
Top Long-Term Rental Real Estate Platforms
1. Ark7
Ark7 offers fractional shares of individual rental properties starting at $20 per share with no accreditation requirement. Each share represents direct ownership in a single-family rental property held in its own LLC. Ark7 handles property acquisition, tenant screening, maintenance, and ongoing property management, while investors receive monthly dividends from rental income. With over 300,000 investors and $30-plus million in funded property value, the platform operates approximately 43 active properties across 10 states, concentrated in Sun Belt markets including Dallas, Atlanta, and Tampa.
What sets Ark7 apart
- Zero ongoing AUM fees. The platform charges a one-time 3% sourcing fee at purchase and an 8% property management fee on long-term rentals, but no annual asset management fee.
On a $10,000 investment held for five years, this saves hundreds compared to platforms that charge annual management fees. This fee structure means more of the rental income reaches investors rather than being consumed by recurring charges that compound over time.
- Continuous secondary market (PPEX ATS). After a 12-month holding period, investors can sell shares on Ark7’s SEC-registered alternative trading system with no trading fees. This is the only continuous secondary market in the fractional real estate space, providing a genuine exit path that does not depend on the platform’s cash reserves or redemption policies. Most competitors restrict exits to quarterly windows or offer no early exit at all.
- Monthly dividend distributions. It pays dividends on the 3rd of each month, delivering 12 cash flow events per year versus the 4 per year from most competitors. The platform reported an average annualized dividend yield of approximately 4.36% for 2024. Past performance does not guarantee future results, but the monthly cadence provides more frequent income compared to quarterly schedules.
- Individual property selection with full transparency. Investors choose specific properties rather than contributing to a blind pool fund. Each property listing includes full financials, legal documents, and operating history, enabling informed investment decisions. This level of transparency is uncommon among fractional platforms.
- SEC-qualified offerings. Properties are offered through SEC-registered public offerings with full compliance disclosures. The platform maintains a 94.81% occupancy rate across its portfolio and provides 24/7 access to property-level financials.
- Accessible to all investors. No accreditation required. Any US investor age 18 or older can participate. Shares begin at $20 with no minimum account balance requirement, making it one of the most accessible property-selection platforms available. Ark7 also supports IRA investing through self-directed IRAs (Roth and Traditional).
The platform has paid out over $3.5 million in lifetime dividends to investors demonstrating consistent income distribution across its portfolio. This fee and liquidity structure is particularly relevant in the current market environment. As other platforms have suspended redemptions, cut distributions, or imposed multi-year exit waits, Ark7’s combination of zero AUM fees and a functioning secondary market addresses the two biggest pain points investors face in the fractional real estate space today.
Ideal for
- Investors who want to choose specific rental properties rather than invest in a pooled fund
- Those seeking monthly cash flow from rental income rather than quarterly or annual distributions
- Investors who value liquidity and want secondary market access after an initial 12-month holding period
- Anyone starting with a modest budget, since shares begin at $20 with no minimum account balance requirement
- Non-accredited investors looking for direct real estate exposure without the operational burden of property management
Getting started
Opening an account takes about five minutes. Fund your account via bank transfer, browse available properties by market and projected yield, then purchase shares. Dividends begin accruing once the property is leased and generating income. Start investing with $20 →.
2. Arrived
Arrived offers fractional ownership of single-family rentals and vacation rentals, with a portfolio spanning 550-plus properties across 65 markets. Arrived has sold 173 properties at an average total return of 18.6%.
Key Features
- Fractional shares of individual SFRs and vacation rentals starting at $100
- 550-plus property portfolio across 65 markets
- Private Credit Fund offering 8.1% historical returns
- 173 properties sold at 18.6% average total return
- Backed by institutional investors including Jeff Bezos and Marc Benioff
Pricing
Arrived charges a 3.5% sourcing fee on long-term rentals plus a 0.15% quarterly AUM fee (0.6% annually) and an 8% property management fee. Short-term rentals carry a 5% sourcing fee and 25% management fee. A disposition fee is charged when properties are sold. Over five years on a $10,000 long-term rental investment, total fees are estimated at $525 to $775 depending on property performance and hold period.
3. Fundrise
Fundrise launched in 2012 and operates as a blind pool fund structure, meaning investors contribute to diversified eREITs and eFunds that hold portfolios of 300-plus residential, commercial, and industrial properties.
Key Features
- Pooled eREIT and eFund structure providing broad diversification across property types and geographies
- Minimum investment of $10 through the brokerage account ($1,000 for IRAs)
- Multiple strategy options including Long-Term Growth and Supplemental Income funds
- Innovation Fund (VCX) listed on the NYSE, providing a liquidity path for that specific fund
- Over 300 properties across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors
Pricing
Fundrise charges a 0.15% advisory fee plus a 0.85% fund management fee on real estate funds (1.0% total annually). Innovation funds carry a higher 1.85% fee. There is a 1% early exit fee for redemptions requested before five years. On a $10,000 investment held for five years, total fees are estimated at $500 to $700.
4. EquityMultiple
EquityMultiple focuses on accredited investors, offering commercial real estate debt and equity deals. The platform reports that 5% of proposed deals pass its underwriting process.
Key Features
- Accredited investors only, with income over $200,000 or net worth over $1 million required
- Alpine Notes program offering 6% to 7.35% APY with 3- to 9-month terms and $5,000 minimum, redeemable after 30 days
- 5% deal acceptance rate in underwriting
Pricing
EquityMultiple charges 0.5% to 1.5% in fees plus 10% carried interest on profitable deals. Individual deal minimums typically range from $5,000 to $30,000. The Alpine Notes program has no fees beyond the stated APY.
5. Groundfloor
Groundfloor is a real estate debt platform connecting investors with short-term fix-and-flip loans to residential property developers. Investors fund individual loans (LROs) or pooled note programs and earn interest payments over 6- to 18-month terms. The platform charges no investor fees, as all costs are borrower-paid.
Key Features
- Real estate debt investing rather than equity ownership, so investors receive interest payments, not rental income
- $10 minimum investment for LROs, $1,000 minimum for Signature Notes
- No investor fees due to borrower-paid cost structure
- Signature Notes program offering 8.25% APY with a 100% on-time payment record since 2018
- Revenue grew 38.6% year over year in fiscal 2025
Pricing
Groundfloor charges zero fees to investors. The borrower-paid model means loan originators cover all costs. The parent company carries a $55.8 million accumulated deficit, and auditors have issued going-concern qualifications in recent filings.
6. RealtyMogul
RealtyMogul offers both REIT products and individual private placements across commercial real estate. The platform historically reported 106 consecutive months of REIT dividends and 234 realized investments with an 18.1% IRR. It was acquired by The Wideman Company in November 2025. Both accredited and non-accredited investors can invest through its REIT products.
Key Features
- Two REIT options: Income REIT (distributions at 3%) and Apartment Growth REIT
- Individual private placements starting at $25,000 to $50,000 for accredited investors
- 1031 exchange DST options available for tax-deferred exchanges
- 234 realized investments with historical 18.1% IRR
- Acquired by The Wideman Company in November 2025 with co-investment commitment
Pricing
RealtyMogul charges a 1% to 1.25% management fee on REITs plus up to a 2% disposition fee. The REIT minimum is $5,000. Individual deal minimums range from $25,000 to $50,000.
7. Lofty.ai
Lofty.ai uses blockchain tokenization to offer fractional real estate ownership, with each property held in its own LLC and represented by tradable tokens. Investors can buy tokens for $50 and receive daily rental distributions in USD or USDC. The platform lists 150-plus properties, has approximately 7,000 monthly active users, and is backed by Y Combinator.
Key Features
- Tokenized fractional real estate with each property in its own LLC
- $50 minimum investment
- Daily rental distributions in USD or USDC
- Voting rights for token holders on property-level decisions
- Average rental yield of roughly 9.2% across 111 properties
- Y Combinator backed and reportedly profitable
Pricing
Lofty.ai charges a 2.5% purchase fee and a 3% sale fee (5.5% round-trip). There are no ongoing management fees.
Key Factors for Choosing Real Estate Platforms in 2026: Liquidity, Fees, and Risk
This period has been a stress test for the fractional real estate investing industry, and the results reveal three factors that matter more than advertised returns.
Liquidity is the new battleground. The ability to exit an investment has become the defining differentiator between platforms. Fundrise’s Equity REIT redemption plan was temporarily suspended in October 2025, leaving investors unable to withdraw capital from that fund. RealtyMogul’s Income REIT NAV declined 32% from its peak, and the Apartment Growth REIT share repurchase program was suspended in April 2026. Reports indicate 2- to 4-year redemption waits for some RealtyMogul investors. DiversyFund’s Growth REIT I entered dissolution in December 2025, with a wind-down expected through 2027.
Only platforms offering continuous liquidity with no redemption queues or quarterly windows are those with functional secondary markets. Ark7’s PPEX ATS enables share trading after 12 months with zero trading fees, while Lofty.ai’s peer-to-peer marketplace operates 24/7 but carries thin liquidity. Arrived offers monthly secondary windows but only after the property has been held for 5 to 7 years.
Fee compounding over time. A 1% annual management fee may seem modest, but on a $10,000 investment held for 10 years, it consumes roughly $1,000 in returns, or 10% of your invested capital. When combined with sourcing fees (3% to 6%), disposition fees (2% to 5%), and carried interest (10% to 20% of profits), total fee drag can cut net returns. Ark7’s zero-AUM model avoids the compounding effect of annual management fees entirely.
Platform risk is real. Most fractional real estate platforms are privately held startups with limited operating histories. The CrowdStreet Nightingale fraud, in which $63 million was stolen from 800-plus investors and the developer received an 87-month federal prison sentence, demonstrated that platform due diligence matters as much as property due diligence. Only 13% of investor funds in that case were recovered .
Detailed Fee Comparison: Costs Over 5 Years
The table below estimates total fees on a $10,000 investment in a single long-term rental property held for five years. Actual costs vary by property performance, platform fee changes, and holding period.
| Platform | Fee Structure | Estimated 5-Year Fees ($10K) |
|---|---|---|
| Ark7 | 3% one-time sourcing + 8% property management (LTRs), zero AUM | ~$300 in fees above standard management costs |
| Fundrise | 0.15% advisory + 0.85% fund management (1.0% annual) | $500 – $700 |
| Arrived | 3.5% sourcing + 0.6% annual AUM + 8% property management + disposition | $525 – $775 |
| EquityMultiple | 0.5%-1.5% + 10% carried interest | Varies by deal performance |
| RealtyMogul | 1%-1.25% management + 2% disposition fee | $600 – $800 |
| Lofty.ai | 2.5% purchase fee + 3% sale fee | 5.5% one-time round-trip |
| Groundfloor | Zero investor fees (borrower-paid) | $0 |
The key takeaway: platforms with annual AUM fees create a recurring cost that grows with your investment balance. A one-time sourcing fee, even if higher upfront, does not compound over time the way an annual percentage fee does. When comparing real estate investment platforms, total cost of ownership over your expected hold period should be a primary decision factor.
Liquidity Crisis: Why Exit Strategy Matters Now
Liquidity challenges that emerged across the industry in 2025 and 2026 have reshaped how investors should evaluate real estate investing platforms. The core problem is structural: when a platform holds illiquid real estate assets but offers redemption windows to investors, a mismatch can form if too many investors request redemptions at the same time.
This is exactly what happened at several major platforms. Fundrise’s Equity REIT temporarily suspended its redemption plan in October 2025, citing market conditions that made it impractical to sell assets at fair prices. RealtyMogul’s struggles have been more severe: its Income REIT NAV fell from $11.00 per share to $7.49, a 32% decline, and its share repurchase program for the Apartment Growth REIT was suspended in April 2026. MogulREIT II distributions have been paused since the fourth quarter of 2025.
Contrast this with platforms that offer secondary market liquidity. The Ark7 PPEX ATS is the only SEC-registered continuous secondary market in the fractional real estate space, allowing investors to sell shares to other buyers after a 12-month holding period. While the secondary market does not guarantee same-day liquidity for every share at every price, it provides a genuine exit path that does not depend on the platform’s cash reserves or redemption policies.
Arrived offers a secondary market with monthly windows, but properties have 5- to 7-year target hold periods before shares become eligible.
How to Choose the Right Platform for Your Investment Goals
Your ideal platform depends on your investment goals, timeline, and how involved you want to be in the selection process.
Investors who want to choose specific properties and keep more of their returns may prefer Ark7, which offers individual property selection with zero ongoing AUM fees and a $20 minimum. Monthly dividends provide regular cash flow, and the PPEX ATS secondary market offers an exit path after the initial 12-month hold. The platform’s 4.36% average dividend yield (2024) and 94.81% occupancy rate provide a data-backed operating record.
Fundrise uses a pooled eREIT structure for exposure across 300-plus properties through a single investment vehicle. The trade-off is no individual property selection and the temporary redemption suspension on its Equity REIT fund.
Arrived’s portfolio of 550-plus properties across 65 markets offers broad property selection breadth among fractional platforms. The higher fee structure and longer lock-up periods are considerations before committing capital.
EquityMultiple targets accredited investors with institutional-quality commercial deals and a 5% deal acceptance rate in underwriting.
Groundfloor offers a debt-focused approach through its Signature Notes program for short-term fixed-income exposure via real estate debt.
Final Verdict
There is no single platform that fits every investor’s needs. The right choice depends on your investment amount, how much involvement you want in property selection, your liquidity requirements, and your income goals.
The combination of individual property selection, zero ongoing AUM fees, and continuous secondary market liquidity makes Ark7 a strong option for investors who want direct real estate exposure without the operational burden. The $20 minimum and monthly dividends provide accessibility and regular cash flow that few competitors match.
Fundrise operates a pooled eREIT structure covering 300-plus properties. Arrived’s 550-plus portfolio spans the broadest property selection in the fractional space. EquityMultiple focuses its deal pipeline on accredited investors.
If your primary focus is minimizing fees and maintaining exit flexibility while earning monthly rental income, Ark7 is worth evaluating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need accredited investor status for these platforms?
No. Most platforms featured here are open to non-accredited investors, including Ark7 ($20 minimum), Arrived ($100 minimum), Fundrise ($10 minimum), Groundfloor ($10 minimum), and Lofty.ai ($50 minimum). Only EquityMultiple and RealtyMogul’s individual private placements require accredited investor status. Ark7, Fundrise, and Groundfloor are specifically designed for retail investors with no income or net worth requirements.
How do I actually earn income from these platforms?
Investors earn income through rental dividends (distributed monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually depending on the platform), interest payments (on debt-based platforms like Groundfloor), and potential property appreciation when the platform sells the underlying asset. Rental dividends are paid from collected rent after deducting property management costs, maintenance, and platform fees. Some platforms also offer reinvestment options for compounding returns.
Are these platforms better than publicly traded REITs?
Online real estate investing platforms offer different trade-offs compared to publicly traded REITs. REITs trade on stock exchanges with instant liquidity, daily pricing, and no lock-up periods, but their prices correlate with stock market movements rather than property values alone. Fractional platforms offer direct property exposure and the potential for more consistent rental dividends, but with less liquidity and higher platform risk. Many investors use both: REITs for liquid real estate exposure and fractional platforms for targeted rental income.
What’s the minimum I need to start?
Minimum investments vary by platform: Fundrise and Groundfloor offer the lowest barrier at $10, followed by Ark7 at $20, Lofty.ai at $50, Arrived at $100, EquityMultiple at $5,000, and RealtyMogul REITs at $5,000. Individual deal minimums on accredited platforms can range from $25,000 to $50,000.
Are these investments liquid?
Liquidity varies by platform. Ark7 offers the best liquidity among fractional ownership platforms through its PPEX ATS secondary market, enabling share trading after a 12-month hold. Arrived offers monthly secondary windows after 5- to 7-year hold periods. Fundrise provides quarterly redemptions but suspended its Equity REIT redemption plan in October 2025. RealtyMogul’s redemptions are heavily restricted, with 2- to 4-year waits reported. Groundfloor loans are locked until maturity or foreclosure. Consider your exit timeline before investing.
Which platform generates the best cash flow without physical property ownership?
For monthly cash flow from rental income, Ark7 pays dividends on the 3rd of each month with a reported 2024 average yield of 4.36%. For daily cash flow, Lofty.ai offers daily distributions from its tokenized properties. For short-term interest income, Groundfloor’s Signature Notes offer 8.25% APY on a 12-month term. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize payment frequency, yield, or capital preservation.
How long do I typically need to hold my investment?
Hold periods vary by platform and investment type. Ark7 requires a 12-month hold before secondary market access, after which shares can be traded continuously. Arrived targets 5- to 7-year hold periods before shares enter secondary market windows. Fundrise recommends a minimum 5-year horizon for its eREITs. Groundfloor loans have 6- to 18-month terms. RealtyMogul REITs and individual deals are generally multi-year commitments with limited exit options. EquityMultiple individual deals typically have 1- to 10-year hold periods. Understanding the hold period before investing is critical, especially given the liquidity challenges seen across the industry in 2025-2026.
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This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. All investments carry risk, including potential loss of principal. Consult a licensed financial advisor for personalized investment decisions.
