How to Find the Best Rentals in Canada: A Guide To Rental Search Engines
Jul 26, 2024
Table of contents
Title
Title
Searching for an apartment or condo to rent in today’s competitive rental market can be overwhelming, and you may not know where to begin your search. Thankfully, we’re here to help you through the process.
In this guide, we’ll explore the best rental websites, their features, and how to find apartments for rent in Canada.
Once you’ve seen some of these rental websites and are ready to start applying for properties, check out our step-by-step guide on applying for a rental. For a complete overview of renting in Canada, take a look at this guide.
The Best Rental Websites in Canada
These are nine of the best rental websites in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and most other Canadian cities.
Zumper
Zumper is one of the most popular sites to find a rental in Canada and the US. Its user-friendly layout includes many search filters, allowing you to browse by the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, price, deals, ratings, and more.
With over one million listings across North America, you can find short- and long-term rentals. It is free to use, and they even have a helpful blog for renters.
The entire rental process can be done within Zumper. You can contact the landlord or property manager and fill out a rental application. They can even collect rent payments from you through the platform.
Kijiji
Kijiji is a great platform for finding an apartment, condo, or room to rent in Canada. It has a more basic user interface, but all the features you need are there. You can filter by short- or long-term rentals and even find rooms and roommates to pair up with.
You can save searches, get notified when new listings are posted, and contact the landlord or person who created the listing.
Anyone can post an ad on Kijiji, so beware of potential scams. Although this website doesn’t have many security features, it’s still a great place to find a rental, among many other things.
Facebook Marketplace
One of the most similar sites like Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace is an online marketplace where anyone can post rooms, apartments, and anything else they want for rent or sale. Facebook is also a popular place for people looking for roommates.
There aren’t as many search filters on Facebook as on other rental sites, but it is one of the most widely used platforms to find a rental, so you’ll probably find what you’re looking for.
Beware of scams and incorrect listings, as anyone can post an ad.
Padmapper
Padmapper is one of the best apartment search engines for rentals in Canada and the US. It has a large, interactive map and several features that allow you to filter based on rent price, lease length, and number of bedrooms and bathrooms.
Despite its simple interface, it has everything you need to find the perfect apartment. You can save searches, add listings to your favourites, and contact the landlord.
Rentals.ca
Rentals.ca only focuses on rentals in Canada, making it easy to search by province or city. The site has a large, interactive map and many rentals have a 3D tour.
You can filter rentals by location, price, size, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, parking spaces, and amenities. Rentals.ca has an impressive number of search filters and is one of the most popular rental-hunting websites, with thousands of listings daily.
There is an option to search for verified listings only, a great safety feature to avoid scams. They also have a blog with helpful monthly rent reports, which is useful for getting insights into the average rent prices in Canada.
Condos.ca
If you’re looking to rent or buy a condo, Condos.ca is the place to look. Available in many Canadian cities, there is an interactive map and you can filter by neighborhood, price, size, type of condo, and more.
Condos.ca has quite a few features that most other rental sites don’t, like the ability to filter by condo amenities and the direction of light exposure. They also have a helpful blog where you can take a look at market stats and historical average prices for your area.
It’s easy to view and apply for properties on Condos.ca, but a lack of built-in messaging can make communicating with landlords and agents a bit difficult.
Realtor.ca
Realtor.ca has over 300,000 listings from trusted realtors across Canada. You can find both residential and commercial listings for rent and for sale.
This is one of the best sites to look for apartments, as you can filter by location, price, number of beds and baths, size, year built, and keywords. You can call, email, or book a showing with the realtor directly on the site.
They also have a handy Living Room Blog, where you can find information about real estate, market trends, and neighborhood guides.
Liv.rent
Liv.rent markets itself as “Canada’s safest rental platform,” as it offers many safety features, including an extensive verification process and tenant screening tools. This rental hunting website is available in Ontario, BC, Montreal, Calgary, and Edmonton.
Along with extensive search filters and an interactive map, Liv.rent includes features that not many other sites have, such as a built-in instant chat with landlords, the ability to submit applications, book viewings, sign lease agreements, and pay rent.
One really interesting feature is that you can pay your rent with Bitcoin, which is deposited as CAD into the landlord’s bank account. They also have rent reports in major cities like Toronto and Vancouver.
Zolo.ca
With Zolo, you can search for rental units by price, number of beds and baths, type of property, number of days it’s been listed, and more. You’ll need to create a free account to view photos, save searches, and book viewings.
Zolo provides handy stats such as the average price in the area and the commute time to nearby subway stations. Check out their blog on buying, selling, and renting in Canada.
Photo by Patrick Perkins on Unsplash
What to Look for in a Rental Platform
Now that we have your options out of the way, when looking at some of the best rental websites in Canada, you should ensure they have these three important features:
Verified listings and landlords
To avoid scams, stick to rental websites that have screening processes for landlords and listings. Websites should also have security features that audit and delete suspicious listings.
If you’re using sites like Kijiji or Facebook to find a rental, be aware that scams are common. Thoroughly vet the landlord and make sure you visit the property in person before applying or signing a lease.
Customizable search filters
Rental websites should have search filters based on price, property type, neighborhood, amenities, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and more. It can be difficult to find your dream rental if you’re stuck scrolling through hundreds of listings that are not relevant to you.
Security features
If you’re messaging landlords and applying for properties through these rental websites, ensure they have security features such as a clear privacy policy and the ability to detect scams. Don’t give any personal information to anyone other than a trusted party.
Finally, found your dream apartment or condo? Use Chexy to pay rent with your credit card and earn rewards. Not only can you take advantage of credit card rewards, but you can build your credit and even split rent with roommates, all in one platform.
Subscribe to our newsletter below for up-to-date credit card, travel, and rental content.
Searching for an apartment or condo to rent in today’s competitive rental market can be overwhelming, and you may not know where to begin your search. Thankfully, we’re here to help you through the process.
In this guide, we’ll explore the best rental websites, their features, and how to find apartments for rent in Canada.
Once you’ve seen some of these rental websites and are ready to start applying for properties, check out our step-by-step guide on applying for a rental. For a complete overview of renting in Canada, take a look at this guide.
The Best Rental Websites in Canada
These are nine of the best rental websites in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and most other Canadian cities.
Zumper
Zumper is one of the most popular sites to find a rental in Canada and the US. Its user-friendly layout includes many search filters, allowing you to browse by the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, price, deals, ratings, and more.
With over one million listings across North America, you can find short- and long-term rentals. It is free to use, and they even have a helpful blog for renters.
The entire rental process can be done within Zumper. You can contact the landlord or property manager and fill out a rental application. They can even collect rent payments from you through the platform.
Kijiji
Kijiji is a great platform for finding an apartment, condo, or room to rent in Canada. It has a more basic user interface, but all the features you need are there. You can filter by short- or long-term rentals and even find rooms and roommates to pair up with.
You can save searches, get notified when new listings are posted, and contact the landlord or person who created the listing.
Anyone can post an ad on Kijiji, so beware of potential scams. Although this website doesn’t have many security features, it’s still a great place to find a rental, among many other things.
Facebook Marketplace
One of the most similar sites like Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace is an online marketplace where anyone can post rooms, apartments, and anything else they want for rent or sale. Facebook is also a popular place for people looking for roommates.
There aren’t as many search filters on Facebook as on other rental sites, but it is one of the most widely used platforms to find a rental, so you’ll probably find what you’re looking for.
Beware of scams and incorrect listings, as anyone can post an ad.
Padmapper
Padmapper is one of the best apartment search engines for rentals in Canada and the US. It has a large, interactive map and several features that allow you to filter based on rent price, lease length, and number of bedrooms and bathrooms.
Despite its simple interface, it has everything you need to find the perfect apartment. You can save searches, add listings to your favourites, and contact the landlord.
Rentals.ca
Rentals.ca only focuses on rentals in Canada, making it easy to search by province or city. The site has a large, interactive map and many rentals have a 3D tour.
You can filter rentals by location, price, size, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, parking spaces, and amenities. Rentals.ca has an impressive number of search filters and is one of the most popular rental-hunting websites, with thousands of listings daily.
There is an option to search for verified listings only, a great safety feature to avoid scams. They also have a blog with helpful monthly rent reports, which is useful for getting insights into the average rent prices in Canada.
Condos.ca
If you’re looking to rent or buy a condo, Condos.ca is the place to look. Available in many Canadian cities, there is an interactive map and you can filter by neighborhood, price, size, type of condo, and more.
Condos.ca has quite a few features that most other rental sites don’t, like the ability to filter by condo amenities and the direction of light exposure. They also have a helpful blog where you can take a look at market stats and historical average prices for your area.
It’s easy to view and apply for properties on Condos.ca, but a lack of built-in messaging can make communicating with landlords and agents a bit difficult.
Realtor.ca
Realtor.ca has over 300,000 listings from trusted realtors across Canada. You can find both residential and commercial listings for rent and for sale.
This is one of the best sites to look for apartments, as you can filter by location, price, number of beds and baths, size, year built, and keywords. You can call, email, or book a showing with the realtor directly on the site.
They also have a handy Living Room Blog, where you can find information about real estate, market trends, and neighborhood guides.
Liv.rent
Liv.rent markets itself as “Canada’s safest rental platform,” as it offers many safety features, including an extensive verification process and tenant screening tools. This rental hunting website is available in Ontario, BC, Montreal, Calgary, and Edmonton.
Along with extensive search filters and an interactive map, Liv.rent includes features that not many other sites have, such as a built-in instant chat with landlords, the ability to submit applications, book viewings, sign lease agreements, and pay rent.
One really interesting feature is that you can pay your rent with Bitcoin, which is deposited as CAD into the landlord’s bank account. They also have rent reports in major cities like Toronto and Vancouver.
Zolo.ca
With Zolo, you can search for rental units by price, number of beds and baths, type of property, number of days it’s been listed, and more. You’ll need to create a free account to view photos, save searches, and book viewings.
Zolo provides handy stats such as the average price in the area and the commute time to nearby subway stations. Check out their blog on buying, selling, and renting in Canada.
Photo by Patrick Perkins on Unsplash
What to Look for in a Rental Platform
Now that we have your options out of the way, when looking at some of the best rental websites in Canada, you should ensure they have these three important features:
Verified listings and landlords
To avoid scams, stick to rental websites that have screening processes for landlords and listings. Websites should also have security features that audit and delete suspicious listings.
If you’re using sites like Kijiji or Facebook to find a rental, be aware that scams are common. Thoroughly vet the landlord and make sure you visit the property in person before applying or signing a lease.
Customizable search filters
Rental websites should have search filters based on price, property type, neighborhood, amenities, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and more. It can be difficult to find your dream rental if you’re stuck scrolling through hundreds of listings that are not relevant to you.
Security features
If you’re messaging landlords and applying for properties through these rental websites, ensure they have security features such as a clear privacy policy and the ability to detect scams. Don’t give any personal information to anyone other than a trusted party.
Finally, found your dream apartment or condo? Use Chexy to pay rent with your credit card and earn rewards. Not only can you take advantage of credit card rewards, but you can build your credit and even split rent with roommates, all in one platform.
Subscribe to our newsletter below for up-to-date credit card, travel, and rental content.