Listing an apartment: free or paid, and what the costs consist of

EverReal Editorial Team. The same rental technology chosen by 450+ real estate companies. Last updated: October 2026.

Problem: Every portal calculates costs differently, and not all of them state the price upfront. Cause: sometimes per listing, sometimes per duration, sometimes in a package. Thesis: Weigh the listing costs against the rent that an additional month of vacancy will cost you.

Can I list my apartment for free?

Private landlords can list an apartment for free: on Kleinanzeigen and with an introductory offer on ImmoScout24 and Immowelt (as of October 2026). The free portion is limited—by duration, number of inquiries, or number of listings. More listings, longer durations, or higher visibility cost extra, depending on the portal per listing, per duration, or as part of a package. The decisive factor is how long the apartment can afford to stand vacant.

Where do private landlords list their apartments?

Anyone wishing to offer an individual apartment can choose between three types of platforms. The following list is meant for guidance, not as a recommendation or ranking. Details regarding free offers are taken from the help and product pages of the portals (as of October 2026) and are subject to change.

Major real estate portals. Platforms specialized in apartment hunting, such as ImmoScout24 and Immowelt. On Immowelt, searches can be narrowed down using filters, for example by features such as a fitted kitchen or a balcony. Both portals offer private landlords a free start with limitations: ImmoScout24 provides a basic listing (limited in duration, number of contact inquiries, and number of free listings per six months), while Immowelt offers the first month free in the starter package (once per property within three months). Better placement and additional features require payment.

Classifieds portals. General marketplaces with a real estate section, such as Kleinanzeigen in Germany. For private individuals, up to two listings at the same time are free of charge in the rental apartments category, and a maximum of two newly created listings within 30 days. Deleting an ad and relisting it uses up part of this allowance. Beyond that, an insertion fee applies per listing.

Regional offers and property owners' associations. These include the real estate sections of regional daily newspapers as well as municipal housing exchanges and offers from local property owners' associations, where available. They cater to a local audience. Whether and under what conditions a listing is free of charge there is determined by the respective operator.

A free listing applies per portal and within its limits; with the paid Flexible Listing option from EverReal Go! (starting at 59 euros per 30 days including VAT), you can publish the same listing across multiple portals with just a few clicks, without individual portal contracts. The three tiers differ in the portals included; ImmoScout24 is only included starting from the second tier (from 79 euros) (as of October 2026).

How do portals calculate the costs for a listing?

Prices vary. There are three underlying models that explain why two offers with the same number in front of them can differ in price.

Per listing. You pay for an individual advertisement that runs for a fixed duration. This is how Kleinanzeigen calculates its fee as soon as you post more real estate listings than the free allowance permits: an insertion fee per listing, with a duration of 30 days.

Per duration. On ImmoScout24 and Immowelt, you select the duration when booking, and on Immowelt, the price also explicitly depends on it. For the free starter package, Immowelt points out on its product page that once it expires, the publication automatically renews for the booked duration at the then-current price unless you cancel at least 24 hours in advance.

In a package. ImmoScout24 and Immowelt bundle services into tiers, ranging from the free entry-level option to premium packages. Higher tiers offer better placement, a more eye-catching presentation, and, depending on the portal, additional features. Individual visibility options are charged extra depending on the portal.

Is a paid listing worth it? Calculate with your rent

You already know the key calculation metric: the base rent (excluding utilities) you intend to charge.

Here is how to calculate:

Example calculation using an arbitrary figure, not a market rate: With a base rent of 900 euros, each day of vacancy costs you 30 euros. A two-week delay therefore costs 420 euros—not even including the operating costs that you continue to shoulder during this period.

Insert your own rent figure and compare the result with the price of the listing option you would choose. Your own calculation will show whether a paid listing pays off.

Compile mandatory details before writing

If your advertisement appears in commercial media, such as on a portal, and an energy performance certificate is available, its details must be included in the listing: type of certificate, final energy consumption or final energy demand, the primary energy sources for heating, and for residential buildings also the year of construction and energy efficiency class (Section 87 Building Modernization Act, formerly Building Energy Act until July 2026). If these are missing, you could face a fine. To see how these specifications are named in the energy certificate and which sample values apply, refer to Energy Performance Certificate in the Listing: Five Mandatory Details.

Complete the advertisement before publishing

The paid duration begins upon publication, even if the advertisement is still incomplete. Write the text and arrange the photos before you publish the listing. How to structure an ad to prevent unnecessary inquiries is covered in our dedicated article on apartment listings.

Plan the duration backwards from the start of the lease

Count backwards from the desired lease start date: Between the first inquiry and the signed contract, there are viewings, follow-up questions, and decision-making. Factor this time in right away when choosing your listing duration. Before booking, check whether the portal renews automatically. The same applies to the free introductory offer: check how long it runs and how many inquiries it includes before relying on it.

List across multiple platforms, but bundle inquiries in one place

Listing on multiple portals simultaneously expands your reach. The downside only becomes evident afterward: the same apartment generates inquiries across multiple inboxes, leaving no clear overview of who has already received an offer. Decide in advance where inquiries will be collected and what criteria you will use for selection. What questions you are permitted to ask applicants at which stage is covered in our dedicated article on tenant self-disclosure forms. How to select and reject applicants fairly can be found in Selecting and Rejecting Rental Applicants. Furthermore, with every additional inbox, it becomes easier to miss potential red flags. Which checks you are allowed to perform and when is described in Rent Nomads: Recognizing Warning Signs Before Signing the Contract.

With EverReal Go!: one listing, multiple portals, applicant data in one central place

You create the listing once in EverReal Go!, share it, and publish it on multiple portals with Flexible Listing. You see applicants who match your apartment first, coordinate viewing appointments in the very same place, and keep all applicant data digitally organized. The individual Light booking includes the listing, viewing appointment coordination, and applicant data: 34 euros per rental transaction, one-off, valid for six months, including VAT. In addition, Flexible Listing—required for publishing on portals—costs from 59, 79, or 119 euros per 30 days including VAT across three tiers with different portals; it is part of the transaction costs, with all prices detailed in the EverReal Go! pricing overview.

Conclusion: Free listings are possible, but vacancy costs rent

Listing for free works, both on Kleinanzeigen and with introductory offers from ImmoScout24 and Immowelt. Whether it is the more cost-effective choice depends on the duration of vacancy: free offers are limited in duration, inquiries, or total volume, and every additional day costs you rent. By dividing your monthly base rent by 30 and multiplying it by the expected delay in days, you can measure the true value of any listing option.

To learn how the listing fits into the complete rental process—from documentation to handover—read Renting Out an Apartment: The Complete Process.

EverReal Go! is your digital assistant for renting out property.

Legal Notice

We do not provide legal advice. For specific legal questions, please consult a specialized attorney for tenancy and residential property law or your local property owners' association, such as Haus & Grund. Legal status: October 2026.

Sources

• EverReal Go! prices and Flexible Listing module: de.everreal.co/go/preise, accessed on 14.10.2026. Light 34 euros, Plus 59 euros, per rental transaction, one-off, valid for six months, including VAT. Flexible Listing from 59, 79, and 119 euros per 30 days, including VAT, with the note on the page: "Flexible Listing is required to publish your listing on portals." Phrasing of the Framer version: “No separate portal contracts? … Publish your listing directly on the portals with Flexible Listing without your own portal accounts.”

• Mandatory details in a real estate advertisement: Section 87 Building Modernization Act (GModG), accessed on 08.10.2026. Until its renaming effective 29.07.2026, the act was known as the Building Energy Act (GEG); section numbering remains unchanged. Subject to fines under Section 108 GModG.

• Kleinanzeigen: Help page “Fees on Kleinanzeigen”, accessed on 08.10.2026 (free allowance for real estate listings of private users: up to two listings simultaneously in the rental apartments category and a maximum of two newly created listings within 30 days, insertion fee thereafter, duration of paid listings 30 days). Highlighting options: Help page “What highlighting features are available?”, accessed on 08.10.2026.

• ImmoScout24: List for free and Offer a property, accessed on 08.10.2026 (free basic listing for private landlords, limited in duration, number of contact inquiries, and number of free listings per six months, prices displayed during the booking process).

• Immowelt: Rent out an apartment and Help page for real estate listings, accessed on 08.10.2026 (first month free in the starter package for private landlords, once per property within three months, duration selectable upon booking, payment upon publication, automatic renewal with cancellation up to 24 hours prior to expiration, footnote on the starter package).

• 450+ real estate companies (byline): EverReal internal company statement, as of September 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I list my apartment for free?

Private individuals can list for free on Kleinanzeigen and, with an introductory offer, also on ImmoScout24 and Immowelt, each subject to restrictions (as of October 2026). On Kleinanzeigen, up to two listings at the same time are free of charge in the rental apartments category and a maximum of two newly created listings within 30 days; beyond that, an insertion fee per listing applies. ImmoScout24 provides private landlords with a free basic listing with limited duration and a restricted number of contact inquiries, while Immowelt offers the first month free in its starter package (once per property within three months). The limits of the free offer determine how long your listing remains visible.

How much does a listing on a real estate portal cost?

The price of a listing is determined independently by each portal and can change. Therefore, reliable pricing can only be obtained directly from the respective portal. The major real estate portals, such as ImmoScout24 and Immowelt, operate with tiers: a free starter option with limitations, and above that paid packages offering better placement and more features. ImmoScout24 displays the prices for paid listings during the booking process before you accept the offer; customer support can also provide pricing upon request. On Immowelt, costs depend on the package, duration, and property specifications such as type, location, and price, with payment due only once the listing goes live. Additional features like highlighted placement cost extra or are included in higher-tier packages.

How long should a listing be online?

Long enough to ensure that inquiries, viewings, applicant selection, and contract signing are finalized prior to the intended start of the lease. This requires time, which is why you should plan the duration backwards from the lease start date. The duration varies depending on the portal. On Kleinanzeigen, a listing with an insertion fee runs for 30 days, while on Immowelt and ImmoScout24 you select the duration when booking, and the free starter offer is limited in time. Check before booking whether the listing renews automatically: For the free starter package, Immowelt notes on its product page that upon expiration, the listing automatically renews for the booked duration at the then-current price unless canceled at least 24 hours prior.

Can I list on multiple portals at the same time as a private individual?

Yes, this is possible and increases reach. The challenge lies in the organizational effort: each platform has its own inbox, and the same apartment will generate inquiries across multiple locations. Anyone listing in parallel should determine in advance where inquiries will be consolidated and which criteria will guide candidate selection.

What does it cost to list on ImmoScout24 as a private individual?

Getting started is free: ImmoScout24 offers private landlords a basic listing, limited in duration, number of contact inquiries, and number of free listings per six months (as of October 2026). If you require a longer duration, better placement, or a more prominent presentation, you can book a paid listing. ImmoScout24 displays the prices for paid listings during the booking process before you accept the offer; customer support can also provide details upon request.