Dibz8 best Rentals.ca alternatives for GTA renters (2026)
Renting in Toronto or the GTA? Compare 8 Rentals.ca alternatives, from MLS® rental search on Dibz to liv.rent, Zumper, PadMapper, Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace.
The best Rentals.ca alternative for Toronto and the GTA is Dibz, because it shows the 13,973 rentals listed on the MLS® by licensed brokerages, lets you filter by the part of the house you want (basement, upper, main floor, whole house, room or condo), and tells you whether pets are allowed straight from the listing. For landlord-posted rentals that aren't on the MLS®, liv.rent, Zumper, PadMapper and Kijiji are the main alternatives.
Rentals.ca is one of Canada's biggest rental marketplaces, with its widely quoted National Rent Report. It's part of the Rentsync network, which also runs TorontoRentals.com and RentFaster, so switching between those sites often means seeing the same listings. Its Android app was rated 1.6 on Google Play (912 reviews) on October 13, 2026, which is one reason people look elsewhere.
Disclosure: Dibz is our product. Everything below was checked on October 13, 2026, and we've included our own limitations.
MLS® rentals vs marketplace rentals
There are two kinds of rental listings in the GTA:
- MLS® rentals are listed by a licensed real estate brokerage on behalf of the landlord. You'll see them on Dibz, REALTOR.ca, HouseSigma, Zolo and liv.rent (which credits TRREB data).
- Marketplace rentals are posted directly by landlords or property managers on sites like Rentals.ca, Zumper, PadMapper, Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace.
Many renters use one of each. MLS® rentals come with a licensed brokerage behind the listing, which helps with some risks. Still, always see a place in person, and never pay a deposit before you've signed a lease.
How many rentals are on the MLS® in the GTA?
A lot. On October 13, 2026, there were 13,973 homes for rent on the MLS® across Toronto, York, Peel, Durham and Halton, and 2,688 of them had been listed in the previous seven days.
Asking rents of active listings, not signed leases.
Source: Dibz analysis of active MLS® listings (TRREB, via PropTx), Oct 13, 2026
Rentals.ca alternatives compared
| Listing source | Filter by unit type | Pets info | Free for renters | Apps | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dibz | MLS® (licensed brokerages) | Basement, upper, main, house, room, condo | From the MLS® field | ✓ | Android; iPhone beta; web |
| Rentals.ca (for reference) | Landlords and managers | Not confirmed | ✓ | ✓ | iOS 4.1; Android 1.6 |
| liv.rent | Landlords + TRREB MLS® | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | ✓ | iOS 3.6 |
| Zumper | Landlords and managers | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | ✓ | iOS 4.7 |
| PadMapper | Zumper listings | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | ✓ | iOS 4.6 |
| Kijiji | Classifieds | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | ✓ | iOS 4.7 |
| Facebook Marketplace | Classifieds | — | — | ✓ | In the Facebook app |
| RentSeeker | Landlords and managers | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | ✓ | Web |
| HouseSigma | MLS® | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | ✓ | iOS 4.8 |
'Not confirmed' means we couldn't verify the feature either way. Ratings change often.
Source: Dibz review of each service and the Canadian App Store, October 13, 2026
1. Dibz: best Rentals.ca alternative for the GTA
Dibz was built with GTA renters in mind, not just buyers. Flip the Buy | Rent switch and the whole app becomes a rental search:
- Every MLS® rental in Toronto, the GTA and nearby cities such as Hamilton, Barrie and Kitchener, updated within about a minute of a change.
- Filter by the part of the house: whole house, upper level, main floor, basement, room or condo. It's the filter renters ask for most, and it's why our rentals guide exists. Room rentals are labelled so they don't clutter a search for a full unit.
- Pets OK or No pets on the card, taken from the MLS® pets field and never guessed from the description. If the listing doesn't say, you can ask an agent.
- Furnished and utilities filters, and drive times to work or school from every rental.
- What similar homes leased for, with a free account, so you can tell whether the asking rent is fair.
- Alerts by push or email the moment a matching rental is listed, so you can book a viewing first.
- Shared lists for roommates or a partner, and booking a viewing with a licensed agent in the app.
Dibz is free for renters and has no third-party ads. It's operated by HighPoint Homes Realty, Brokerage.
Honest limitations: Dibz shows MLS® rentals only, so landlord-posted rentals on Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace aren't included. It covers the TRREB MLS® area in Ontario. The Android app is on Google Play, the iPhone app is in beta on TestFlight, and the full app works at dibz.ca.
Browse by type: basement apartments, upper levels, houses, condos and rooms for rent by city.
2. liv.rent: verified profiles and digital leases
liv.rent, based in Vancouver and in Toronto since 2021, offers photo-ID verification, Equifax tenant screening, digital leases in B.C. and Ontario and rent collection. It also shows TRREB MLS® rentals. It's free for renters; landlords can pay for plans.
Best for: renters who want a verified profile and paperless lease.
3. Zumper: big marketplace, strong apps
Zumper is a U.S.-based rental marketplace whose exclusive Canadian partner is Rentsync. It had about 5,300 Toronto rentals when we checked, with a commute filter, verified badges, an AI assistant and tour requests. Its apps are rated 4.7 on iOS and Google Play.
4. PadMapper: map-first rental search
PadMapper, owned by Zumper since 2016, is a map-first rental search with about 5,300 Toronto listings when we checked, many shared with Zumper. iOS rating: 4.6.
5. Kijiji: the classifieds giant
Kijiji had about 7,100 long-term rentals in Toronto when we checked. In April 2026 it added Interac Verified identity badges, though Kijiji itself says a badge doesn't guarantee safety. Its app shows ads.
Watch for: Toronto police have warned about fake rental ads on Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace.
6. Facebook Marketplace: free, informal, risky
Facebook Marketplace rentals are free to post and browse inside the Facebook app. We found no listing verification. In June 2024, Ottawa police advised residents to avoid Marketplace when looking for a rental, and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received 715 rental-scam reports in 2023, with about $820,000 lost, while estimating that only 5–10% of fraud is reported.
7. RentSeeker: national listings with rewards
RentSeeker.ca, a Toronto company, lists rentals across Canada and runs a renter rewards program. We didn't find an iPhone app.
8. HouseSigma: MLS® rentals alongside sales
HouseSigma includes MLS® rentals in Ontario, B.C. and Alberta, alongside homes for sale. Useful if you're deciding whether to rent or buy. See HouseSigma alternatives.
Rental safety checklist
- See the unit in person (or have someone you trust go) before paying anything.
- Check the landlord owns or manages it. For an MLS® rental, the listing brokerage is shown on the listing.
- Use the Ontario Standard Lease for most residential tenancies in Ontario.
- Never pay by gift card or crypto, and be wary of anyone who can't meet in person.
- Know the deposit rules: in Ontario, a landlord can ask for a rent deposit of no more than one month's rent (or one period's rent, if rent is paid more often than monthly).
FAQ
What is the best rental app in Toronto?
For MLS® rentals, Dibz: it filters by basement, upper, main floor, whole house, room or condo, shows pets info from the listing, and alerts you to new rentals. For landlord-posted rentals, Zumper, PadMapper and Kijiji have the most Toronto listings. Many renters use one of each.
How much is rent in Toronto in 2026?
On October 13, 2026, the median asking rent for a condo apartment in the City of Toronto was $2,300 for one bedroom and $3,095 for two bedrooms, based on active MLS® listings. Rentals.ca's October 2026 National Rent Report put Toronto's average asking rent at $2,554 across all listing types.
Are TorontoRentals.com and RentFaster part of Rentals.ca?
Yes. They're part of the Rentsync network with Rentals.ca, and TorontoRentals.com says its accounts and listings are synced with Rentals.ca.
Is it safe to rent from Facebook Marketplace?
It can be, but it carries more risk than listings with a licensed brokerage or verified landlord. Ottawa police advised avoiding Marketplace for rentals in 2024. See the unit in person, use the Ontario Standard Lease, and never pay a deposit up front to someone you haven't met.
Can I find basement apartments on Dibz?
Yes. Choose Basement in the map's Rent filter, or browse basement apartments for rent by city.
Sources
- Rentals.ca, National Rent Report and Rentals.ca on Google Play
- Rentsync acquires Urbanation and TorontoRentals.com: now part of Rentals.ca
- liv.rent and pricing
- Zumper and Rentsync partnership, Zumper on the App Store, PadMapper Toronto
- Kijiji Toronto rentals and Interac and Kijiji partnership
- Ottawa police warning on Facebook Marketplace rentals (CTV, 2024), Toronto rental scam warning (Global News, 2022), CAFC rental scam figures (CTV)
- Ontario: Standard Lease and Ontario: renting rules
- RentSeeker
- Market figures: Dibz analysis of active MLS® listings (TRREB, via PropTx), October 13, 2026.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Competitor features and ratings were checked on October 13, 2026 and may change.
Dibz is a home search app for the Greater Toronto Area, built on the live TRREB MLS® feed. We write these guides from what we see in the market every day and check every rule and number against official sources, listed at the end of each article. Charts marked "Dibz analysis" are calculated from active MLS® listings on the date shown.
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