# Jetty vs Obligo: A Surety Bond or a Payment Method on File

> Jetty vs Obligo for property managers: a surety bond the resident repays against a billing authorization with no claims step, and only one names your PMS.

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Last verified: 2026-11-05

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Property Management Software · Security Deposit Alternatives

# Jetty vs Obligo: A Surety Bond or a Payment Method on File

By Ryan York · published 2026-11-06

## Short answer

-   **A bond against a billing authorization.** Jetty Deposit is a surety bond on State National paper. Obligo keeps a billing authorization on the resident's payment method, backed by bank letters of credit, and insures nothing.
-   **Obligo has no claims step.** It pays by ACH once you close the move-out record, up to the deposit amount. Jetty pays a claim up to the bond amount through its own adjusters and states no timeline.
-   **The resident repays either way.** Jetty recovers what it pays from the resident, and Obligo's resident repays Obligo for any charge it advances to you.
-   **Only Obligo names your PMS.** Obligo names Yardi, RealPage, Entrata, AppFolio, Buildium and MRI. Jetty says it integrates with all the major systems and names none.

Jetty and Obligo, fact by fact, from the shared vendor database. Each fact links to its source and shows the date it was checked.
| Fact | Jetty | Obligo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| What it is | Jetty Deposit replaces the cash security deposit with low-cost surety bonds written on State National Insurance Company paper (National Specialty in Florida); residents pay monthly or once, and Jetty recovers any claim it pays from the resident. Jetty also sells Jetty Protect renters insurance and has joined forces with Rhino, now serving over 6 million units. [source](https://www.jetty.com/properties/jetty-deposit) | Deposit-free leasing built on a payment method on file (bill authorization, not insurance): renters choose no deposit, reduced deposit or installments, with electronic move-out refunds; used in over 1 million homes. [source](https://www.obligo.com/) |
| Pricing model | Jetty Protect renters insurance is resident-paid from $5/month; property-side pricing not published [source](https://www.jetty.com/renters/jetty-protect) | Renter-paid non-refundable fee, a percentage of the deposit requirement set by the renter's profile, typically paid upfront for up to 12 months; renters repay move-out charges to Obligo [source](https://www.obligo.com/faq) |
| PMS integrations | Not published | [Yardi](/property-management-software/integrations/yardi/), [RealPage](/property-management-software/integrations/realpage/), [Entrata](/property-management-software/integrations/entrata/), [AppFolio](/property-management-software/integrations/appfolio/), [Buildium](/property-management-software/integrations/buildium/), [MRI Software](/property-management-software/integrations/mri/) [source](https://www.obligo.com/for-software-partners) |
| Segments | Institutional Multifamily | Institutional Multifamily, Small Multifamily, Single-Family Rental |
| Also known as | Jetty Protect, Jetty renters insurance, Jetty Deposit | – |
| Website | [jetty.com](https://www.jetty.com/) | [obligo.com](https://www.obligo.com/) |
| Profile | [Jetty review](/vendors/jetty/) | [Obligo review](/vendors/obligo/) |

Jetty and Obligo both let a resident move in without the full cash deposit, and they sit at opposite ends of the category. Jetty sells a surety bond, with an insurer behind it. Obligo keeps a payment method on file and insures nothing.

A manager with a few hundred doors usually reaches this choice after deciding the cash deposit is more trouble than it is worth. This page compares the two from each vendor’s own pages: how it works, how you get paid, what the resident pays and still owes, and which systems it names.

## How does Jetty Deposit work?

[Jetty](/vendors/jetty/) replaces the cash deposit with a surety bond. Its [property page](https://www.jetty.com/properties/jetty-deposit) names the paper: State National Insurance Company, and National Specialty Insurance Company in Florida. The resident pays monthly or once, priced by the amount of protection and their credit score.

Jetty says everyone you approve is automatically approved for Jetty Deposit, and the bond stays in place for the whole tenancy, with no new bond at renewal. Coverage amounts can be set per property and per resident.

Jetty has joined forces with Rhino, which now sells as Greenlight Rent. [The Jetty and Rhino comparison](/property-management-software/security-deposit-alternatives/jetty-vs-rhino/) covers what that means for the two products.

## How does Obligo work?

[Obligo](/vendors/obligo/) calls its product deposit-free leasing. The resident authorizes charges on a payment method up to the deposit amount, and its [FAQ](https://www.obligo.com/faq) says bank letters of credit from Wells Fargo back the program. Obligo says it is neither insurance nor a surety bond.

Renters choose no deposit, a reduced deposit, installments, or a full deposit that earns up to 2 percent interest. That last option matters to a manager who wants to keep taking cash from residents who prefer it.

## How do they pay you at move-out?

The payout is the clearest difference.

Obligo has no claims process. Once you close the move-out record, it starts an ACH payment for damage or missed rent, up to the authorized amount. The FAQ says it needs no proof of damage.

In return it screens a management company’s deposit-charge history before onboarding and can suspend a manager whose charge rate crosses a threshold.

Jetty takes a claim. You file up to the total bond amount, and its in-house adjusters review it; the page promises quick payment without a timeline. Jetty says its coverage has no category limits on lost rent or damage.

## What does each cost the resident?

Jetty publishes a starting price: $1,000 of protection from $7 a month. The resident can pay monthly or once, and the price depends on the protection amount and their credit score.

Obligo’s renter pays a non-refundable service fee, a percentage of the deposit requirement set by the renter’s profile. It is usually paid up front for the first lease term of up to 12 months, and Obligo says the property pays nothing.

The resident still owes for damage under both. Jetty says it recovers what it pays directly from the resident. Obligo’s resident repays Obligo for any charge, in a lump sum or interest-free installments.

Set the resident’s total cost over an average tenancy beside the deposit you would have collected.

## Which PMS do they work with?

Obligo names six systems on its [software-partner page](https://www.obligo.com/for-software-partners): Yardi, RealPage, Entrata, AppFolio, Buildium and MRI. Yardi, AppFolio and Buildium are embedded, and Entrata is available by API.

Jetty’s properties page says its products integrate with all the major property management systems, without naming one. For a manager on AppFolio or Buildium, that means Obligo’s integration is on paper and Jetty’s has to be shown. The [AppFolio integrations page](/property-management-software/integrations/appfolio/) and the [Buildium integrations page](/property-management-software/integrations/buildium/) list the vendors in every category that name each system.

## What should you ask in the demo?

1.  **Above the deposit, then what?** Obligo charges only up to the deposit amount. Ask Jetty what coverage limit you can set per resident.
2.  **How long until you are paid?** Ask Jetty for its average days to payout and the proof a claim needs. Ask Obligo how a resident disputes a charge after it pays you.
3.  **What does the resident sign?** Ask both for the addendum and which state deposit-law protections the resident gives up.
4.  **Who qualifies?** Ask Jetty what a resident with weak credit pays. Ask Obligo what share of applicants qualifies for the no-deposit option.
5.  **What happens at renewal?** Jetty’s bond runs for the tenancy. Ask Obligo what the resident pays after the first term.
6.  **Show it in our PMS.** Ask both to show enrollment and a move-out charge or claim reaching the resident ledger.

## Which fits you?

Obligo fits a manager on one of the six systems it names who wants no claims process and no insurance product on the lease. It also suits one who wants to keep collecting cash from some residents. The thing to test is what happens when damage exceeds the deposit.

Jetty fits a manager who wants a surety bond with a named carrier, a published starting price and a bond that covers the whole tenancy. The thing to test is the integration, and how fast its adjusters pay.

The [Obligo alternatives page](/property-management-software/security-deposit-alternatives/obligo-alternatives/) sorts the rest of the category by mechanism, and [Jetty against TheGuarantors](/property-management-software/security-deposit-alternatives/jetty-vs-theguarantors/) compares two surety bonds. Managers of houses can start with [deposit alternatives for single-family rentals](/property-management-software/security-deposit-alternatives/for-single-family-rental/). The [category vendor list](/property-management-software/security-deposit-alternatives/vendors/) puts every record side by side.

Vendors who want to see how AI answers describe them can read about [our AI visibility work for proptech vendors](/ai-visibility-for-proptech-companies/).

## How often do AI answers put Jetty and Obligo side by side?

In the October 2026 edition, ChatGPT and Claude gave 50 answers to the Security Deposit Alternatives questions, and 33 of them named both Jetty and Obligo. When both were named, Jetty came first in 19 and Obligo in 14.

Jetty and Obligo in the Security Deposit Alternatives answers, October 2026 edition, one run per prompt on each engine.
| Answers that | ChatGPT | Claude | All |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| named Jetty | 17 of 25 | 20 of 25 | 37 of 50 |
| named Obligo | 22 of 25 | 20 of 25 | 42 of 50 |
| named both | 16 of 25 | 17 of 25 | 33 of 50 |
| put Jetty first | 9 | 10 | 19 |
| put Obligo first | 7 | 7 | 14 |

### What the answers say about the pair

> “Run a small pilot with Obligo and Entrata Deposit Alternative, and include Jetty if its current Entrata integration is demonstrably end-to-end.”
> 
> ChatGPT, answering sda-best-07 “We manage 1,200 units of student housing on Entrata and most applicants can't put down a full deposit. Which security deposit alternatives should we look at?”

> “I found no Rent Manager integration for Jetty, Obligo, TheGuarantors, or Whale in these results.”
> 
> Claude, answering sda-int-03 “Which security deposit alternatives integrate with Rent Manager?”

The answers that named both cited 228 sources: 99 vendor websites, 68 other sites, 55 roundup articles, 5 trade publications and 1 forum.

These counts come from one run per prompt on each engine, so one answer moves them, and they update with each edition. Quotes are verbatim sentences from the recorded answers, picked by rule rather than by hand. Each vendor's prompts and sources are on its Index row: [Jetty](/ai-shortlist-index/security-deposit-alternatives/jetty/) and [Obligo](/ai-shortlist-index/security-deposit-alternatives/obligo/). All Security Deposit Alternatives rows: [Security Deposit Alternatives in the AI Shortlist Index](/ai-shortlist-index/security-deposit-alternatives/).

## Where do Obligo and Jetty rank in AI answers?

Security Deposit Alternatives, October 2026 edition: 50 runs, one run per prompt on each engine. Mention rate is the share of runs that named the vendor, leaving out prompts that name it in their own text; rank is among all 18 vendors in the category's ranking. These figures update each edition.
| Vendor | Mention rate | Rank | Prompts naming it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Obligo](/ai-shortlist-index/security-deposit-alternatives/obligo/) | 83% | 1 | 21 |
| [Jetty](/ai-shortlist-index/security-deposit-alternatives/jetty/) | 73% | 3 | 20 |

The prompts that named each vendor, and the sources behind them, are on its row. Full table: [Security Deposit Alternatives in the AI Shortlist Index](/ai-shortlist-index/security-deposit-alternatives/).

## What do these vendors leave off their own pages?

-   [Jetty](/vendors/jetty/#claim): no published property management system integrations

Vendors can fill these in by claiming their profile; claimed details appear as a labeled vendor-supplied section next to the sourced facts.

## Which vendors do AI answers name most in this category?

In the October 2026 edition, across 50 recorded runs, the engines named Obligo (83%), Rhino (77%) and Jetty (73%).

The live ranking, source map and every vendor row: [Security Deposit Alternatives in the AI Shortlist Index](/ai-shortlist-index/security-deposit-alternatives/).

## Questions about Jetty vs Obligo

### Is Jetty or Obligo better for a manager on AppFolio or Buildium?

On the vendors' own pages, Obligo. It names both systems, and its Buildium connection sits in Buildium's marketplace. Jetty names no system, so ask it to show enrollment and a claim working in yours before you compare prices.

### Is Jetty Deposit insurance?

Jetty's property page calls it a surety bond, and its renter page calls the resident's payment a non-refundable premium. State National Insurance Company is responsible for the policy obligations, with National Specialty in Florida. Obligo says it is neither insurance nor a surety bond.

### Which one costs the resident less?

Only Jetty publishes a figure: $1,000 of protection from $7 a month, priced by the amount and the applicant's credit score, paid monthly or once. Obligo's fee is a non-refundable percentage of the deposit, set by the renter's profile and usually paid up front for the first lease term. Compare them on a quote for the same deposit.

### Does Jetty still exist after the Rhino merger?

Yes. jetty.com still sells Jetty Deposit under its own name, with a banner saying Jetty has joined forces with Rhino. Rhino now sells as Greenlight Rent.

Part of [/property-management-software/security-deposit-alternatives/](/property-management-software/security-deposit-alternatives/).

Last verified 2026-11-05