The verdict
AppFolio vs Buildium
AppFolio is the better choice for established management companies with 50 or more units that want one platform to scale on. Buildium is the better pick for small and midsize firms and community association managers, because it starts at a lower monthly price and lets you test it free for 14 days.
Best for professional management companies
AppFolio
- Our rating: 4.7 / 5
- Starting price: $1.49 / unit / month (50-unit minimum)
- Free plan: No
Best for small and midsize management companies
Buildium
- Our rating: 4.6 / 5
- Starting price: $65 / month
- Free plan: Free trial (14 days)
At a glance
| AppFolio | Buildium | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Professional management companies | Small and midsize management companies |
| Starting price | $1.49 / unit / month (Core) | $65 / month (Essential) |
| Plan tiers | Core $1.49, Plus $3.20, Max $5.00 per unit / month | Essential $65, Growth $202, Premium $420 / month |
| Free plan or trial | No; demo only | 14-day free trial, no credit card |
| Minimums | Minimum spend on every plan; 50-unit minimum on Core | None published; price rises with units |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
| Accounting | Full property accounting and owner reporting | Full property accounting for smaller firms |
| Property types | Professional residential portfolios | Residential rentals and community associations |
| Ideal size | 50 units and up, including large portfolios | Small to midsize portfolios |
AppFolio is the better fit for professional management companies with at least 50 units that want a platform built to scale, while Buildium suits small and midsize managers and community associations that want a lower entry price and a free trial. Both handle accounting, leasing, rent payments, maintenance, and owner and tenant portals. The real differences are in pricing structure, minimums, and who each one was designed for.
We rate AppFolio 4.7 out of 5 and Buildium 4.6, first and second on our ranked list of the best property management software. Here is how they compare on the decisions that matter to a management company.
Who each platform is built for
AppFolio Property Manager targets professional property management companies. Its plans carry a minimum spend, and the Core plan requires at least 50 units. That floor rules it out for most small landlords and very small firms, but it signals where AppFolio puts its effort: firms with real portfolios, staff, and owners who expect detailed reporting.
Buildium, owned by RealPage, serves small and midsize residential managers and community associations. Its Essential plan starts at $65 a month, so a firm with a few dozen doors can get full property accounting without hitting a minimum. Association managers get a platform that handles both rentals and HOAs in one place.
Winner: depends on size. AppFolio for established firms above 50 units, Buildium for smaller firms and associations.
Accounting and owner reporting
Both platforms include true property accounting, which is the main reason management companies choose either one over landlord tools. You get property-level ledgers, owner statements, and the records you need to manage owner funds and security deposits in trust.
AppFolio’s accounting and owner reporting are among its biggest strengths, and they scale to large portfolios with many owners. Buildium’s accounting is strong for smaller firms and is one of its main selling points at its price level. For a firm with a few hundred units and straightforward owners, the two are close. For a firm managing a large and growing book of owners, AppFolio has more headroom.
Winner: AppFolio for large portfolios; Buildium holds its own for smaller firms.
Leasing, payments, and maintenance
AppFolio combines leasing, online rent payments, maintenance, accounting, and portals in one platform, so a single system covers the full resident life cycle from application to move-out. Buildium covers the same ground: online leasing, rent collection, maintenance tracking, and resident and owner portals.
The practical difference is tier placement. On Buildium, many features that growing firms want sit in the Growth or Premium plans, so the $65 Essential price is a starting point rather than what most firms will pay. On AppFolio, the Plus and Max plans add capabilities on top of Core at a higher per-unit rate. Either way, map the features you need to the plan that includes them before comparing prices.
Winner: tie. Both cover the core workflow; the right plan matters more than the brand.
Pricing and total cost
AppFolio prices per unit per month: Core starts at $1.49, Plus at $3.20, and Max at $5.00. Every plan has a minimum monthly spend, and Core has a 50-unit minimum. At 200 units on Core, the base software runs about $298 a month before payment fees or add-ons. Moving to Plus at the same size raises it to about $640.
Buildium uses tiered monthly plans: Essential at $65, Growth at $202, and Premium at $420, with the price rising as your unit count grows. For a firm under 50 units, Buildium is the natural fit, since AppFolio’s Core plan requires at least 50. For larger firms, get a written Buildium quote at your actual unit count, because the starting prices apply to smaller portfolios.
Winner: Buildium for small firms and for anyone who wants a published price to start. Larger firms should compare written quotes from both at their real unit count and tier.
Owner and resident portals
Portals do a lot of quiet work for a management company. When residents can pay rent, submit maintenance requests, and check their balance online, and owners can pull statements without calling, your staff spends less time on the phone. Both AppFolio and Buildium include owner portals and tenant or resident portals, so neither forces you into a separate tool for this.
The useful test is how each portal feels to the people who use it. During a Buildium trial or an AppFolio demo, have someone outside your office act as a tenant and as an owner, then ask what confused them. A portal that owners like reduces churn in your management contracts, which matters more over time than small price differences.
Winner: tie. Both cover portals well; test them with real users.
Trust accounting and compliance
State rules on trust accounts, security deposits, and record keeping apply no matter which platform you use, and the software is only as good as your setup. With either tool, confirm that you can run a three-way reconciliation, track each security deposit by tenant, produce year-end 1099s for owners and vendors, and export your records for a state audit.
AppFolio’s depth in accounting gives larger firms more room for complex owner structures. Buildium’s accounting is strong for its size and covers what most small and midsize firms need. Ask both vendors to show a trust reconciliation in your demo or trial rather than taking it on faith.
Winner: AppFolio for complex books, by a small margin.
Trial, onboarding, and switching
Buildium offers a 14-day free trial that needs no credit card and comes loaded with sample data. That lets your bookkeeper post rent, pay a bill, and run an owner statement before anyone talks to sales. It is the easiest way in the category to check whether the accounting fits your month-end process.
AppFolio offers demos rather than a free trial, so plan on a sales conversation before you see the software. Make the demo work for you: ask them to walk through your actual month-end close, a trust reconciliation, and an owner distribution, not a scripted tour.
Whichever you pick, migration is an accounting project. Choose a cutover date at the start of a month, move opening balances for every owner and tenant, and reconcile the trust account in both systems before you turn the old one off.
Winner: Buildium. A no-card trial with sample data lowers the risk of choosing wrong.
Community associations
If you manage homeowner or condo associations, Buildium is the clearer choice of the two. It is built to work for both rentals and associations, so a firm with a mixed book can run everything in one system. AppFolio’s plans are aimed at professional management companies in general. Association managers considering AppFolio should confirm in the demo that it covers the board reporting, violations, and dues workflows they rely on.
Winner: Buildium.
Which should you choose?
Pick AppFolio if you run a professional management company with at least 50 units, plan to grow, and want one platform with deep accounting and owner reporting that will not need replacing. Pick Buildium if you manage a smaller portfolio or associations, want to start below AppFolio’s minimums, and prefer to test the software yourself for 14 days before buying.
Pros and cons
AppFolio
Pros
- Full accounting and owner reporting
- Leasing, maintenance, and payments together
- Scales to large portfolios
Cons
- 50-unit minimum on Core
- Minimum monthly spend on every plan
- No free trial
Buildium
Pros
- 14-day free trial with no credit card
- Strong accounting for smaller firms
- Works for rentals and associations
Cons
- Price rises with unit count
- Key features sit in higher tiers
Which should you choose?
Choose AppFolio if
- You manage 50 or more units for outside owners
- You want accounting that scales to large portfolios
- You need leasing, payments, and maintenance in one system
- You plan to grow without switching platforms
Choose Buildium if
- You manage fewer than 50 units
- You manage community associations as well as rentals
- You want a 14-day trial with no credit card
- You want a published monthly starting price
See the full ranking
Best Property Management Software in 2026
We compare five property management platforms on fit, features, and price, and pick the best for management companies, portfolios, and landlords.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use AppFolio with fewer than 50 units?
Not on the Core plan, which has a 50-unit minimum, and every AppFolio plan carries a minimum monthly spend. A firm below that size usually pays for capacity it does not use. Buildium, starting at $65 a month, or a landlord-focused tool fits better until your portfolio grows past the minimum.
Which is better for HOA and condo association management?
Buildium is the stronger choice for associations, because it is built to handle both rental properties and community associations in one platform. That suits firms with a mixed book. AppFolio is aimed at professional management companies in general, so association managers should confirm board reporting, violations, and dues workflows in a demo before choosing it.
Is it hard to switch from Buildium to AppFolio later?
It is doable with planning. The work is mostly accounting: moving opening balances, security deposits, leases, and recurring charges, then reconciling trust accounts in both systems. Pick a month-start cutover date. Time the move for after year-end 1099s so you are not reconciling two systems during tax season.
How do you compare AppFolio and Buildium quotes fairly?
Price both at your current unit count and at the count you expect in three years, on the tier that includes every feature you need. Add payment processing fees, screening fees, onboarding charges, and add-ons. Then compare the annual total, not the monthly starting price, since both platforms rise in cost as your portfolio grows.