Buildium vs AppFolio: which property management software fits your portfolio?
Short answer: Buildium starts at $62 a month with no unit minimum shown, and it has a free 14-day trial, so it suits smaller portfolios. AppFolio charges per unit, from $1.49 a unit a month with a 50-unit minimum and a minimum spend, and it asks you to get a quote. AppFolio's higher plans add tools for affordable and student housing. Prices are from each company's own pricing page as of October 2026.
You're comparing Buildium and AppFolio and want the real per-unit cost at your actual portfolio size, not just the headline starting price.
I'm Ranjit, and I run Blur Studio: 15+ years building software, 120 apps taken live, and clients who have gone on to raise $10M+. I build AI systems and processes that help businesses do a lot more with a lot less time. I also work differently from most of what else is out there, more on that further down this page. Say hello.
How much do Buildium and AppFolio cost?
| Plan | Starting price | How it charges | Minimums |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buildium Essential | $62 a month | Monthly fee | None shown |
| Buildium Growth | $192 a month | Monthly fee | None shown |
| Buildium Premium | $400 a month | Monthly fee | None shown |
| AppFolio Core | $1.49 a unit a month | Per unit | 50 units and a minimum spend |
| AppFolio Plus | $3.20 a unit a month | Per unit | Minimum spend and units |
| AppFolio Max | $5.00 a unit a month | Per unit | Minimum spend and units |
Buildium lists its prices as "starting at" amounts. The page does not explain how the price grows as you add units. It asks portfolios with more than 5,000 units to call. So ask Buildium for a quote at your real unit count.
AppFolio does not show the dollar amount of its minimum spend. Each plan links to "Get a Quote." In practice, you need to talk to AppFolio before you know your real price.
What would 200 units cost on AppFolio?
At list price, 200 units cost $298 a month on Core, $640 a month on Plus and $1,000 a month on Max. Your quote may be higher if it falls under the minimum spend. Use these numbers as a starting point for your talk with sales.
What extra fees does Buildium list?
Buildium lists its extra fees on its pricing page. The main ones change by plan:
- eSignatures: $5 a document on Essential, $1 on Growth and unlimited on Premium.
- Rent paid by bank transfer: $2.35 each on Essential and $1.35 on Growth. Premium is free for 12 months, then $0.60.
- Card payments: 2.99% on every plan.
- Bank accounts: $99 for each business bank account on Essential. Growth includes 10 free and Premium includes 100 free, then $99 each.
- Tenant screening: $17 a screening on Essential. Growth uses enhanced screening at $20 a screening.
These fees can add up. A manager who signs 30 leases a month pays $150 for eSignatures on Essential and $30 on Growth.
Ask AppFolio for its full list of payment, screening and setup fees before you compare.
What do Buildium and AppFolio include on each plan?
Buildium plans
- Essential: Accounting, maintenance and leasing tools, basic messaging, an AI assistant and standard reports.
- Growth: Adds more custom settings, automatic reports, better tenant screening, lower eSignature and bank transfer fees, and AI tools for messages and business numbers.
- Premium: Adds the most advanced features, free inspections and eSignatures, a full AI and automation set, and open API access.
All Buildium plans include ticket support. Growth and Premium add live phone support. New Growth and Premium customers must go through onboarding.
AppFolio plans
- Core: Property accounting and reports, marketing and leasing, work orders, inspections and unit turns, a mobile app, messaging, the Realm-X AI assistant, purchase orders and standard support.
- Plus: Adds tools for affordable housing and student housing, advanced budgets, custom fields, read-only API access and better support.
- Max: Adds a leasing CRM, full read and write API access and a dedicated customer success manager.
Side-by-side summary
| Buildium | AppFolio | |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest starting price | $62 a month | $1.49 a unit a month |
| Unit minimum | None shown | 50 units on Core |
| Free trial | 14 days, sample data, no card | Free demo, no trial listed |
| Affordable or student housing tools | Not listed on pricing page | Plus and Max |
| API access | Premium | Read-only on Plus, full on Max |
| Phone support | Growth and Premium | Not listed on pricing page |
Should you choose Buildium or AppFolio?
Choose Buildium if
- You manage fewer than 50 units: AppFolio's Core plan has a 50-unit minimum.
- You want to try before you talk to sales: Buildium has a free 14-day trial with sample data and no credit card.
- You want to see fees up front: Buildium lists its payment, eSignature and screening fees on its pricing page.
- You manage your own properties or a small book: The Essential plan starts at $62 a month.
Choose AppFolio if
- You manage a large portfolio: Per-unit pricing can make sense when you have hundreds of units.
- You manage affordable or student housing: AppFolio lists tools for both on its Plus plan.
- You want a dedicated account contact: Max includes a customer success manager.
- You want to connect your own systems: Max includes full read and write API access.
Where do Buildium and AppFolio have limits?
Buildium's starting prices do not tell you your real cost at scale. Lower plans also carry higher fees for eSignatures and bank transfers, so a busy manager on Essential may pay more overall than on Growth.
AppFolio's minimum spend is not shown, and every plan needs a quote. Small portfolios under 50 units cannot use Core. Read-only API access on Plus means you can pull data out but cannot write data back.
Are there other Buildium and AppFolio alternatives?
DoorLoop is one more option with prices on its page. DoorLoop One costs $2.50 a unit a month with a $199 monthly minimum. The rate drops to $1.50 a unit above 100 units. It includes unlimited users and full API access.
DoorLoop Connect costs $4.00 a unit a month with a $299 minimum. It adds a receptionist agent that answers tenant calls, texts and portal messages around the clock. My guide to property management software covers more options, and the property management answering service guide covers call handling.
When is neither Buildium nor AppFolio enough?
For most property managers, one of these tools is the right choice. Buy one and run it for a full rent cycle before you add anything.
A custom tool can make sense in a few cases:
- You run a mixed business: For example, you manage rentals, short stays and storage units, and no single tool covers all three.
- Your tools do not connect: Your owners get reports from one system, your repairs live in another and your leads sit in a spreadsheet.
- Per-unit fees grow large: AppFolio Max for 2,000 units lists at $10,000 a month. That is $120,000 a year.
- You must control your data: Your owners or investors want records held in a system you own.
- You want a custom portal: For example, an owner client portal in your brand with the exact reports your owners ask for.
How would Blur Studio help a property manager?
I start with the jobs your team repeats every day, like answering tenant questions, chasing late rent or sorting repair requests. Then I check what your current software already handles well. Often I keep Buildium or AppFolio in place and add AI on top. One example is an assistant that sorts repair requests and sends them to the right vendor. When a full build makes sense, I build only the screens your staff and owners will use. You keep full ownership of the code and the accounts. I'm a one-person studio based in Dubai, UAE, and I work remotely with property businesses across the US. For more ideas, see my guide to AI for real estate. If you want a flat-priced, fully owned alternative to either platform instead, see my guide to Buildium alternatives.
Need something completely custom?
Everything above is a path to get it running quick and cheap. But sometimes the honest answer is that none of those quite fit, and what you actually need is something custom that you own, built uniquely for your business from the ground up, with AI thoughtfully designed into the parts of it that your processes actually benefit from. An asset that grows in value, not a generic, one-size-fits-all boilerplate that's an expense with a lock-in. This is a complete bespoke build, and it's something I do very well. Get in touch to know more.
Questions people ask
Is Buildium cheaper than AppFolio?
For small portfolios, Buildium is usually cheaper to start. Buildium starts at $62 a month, and AppFolio starts at $1.49 a unit a month with a 50-unit minimum and a minimum spend, as of October 2026.
Does AppFolio have a minimum number of units?
AppFolio's Core plan has a 50-unit minimum and a minimum spend. Its pricing page does not show the dollar amount of that minimum, so you need a quote.
Does Buildium have a free trial?
Buildium offers a free 14-day trial with sample data and no credit card needed, as of October 2026. You can move to any plan from the trial.
Which is better for affordable housing?
AppFolio lists affordable housing and student housing tools on its Plus and Max plans. Buildium's pricing page does not list these tools.
When should a property manager build custom software?
Consider it when you run several property types that no single tool covers, your tools do not connect, or per-unit fees get large. Most managers should start with a ready-made tool.
Can I move my data from Buildium to AppFolio, or the other way round?
Both vendors offer migration help as part of onboarding, but ask for specifics in writing: what gets imported automatically (units, leases, tenant contacts), what you have to re-enter by hand (historical transactions, documents), and how long the cutover takes. Run both systems in parallel for a few weeks before you fully switch.
Roughly what does this cost?
As a broad reference, fixes and finishes start at around $1,500, and new builds start higher, always a fixed price agreed in writing before I start, never an hourly rate. My AI app cost guide explains what actually drives a quote up or down.
Is my project too small for this?
No. Most of the owners I work with have no tech team at all, that is the whole point. If the smarter move is a cheap software subscription instead of custom software, I will tell you that on the first call, even though it means I do not get paid.