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Head-to-head for small landlords

Buildium vs AppFolio for small landlords (2026)

Sticker prices will not settle Buildium vs AppFolio. This page shows both vendors' itemized monthly bill at three portfolio sizes, computed from each vendor's published pricing (Buildium verified 2026-07-24, AppFolio verified 2026-07-24), plus what PropManager charges for the same list.

We build PropManager, so read the numbers rather than our opinion, and verify current pricing on each vendor's own page. Each section says who should pick whom, including when that is not us.

The itemized bill, side by side

Not the sticker prices. Each column is the monthly bill with e-signatures and online ACH rent collection in use, priced from the vendor's published tiers and per-use fees. Assumes about 2 signature requests a month and one incoming ACH payment per occupied unit per month.

Only one side of this head-to-head can be priced. AppFolio publishes no dollar figure for any plan, so its column stays honest and empty rather than guessed.

At 10 units

Buildium · Essential at 10 units

  • Essential plan starting at$62
  • E-signatures $5 per document × 2$10
  • Online rent collection $2.35 per payment × 10 (paid by you or your resident)$23.5
About $95.5/mo · $1,146/yr

AppFolio at 10 units

AppFolio does not publish a price to calculate; every plan is quote-only. The entry Core plan carries a 50-unit minimum. See their pricing page.

PropManager

  • PropManager plan (flat) everything included$59
  • E-signatures unlimited, includedincluded
  • Online rent (ACH) we absorb the processor feeincluded
$59/mo flat

At 25 units

Buildium · Essential at 25 units

  • Essential plan starting at$62
  • E-signatures $5 per document × 2$10
  • Online rent collection $2.35 per payment × 25 (paid by you or your resident)$58.75
About $130.75/mo · $1,569/yr

AppFolio at 25 units

AppFolio does not publish a price to calculate; every plan is quote-only. The entry Core plan carries a 50-unit minimum. See their pricing page.

PropManager

  • PropManager plan (flat) everything included$59
  • E-signatures unlimited, includedincluded
  • Online rent (ACH) we absorb the processor feeincluded
$59/mo flat

At 50 units

Buildium · Essential at 50 units

  • Essential plan starting at$62
  • E-signatures $5 per document × 2$10
  • Online rent collection $2.35 per payment × 50 (paid by you or your resident)$117.5
About $189.5/mo · $2,274/yr

AppFolio at 50 units

AppFolio does not publish a price to calculate; every plan is quote-only. The entry Core plan carries a 50-unit minimum. See their pricing page.

PropManager

  • PropManager plan (flat) everything included$59
  • E-signatures unlimited, includedincluded
  • Online rent (ACH) we absorb the processor feeincluded
$59/mo flat

Buildium figures as published on https://www.buildium.com/pricing/, verified 2026-07-24.
AppFolio figures as published on https://www.appfolio.com/pricing, verified 2026-07-24.
Verify current pricing on each vendor's site before deciding.

Model your exact size: the interactive calculators live on the Buildium comparison and the AppFolio comparison.

Who should pick Buildium

Buildium is a strong fit for professional managers and larger portfolios. It positions its plans by growth stage and offers community-association support and a sales line for portfolios over 5,000 units. If you manage other owners' properties or want that scale of built-in modules, Buildium earns its price.

Who should pick AppFolio

AppFolio is built for professional managers with larger portfolios. Its own material describes serving portfolios between 50 and 250 units, and the entry plan carries a 50-unit minimum. If you are at that scale and want an enterprise platform, AppFolio is aimed squarely at you.

Where PropManager fits (and what it doesn't have yet)

PropManager is a flat $59 a month, month to month, with unlimited e-signatures and $0 ACH rent collection included. It is built for landlords who own what they manage, 1 to 50 units. The honest gaps:

  • No built-in tenant screening. Buildium and AppFolio both offer it; PropManager does not yet.
  • Community-association / HOA accounting.
  • The breadth of third-party integrations a large management company may rely on.
  • Enterprise depth: AppFolio has AI leasing, bulk operations, and large-portfolio accounting that PropManager does not.
  • The integration ecosystem a 200-unit management company may need.

Weighing a third option?

PropManager is $59 a month flat, month to month, with e-signatures and $0 ACH included. We migrate your portfolio for you, free, and you can run it in parallel with your current tool until you are sure. Leave anytime and we export everything back out, free.

Fair questions

Can you compare Buildium and AppFolio on price?

Only on one side. Buildium publishes plan prices and per-use fees, so its bill can be itemized. AppFolio publishes no prices: every plan on their pricing page reads "Get a Quote," and the entry Core plan carries a 50-unit minimum (verified 2026-07-24).

I have fewer than 50 units. Is AppFolio built for me?

Their entry plan states a 50-unit minimum, and AppFolio's own material describes serving portfolios between 50 and 250 units. Under that size, Buildium and PropManager both publish prices you can actually compare.

What does Buildium cost at a small-landlord size?

At 10 units with e-signatures and ACH rent collection, Buildium's Essential plan works out to about $95.5 a month; at 50 units about $189.5 (verified 2026-07-24). The itemized bills above show every line.

Where does PropManager fit in this comparison?

PropManager is a flat $59 a month, month to month, with unlimited e-signatures and $0 ACH rent collection included. It is built for landlords who own 1 to 50 units. It does not offer tenant screening yet, and it is not aimed at third-party managers running other owners' books.

Are these numbers current?

Each figure was read from the vendor's own pricing page on the verified date shown (Buildium 2026-07-24, AppFolio 2026-07-24). Vendors change pricing, so verify on their pages before deciding.