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Real Estate · head to head

AppFolio vs Buildium

AppFolio logo

AppFolio

Real Estate

Run your entire residential portfolio on a single, modern platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Buildium logo

Buildium

Real Estate

Property management software designed with you in mind

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Buildium has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: AppFolio no published pricing; all plans require contacting vendor for quote; Buildium prices are all quoted as starting figures, from $62 a month on Essential to $400 on Premium, so the real cost depends on unit count
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 28 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AppFolio and Buildium actually diverge.

Attributes where AppFolio and Buildium differ
AttributeAppFolioBuildium
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Real Estate).

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

AppFolio

  • Managing residential portfolio on single platformnot Buildium
  • Centralizing finances and resident communicationsnot Buildium
  • Automating work order management across propertiesnot Buildium
  • Supporting multifamily and single-family rentalsnot Buildium

Buildium

  • Property management accounting and rent collectionnot AppFolio
  • Maintenance requests and work order trackingnot AppFolio
  • Tenant screening and lease signingnot AppFolio
  • Owner and tenant portalsnot AppFolio
  • Community association management on the Enterprise tiernot AppFolio

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

AppFolio

  • No published pricing; all plans require contacting vendor for quote
  • Minimum 50 units required for Core plan

Buildium

  • Prices are all quoted as starting figures, from $62 a month on Essential to $400 on Premium, so the real cost depends on unit count
  • Onboarding is mandatory on the Growth and Premium plans, adding a cost the monthly figure does not show
  • Live phone support is withheld from the Essential tier
  • The Open API is Premium only
  • Portfolios above 5,000 units are pushed to a quote-only Enterprise arrangement

Pricing, plan by plan

AppFolio

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the AppFolio review.

Buildium

Free
  • Essential$62/month
    • Basic accounting, maintenance, leasing
    • Standard reporting
    • Basic AI assistant
  • Growth$192/month
    • Everything in Essential
    • Customization and reporting automation
    • Enhanced tenant screening
  • Premium$400/month
    • Everything in Growth
    • Open API access
    • Free inspections

Which should you pick?

Choose AppFolio if

Nothing in the data separates AppFolio from Buildium on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

AppFolio review

Choose Buildium if

  • You want to start without paying.
Buildium review

Questions people ask

Is AppFolio or Buildium better?
Neither clearly leads. AppFolio starts at On request and Buildium at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AppFolio or Buildium?
Buildium has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for AppFolio and Free for Buildium.
Does AppFolio or Buildium run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Buildium for free?
Yes. Buildium has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. AppFolio starts at On request.
What is AppFolio best used for?
AppFolio is most often used for managing residential portfolio on single platform, centralizing finances and resident communications, automating work order management across properties, supporting multifamily and single-family rentals. Of those, managing residential portfolio on single platform and centralizing finances and resident communications are not what Buildium is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

AppFolio: What does AppFolio property management software cost?

AppFolio pricing is not published; quotes are provided based on portfolio size and specific requirements. Core plans require a minimum of 50 units. Contact AppFolio's sales team for a customized quote.

Source
Buildium: How much does Buildium cost for a small landlord?

Buildium starts at $62/month (Essential plan) and includes basic accounting, maintenance, and leasing. A 14-day free trial is available without credit card required.

Source
AppFolio: How many AppFolio tiers are available and what distinguishes them?

AppFolio offers three tiers: Core (minimum 50 units), Plus (for growing businesses with features like affordable housing support), and Max (enterprise solution with leasing CRM and API read/write access). All require custom pricing quotes.

Source
Buildium: Are tenant screening and eSignatures included in Buildium plans?

No. Tenant screening costs $17–$35 per screening. eSignatures cost $1–$5 per document on Essential and Growth plans. Premium plan ($400/month) includes unlimited eSignatures and removes per-document charges.

Source
Buildium: What do I get by upgrading from Essential to Premium?

Premium ($400/month) adds Open API access, free property inspections, unlimited free eSignatures, 12 months of free incoming EFT processing, and a full AI suite. Growth ($192/month) is the mid-tier with customization and reporting automation.

Source
Buildium: Does Buildium offer custom pricing for large portfolios?

Yes, Buildium offers Enterprise pricing for portfolios exceeding 5,000 units or community associations. Contact sales at 877-396-7876 for a quote.

Source
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