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Real Estate · head to head

AppFolio vs LoopNet

AppFolio logo

AppFolio

Real Estate

Run your entire residential portfolio on a single, modern platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
LoopNet logo

LoopNet

Real Estate

Commercial property listing marketplace owned by CoStar, where searching is free and the paid product is advertising exposure for brokers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only LoopNet 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; LoopNet loopNet is owned by CoStar, the dominant CRE data provider, so paying for LoopNet placement indirectly reinforces a single company dominant position across both listings and data in commercial real estate.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AppFolio and LoopNet actually diverge.

Attributes where AppFolio and LoopNet differ
AttributeAppFolioLoopNet
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteFree to search; paid tiers for listing advertisers
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android

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

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in AppFolio

Nothing recorded that LoopNet does not also cover.

Only in LoopNet

  • Free listing search
  • Tiered ad packages
  • CoStar network exposure
  • Syndication
  • Lead and view analytics
  • Saved search alerts

What people use each for

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

AppFolio

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

LoopNet

  • A broker wanting one listing to reach both general public searchers and CoStar professional subscriber base without a second paymentnot AppFolio
  • A property owner marketing a for-sale or for-lease asset who wants syndication across 150+ partner sites from a single listingnot AppFolio
  • A tenant or investor searching for available commercial space for free without needing a paid accountnot AppFolio
  • A brokerage comparing LoopNet advertising spend against its overall CoStar data subscription, since both are owned by the same companynot 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

LoopNet

  • LoopNet is owned by CoStar, the dominant CRE data provider, so paying for LoopNet placement indirectly reinforces a single company dominant position across both listings and data in commercial real estate.
  • Paid tiers scale from Silver at roughly $131 a month upward, and Gold and Platinum pricing is not published, making budget comparison against competitors like CREXi harder to do cleanly.
  • Because listing quality and exposure correlate with ad spend tier, owners and brokers who cannot justify higher tiers get less visibility even for genuinely strong properties.
  • As a marketplace dependent on the CoStar data ecosystem, any pricing, policy or antitrust exposure affecting CoStar Group (including the June 2026 price-fixing lawsuit naming major brokerages) has knock-on relevance for LoopNet advertisers.
  • Free searchers and casual browsers create high traffic volume that is not itself the paying customer, so lead quality for advertisers varies and includes non-serious enquiries.

Pricing, plan by plan

AppFolio

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the AppFolio review.

LoopNet

Free
  • Search (public)Free
    • Free browsing of listings, no account required for basic search
  • Silver listing plan$undefined/month
    • Entry paid advertising tier for brokers and owners
  • Gold / Platinum$undefined/month
    • Higher-visibility placement and expanded marketing tools, quote for exact pricing

Which should you pick?

Choose AppFolio if

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

AppFolio review

Choose LoopNet if

  • You need free listing search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want tiered ad packages.
LoopNet review

Questions people ask

Is AppFolio or LoopNet better?
Neither clearly leads. AppFolio starts at On request and LoopNet at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AppFolio or LoopNet?
LoopNet has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for AppFolio and Free for LoopNet.
Does AppFolio or LoopNet run on more platforms?
AppFolio runs on Web. LoopNet runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use LoopNet for free?
Yes. LoopNet 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 LoopNet is typically brought in for.
What can AppFolio do that LoopNet cannot?
LoopNet covers Free listing search, Tiered ad packages, CoStar network exposure, Syndication.

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
LoopNet: Is LoopNet free to use?

Searching and browsing listings is free. Payment is required only if you are the one advertising a property for sale or lease.

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
LoopNet: Who owns LoopNet?

CoStar Group, which acquired it in 2012 for roughly $860 million; it remains part of the same company that owns the CoStar data subscription product.

LoopNet: How much does listing advertising cost?

The Silver plan starts around $131 a month; Gold and Platinum tiers are priced higher with more placement and marketing tools, quoted directly.

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