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Real Estate · head to head

ARGUS Enterprise vs Buildium

ARGUS Enterprise logo

ARGUS Enterprise

Real Estate

Cash flow forecasting and valuation software for commercial real estate, the industry-standard modelling tool now sold by Altus Group with no published price

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  • Each has a real cost: ARGUS Enterprise pricing is entirely unpublished and quoted per user, making it hard to budget for a growing team without an ongoing sales relationship with Altus Group.; Buildium prices are all quoted as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 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ARGUS Enterprise and Buildium actually diverge.

Attributes where ARGUS Enterprise and Buildium differ
AttributeARGUS EnterpriseBuildium
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, WebWeb

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 ARGUS Enterprise

  • DCF valuation
  • Traditional capitalisation methods
  • Lease-by-lease analysis
  • Portfolio budgeting
  • ARGUS Intelligence
  • ARGUS file interoperability

Only in Buildium

Nothing recorded that ARGUS Enterprise does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

ARGUS Enterprise

  • An institutional investor needing DCF valuations in the ARGUS file format lenders and counterparties expectnot Buildium
  • An appraiser producing defensible, industry-standard valuation reports for institutional clientsnot Buildium
  • A REIT or investment manager running portfolio-wide budget and scenario comparisons across propertiesnot Buildium
  • A CRE professional pursuing ARGUS Software Certification as a recognised credential for career progressionnot Buildium

Buildium

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

Where each one falls short

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

ARGUS Enterprise

  • Pricing is entirely unpublished and quoted per user, making it hard to budget for a growing team without an ongoing sales relationship with Altus Group.
  • Because the ARGUS file format is the institutional standard, firms are effectively locked into the platform to participate fully in institutional deal flow, regardless of whether a cheaper tool would otherwise serve them.
  • The interface and modelling workflow have a steep learning curve, which is precisely why the ARGUS Software Certification exists as a distinct, paid credentialing track.
  • Altus Group also owns Reonomy, a CRE data product, which means a firm buying both ARGUS and Reonomy is concentrating spend with a single vendor across valuation and data.
  • It is a modelling and valuation tool, not a data source; a firm still needs separate market data (CoStar, Reonomy or similar) to populate the assumptions ARGUS models run on.

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

ARGUS Enterprise

On request
  • ARGUS Enterprise$undefined/year
    • No published pricing, quote required from Altus Group
    • Licensed per user, typically annual subscription
    • ARGUS Intelligence and certification training priced separately

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 ARGUS Enterprise if

  • You need dcf valuation.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want traditional capitalisation methods.
ARGUS Enterprise review

Choose Buildium if

  • You want to start without paying.
Buildium review

Questions people ask

Is ARGUS Enterprise or Buildium better?
Neither clearly leads. ARGUS Enterprise 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, ARGUS Enterprise or Buildium?
Buildium has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for ARGUS Enterprise and Free for Buildium.
Does ARGUS Enterprise or Buildium run on more platforms?
ARGUS Enterprise runs on Windows, Web. Buildium runs on Web.
Can I use Buildium for free?
Yes. Buildium has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ARGUS Enterprise starts at On request.
What is ARGUS Enterprise best used for?
ARGUS Enterprise is most often used for an institutional investor needing dcf valuations in the argus file format lenders and counterparties expect, an appraiser producing defensible, industry-standard valuation reports for institutional clients, a reit or investment manager running portfolio-wide budget and scenario comparisons across properties, a cre professional pursuing argus software certification as a recognised credential for career progression. Of those, an institutional investor needing dcf valuations in the argus file format lenders and counterparties expect and an appraiser producing defensible, industry-standard valuation reports for institutional clients are not what Buildium is typically brought in for.
What can ARGUS Enterprise do that Buildium cannot?
ARGUS Enterprise covers DCF valuation, Traditional capitalisation methods, Lease-by-lease analysis, Portfolio budgeting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ARGUS Enterprise: Is there a published ARGUS Enterprise price?

No. Altus Group quotes pricing directly, licensed per user on typically an annual basis.

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
ARGUS Enterprise: What is ARGUS Software Certification?

A professional credential recognising proficiency in ARGUS Enterprise, reflecting how central the platform is to institutional CRE valuation work.

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
ARGUS Enterprise: Why is ARGUS considered an industry standard?

Its output file format has become the de facto exchange standard lenders and institutional investors expect when reviewing a commercial property valuation.

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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