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Real Estate · head to head

Buildium vs LoopNet

Buildium logo

Buildium

Real Estate

Property management software designed with you in mind

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: 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; 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 Buildium and LoopNet actually diverge.

Attributes where Buildium and LoopNet differ
AttributeBuildiumLoopNet
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree to search; paid tiers for listing advertisers
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Buildium

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.

Buildium

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

LoopNet

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

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

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 Buildium if

  • You want to start without paying.
Buildium 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 Buildium or LoopNet better?
Neither clearly leads. Buildium starts at Free and LoopNet at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Buildium or LoopNet?
Buildium starts at Free and LoopNet at Free.
Does Buildium or LoopNet run on more platforms?
Buildium runs on Web. LoopNet runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Buildium for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Buildium best used for?
Buildium is most often used for property management accounting and rent collection, maintenance requests and work order tracking, tenant screening and lease signing, owner and tenant portals. Of those, property management accounting and rent collection and maintenance requests and work order tracking are not what LoopNet is typically brought in for.
What can Buildium do that LoopNet cannot?
LoopNet covers Free listing search, Tiered ad packages, CoStar network exposure, Syndication.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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.

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
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.

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
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.

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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