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Real Estate · head to head

Buildium vs RealPage

Buildium logo

Buildium

Real Estate

Property management software designed with you in mind

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RealPage logo

RealPage

Real Estate

Property management software for multifamily and commercial real estate

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Buildium has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; RealPage its revenue management product is the subject of US antitrust litigation alleging it enabled rent price coordination between landlords, which is a material consideration and not a resolved matter
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Buildium and RealPage actually diverge.

Attributes where Buildium and RealPage differ
AttributeBuildiumRealPage
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, Cloud

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 Buildium

Nothing recorded that RealPage does not also cover.

Only in RealPage

  • Property accounting
  • Leasing and screening
  • Maintenance
  • Revenue management
  • Resident portal
  • Utility billing

What people use each for

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

Buildium

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

RealPage

  • Large multifamily portfolios needing one system across leasing and accountingnot Buildium
  • Operators consolidating property accounting onto a single ledgernot Buildium
  • Student and commercial housing with specialised billing needsnot 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

RealPage

  • Its revenue management product is the subject of US antitrust litigation alleging it enabled rent price coordination between landlords, which is a material consideration and not a resolved matter
  • Quote-only enterprise pricing with modules billed separately, so total cost is hard to establish up front
  • Implementation is a long project, and migrating portfolio accounting is genuinely disruptive
  • Aimed at large portfolios; small landlords find it far heavier than the problem

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

RealPage

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the RealPage review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Buildium if

  • You want to start without paying.
Buildium review

Choose RealPage if

  • You need property accounting.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Cloud.
  • You also want leasing and screening.
RealPage review

Questions people ask

Is Buildium or RealPage better?
Neither clearly leads. Buildium starts at Free and RealPage at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Buildium or RealPage?
Buildium has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Buildium and On request for RealPage.
Does Buildium or RealPage run on more platforms?
Buildium runs on Web. RealPage runs on Web, iOS, Android, Cloud.
Can I use Buildium for free?
Yes. Buildium has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RealPage starts at On request.
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 RealPage is typically brought in for.
What can Buildium do that RealPage cannot?
RealPage covers Property accounting, Leasing and screening, Maintenance, Revenue management.

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
RealPage: What does RealPage cost?

Pricing is quoted per portfolio with modules billed separately, and is not published.

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
RealPage: What is the antitrust case about?

US litigation alleges its revenue management product facilitated rent price coordination among landlords using shared market data. It is ongoing, and anyone evaluating the product should follow it.

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
RealPage: Is it suitable for a small landlord?

No. It targets large multifamily and commercial portfolios, and the cost and implementation assume that scale.

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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