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Real Estate · head to head

CoStar vs Entrata

CoStar logo

CoStar

Real Estate

Commercial real estate data subscription with strict per-seat licensing, sold on multi-year contracts and enforced through active anti-piracy litigation against password sharing

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Entrata logo

Entrata

Real Estate

Single-database multifamily platform covering accounting, leasing, resident services and payments

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CoStar per-seat licensing with no published rate makes budgeting for headcount growth unpredictable, since adding users typically requires a new negotiation rather than a self-service upgrade.; Entrata it is built for United States conventional multifamily, so commercial, self-storage, international or mixed-asset portfolios are either unsupported or awkward.
  • They diverge on capability: CoStar covers Property and ownership records, Entrata covers Single database platform.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CoStar and Entrata actually diverge.

Attributes where CoStar and Entrata differ
AttributeCoStarEntrata
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), 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 CoStar

  • Property and ownership records
  • Lease and sales comparables
  • Tenant and space data
  • Market analytics
  • STR hospitality data
  • CoStar Real Estate Manager

Only in Entrata

  • Single database platform
  • Resident portal and payments
  • Leasing and marketing
  • Entrata insurance
  • Utility billing
  • AI leasing assistant

What people use each for

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

CoStar

  • A commercial brokerage needing lease and sales comparables to support underwriting and pitch materialsnot Entrata
  • An institutional investor or lender wanting standardised market analytics across submarkets for portfolio decisionsnot Entrata
  • A corporate real estate team needing lease administration through CoStar Real Estate Managernot Entrata
  • An appraiser needing sourced, defensible comparable transaction data for valuation reportsnot Entrata

Entrata

  • A multifamily operator running Yardi or RealPage that wants one database instead of an integrated set of productsnot CoStar
  • A portfolio where marketing sites, ILS syndication and the lease record must stay in step without nightly importsnot CoStar
  • An operator trying to raise ancillary income from insurance and utility recovery without adding vendorsnot CoStar
  • A regional owner-operator consolidating accounting and site operations after acquisitionsnot CoStar

Where each one falls short

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

CoStar

  • Per-seat licensing with no published rate makes budgeting for headcount growth unpredictable, since adding users typically requires a new negotiation rather than a self-service upgrade.
  • CoStar actively pursues legal action against password sharing and unauthorised access, which is a genuine compliance and litigation risk for a firm that is loose about login discipline, intentionally or not.
  • A June 2026 antitrust lawsuit names CoStar alongside major brokerages over an alleged price-fixing scheme, a live legal matter that could affect the company standing or practices during a long-term contract.
  • Multi-year contract structures reduce a buyer flexibility to switch providers even if a cheaper or better data source emerges during the term.
  • The breadth of the platform (property, hospitality via STR, lease admin) means a firm often pays for modules it does not use just to access the specific data set it needs.

Entrata

  • It is built for United States conventional multifamily, so commercial, self-storage, international or mixed-asset portfolios are either unsupported or awkward.
  • Ancillary services including payments, insurance and utility billing carry their own economics, so the licence quote understates the total value of the relationship and should be negotiated as a package.
  • Configuration depth for unusual ownership and fund structures is narrower than Yardi, which pushes complex owners back to a separate accounting layer.
  • Implementation and data migration take months with paid services, and portfolios migrating mid-year face a painful accounting cutover.
  • The founder and chairman resigned from the board in 2022 after sending an antisemitic email, and the executive team was rebuilt afterwards, so reference checks about long-term relationships should focus on current management rather than the historical reputation.

Pricing, plan by plan

CoStar

On request
  • CoStar$undefined/year
    • Per named user licensing, no published rate
    • Multi-year contracts standard
    • Terms explicitly prohibit password or login sharing

Entrata

On request
  • Entrata$undefined/year
    • Quoted per unit per month against an annual contract
    • Modules such as insurance, utility billing and AI leasing priced separately
    • Payment processing revenue sits alongside the licence fee

Which should you pick?

Choose CoStar if

  • You need property and ownership records.
  • You also want lease and sales comparables.
CoStar review

Choose Entrata if

  • You need single database platform.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want resident portal and payments.
Entrata review

Questions people ask

Is CoStar or Entrata better?
Neither clearly leads. CoStar starts at On request and Entrata at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CoStar or Entrata?
CoStar starts at On request and Entrata at On request.
Does CoStar or Entrata run on more platforms?
CoStar runs on Web. Entrata runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is CoStar best used for?
CoStar is most often used for a commercial brokerage needing lease and sales comparables to support underwriting and pitch materials, an institutional investor or lender wanting standardised market analytics across submarkets for portfolio decisions, a corporate real estate team needing lease administration through costar real estate manager, an appraiser needing sourced, defensible comparable transaction data for valuation reports. Of those, a commercial brokerage needing lease and sales comparables to support underwriting and pitch materials and an institutional investor or lender wanting standardised market analytics across submarkets for portfolio decisions are not what Entrata is typically brought in for.
What can CoStar do that Entrata cannot?
CoStar covers Property and ownership records, Lease and sales comparables, Tenant and space data, Market analytics. Entrata covers Single database platform, Resident portal and payments, Leasing and marketing, Entrata insurance.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CoStar: Can multiple people share one CoStar login to save cost?

No. Terms explicitly prohibit this, and CoStar has an active pattern of suing individuals and firms for unauthorised access under shared credentials.

Entrata: Is Entrata pricing published?

No. It is quoted per unit per month on an annual contract, and modules such as insurance and utility billing are priced on top.

CoStar: Is CoStar pricing published anywhere?

No. It is quote-only, licensed per named user, on multi-year contracts.

Entrata: How small can a portfolio be?

Practically around 5,000 units. Smaller operators find the contract minimums and implementation effort hard to justify.

CoStar: Is there a current legal risk in signing with CoStar?

A June 2026 antitrust lawsuit names CoStar and several major brokerages over an alleged price-fixing conspiracy; buyers with long-term contracts should track that litigation.

Entrata: Does it support commercial property?

Only lightly. It is a multifamily product, and mixed portfolios usually keep a second system for commercial assets.

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