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Real Estate · head to head

Buildium vs Entrata

Buildium logo

Buildium

Real Estate

Property management software designed with you in mind

From
Free
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

  • 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; Entrata it is built for United States conventional multifamily, so commercial, self-storage, international or mixed-asset portfolios are either unsupported or awkward.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Buildium and Entrata actually diverge.

Attributes where Buildium and Entrata differ
AttributeBuildiumEntrata
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
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 Buildium

Nothing recorded that Entrata does not also cover.

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.

Buildium

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

Entrata

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

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

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

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 Buildium if

  • You want to start without paying.
Buildium 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 Buildium or Entrata better?
Neither clearly leads. Buildium starts at Free and Entrata at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Buildium or Entrata?
Buildium has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Buildium and On request for Entrata.
Does Buildium or Entrata run on more platforms?
Buildium runs on Web. Entrata runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Buildium for free?
Yes. Buildium has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Entrata 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 Entrata is typically brought in for.
What can Buildium do that Entrata cannot?
Entrata covers Single database platform, Resident portal and payments, Leasing and marketing, Entrata insurance.

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
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.

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
Entrata: How small can a portfolio be?

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

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
Entrata: Does it support commercial property?

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

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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