AppFolio
Buildium
| Feature | AppFolio | Buildium |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $1.49/mo | From $58/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | mid-size-property-managers, community-associations, commercial-managers, growing-portfolios | property-managers, landlords, hoa-managers, real-estate-investors |
| Founded | 2006 | 2004 |
| Ai Leasing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Online Payments | ✓ | ✗ |
| Maintenance Requests | ✓ | ✗ |
| Accounting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tenant Screening | ✓ | ✓ |
| Marketing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Inspections | ✓ | ✗ |
| Reporting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rent Collection | ✗ | ✓ |
| Maintenance Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Leasing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tenant Portal | ✗ | ✓ |
| Vendor Management | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ AppFolio Pros
- AI-powered tools for leasing and maintenance
- Modern, intuitive user interface
- Strong mobile app for on-the-go management
- Integrated marketing and listing syndication
✗ AppFolio Cons
- Minimum 50-unit requirement to get started
- Per-unit pricing adds up for large portfolios
- Onboarding fee can be substantial
✓ Buildium Pros
- Purpose-built for residential property management
- Comprehensive accounting with bank reconciliation
- Online rent collection and tenant portal
- Maintenance request tracking and vendor management
- Built-in tenant screening
✗ Buildium Cons
- Pricing based on unit count can get expensive
- Interface feels dated compared to newer tools
- Limited commercial property features
The Verdict
AppFolio is built for mid size property managers and community associations, with a focus on ai-leasing and online-payments. Buildium targets property managers and landlords and leads with accounting and rent-collection.
On pricing, AppFolio is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $1.49/mo compared to $58/mo for Buildium. That $56.51/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Neither tool offers a free plan, so factor the subscription cost into your decision from the start.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.