Note: AppFolio’s product has additional features not listed in this article. Please contact AppFolio for more information on their property management software.
Do a little research on property management software, and you’ll likely come across both Buildium® and AppFolio®. Both platforms cover core property management workflows, but the right fit depends on your portfolio, budget, team, and growth plans.
This comparison breaks down Buildium and AppFolio by pricing, features, portals, accounting, maintenance, leasing, integrations, support, and AI so you can compare both options more clearly.
What We’ll Cover:
- Buildium and AppFolio at a glance
- Pricing and plan differences
- Feature-by-feature comparison
- FAQs and methodology
Buildium vs AppFolio at a Glance
| Category | Buildium | AppFolio |
| Starting price | $62/month | Quote-based pricing |
| Unit minimum | No minimum | Minimum, but details not listed |
| Plans | Essential, Growth, Premium | Core, Plus, Max |
| Best fit | Property and association managers who want transparent pricing, flexible workflows, and room to grow | Property managers with 50+ units who want quote-based plans and broad property management tools |
| API access | Open API on Premium | Read-only API on Plus, read/write API on Max |
| Support | Ticket support, live phone support on Growth and Premium, Priority Support on Premium | Standard support on Core, enhanced support on Plus, dedicated customer success on Max |
Buildium at a Glance
Buildium is a comprehensive platform built for property and community association managers. It brings accounting, leasing, maintenance, resident communication, owner reporting, and growth tools into one place.
The platform works especially well for single-family, multifamily, community association, and mixed portfolios. Its pricing and plans scale by feature needs and portfolio size.
Features
Buildium core features includes include:
- Property management accounting to manage bookkeeping, banking, payables, receivables, and financial reporting in one system.
- Online rent payments that let residents pay rent and fees electronically while automatically recording transactions.
- A Resident Center where residents can make payments, submit maintenance requests, and access important documents online.
- An Owner Portal that gives property owners access to reports, statements, documents, and portfolio performance information.
- Online leasing and eSignatures to streamline applications, lease creation, and document signing from a single workflow.
- Rental listing syndication that publishes vacancies across major listing sites to help attract prospective renters.
- Online rental applications that collect applicant information digitally and connect directly to screening workflows.
- Maintenance request tracking to manage work orders, vendor assignments, and repair updates from submission through completion.
- Reporting and analytics that provide financial, operational, and portfolio insights through built-in reports and dashboards.
- Mobile apps that allow property managers to access key workflows and information while working remotely.
- The Buildium Marketplace containing dozens of full-integrated partner solutions that target different areas of your business.
- Open API that enables custom integrations and data access for advanced workflows and reporting needs.
- Lumina AI tools and automation that automate routine tasks and save hours of staff time with agentic AI-powered capabilities.
Pricing
Buildium’s pricing is organized into three main plans:
- Essential: Starts at $62/month and includes core accounting, maintenance, leasing, communications, and reporting features.
- Growth: Starts at $192/month and adds more customization, reporting automation, enhanced tenant screening, lower eSignature and EFT costs, AI-enhanced communications, and business analytics.
- Premium: Starts at $400/month and includes everything in Growth, plus advanced features such as an open API, broader AI and automation access, free inspections, unlimited eSignatures, and first-year free incoming EFT transactions.
Buildium’s screening prices are $17 per tenant screening, $35 for applicant-paid tenant screening, and $20 for Enhanced Tenant Screening on Growth and Premium plans.
AppFolio at a Glance
AppFolio offers property management software for single-family, multifamily, affordable housing, student housing, community associations, and other property types. AppFolio’s property management plans are quote-based, and plans notes a minimum count.
Features
AppFolio includes tools for:
- Property accounting and reports
- Marketing and leasing
- Work order management
- Inspections and unit turns
- Online portals and communication
- AppFolio Stack integrations
- Realm-X Assistant and Messages
- Purchase orders and inventory tracking
- API access on higher-tier plans
Pricing
AppFolio lists three property management plans on its pricing page:
- Core: Includes accounting, marketing and leasing, work orders, inspections, mobile access, communication, standard integrations, Realm-X Assistant and Messages, purchase orders, inventory tracking, and standard support. There’s also a minimum unit count.
- Plus: Includes everything in Core, plus affordable housing capabilities, student housing capabilities, advanced budgeting and accounting, advanced data analysis, custom fields, Realm-X Flows, premium integrations, read-only API, enhanced support, and maintenance scheduling and automated billing.
- Max: Includes everything in Plus, plus leasing CRM, Leasing Signals, read/write API, and dedicated customer success management.
AppFolio does not publish plan prices, so you need to contact its team for a quote.
Buildium vs AppFolio: Pricing
Buildium publishes starting prices, plan details, and many add-on costs. That makes it easier to estimate your monthly spend before talking to sales.
AppFolio uses quote-based pricing for Core, Plus, and Max. Its pricing page notes minimum spend and unit requirements, including a unit minimum.
For property managers comparing costs, the biggest practical difference is transparency. Buildium lets you estimate pricing up front, while AppFolio requires a quote.
AppFolio vs Buildium: Features To Look For
Both Buildium and AppFolio cover many of the core workflows property managers expect from a full property management platform.
When comparing the two, pay attention to:
- Pricing transparency
- Unit minimums
- Accounting and reporting depth
- Maintenance workflows
- Resident, owner, and board portals
- Leasing tools
- AI and automation capabilities
- Integrations and API access
- Support availability
- Growth and revenue tools
Here’s a snapshot of the main categories of tools to look out for:
Buildium vs AppFolio: Communication Portals
Buildium’s Resident Center lets tenants, homeowners, and board members make payments, submit maintenance requests, track request status, access documents, and receive updates. You can also personalize the portal with your branding, announcements, a resident directory, and a message board.
Buildium’s Owner Portal gives owners access to reports, transactions, documents, and property updates. That helps reduce one-off calls and emails when owners need routine information.
AppFolio also includes online portals for residents, homeowners, board members, and owners. Residents can submit requests, make payments, and access documents. Owners can view reports, work orders, financial information, and documents.
Buildium vs AppFolio: Online Rent and Fee Collection
Buildium’s online payment tools let residents pay rent, association dues, and other charges through the Resident Center. You can also set up recurring payments, reminders, and electronic payments to vendors and owners.
Because payments connect with Buildium’s accounting tools, your team can track transactions without moving between separate systems.
AppFolio also supports online payments, automated late fees, flexible payment plans, late fee waivers, and bulk tenant charges.
Buildium vs AppFolio: Property Management Accounting
Buildium’s accounting tools record fees, deposits, refunds, vendor bills, owner payments, and other transactions in one system. You can create financial reports, reconcile bank accounts, convert work orders into bills, pay vendors, and manage 1099 e-Filing.
Buildium also includes reporting tools for owners and association boards, so you can share financial information without rebuilding reports manually.
AppFolio includes property accounting, customizable reports, owner statements, cash flow reports, balance sheets, income statements, CAM reporting, and delinquency tracking. It also offers Smart Bill Entry to scan PDF invoices and enter bill details.
Buildium vs AppFolio: Maintenance Management
Buildium lets owners, residents, and staff submit maintenance requests from any device. Requests can include notes, photos, and videos, and your team can turn those requests into work orders.
Buildium also supports recurring maintenance items, vendor assignment, task tracking, maintenance billing, and vendor payments through its accounting tools. Its Maintenance Contact Center is available as an add-on for 24/7 maintenance call handling.
AppFolio includes work order management, online requests, repair status tracking, resident communication, violations, architectural reviews, and CAM requests for associations. AppFolio Smart Maintenance is a 24/7 maintenance service with agent and AI support.
Buildium vs AppFolio: Revenue Generation and Growth Tools
Buildium includes growth and revenue tools such as Buildium Rewards, Buildium Property Insurance, Marketplace integrations, HomeWiseDocs, and All Property Management.
All Property Management, a Buildium company, connects property managers with owners looking for property management services. Property managers can target leads by property type and location.
AppFolio includes AppFolio Stack integrations and liability insurance options. Some AppFolio Stack apps can support revenue-related workflows, including services such as PetScreening.com and HomeWiseDocs.
Buildium vs AppFolio: Rental Applications and Tenant Screening
Buildium includes customizable online rental applications with every plan. You can add custom fields, link applications to your website, and track applicants in a central dashboard.
Buildium’s tenant screening is powered by TransUnion®, one of the three main credit reporting bureaus. It’s priced at $17 per screening, $35 per applicant-paid screening, and $20 for Enhanced Tenant Screening on Growth and Premium plans.
AppFolio includes customizable rental applications, guest card tracking, and tenant screening. Its screening options include background checks and applicant approval details.
Buildium vs AppFolio: Online Leasing and eSign
Buildium’s online leasing tools let you use reusable templates, collect signatures, track signing status, and store signed documents in Buildium.
The platform also includes AI-supported leasing features through Lumina AI Workforce, including lease scanning, applicant rental history summaries, delisting units, and changing application status in specific workflows.
AppFolio includes online leasing tools, lease renewals, move-out workflows, leasing CRM on Max, and AI-supported leasing features.
Buildium vs AppFolio: Integrations and API Access
Buildium Marketplace includes partner apps across maintenance, leasing, payments, insurance, lead generation, inspections, utilities, and more. Buildium also includes an open API access on the Premium plan, giving teams more control over custom data workflows.
AppFolio Stack includes standard integrations on Core and premium integrations on Plus. AppFolio lists read-only API access on Plus and read/write API access on Max.
Buildium vs AppFolio: Customer Support
Buildium includes ticket support, live phone support, and onboarding support. Ticket support is available across plans. Live phone support is included on Growth and Premium, and Priority Support is included on Premium.
AppFolio lists standard support on Core, enhanced support on Plus, and dedicated customer success management on Max.
Buildium vs AppFolio: Showings Coordination
Buildium offers Showings Coordinator, powered by Tenant Turner, as an add-on. It supports pre-qualification, online scheduling, text and email scheduling flows, and self-service showing coordination.
Buildium also offers ShowingHero through Marketplace, which can help manage lead communication, showing coordination, and showing metrics.
AppFolio includes showing management tools, self-guided tours, virtual tours, AI assistant support, and integrations with partners such as ShowMojo and Tenant Turner.
The Bottom Line: Which Platform Fits Your Portfolio?
Buildium and AppFolio both cover important property management workflows. The better fit depends on your portfolio size, how much pricing visibility you want up front, how your team works, and which tools you need most.
Buildium is a strong fit if you want published pricing, flexible workflows, broad property and association management features, an open API access on Premium, and growth tools built into the platform.
Key takeaways:
- Buildium publishes starting prices, while AppFolio uses quote-based pricing.
- AppFolio lists a unit minimum starting at the Core plan.
- Both platforms cover accounting, leasing, maintenance, portals, integrations, and support.
- Buildium’s pricing, portals, Marketplace, open API, and All Property Management integration make it worth considering for growing property management companies.
You can explore Buildium with a 14-day free trial or see the platform in a guided demo.
Our Methodology
We reviewed the current Buildium vs AppFolio post, official Buildium product and pricing details, official AppFolio pricing and product pages, and Buildium’s internal review-content standards.
We compared both platforms across pricing, plan structure, unit requirements, accounting, maintenance, leasing, portals, integrations, API access, AI, growth tools, and support. Pricing and feature availability can change, and some features may vary by plan, add-on, or account configuration.
This comparison focuses on publicly available product and pricing information. For final purchase decisions, confirm plan details directly with each provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Buildium or AppFolio Cheaper?
Buildium publishes starting prices, with plans beginning at $62/month. AppFolio uses quote-based pricing, so you need to contact AppFolio to compare total cost.
Does AppFolio Have a Unit Minimum?
Yes. AppFolio’s pricing page states that there is a minimum but there is no specific count listed on their site. Other plans note minimum spend and units apply.
Does Buildium Have a Unit Minimum?
Buildium does not have a minimum unit threshold.
Which Platform Has More Transparent Pricing?
Buildium has transparent public pricing, clearly listing starting monthly costs, plan highlights, and many add-on fees. AppFolio does not list specific pricing details on their site and asks you to request a quote.
Which Platform Is Better for Small Property Management Companies?
Buildium may be easier to evaluate for smaller or growing teams because pricing is public and there is no listed unit minimum. AppFolio may be a better fit for teams that meet its unit requirements and want a quote-based plan.
Which Platform Offers API Access?
Buildium offers an open API access on Premium. AppFolio lists read-only API access on Plus and read/write API access on Max.
Do Buildium and AppFolio Both Offer AI Tools?
Yes. Buildium offers Lumina AI capabilities, including AI-supported communications, leasing, accounting, maintenance, and business operations features. AppFolio lists Realm-X Assistant, Realm-X Flows, and other AI-supported tools on its pricing page.
