People look for AppFolio alternatives for two reasons. Either they manage fewer than 50 units, which AppFolio's Core plan does not accept, or they want to know the price before a sales call. AppFolio publishes starting rates (Core from $1.49 a unit) but not the minimum monthly spend that applies on top.
Every alternative below publishes its price and supports managing properties for other owners, with owner portals or owner statements, and in some cases trust accounting.
Monthly cost at common portfolio sizes
| Plan | 10 units | 25 units | 50 units | 100 units | 200 units | 500 units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AppFolio Core | 50+ only | 50+ only | from $74.50 | from $149 | from $298 | from $745 |
| Buildium EssentialUp to 40 units | $55.92 | $72.25 | Over limit | Over limit | Over limit | Over limit |
| Buildium GrowthUp to 5,000 units | $173 | $173 | $173 | $226.83 | $271.25 | $650.25 |
| DoorLoop One | $199 | $199 | $199 | $250 | $400 | $850 |
| Rentec Direct PM | $45 | $56.25 | $112.50 | $225 | $450 | $1,125 |
| TenantCloud ProUp to 60 active leases | $50 | $50 | $50 | Over limit | Over limit | Over limit |
Software subscription per month, on the cheapest billing option each vendor offers (usually a year paid upfront). Taxes, onboarding, add-ons and payment fees are not included.
The alternatives
Buildium
The closest like-for-like replacement: full property accounting, owner and association management, and a price for any unit count on its website. Essential costs $55.92 a month up to 20 units and is limited to 40. Growth costs $173 up to 50 units and $433.83 at 300, which is less than AppFolio Core's starting rate alone at that size. Online payments are an add-on and Growth requires paid onboarding. AppFolio vs Buildium in detail.
DoorLoop
Per-unit pricing with a $199 monthly minimum on yearly billing. Payments, owner and tenant portals, unlimited users and API access are included on every plan. Between about 51 and 105 units it is cheaper than Buildium Growth. DoorLoop vs Buildium.
Rentec Direct PM
The lowest-cost option with trust accounting, an owner portal and owner bank payouts: $56.25 a month at 25 units and $225 at 100, with a $45 minimum. Each property gets one free incoming bank payment a month, then $0.50 each. Past about 115 units Buildium Growth becomes cheaper.
TenantCloud Pro
A flat $50 a month on yearly billing for up to 60 active leases, with a separate owner portal and bank reconciliation. It is the cheapest way to run owner statements for a small book, but it stops at 60 leases; above that TenantCloud quotes a custom Business plan.
Features side by side
| Feature | AppFolio | Buildium | DoorLoop | Rentec Direct | TenantCloud |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online rent collection | Extra costOnline payments are a value-added service | Extra costePay add-on on every plan | Included | Included | Included |
| Tenant screening | Extra costScreening is a value-added service | Extra costAdd-on, $17 to $20 per report | Included$35 per report | Included | IncludedPaid by the applicant |
| Listing syndication | IncludedPay-to-list sites are an add-on | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Lease e-signatures | Not stated | Extra costAdd-on on Essential and Growth, included on Premium | IncludedUnlimited | IncludedFree within fair use | Included |
| Maintenance requests | Included | Included | Included | IncludedThrough the tenant portal | Included |
| Income and expense tracking | Included | Included | IncludedQuickBooks Online sync | IncludedLedger accounting | Included |
| Bank feeds or reconciliation | Not stated | IncludedBank reconciliation | IncludedBank transaction matching | Not stated | Higher plans onlyPro: bank reconciliation |
| Tax reports (Schedule E or 1099) | Not stated | Extra cost1099 e-filing add-on | Included1099 forms | Not stated | Higher plans only1099 from Growth, tax preparation on Pro |
| Owner portal or owner statements | IncludedOwner mobile app | IncludedOwners portal | Included | Higher plans onlyPM plan | Higher plans onlyPro: separate owner portal |
| Trust accounting | Included | Not stated | Not stated | Higher plans onlyPM plan | Not stated |
| Multiple users | IncludedRole-based permissions | IncludedCustom roles and permissions | IncludedUnlimited | Not stated | Higher plans only1 team member on Growth and Pro |
| Open API | Higher plans onlyRead-only on Plus, read/write on Max | Higher plans onlyPremium only | Included | Included | Not stated |
| Commercial properties | Included | Included | Included | Not stated | Not stated |
| Community associations | Included | Included | Included | Not stated | Not stated |
| Free plan or free trial | Not offeredDemo only | Included14-day trial, no card | Not stated | IncludedFree trial, no card | Included14-day trial |
✓ included · ↑ higher plans only · + extra cost · ✕ not offered · – not stated on the vendor's pages we read. All platforms compared.
When AppFolio is still the answer
If you are well above 50 units, want affordable or student housing features (AppFolio Plus), or want AppFolio's AI tools across leasing and maintenance, it is worth getting a quote. Ask for the minimum monthly spend, the onboarding fee and the price of online payments in writing, then compare against the figures above.
Run your own numbers. The calculator prices every plan we track at your unit count, and the finder picks one for you in five questions.
Sources, the vendors' own pages: appfolio.com/pricing, buildium.com/pricing, doorloop.com/pricing, rentecdirect.com/pricing-transparency, tenantcloud.com/pricing. How we work out costs: methodology. Some links on this site may become affiliate links; see our disclosure.