The short answer
AppFolio vs DoorLoop comes down to a published price against a starting rate. At 100 units, DoorLoop One costs $250 a month on yearly billing, and AppFolio Core starts at $149. AppFolio's starting rates are never above DoorLoop's on any plan pair, but AppFolio adds a minimum monthly spend it does not publish. DoorLoop One is cheaper whenever that minimum spend comes to more than DoorLoop's price at your size.
Under 50 units there is no comparison: AppFolio does not sell below 50 units, and DoorLoop One costs its $199 minimum from the first unit. At the top tier both list $5 per unit, and from 80 units, where Multiply's minimum stops applying, the two cost the same. Any AppFolio minimum spend or surcharge that raises the bill above that makes DoorLoop Multiply the cheaper one.
Plan by plan: what each one publishes
The two lineups pair up by position. AppFolio sells Core, Plus and Max. DoorLoop sells One, Connect and Multiply. DoorLoop says the platform is the same on all three plans and the higher plans add AI agents that do more of the work. AppFolio's higher plans add features: Plus adds affordable and student housing, advanced accounting and a read-only API, and Max adds a leasing CRM, a read/write API and a dedicated success manager.
| AppFolio Core | DoorLoop One | AppFolio Plus | DoorLoop Connect | AppFolio Max | DoorLoop Multiply | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per unit a month | from $1.49 | $2.50, then $1.50 above 100 units | from $3.20 | $4 | from $5 | $5 |
| Per unit, billed monthly | Not stated | $3, then $1.80 above 100 units | Not stated | $4.80 | Not stated | $6 |
| Monthly minimum | Not published | $199 yearly, $239 monthly | Not published | $299 yearly, $359 monthly | Not published | $399 yearly, $479 monthly |
| Unit minimum | 50 units | None | Applies, not stated | None | Applies, not stated | None |
Every AppFolio figure is a starting rate. Under each price, AppFolio's pricing page says a minimum spend applies, and for Core it adds a 50-unit minimum. AppFolio does not say whether its rates assume yearly or monthly billing. DoorLoop prints the full price on both billing cycles.
Monthly cost at common portfolio sizes
| Plan | 50 units | 80 units | 100 units | 150 units | 200 units | 300 units | 500 units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AppFolio Core | from $74.50 | from $119.20 | from $149 | from $223.50 | from $298 | from $447 | from $745 |
| DoorLoop One | $199 | $200 | $250 | $325 | $400 | $550 | $850 |
| AppFolio Plus | from $160 | from $256 | from $320 | from $480 | from $640 | from $960 | from $1,600 |
| DoorLoop Connect | $299 | $320 | $400 | $600 | $800 | $1,200 | $2,000 |
| AppFolio Max | from $250 | from $400 | from $500 | from $750 | from $1,000 | from $1,500 | from $2,500 |
| DoorLoop Multiply | $399 | $400 | $500 | $750 | $1,000 | $1,500 | $2,500 |
Software subscription per month. DoorLoop figures use yearly billing from its pricing page. AppFolio figures are its published starting rates times unit count; its unpublished minimum spend comes on top. Payment fees and add-ons are not included.
Above 100 units the gap between the entry plans barely moves. DoorLoop One costs $101 a month more than AppFolio Core's starting rate at 100 units and $105 more at 500 units, because One drops to $1.50 per unit above 100. Connect and Plus have no such step, so their gap widens faster: $80 at 100 units and $400 at 500.
Where DoorLoop's minimums stop
DoorLoop's minimums decide the price for smaller companies. On yearly billing, DoorLoop One costs $199 a month until the per-unit rate passes it, at 80 units. Connect's $299 minimum and Multiply's $399 minimum work the same way. Between 50 and 79 units, Multiply's minimum is what keeps it above AppFolio Max's starting rate. From 80 units the two cost the same at their listed rates.
Paying DoorLoop month to month costs 20% more on every per-unit rate, and each minimum rises by about the same share. Yearly billing saves about 17%. DoorLoop One billed monthly is $300 at 100 units, against $250 billed yearly. AppFolio does not publish a monthly option or a yearly discount.
Testing a quote from AppFolio
Because AppFolio's minimum spend is private, the useful number is the price at which DoorLoop wins. That is DoorLoop's own price at your size. If AppFolio quotes a Core bill above $199 a month at 50 units, or above $325 at 150 units, DoorLoop One is the cheaper subscription. For Plus, the line is DoorLoop Connect: $400 at 100 units. The table above gives the line for each size and plan.
Add-ons change the comparison too. AppFolio lists online payments and tenant screening as extra-cost services and does not price them. DoorLoop includes online rent collection on every plan, charges $35 per screening report, and charges $1.50 per incoming ACH payment on One, free on Connect and Multiply. Ask AppFolio for the minimum spend, the billing term, onboarding and the payments add-on in writing before you compare.
Features side by side
| Feature | AppFolio | DoorLoop |
|---|---|---|
| Online rent collection | Extra costOnline payments are a value-added service | Included |
| Tenant screening | Extra costScreening is a value-added service | Included$35 per report |
| Listing syndication | IncludedPay-to-list sites are an add-on | Included |
| Lease e-signatures | Not stated | IncludedUnlimited |
| Maintenance requests | Included | Included |
| Income and expense tracking | Included | IncludedQuickBooks Online sync |
| Bank feeds or reconciliation | IncludedAutomated reconciliation | IncludedBank transaction matching |
| Tax reports (Schedule E or 1099) | Not stated | Included1099 forms |
| Owner portal or owner statements | IncludedOwner mobile app | Included |
| Trust accounting | Included | Not stated |
| Multiple users | IncludedRole-based permissions on Plus and Max | IncludedUnlimited |
| Open API | Higher plans onlyRead-only on Plus, read/write on Max | Included |
| Commercial properties | Included | Included |
| Community associations | Included | Included |
| Free plan or free trial | Not stated | Not stated |
✓ included · ↑ higher plans only · + extra cost · ✕ not offered · – not stated on the vendor's pages we read. All platforms compared.
Both list residential, commercial and community association properties. AppFolio lists trust accounting; the DoorLoop pages we read do not state it, so ask before you move client funds. DoorLoop includes unlimited users and full API access on every plan, while AppFolio's API starts on Plus and is read-only there. AppFolio's pricing page offers a demo and does not mention a free trial.
Which one fits
DoorLoop fits a company under 50 units, or one that wants a price without a sales call. It also fits a company that wants payments, portals and API access on the entry plan. Its weak spot is the minimum: at 50 units DoorLoop One costs $3.98 per unit, against a listed $2.50.
AppFolio fits an established company above 50 units that will take a sales call, needs affordable or student housing tools, or wants trust accounting stated on the vendor's own page. Its published rates are lower than or equal to DoorLoop's on every pair, so a quote with a modest minimum spend can come in below DoorLoop. Compare the full quote, not the starting rate. For other options with published prices, see AppFolio alternatives and DoorLoop vs Buildium.
What we could not verify
- AppFolio's minimum monthly spend, billing term, onboarding fee and the prices of its payments and screening add-ons.
- Whether DoorLoop supports trust accounting: its pricing page does not say.
Questions people ask
Is DoorLoop cheaper than AppFolio?
Not on published rates. AppFolio Core starts at $149 a month at 100 units and DoorLoop One costs $250 on yearly billing. AppFolio adds a minimum spend it does not publish, so DoorLoop One is cheaper whenever AppFolio's quote comes in above DoorLoop's price at your size.
Can I use AppFolio with fewer than 50 units?
No. AppFolio's pricing page says a 50-unit minimum applies to Core, and minimum units apply to Plus and Max. DoorLoop has no unit minimum, but One costs at least $199 a month on yearly billing.
How much does DoorLoop cost for 100 units?
On yearly billing, DoorLoop One costs $250 a month at 100 units, Connect $400 and Multiply $500. Billed month to month, One costs $300.
How much does AppFolio cost per unit?
AppFolio lists starting rates of $1.49 per unit a month for Core, $3.20 for Plus and $5 for Max. A minimum spend applies on every plan and is only given in a quote.
Are AppFolio Max and DoorLoop Multiply the same price?
Both list $5 per unit a month, DoorLoop on yearly billing, so from 80 units they cost the same at listed rates. Below 80 units Multiply's $399 minimum applies. AppFolio's Max rate is a starting rate with a minimum spend on top.
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, doorloop.com/pricing, doorloop.com/features/tenant-screening. How we work out costs: methodology. Some links on this site may become affiliate links; see our disclosure.