AppFolio vs Buildium: Cost at 50, 100 and 250 Units
Last updated · Prices checked
Checked 2026-10-26 against each vendor's official pricing page. Prices are subject to change; confirm with the vendor before you buy.
Quick answer
Checked 2026-10-26: AppFolio publishes per-unit starting rates (Core $1.49 a unit a month) with a 50-unit minimum and an unpublished minimum spend. Buildium prices by plan and unit count: at 100 units, Growth is $265 a month on monthly billing or $2,862 a year on annual billing. AppFolio Core's 100-unit floor is $149 a month before minimum spend.
Key takeaways
- AppFolio's pricing page shows starting rates of $1.49 (Core), $3.20 (Plus) and $5.00 (Max) per unit a month, each with "Get a Quote".
- AppFolio Core needs at least 50 units, and a minimum spend applies that AppFolio doesn't publish.
- Buildium Essential covers up to 40 units, so Growth is the lowest Buildium plan at 50 units or more.
- Buildium's page shows its payment fees and a $99 bank-account setup fee. AppFolio's page doesn't show fee amounts.
- Buildium requires onboarding on Growth and Premium, and the amount isn't published.
How do AppFolio and Buildium price differently?
AppFolio charges a per-unit rate with a minimum spend and a unit minimum, and every plan ends in a quote. Buildium sells three plans with a base price that rises with the unit count, and its own calculator shows the price at a given size.
Checked 2026-10-26 against AppFolio's and Buildium's pricing pages.
| AppFolio | per unit, quote to confirm | Core $1.49 · Plus $3.20 · Max $5.00 per unit a month (no billing toggle shown) | Core: "Minimum spend and 50 unit minimum apply." Plus and Max: "Minimum spend and units apply." |
| Buildium | plan base price, scaled by unit count | Essential $62 · Growth $192 · Premium $400 a month (monthly billing; annual billing is prepaid and labelled "Save 10%") | Essential up to 40 units; over 5,000 units, Buildium asks you to call |
What do AppFolio and Buildium cost at 50, 100 and 250 units?
At 100 units, AppFolio Core works out to at least $149 a month (100 × the $1.49 starting rate) before its minimum spend, and Buildium Growth is $265 a month on monthly billing. The AppFolio figures are floors, because the minimum spend can raise them.
AppFolio floor at 50, 100 and 250 units. Arithmetic on published prices: units × starting rate, before AppFolio's unpublished minimum spend. No billing toggle shown.
| Units | Core | Plus | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | from $74.50/mo | from $160/mo | from $250/mo |
| 100 | from $149/mo | from $320/mo | from $500/mo |
| 250 | from $372.50/mo | from $800/mo | from $1,250/mo |
Buildium at 50, 100 and 250 units, from Buildium's own calculator, checked 2026-10-26. Essential isn't sold above 40 units.
| Units | Growth | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 50 units | $202/mo monthly billing · $2,182/yr annual billing | $420/mo monthly billing · $4,536/yr annual billing |
| 100 units | $265/mo monthly billing · $2,862/yr annual billing | $420/mo monthly billing · $4,536/yr annual billing |
| 250 units | $412/mo monthly billing · $4,450/yr annual billing | $694/mo monthly billing · $7,495/yr annual billing |
Checked 2026-10-26 against each vendor's official pricing page. Prices are subject to change; confirm with the vendor before you buy. Figures exclude taxes, onboarding and add-ons unless a row says otherwise.
AppFolio = units × starting rate, before AppFolio's unpublished minimum spend. Buildium = its calculator value for the unit count, on monthly billing and on annual billing (annual is prepaid).
Can a portfolio under 50 units use AppFolio?
Not on AppFolio Core's published terms, which set a 50-unit minimum. Plus and Max say a minimum number of units applies but show no number, so AppFolio has to confirm the fit.
On Buildium, Essential covers up to 40 units. Its plan card reads "starting at $62/month" on monthly billing. Buildium's calculator shows $65/mo for 1 to 20 units and $84/mo for 21 to 40 units on monthly billing, or $702/yr and $907/yr on annual billing, checked 2026-10-26.
What fees do AppFolio and Buildium charge outside the subscription?
Buildium's pricing page shows its payment fees and a $99 setup fee per business bank account. AppFolio's pricing page doesn't show fee amounts.
AppFolio's page doesn't show fee amounts, minimum spend or onboarding costs. Buildium's onboarding amount isn't published.
What should I ask AppFolio and Buildium before signing?
Ask for the figures their pricing pages don't show, in writing:
- AppFolio: the minimum spend in dollars at your unit count.
- Both: the onboarding or implementation fee (Buildium requires onboarding on Growth and Premium).
- AppFolio: the payment fees for ACH and cards.
- Both: the contract term and what changes at renewal.
For DoorLoop and the other vendors, see the home table and the DoorLoop pricing page.
FAQ
Is AppFolio or Buildium cheaper?
It depends on the unit count and AppFolio's minimum spend, which AppFolio doesn't publish. At 100 units on 2026-10-26, AppFolio Core's floor worked out to $149 a month (100 × $1.49) before the minimum spend, and Buildium Growth was $265 a month on monthly billing.
Does AppFolio have a minimum number of units?
Yes. AppFolio's pricing page says a minimum spend and a 50-unit minimum apply to Core. Plus and Max also carry minimums, but no number is shown.
Does Buildium have a unit minimum?
Buildium's page shows no unit minimum beyond each plan's base price. Its Essential plan covers up to 40 units.
Do AppFolio and Buildium charge onboarding fees?
Buildium requires onboarding on Growth and Premium but doesn't publish the amount. AppFolio's page doesn't show onboarding costs.
Which one publishes its payment fees?
Buildium does: $2.35 per incoming EFT on Essential, $1.35 on Growth, 2.99% on cards and $99 per bank account. AppFolio's pricing page doesn't show payment fee amounts.
Next steps
- Enter your unit count in the calculator on the home page.
- See all 8 vendors in the home table.
- Check the Updates page for AppFolio's and Buildium's latest changes.
- Ask both vendors for minimum spend, onboarding and payment fees in writing.
- Report a price error with the price-change form.
References
- AppFolio: https://www.appfolio.com/pricing, checked 2026-10-26
- Buildium: https://www.buildium.com/pricing/ (calculator and tooltips), checked 2026-10-26
Checked 2026-10-26 against each vendor's official pricing page. Prices are subject to change; confirm with the vendor before you buy. Figures exclude taxes, onboarding and add-ons unless a row says otherwise.