🏠 Property Management Software
AppFolio vs Buildium vs Yardi (2026)
The honest, no-fluff property management software comparison — find the right platform for your portfolio size, property type, and budget.
⚡ Quick Verdict
- AppFolio — Best for mid-to-large residential portfolios (50–5,000+ units) that want a modern, AI-powered all-in-one platform. Minimum $280/month.
- Buildium — Best for small-to-mid property managers and HOAs who want transparent flat-rate pricing from $62/month with a free trial. No unit minimum.
- Yardi — Best for large or commercial portfolios needing enterprise-grade accounting and depth. Breeze starts at $1/unit/month with $100 minimum.
🔍 At a Glance
Best Overall 2026
AppFolio
AI-powered property management for growing portfolios
$1.40/unit/mo
$280/mo minimum · 50-unit minimum required
✗ No free trial — demo only
- #1 rated PMS on G2 2026
- Native AI via AppFolio Realm-X
- Unified accounting, leasing & maintenance
- Best mobile app experience
- Scales to 5,000+ units
- 50-unit minimum — not for small landlords
- Annual contract required (auto-renews)
- $280/mo minimum even at 50 units
Best for Small Portfolios
Buildium
Easy-to-use PMS with transparent flat-rate pricing
$62/mo
Essential plan · No unit minimum · No long-term contract
✓ Free 14-day trial — no credit card
- Flat-rate pricing — no per-unit fees
- Free 14-day trial with sample data
- No minimum unit count
- Best HOA & community association features
- Fast onboarding, no long-term contract
- Transaction fees add 30–50% to real cost
- $99 setup fee per bank account (Essential)
- Less powerful than AppFolio at 500+ units
Best for Large / Commercial
Yardi
Enterprise PMS powering the world's largest portfolios
$1/unit/mo
Breeze residential · $100/mo minimum · Annual billing
✗ No free trial — demo available
- Industry's most powerful enterprise PMS
- Handles residential, commercial & affordable
- Deep accounting & compliance tools
- Free implementation & training included
- Voyager for unlimited-scale portfolios
- Steeper learning curve than AppFolio
- Annual billing required upfront
- Voyager requires custom pricing & implementation
📊 Feature Comparison
| Feature | AppFolio | Buildium | Yardi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | ✗ No — demo only | ✓ 14-day free trial | ✗ No — demo only |
| Minimum Units | 50 units required | ✓ No minimum | Varies by product |
| Minimum Monthly Spend | $280/mo (Core) | ✓ $62/mo flat rate | $100/mo (Breeze residential) |
| Pricing Model | Per-unit + high minimum | ✓ Flat monthly fee | Per-unit (Breeze) / Custom (Voyager) |
| Contract Required | Annual — auto-renews | ✓ No long-term contract | Annual billing required |
| Online Rent Collection | ✓ Excellent | ⚡ Good (transaction fees apply) | ✓ Strong |
| Tenant Screening | ✓ Built-in ($15–25/app) | ✓ Built-in | ✓ Built-in |
| Accounting | ✓ Best native accounting | ✓ Solid trust accounting | ✓ Most powerful — complex financials |
| AI Features | ✓ AppFolio Realm-X (native AI) | ⚡ Lumina AI (Premium tier) | ⚡ Limited AI tools |
| HOA Management | ⚡ Available | ✓ Best HOA features | ⚡ Breeze Premier only |
| Commercial Properties | ⚡ Limited | ⚡ Limited | ✓ Full commercial support |
| Mobile App | ✓ Best in class | ✓ Good | ⚡ Decent (Breeze) / Complex (Voyager) |
| Implementation / Onboarding | Onboarding fee ($400+) | Setup fees apply | ✓ Free implementation included |
💰 Verified Pricing (April 2026)
Buildium is the most transparent on pricing. AppFolio's $280/month minimum catches many small operators off guard — always calculate your actual monthly cost, not just the per-unit rate.
| Plan | AppFolio | Buildium | Yardi (Breeze) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Level | $1.40/unit/mo · $280/mo min | ✓ $62/mo flat (Essential) | $1/unit/mo · $100/mo min |
| Mid Tier | $3/unit/mo · $900/mo min (Plus) | $192/mo flat (Growth) | $2/unit/mo · $400/mo min (Premier) |
| Premium / Enterprise | $5/unit/mo · $1,500/mo min (Max) | $400/mo flat (Premium) | Custom (Yardi Voyager) |
| Free Trial | ✗ None | ✓ 14-day free trial | ✗ None |
| Setup / Implementation | $400+ onboarding fee | $99/bank account (Essential) | ✓ Free included |
| Contract | Annual — auto-renews | ✓ No long-term contract | Annual billing upfront |
| Watch Out For | $280 min even at 50 units (4x advertised rate) | Transaction fees add 30–50% to real cost | Voyager requires implementation partner |
🎯 Who Should Use Each Platform?
🔵 Choose AppFolio if you...
- Manage 50+ residential units and need to scale
- Want the most modern, AI-powered platform
- Need best-in-class mobile for field teams
- Want unified accounting without QuickBooks
- Can afford the $280/month minimum spend
🟢 Choose Buildium if you...
- Manage a small-to-mid portfolio (under 500 units)
- Want flat-rate pricing — no per-unit fee surprises
- Manage HOAs or community associations
- Want a free trial before committing
- Need no long-term contract commitment
🟣 Choose Yardi if you...
- Manage 500+ units or complex commercial portfolio
- Need full commercial property management support
- Require affordable housing compliance tools
- Need the deepest accounting customization
- Want free implementation & training included
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum portfolio size for AppFolio?
AppFolio requires a minimum of 50 units and a minimum monthly spend of $280. This means even at exactly 50 units, your effective per-unit cost is $5.60/month — four times the advertised $1.40/unit rate. For portfolios under 50 units, Buildium (no minimum, starts at $62/month) or Yardi Breeze ($100/month minimum) are more practical options.
Does Buildium have HOA management features?
Yes — Buildium is one of the strongest platforms for HOA and community association management. It includes violation tracking, board communications, owner portals, assessment collection, and HOA-specific financial reporting. AppFolio supports HOAs but Buildium's community association features are deeper and more purpose-built. For HOA-focused managers, Buildium is the recommended starting point.
What is the difference between Yardi Breeze and Yardi Voyager?
Yardi Breeze is Yardi's mid-market product designed for residential, commercial, or mixed portfolios. It starts at $1/unit/month for residential with a $100/month minimum. Yardi Voyager is the enterprise platform for large-scale portfolios with custom pricing, significant implementation costs, and full commercial and multi-entity support. If you're managing under 1,000 units, Breeze is the right Yardi entry point.
Which property management software has the best accounting?
For mid-market portfolios (50–500 units), AppFolio leads on accounting usability — its native suite handles trust accounting, owner statements, and bank reconciliations without needing QuickBooks. For large, complex portfolios with multi-entity structures, Yardi Voyager offers the most powerful accounting in the industry. Buildium has solid trust accounting for its target market but fewer advanced options at larger scale.
Can I try AppFolio before buying?
No — AppFolio does not offer a free trial. You must schedule a demo through their sales team, and AppFolio requires an annual contract that auto-renews. This is a notable disadvantage compared to Buildium, which offers a free 14-day trial using sample data with no credit card required. If you want to evaluate property management software before committing, Buildium is the most accessible starting point.
Which PMS is best for a landlord with fewer than 50 properties?
For small landlords with under 50 units, Buildium is the most practical choice — it has no minimum unit requirement and transparent flat-rate pricing starting at $62/month. AppFolio's 50-unit minimum rules it out entirely. Yardi Breeze works at this scale ($100/month minimum) but can feel more complex than necessary. For very small landlords (1–10 units), simpler tools like TurboTenant or RentRedi may be more appropriate before graduating to a full PMS.
Ready to Pick Your Property Management Software?
Buildium offers a free 14-day trial — AppFolio and Yardi provide guided demos.
Affiliate Disclosure: StackCoast may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this page at no extra cost to you. Pricing verified from official sources as of April 2026 — always confirm current pricing directly with vendors before purchasing. Learn more