AppFolio Alternatives 2026: Buildium, DoorLoop, Innago, and More

AppFolio's $280/month minimum and per-unit pricing isn't right for everyone. Here's the full landscape of property management software alternatives — from free tools for solo landlords to enterprise platforms for 1,000+ unit portfolios.

Full Comparison Matrix

Platform	Pricing Model	Starting Price	Free Tier	Min Units	Best For
AppFolio	Per-unit	$1.40/unit ($280 min)	—	None	200–1,000+ unit professionals
Buildium	Flat monthly	$62/month	—	None	50–500 units wanting predictable flat pricing
Propertyware	Per-unit	$1.00/unit ($250 min)	—	None	Single-family home portfolios
DoorLoop	Per-unit	~$59/month (Starter)	—	None	Growing portfolios wanting modern UI at lower cost
Innago	Free (tenant fees)	$0/month		None	Individual landlords with under 50 units
Yardi Breeze	Per-unit	$1.00/unit ($100 min)	—	None	Mixed residential/commercial with strong accounting needs
Entrata	Custom enterprise	Custom (typically $10k+/yr)	—	1,000+	Large multifamily apartment communities (1,000+ units)
MRI Software	Custom	Custom pricing	—	500+	Commercial, mixed-use, and affordable housing portfolios
RealPage	Custom enterprise	Custom (enterprise)	—	500+	Apartment communities, affordable housing, student housing

Brief Analysis by Tool

Buildium

mid

$62/month

Lowest cost entry for portfolios under 200 units

Best for: 50–500 units wanting predictable flat pricing

Full comparison

Propertyware

mid

$1.00/unit ($250 min)

Built specifically for SFH management

Best for: Single-family home portfolios

Full comparison

DoorLoop

mid

~$59/month (Starter)

More affordable than AppFolio for sub-200 unit portfolios

Best for: Growing portfolios wanting modern UI at lower cost

Innago

entry

$0/month

Completely free for landlords — revenue from optional tenant fees

Best for: Individual landlords with under 50 units

Yardi Breeze

mid

$1.00/unit ($100 min)

Part of the broader Yardi ecosystem; lower per-unit than AppFolio

Best for: Mixed residential/commercial with strong accounting needs

Entrata

enterprise

Custom (typically $10k+/yr)

Enterprise platform with full leasing, marketing, and operations suite

Best for: Large multifamily apartment communities (1,000+ units)

MRI Software

enterprise

Custom pricing

Highly configurable; strong for complex ownership structures

Best for: Commercial, mixed-use, and affordable housing portfolios

RealPage

enterprise

Custom (enterprise)

Extensive suite including revenue management (YieldStar)

Best for: Apartment communities, affordable housing, student housing

Decision Framework by Portfolio Size

Under 20 units

Innago (free) or TurboTenant (free)

No software cost needed. Free tools handle rent collection, leases, and basic maintenance requests perfectly well at this scale.

20–100 units

Buildium Essential ($62/month) or DoorLoop Starter

AppFolio's $280 minimum means you'd pay $2.80–$14/unit — far above the $1.40 advertised rate. Flat-rate tools are much better value here.

100–200 units

Buildium Growth ($131/month) or AppFolio Core (with minimum)

AppFolio at $280 (minimum) vs Buildium Growth at $131 — Buildium wins on price. AppFolio is justified only if its feature set is genuinely important to your operation.

200–500 units

AppFolio Core ($280–$700/month) or Buildium Premium ($375/month)

AppFolio Core starts to compete at 268+ units. Evaluate on features: AppFolio's maintenance tools, AI (Plus), and analytics vs Buildium's accounting depth.

500–1,000 units

AppFolio Core or Plus, Yardi Breeze, Propertyware

AppFolio Core at $700–$1,400/month is competitive. Plus at $1,500–$3,000/month adds automation that justifies itself at this scale with active leasing.

1,000+ units

AppFolio Max, Entrata, MRI, RealPage, Yardi Voyager

Enterprise platforms with full leasing, revenue management, and analytics. AppFolio Max and Entrata are leading options; Yardi Voyager for complex mixed portfolios.

Alternatives — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest property management software?

The cheapest property management software is Innago, which is free for landlords (revenue comes from optional tenant fees). For paid software, Buildium Essential at $62/month is among the most affordable for portfolios up to 150 units. DoorLoop starts around $59/month minimum. AppFolio's $280/month minimum makes it more expensive for small portfolios.

What are the best AppFolio alternatives?

The best AppFolio alternatives by portfolio size: Under 50 units — Innago (free) or TurboTenant (free). 50-200 units — Buildium Essential ($62/month) or DoorLoop ($59+/month). 200-500 units — AppFolio Core competes well, but Buildium Growth at $131/month is cheaper. 500-1,000 units — AppFolio Core or Plus, Propertyware, Yardi Breeze. 1,000+ units — AppFolio Max, Entrata, Yardi Voyager, MRI Software.

Is there a free property management software?

Yes. Innago is free for landlords — their revenue comes from optional fees charged to tenants for ACH transfers, late fees, and screening. TurboTenant also has a free tier. Avail (a Realtor.com product) offers free basic plans. These free tools work well for individual landlords with under 20 units but lack the accounting depth and automation of AppFolio.