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How Much Does Property Management Software Cost in 2026?

2026-03-07 · RE Tool Tracker

How Much Does Property Management Software Cost in 2026?

Property management software prices range from $0/month to $5+ per unit per month. The variation reflects fundamentally different target customers, feature sets, and pricing models. This guide gives you actual pricing data for the major platforms in 2026, explains the different pricing structures, and helps you calculate your real cost at different portfolio sizes.

The Three Pricing Models

Model 1: Flat Rate (Tier-Based)

You pay one price per month regardless of how many units you manage:

  • TurboTenant: Free (basic) / $149/year (~$12.42/month) Premium / $199/year Unlimited
  • RentRedi: $5/month (Start) / $29.95/month or $12/month annually (Grow) / $39.95/month (Pro)
  • Buildium: $58/month (Essential) / $183/month (Growth) / $375/month (Premium)

Model 2: Per-Unit Pricing

You pay based on the number of units managed, often with a monthly minimum:

  • AppFolio: $1.49/unit/month (Core, $298/month minimum) / $3.20/unit/month (Plus) / $5.00/unit/month (Max)
  • Propertyware: $1.00/unit/month ($250/month minimum)

Model 3: Freemium

Core features free, advanced features paid:

  • TurboTenant: Free forever (unlimited units), paid plans at $149-199/year
  • Stessa: Free (Essentials) / $15/month (Manage) / $35/month (Pro)
  • Baselane: Free (core features) / $20/month (Smart, billed annually)

Real Cost by Portfolio Size

1-5 units

  • TurboTenant Premium: $149/year ($12.42/month)
  • RentRedi Grow: $144/year ($12/month)
  • Stessa free: $0
  • Avail free: $0
  • AppFolio Core: $298/month minimum — overkill and expensive at this scale

Best value: TurboTenant or Stessa free, or both together for combined coverage at $12/month or less.

10-50 units

  • TurboTenant Premium: $149/year (flat)
  • RentRedi Pro: approximately $240/year (flat)
  • Buildium Essential: $58/month (suitable from approximately 20 units)
  • AppFolio Core: $298/month minimum

Best value: RentRedi Pro or TurboTenant Premium for self-managing landlords. Buildium at the lower end for those needing professional features.

50-200 units

  • Buildium Essential: $58-183/month depending on tier
  • AppFolio Core: $74.50/month at 50 units but $298 minimum applies until 200 units
  • Rent Manager: approximately $50-200/month depending on tier

Best value: Buildium in this range. The per-unit cost is lower than AppFolio and the accounting features are comparable for residential portfolios under 500 units.

200-500 units

  • AppFolio Core: $298-745/month (200 units = $298, 500 units = $745)
  • Buildium Growth: $183/month flat up to 300 units
  • Buildium Premium: $375/month flat

Best value: At 200 units, AppFolio at $1.49 per unit equals $298/month minimum, competitive with Buildium Growth at $183/month. By 300 units, AppFolio at $447/month is pricier than Buildium Premium at $375/month—though AppFolio's AI leasing and advanced analytics may justify the premium.

500+ units

  • AppFolio Core: $745-1,500+/month
  • AppFolio Plus: $1,600-3,200+/month
  • Yardi Breeze: Varies, typically $100-200+/month base plus per-unit
  • RealPage: Custom enterprise pricing

Hidden Costs to Watch For

  • Transaction fees: Some platforms charge per payment processed, typically $0.50-2.00 per ACH transaction
  • Screening fees: Usually $25-55 per report
  • E-signature add-ons: Some platforms charge extra for e-signatures beyond a monthly limit
  • Bank account fees: Buildium charges $99 per additional bank account beyond the plan allowance
  • Onboarding fees: Enterprise platforms sometimes charge $500-2,000+ for initial setup and data migration
  • API access fees: Open API access is often locked to higher tiers

What You Get at Each Price Point

  • $0/month: Rent collection, basic accounting, listings, tenant screening — adequate for 1-10 units (TurboTenant, Stessa free)
  • $12-30/month: Everything above plus maintenance management, lease templates, e-signatures, and mobile apps (RentRedi, TurboTenant Premium)
  • $58-183/month: Professional property management: trust accounting, owner portals, 1099 filing, inspections, advanced reporting (Buildium Essential/Growth)
  • $298+/month: Enterprise features: AI leasing, advanced analytics, large team support, API integrations (AppFolio Core and above)