Best Property Management Software 2021

AppFolio Competitors & Alternatives

Are you considering purchasing AppFolio to manage your properties? Before making the purchase, it's best to learn about AppFolio's top competitors. The seven best alternatives are listed below, along with details on their features and pricing.
- August 19, 2020

AppFolio is one of the best property management solutions available, but operates in a very competitive market. Before purchasing AppFolio, it's important to understand how it compares to the top alternatives.

We share AppFolio's top competitors below, along with a detailed look at their features and pricing. To fully understand AppFolio, you can also read our in-depth AppFolio review.

Table of Contents

AppFolio Features

Before analyzing AppFolio’s competitors, it's critical to understand the features that AppFolio offers. AppFolio is one of the most robust solutions on the market, and offers a variety of advanced tools. The ten most important features that AppFolio offers are described in the table below.

FeatureDescription
Property Marketing WebsiteA website where you can post all of your property listings. Prospective tenants can apply for listings directly in the website, and all leads are automatically uploaded into the platform.
One-click Listing SyndicationOne-click listing syndication allows you to automatically post your rental listings to a variety of property listing websites.
Electronic LeasesAppFolio allows you to create, send, and store electronic leases with digital signatures.
AI Leasing AssistantThe AI leasing assistant uses artificial intelligence to respond to leasing inquiries 24/7 through text and email. The AI leasing assistant can book showings, qualify leads, and cross-sell units.
Automatic Payment CollectionAutomatic payment collection allows you to store tenant billing information and set up recurring payment schedules for rent collection.
Maintenance ManagementAppFolio allows you to track maintenance requests, manage work orders, schedule recurring work orders, assign vendors, and track maintenance statuses.
24/7 Maintenance Contact CenterAppFolio’s maintenance contact center agents can field your tenant's calls, dispatch pre-approved vendors, and enter information directly into the platform.
Online Tenant PortalTenants can log into an online tenant portal through browser or mobile app to pay rent, submit maintenance requests, and view leases.
ReportingReal-time and customizable reporting helps you monitor and visualize key data points of your properties.
AccountingAppFolio’s accounting tools help manage your company's finances. AppFolio allows you to track payments & billing, reconcile bank statements, and file 1099 forms electronically.

AppFolio Competitor Overview: Pricing & Features

AppFolio is one of the most popular property management solutions on the market. As you can see in the chart below, it performs nicely compared to its top competitors in terms of pricing and features.

AppFolio charges a monthly fee of $1.25 per unit for residential properties and $1.50 per month for commercial properties. AppFolio charges additional fees for add-on features including their AI leasing assistant and 24/7 maintenance contact center. Additionally, AppFolio enforces a 50 unit and $250 monthly fee minimum which makes this solution better suited for medium businesses and larger organizations.

AppFolio feature comparison chart vs. competitors

AppFolio Competitors

There are dozens of property management solutions in the market. We've narrowed it down to the top seven AppFolio competitors that you should consider implementing, and ranked them by overall features, pricing, and usability.

The top AppFolio competitors are:

  • Buildium
  • Re-Leased
  • Avail
  • RentRedi
  • Rentec Direct
  • TurboTenant
  • Cozy

#1: Buildium

Buildium is one of AppFolio’s top competitors. It is a robust solution that offers similar functionality as AppFolio. We recommend evaluating Buildium to anyone looking to purchase a property management solution. To learn more, read our full analysis of AppFolio vs. Buildium.

You'll prefer AppFolio if:

  • You manage more than 150 units
  • Your portfolio includes commercial properties
  • Desire advanced features such as an AI leasing assistant and 24/7 maintenance contact center
You'll prefer Buildium if:

  • You manage less than 150 units
  • You desire a property marketing website to be included in the subscription price
  • You would like to contact customer service by phone
Buildium
Rating: 92
Starting Price: $50 per month

Buildium is a property management solution used by over 16,000 property managers. This platform is used to manage a variety of portfolio types including community associations, student housing, affordable housing, and residential properties. Buildium a powerful end-to-end solution equipped with tools to manage the entire property management lifecycle from the initial marketing of your units to inspecting your properties after tenants move out.

Pros:
  • Electronic payments are processed in 1 to 2 business days
  • Your company can add an unlimited number of users to your Buildium account
  • Offers open API access to integrate with other systems and build custom workflows
Cons:
  • Some customers find Buildium’s accounting feature to be difficult to implement. Many prefer to use third-party software like QuickBooks
  • Does not include some cutting edge features like AI leasing agents and 24/7 maintenance contact centers
  • Pricing becomes less competitive as you scale

#2: Re-Leased

Re-Leased is our top pick for commercial property management systems. Re-Leased is relatively new to the US market, but is growing rapidly.

You'll prefer AppFolio if:

  • You manage a mixed portfolio
  • You desire built-in accounting tools
  • You desire a tested & mature platform with experience in the US market
You'll prefer Re-Leased if:

  • You solely manage commercial properties
  • You desire robust CAM budgeting
  • You desire an interactive calendar that helps you track key dates and events
Re-Leased

Re-Leased

Best Commercial Property Management Solution
Rating: 90
Starting Price: Contact Vendor

Re-Leased is a commercial property management solution used for various property types including commercial properties, co-working spaces, student accommodations, and office & industrial properties. This solution is used by more than 2,500 customers in more than 40 countries. Re-Leased is ideal for small to midsize businesses with a rent roll exceeding $1 million.

Pros:
  • Robust CAM budgeting makes this solution ideal for those managing commercial properties
  • Interactive calendar helps you track key dates and is integrated with Google Calendar, Office 365, and Outlook
  • Seamlessly integrated with popular accounting solutions, Xero and QuickBooks Online
Cons:
  • Does not offer an open API which restricts third-party integrations
  • Although Re-Leased includes built-in accounting tools, you will likely need to purchase a separate accounting software
  • Does not support two-way texting and emailing

#3: Avail

Avail is our top pick for property management systems that offers a free subscription. This solution is a far more attractive option for independent landlords than AppFolio.

You'll prefer AppFolio if:

  • You manage commercial properties
  • You manage more than 50 units
  • Built-in accounting is a must-have feature
You'll prefer Avail if:

  • You desire a solution with a free subscription
  • You are an independent landlord
  • You solely manage residential properties
Avail
Rating: 92
Starting Price: Free

Avail is a popular property management solution used by over 200,000 independent landlords nationwide. Avail is best suited for landlords managing 1 to 15 units. This platform includes property marketing tools, automatic rent collection, maintenance request tracking, and eLeasing.

Pros:
  • Avail offers a free plan that includes all of its major features, but charges tenants for bank transfers, credit card transactions, and tenant screenings
  • Syndicates property listings to twelve popular listing websites
  • Allows independent landlords to easily implement automatic rent collection and maintenance request tracking
  • Includes a digital leasing tool which allows you to draft, send, and receive eLeases
Cons:
  • While it is free, Avail's reporting is less robust than alternatives
  • Avail’s free plan does not include a marketing website or customizable applications & leases
  • Does not offer an open API which restricts third-party integrations

#4: RentRedi

RentRedi is a popular property management solution with over 1,500 customers. Starting at $19.95 per month with no limit on the number of properties you can manage, RentRedi is an affordable alternative to AppFolio.

You'll prefer AppFolio if:

  • You manage commercial properties
  • You desire robust accounting and reporting tools
  • Electronic lease signatures is a must-have feature
You'll prefer RentRedi if:

  • You manage less than 150 units
  • You desire a more affordable solution
  • You desire a subscription that includes unlimited properties, units, tenants, and teammates
RentRedi
Rating: 86
Starting Price: $19.95 per month

RentRedi is a popular property management platform used by over 1,500 customers to manage their residential properties. This solution includes several useful features including automated listing syndication, online rental applications, maintenance request tracking, and electronic payment processing. RentRedi offers competitive pricing that includes unlimited properties, units, tenants, and teammates. This solution is best suited for independent landlords that manage 1 to 100 units.

Pros:
  • Offers competitive pricing that includes unlimited properties, units, tenants, and teammates
  • Consistently adds features driven by customer feedback
  • Includes easy-to-use mobile applications for landlord and tenant
  • Responsive customer support team with live chat support
Cons:
  • Does not include robust accounting and reporting tools
  • Does not include text messaging
  • Does not support electronic lease signatures

#5: Rentec Direct

Rentec Direct is a mature and tested property management system. It was founded in 2006 and is used by 15,000 landlords nationwide.

You'll prefer AppFolio if:

  • You desire advanced features such as an AI listing assistant
  • You want to pay vendors and receive contributions directly in your solution
  • You desire a modern-looking marketing website and user interface
You'll prefer Rentec Direct if:

  • You desire a more affordable solution
  • You want a vendor that does not charge set up fees
  • You desire a monthly subscription without long term commitments
Rentec Direct
Rating: 82
Starting Price: $35 per month

Rentec Direct is a property management platform used by over 15,000 landlords to manage their properties. This solution is typically used for residential portfolios, but about 10% of customers use this platform to manage commercial properties. Among solutions with paid subscriptions, Rentec Direct is one of the most affordable solutions on the market.

Pros:
  • Rentec Direct is more affordable than their leading competitors: AppFolio and Buildium
  • Customer-friendly pricing without any set up fees or long term commitment
  • Integrates with Blue Moon Software and zInspector, two useful tools for electronic leasing and property inspection
Cons:
  • Communication features are not as robust as its top competitors
  • User interface and marketing website look dated
  • You can’t pay vendors for work orders through the system, or receive contributions from owners
  • Similar to other property management solutions, you may need to use a separate accounting software like Quickbooks

#6: TurboTenant

TurboTenant is a free-to-use property management solution. It does not include a variety of features found in AppFolio, but is better suited for independent landlords who desire a lightweight system.

You'll prefer AppFolio if:

  • You desire maintenance request tracking
  • You desire accounting or reporting tools
  • You want to send outgoing payments to vendors and owners in your system
You'll prefer TurboTenant if:

  • You desire a free-to-use solution
  • You are an independent landlord
  • If you desire pre-screener questionnaires to help find the highest quality leads
TurboTenant
Rating: 81
Starting Price: Free

TurboTenant is a free-to-use property management solution used by over 250,000 landlords nationwide. This solution is equipped with several useful tools for property marketing, lead tracking, and rent collection. TurboTenant is ideal for independent landlords managing 1 to 100 units.

Pros:
  • TurboTenant is free to use and ideal for independent landlords
  • Pre-screener questionnaire helps narrow down leads to only the best applicants
  • Equipped with automatic text and email notifications for landlords, leads, and applicants
Cons:
  • Does not support outgoing payments to vendors and owners
  • Tenants can not respond to your messages via text, they must use a browser and log into the TurboTenant application
  • On the tenant side, several applicants have reported paying applications fees for properties that were not actually available to rent

#7: Cozy

Cozy is a free-to-use property management system. This is a popular solution used by over 50,000 landlords.

You'll prefer AppFolio if:

  • You desire robust accounting and reporting tools
  • You would like to syndicate listings to a large volume of websites
  • You need electronic leases and customizable applications
You'll prefer Cozy if:

  • You are an independent landlord with a limited budget
  • You desire a free-to-use and lightweight solution
  • Your portfolio includes less than 50 residential units
Cozy
Rating: 79
Starting Price: Free

Cozy is a free property management solution used by over 50,000 independent landlords nationwide. Cozy provides useful tools to help you market your properties, automatically receive payments, and manage maintenance requests.

Pros:
  • Access to the platform is free, but includes fees for tenant screenings and credit card transactions
  • Automates rent collection and property listing syndication
  • Allows landlords to communicate with tenants directly through the platform
  • User interface is well designed and easy to navigate
Cons:
  • Does not syndicate property listings to as many websites as competitors
  • Takes 5 business days for rent collection payments to appear in your account
  • Since accounting capabilities are limited, many customers also purchase third-party accounting software
  • Does not offer reporting or electronic leases

Bottom Line

AppFolio is a popular and robust property management solution. If you manage more than 150 units and desire advanced features such as an AI listing assistant, then it's likely the best solution for you.

However, we recommend evaluating AppFolio against other platforms such as Buildium and Re-Leased. These solutions have their own unique strengths, and may be better suited for your needs. Read our reviews to learn more about Buildium and Re-Leased.

Lloyd Park

Lloyd Park is a Research Analyst at SoftwarePundit, where he conducts in-depth analyses of software markets and products. Lloyd also has experience managing the development of software platforms and is an expert in content production & media software. You can connect with Lloyd on LinkedIn.

Lloyd is an expert in several software categories including:

  • Dental software
  • Email marketing software
  • Field service management software
  • Legal software
  • Property management software

TOP PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Avail
Avail
Rating 92
Buildium
Buildium
Rating 92
Buildium
Buildium
Rating 92
AppFolio
AppFolio
Rating 91
AppFolio
AppFolio
Rating 91
Re-Leased
Re-Leased
Rating 90
Re-Leased
Re-Leased
Rating 90
RentRedi
RentRedi
Rating 86
RentRedi
RentRedi
Rating 86
Avail
Avail
Rating 85

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