Property Management Software Pricing Benchmarks 2026
What PM software actually costs in 2026 — list rates, hidden fees, and total monthly stack at 25, 50, 100, and 200 doors. Numbers, not adjectives.
Marketing pages quote the base subscription. Your actual bill includes payment processing, screening, eSignature credits, 1099 e-filing, and renewal escalation. Below: the 2026 published list rates for the seven tools most independent operators evaluate, the hidden line items each one adds, and the total monthly stack at 25, 50, 100, and 200 doors. Treat any verbal discount as not-real until it's in writing.
This isn't a "transparent pricing" puff piece. It's a benchmark. Every number comes from current vendor pricing pages or recent operator quotes. Where the vendor doesn't publish prices, we say so.
TL;DR — the verdict on PM software pricing in 2026
- Cheapest workable at 5–25 doors: RentRedi ($20/mo flat). Avail Plus ($9/unit) starts cheaper but per-unit catches up fast.
- Best value at 25–75 doors: Buildium Essential or DoorLoop Pro. Per-door fees stack but the workflow holds.
- Best value at 75–150 doors: Depends on accounting needs — Buildium Growth, DoorLoop Pro, or Proprietio flat.
- Best value at 150+ doors: Proprietio (flat) if the feature set fits, AppFolio if you'll use the AI features and need ecosystem depth.
- Most expensive per door over 36 months: AppFolio. Strongest justification only at 200+ doors with active feature use.
- Most opaque pricing: Rent Manager and AppFolio Plus tier. Custom-quoted, year-2 escalation common.
Quick-pick by door count
- 5–25 doors → RentRedi at $20/mo flat. Or Avail free if you can absorb tenant-paid ACH.
- 25–75 doors → Buildium or DoorLoop, both around $500–$1,000/mo all-in. Flat-priced Proprietio is competitive here if you'll grow.
- 75–150 doors → Compare per-door math vs. flat. Buildium $1,100–$1,800, DoorLoop $1,200–$1,800, AppFolio $1,800–$2,800, Proprietio flat.
- 150–200 doors → Flat pricing wins on TCO. Per-door tools are $2,500+/mo, flat alternatives compress that.
- 200+ doors → Negotiate. AppFolio's where the AI-feature ROI starts paying off; otherwise Buildium Premium or enterprise-grade Yardi/RealPage tier.
The seven tools (2026 list rates)
1. RentRedi
Pricing structure: Flat subscription, no per-door fees.
- $20/mo billed annually
- $15/mo billed every 6 months
- $29.95/mo billed monthly
Hidden line items: Tenant screening re-billed to applicants ($35–$55 typical). ACH transfers free to landlord but slower (T+3 to T+5). Card payment processing fees standard.
Best price point: 5–25 doors. Past 25, you'll outgrow features (no trust accounting, light reporting) before you outgrow the price.
2. Avail
Pricing structure: Free unlimited units, paid tier per unit.
- Free: unlimited units, basic features, tenant pays $2.50 ACH
- Plus: $9/unit/month — waived ACH, custom leases, instant credit
Hidden line items: Tenant pays application screening fees ($30–$55). Premium credit reports on Plus.
Best price point: 1–10 units self-managed. Plus tier per-unit math gets uncomfortable past 10 doors ($90+/mo).
3. Buildium
Pricing structure: Tiered base + per-unit above cap.
- Essential: $58/mo base (up to 150 units)
- Growth: ~$166/mo base + add-ons unlocked (typical 51–250 unit range)
- Premium: ~$479/mo base + premium features
Per-unit pricing typically applies above the entry cap. Pricing pages change; confirm before signing.
Hidden line items: 1099 e-filing add-on. Payment processing (ACH ~$1 per transaction, card ~2.95%). Application screening (re-billed). Premium analytics tier-locked.
Best price point: 50–150 doors with mature accounting needs.
4. DoorLoop
Pricing structure: Tiered base, Starter capped at 20 units flat.
- Starter: $59/mo annual (capped at 20 units)
- Pro: $129/mo annual (~$1.50/unit above cap)
- Premium: custom quote
Hidden line items: Pricing above Starter is negotiable but opaque — quotes vary. ACH and card processing fees. "White-glove onboarding" details vary by tier.
Best price point: 20–75 doors. Per-unit math kicks in past Starter; renewal pricing worth negotiating.
5. AppFolio
Pricing structure: Per-unit with $280/mo minimum.
- Core: ~$1.40/unit/mo (residential)
- Plus: ~$3.00/unit/mo
- Max: custom
Hidden line items: 50-unit minimum makes AppFolio a non-starter below 50 doors. Premium features (AI Leasing, RealmX, advanced syndication) priced separately. Year-2 renewal escalation is the most aggressive in the category.
Best price point: 150+ doors with active AI feature usage. Below 150, the per-unit math doesn't justify.
6. Rentec Direct
Pricing structure: Base + per-unit, no door minimums.
- ~$45/mo base + ~$1.25/door
- Tiered packages add features (Pro, Premium)
Hidden line items: ACH and card processing fees. Application screening re-billed.
Best price point: 25–150 doors when cost discipline matters more than UI polish.
7. Proprietio
Pricing structure: Flat monthly, no per-door fees.
- Single flat subscription
- 15-day trial, no credit card
Hidden line items: Payment processing fees standard (ACH and card). Tenant screening re-billed.
Best price point: mixed portfolios. Wedge against per-door pricing models — TCO doesn't escalate with growth.
Pricing at 25 doors (annual billing, all-in monthly)
| Tool | Base subscription | Per-door fees | Payment processing | Application fees | Approx. total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RentRedi | $20 | $0 | Card fees pass-through | Tenant pays | $20–$50 |
| Avail Plus | $0 (Free) or $225 (Plus 25×$9) | $9/unit on Plus | Waived on Plus | Tenant pays | $0 free / $225 Plus |
| Buildium | $58 | $0 (within cap) | $1/ACH + 2.95% card | Tenant pays | $400–$550 |
| DoorLoop | $59 | $0 (within Starter cap) | $1/ACH + 2.95% card | Tenant pays | $400–$500 |
| AppFolio | (50-unit min) | n/a | n/a | n/a | Doesn't fit |
| Rentec | $45 + $31 | ~$1.25/door | Processing fees | Tenant pays | $90–$140 |
| Proprietio | Flat | $0 | Processing fees | Tenant pays | Flat |
Pricing at 50 doors
| Tool | Base + per-unit | Payment processing | Approx. total |
|---|---|---|---|
| RentRedi | $20 (works but stretched) | Card pass-through | $20–$60 |
| Avail Plus | $450 (50 × $9) | Waived on Plus | $450–$500 |
| Buildium | $58 base (Essential) | $1/ACH + card | $500–$700 |
| DoorLoop | $59 Starter (over cap) → Pro $129 + ~$45 (30×$1.50) = $174 | + processing | $700–$900 |
| AppFolio | 50 × $1.40 = $70 + $280 min = $280 | + processing | $900–$1,200 |
| Rentec | $45 + $62.50 | + processing | $130–$200 |
| Proprietio | Flat | + processing | Flat |
Pricing at 100 doors
| Tool | Base + per-unit | Approx. total all-in |
|---|---|---|
| RentRedi | Outgrown (no trust accounting) | Not viable |
| Avail Plus | $900 (100 × $9) — Plus rarely fits at this size | $900–$1,000 |
| Buildium | Growth $166 + per-unit | $1,100–$1,600 |
| DoorLoop | Pro $129 + $120 (80×$1.50) | $1,200–$1,800 |
| AppFolio | 100 × $1.40 = $140 + $280 min | $1,800–$2,500 |
| Rentec | $45 + $125 | $170–$260 |
| Proprietio | Flat | Flat |
Pricing at 200 doors
| Tool | Base + per-unit | Approx. total all-in |
|---|---|---|
| Buildium | Growth or Premium | $1,800–$2,800 |
| DoorLoop | Pro $129 + $270 (180×$1.50) or Premium | $1,800–$2,800 |
| AppFolio | 200 × $1.40 = $280 + Plus features | $2,500–$3,800 |
| Rentec | $45 + $250 | $300–$420 |
| Proprietio | Flat | Flat |
Hidden line items by tool
| Line item | RentRedi | Buildium | DoorLoop | AppFolio | Rentec | Proprietio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACH transaction fee | Pass | $1/txn | $1/txn | $1+/txn | $1/txn | Standard |
| Card processing % | 2.95% | 2.95% | 2.95% | 2.95%+ | 2.95% | Standard |
| Application screening | Re-bill | Re-bill | Re-bill | Re-bill | Re-bill | Re-bill |
| 1099 e-filing | Manual | Add-on | Add-on | Included | Add-on | Included |
| eSignature credits | Bundled | Threshold | Bundled | Bundled | Bundled | Bundled |
| Concierge migration | None | $1k–$5k | "White-glove" | Custom | Bundled | Bundled |
| Year-2 renewal escalation | None | 5–10% | Negotiable | Aggressive | None | None |
36-month TCO snapshot (100 doors)
Conservative all-in numbers including payment processing and one moderate add-on. Year-2 escalation modeled at vendor norms.
| Tool | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | 36-month TCO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildium | $16,800 | $18,500 | $20,300 | ~$55,600 |
| DoorLoop | $18,000 | $19,500 | $21,000 | ~$58,500 |
| AppFolio | $26,400 | $29,500 | $32,800 | ~$88,700 |
| Rentec | $2,800 | $2,800 | $2,800 | ~$8,400 |
| Proprietio | Flat | Flat | Flat | Flat × 36 |
Rentec is the cheapest by a wide margin at 100 doors if you can live with the UI. Among modern-UI tools, Buildium and DoorLoop are within $3k of each other over 36 months. AppFolio's premium isn't justified below 150 doors. Proprietio's flat pricing wins on predictability and as the TCO line for per-door tools climbs over years 2 and 3.
FAQ
Why do per-door fees exist? Per-door pricing aligns vendor revenue with operator growth, which their investors like. It's a margin model, not a value model. For operators, it means the bill grows with every acquisition. Flat-priced tools collapse that risk.
How much does PM software pricing change year-over-year? Legacy per-door tools typically escalate 5–10% at renewal. AppFolio is the most aggressive; Buildium and DoorLoop negotiate harder if you have a competitive quote in hand. Flat-priced tools tend to hold prices for longer cycles, though all vendors reserve the right to raise prices on notice.
Are payment processing fees negotiable? Sometimes, at scale. At 100+ doors with high transaction volume, the larger PM platforms will negotiate ACH and card rates — they earn margin on the spread. Below 100 doors, you pay standard rates.
What's the cheapest workable tool at 100 doors? Rentec Direct, at roughly $170–$260/mo all-in, is the cheapest functional PM tool at 100 doors. Tradeoff: dated UI, weaker tenant experience. If cost is the only driver, Rentec wins. If UX matters for retention and hiring, the gap closes.
Run mixed portfolios and tired of per-door fees climbing every renewal? Try Proprietio free for 15 days — flat pricing, no credit card.