On this page
- What is Buildium and what is it used for?
- Buildium software features and fees by plan
- Does Growth pay for itself on a small portfolio?
- How the starting price compares per unit
- Is Buildium legit?
- Support and onboarding
- Buildium pros and cons for a small landlord
- Who should pick Buildium
- Questions to ask before you sign up
- Buildium alternatives
- Frequently asked questions
Buildium is property management software from Buildium, A RealPage Company (Buildium). It says its customers "include both landlords and third-party property management businesses" and that it is "purpose-built for residential property management," including single-family and multi-family rentals and community associations (Buildium). This review asks a narrower question: is Buildium property management software a good fit when you own a handful of rentals yourself? Exact plan costs live on the separate Buildium pricing page; here the focus is fit, strengths, gaps and alternatives.
What is Buildium and what is it used for?
Buildium is a full back-office system: accounting with bank reconciliation (Buildium), leasing with listing syndication and applicant management, maintenance work orders (Buildium), and a Resident Portal and Owners Portal (Buildium). Every plan starts from "All basic Accounting, Maintenance, & Leasing features" (Essential plan). Growth adds "Enhanced Tenant Screening, lower cost eSignatures & EFT transactions" (Growth plan), and Premium adds an Open API, free inspections and a first year of free incoming EFT payments (Premium plan).
Buildium software features and fees by plan
The plan price is only the start. Buildium prices most transactions separately, and the fee drops as you move up a plan. The table pulls the fees that a small landlord will actually meet in the first year.
| Fee or feature | Essential | Growth | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| eSignature | $5 per document | $1 per document | Included |
| Incoming EFT (rent by bank) | $2.35 each | $1.35 each | Free first 12 months, then $0.60 |
| Card payments | 2.99% | 2.99% | 2.99% |
| Business bank accounts | $99 each | 10 free, then $99 | 100 free, then $99 |
| Tenant screening (TransUnion) | $17, or $35 paid by applicant | Also Enhanced at $20 | Also Enhanced at $20 |
| Inspections add-on | $99 setup + $40 to $95 a month | Fees included for 3 years, then $0.40 per unit | Fees included |
| Phone support | No (ticket support) | Live phone support | Live phone + priority |
| Onboarding service | Not required | Required | Required |
From Buildium's pricing page, read November 2, 2026. Renters insurance is offered from $12.00 a month through the Resident Center (Buildium) and 1099 e-filing costs $50 per batch plus $4.50 per form (Buildium).
Does Growth pay for itself on a small portfolio?
Growth cuts each incoming bank payment from $2.35 to $1.35. Take a landlord with 10 units who collects every rent by bank transfer: that is $282 a year in incoming EFT fees on Essential and $162 on Growth, a saving of $120. But Growth's starting price is $1,644 a year more than Essential. The saving is roughly a fourteenth of the extra cost, so at this size Growth only makes sense if you need what it adds: live phone support, Enhanced screening or cheaper e-signatures.
Computed from Buildium's published starting prices ($65 and $202 a month) and incoming EFT fees ($2.35 and $1.35), assuming 12 bank payments per unit. Whether Buildium's EFT fee is charged to you or passed to tenants is not stated on the pricing page.
How the starting price compares per unit
| Portfolio | Essential starting price per unit, per month |
|---|---|
| 5 units | $13.00 |
| 10 units | $6.50 |
| 20 units | $3.25 |
| 40 units | $1.63 |
$65 divided by the unit count. Buildium publishes only "starting at" prices and does not say how they change with portfolio size, so treat these as a floor, not a quote.
Is Buildium legit?
Yes. It is part of RealPage, publishes plan prices and per-transaction fees, offers a 14-day trial with sample data and no credit card (Buildium), and lets you switch plans from the Account and Billing page (Buildium). Screening is "powered by TransUnion" (Buildium). Portfolios above 5,000 units and community associations are priced by phone (Buildium).
Support and onboarding
All customers get ticket support. Live phone support, "Monday-Friday between 9 AM and 8 PM EST" (Buildium), comes only with Growth or Premium. New Growth and Premium customers "must use our customized Onboarding service" (Buildium). For a part-time landlord that means the plan with phone help also comes with a required onboarding step.
Buildium pros and cons for a small landlord
Strengths
- Accounting with bank reconciliation and financial reports (Buildium), plus an Owners Portal.
- Published fees for every transaction, so you can model costs before signing up.
- TransUnion screening at $17, or $35 passed to the applicant.
- 14-day trial with sample data, no card.
Gaps
- Starting price of $65 a month, or $780 a year, before fees.
- No free plan, and per-unit pricing is not published.
- Phone support only from Growth ($202 a month).
- Per-transaction fees on Essential: $2.35 per incoming EFT, $5 per e-signed document.
Who should pick Buildium
- Pick it if you manage rentals for other owners, run an association, or are growing toward 40 to 50 units (our rule of thumb; AppFolio's Core plan starts at 50) and want one accounting system for everything.
- Skip it if you own 1 to 10 units and mainly need listings, screening and rent collection; free plans and RentRedi ($144 a year on its annual plan) do that for $0 to $144 a year.
- Trial it with your real chart of accounts before paying, since Growth and Premium require onboarding once you buy.
Questions to ask before you sign up
- What will my price be at my actual unit count, since the site shows only starting prices?
- Will incoming EFT fees be charged to me or can they be passed to tenants?
- Do I need phone support, which starts at Growth?
- How many leases will I e-sign a year at $5 each on Essential?
- How many business bank accounts do I need at $99 each on Essential?
Buildium alternatives
AppFolio vs Buildium
The two big platforms side by side, including AppFolio's 50-unit minimum.
DoorLoop review
Per-unit pricing with a $199 monthly minimum on yearly billing ($239 billed monthly).
RentRedi review
One flat price for unlimited units.
Free software
Five free plans and what each one leaves out.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Buildium a month?
Buildium lists starting prices of $65 a month for Essential, $202 for Growth and $420 for Premium. Payments, screening and e-signatures cost extra on the lower plans.
What is Buildium used for?
Running rental properties and associations: accounting and bank reconciliation, listings and applications, TransUnion tenant screening, e-signed leases, maintenance work orders, and resident and owner portals.
Are AppFolio and Buildium the same?
No. They are separate companies with different pricing. Buildium publishes monthly starting prices from $65; AppFolio prices per unit from $1.49 a month with a 50-unit minimum and asks you to request a quote.
Does Buildium have a free trial?
Yes, 14 days with sample data and no credit card. You can convert to any plan from the trial.
Is Buildium good for small landlords?
It works, but its $65 monthly floor and per-transaction fees make it expensive for a few units. It fits landlords who manage for others or are growing past about 40 units.