Buildium
Serious property-management accounting and operations software, but the $62 entry price and transaction fees are difficult to justify for most DIY landlords with 1–20 units.
Buildium is real property-management accounting and operations software for growing operators. It can make sense when a landlord is becoming a management business, but its starting subscription and transaction charges are hard to defend when a self-manager only needs rent collection, maintenance, and records for a handful of doors.
There is no permanent free plan. Buildium offers a 14-day trial with sample data and no credit card required. Published plans start at $62 per month for Essential, $192 for Growth, and $400 for Premium; portfolios above 5,000 units and community associations receive custom pricing through sales.
What costs money
Essential charges $2.35 per incoming EFT, $0.99 per outgoing EFT, and 2.99% for card payments. Each business bank account has a $99 setup fee. Tenant screening is $17, applicant-paid screening is $35, and eSignature costs $5 per document. Optional property inspections add a $99 setup fee plus $40–$95 per month.
Growth lowers incoming EFT to $1.35 while outgoing EFT remains $0.99 and cards remain 2.99%. It includes 10 business bank accounts before the $99-per-account fee applies, offers $20 enhanced screening, and lowers eSignature to $1 per document. Property inspections are included, with the pricing page noting a $0.40-per-unit charge after three years.
Premium includes incoming EFT for the first 12 months and then charges $0.60 per transaction. Outgoing EFT remains $0.99 and card payments remain 2.99%. It includes 100 business bank accounts before the $99 fee applies, enhanced screening at $20, unlimited eSignatures, and property inspections.
All plans include ticket support. Growth and Premium add live phone support; Premium includes priority support, which can also be purchased on Growth. Onboarding is required for new Growth and Premium customers.
Small-portfolio fit
At one to 20 self-managed units, Essential’s $62 monthly floor plus EFT, bank-account, screening, signature, and inspection charges usually loses on economics to Innago or TurboTenant. DoorLoop is the closer comparison when formal accounting and management-company workflows are genuinely required.
Buildium becomes more credible when the operator needs the controls and support structure of a professional property-management system. For a DIY owner replacing a spreadsheet, that capability is usually overkill rather than value.
Bottom line
A serious platform for a growing property-management shop, not a cost-effective first system for most small DIY landlords. Test the workflow with the 14-day trial, then calculate the subscription and fee stack at the actual payment volume.
Facts checked against Buildium pricing on September 11, 2026. Confirm current plan, transaction, onboarding, support, and add-on terms before subscribing.