AppFolio alternatives for owners with fewer than 50 units
Every feature, $2 a unit
4 of our features are not included on AppFolio Max. One plan, no tenant fees, no minimum.
Tenants pay $0 to pay rent by bank transfer with DoorKeeping. A credit card payment carries a 3% card fee. Credit cards only. AppFolio does not publish its tenant fee.
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Example math from AppFolio's own published prices, read Oct 30, 2026. Details below.
AppFolio's Core plan has a 50-unit minimum, so an owner with 12 or 30 units pays as if they had 50. Alternatives that publish prices without that floor include Buildium (from $65 a month), Yardi Breeze ($1 per unit, $100 monthly minimum), DoorLoop (from $199 a month billed yearly) and DoorKeeping ($2 per unit, no minimum); Rent Manager quotes on request. Which fits depends less on price at this size than on whether you need leasing and maintenance tools working today.
Why small owners look past AppFolio
AppFolio's pricing page lists Core from $1.49 per unit per month, with a footnote: minimum spend and 50 unit minimum apply. The minimum spend is not published. For a 20-unit owner, the floor is 50 x $1.49 = $74.50 a month, which is $3.73 for each unit they actually own, before any minimum spend.
That is not unreasonable for what Core includes, but many small owners do not use most of it. If you lease two or three units a year and your main job is keeping the books straight for each building, the question is what the cheaper or simpler options give up.
The options, with their published prices
| Software | Published price | Minimum | Setup or onboarding |
|---|---|---|---|
| AppFolio Core | From $1.49 per unit per month | 50 units and a minimum spend | Not stated |
| Buildium Essential | From $65 a month | None stated | $99 per business bank account |
| Yardi Breeze | $1 per unit per month, annual agreement | $100 a month | No onboarding fees |
| DoorLoop One | $2.50 per unit billed yearly, $3.00 monthly | $199 a month yearly, $239 monthly | Not stated |
| Rent Manager | Not published; quote on request | Not published | Not stated |
| DoorKeeping | $2 per unit per month, every feature | None | None |
Prices from each company's own pricing page, read 2026-10-29. Buildium does not say how many units its starting price covers.
What 12, 24 and 40 units would cost
These are floors from published prices. Buildium and Rent Manager are left as "at least" or "quote" because their pages do not give a per-unit price.
| Software | 12 units | 24 units | 40 units |
|---|---|---|---|
| AppFolio Core | at least $74.50 | at least $74.50 | at least $74.50 |
| Buildium Essential | at least $65 | at least $65 | at least $65 |
| Yardi Breeze | $100 | $100 | $100 |
| DoorLoop One (yearly) | $199 | $199 | $199 |
| Rent Manager | Quote | Quote | Quote |
| DoorKeeping | $24 | $48 | $80 |
Example a made-up owner with 40 units pays DoorKeeping 40 x $2 = $80 a month. That is more than the Buildium Essential starting price ($65) and the AppFolio Core floor ($74.50), and less than Yardi Breeze ($100) and DoorLoop One ($199). Near 40 units, price is close enough that features should decide.
How to choose between them
Start from the work you actually do each month, not from the longest feature list.
- You fill vacancies often and want listings, applications, screening and signed leases in one place today: Buildium, Yardi Breeze, DoorLoop and Rent Manager all list leasing tools. DoorKeeping covers the lease itself, with e-signed leases and renewal offers.
- You want AI to answer tenants for you: DoorLoop lists a Receptionist Agent on Connect and above. AppFolio's Receptionist Performer answers calls. DoorKeeping does not talk to tenants for you.
- You manage for outside owners or need trust accounting: Yardi Breeze lists trust accounts and owner statements.
- Each building is its own LLC and your pain is the books: DoorKeeping keeps separate books per LLC at no extra cost per account. On Buildium Essential, each business bank account is $99.
- You want to pay month to month with no commitment: Yardi Breeze is an annual agreement; DoorLoop's lower rate is billed yearly; DoorKeeping is the same price monthly.
What you give up with each
Buildium: per-use charges for transfers, signatures and screening, and phone support only from Growth. Yardi Breeze: an annual agreement, and AI and screening as priced add-ons. DoorLoop: a $199 floor and fees on incoming ACH on One. Rent Manager: no public price, so you must go through a quote. DoorKeeping: you post listings and screen applicants with your own tools, and it does not answer tenant calls for you; books, leases, work orders and owner statements all run from Claude or ChatGPT.
For a closer look at each, read DoorKeeping vs AppFolio, vs Buildium, vs Yardi Breeze, vs DoorLoop and vs Rent Manager, or see every published price on the compare page.
Where DoorKeeping fits today
DoorKeeping is AI first property management for apartment owners. You ask Claude or ChatGPT about rent, late tenants or a building's NOI, and every money or legal step waits for your one-tap approval. It costs $2 per unit per month with every feature, no setup cost and no minimum. It never holds rent and sends a payment only when you approve it: tenants pay your own bank, each with a memo like 3C NGUYEN and an exact amount with its own cents. Each property's LLC keeps its own books, with expenses mapped to Schedule E. Start here.
Why switch from AppFolio
- Tenants pay $0 to pay rent by bank transfer. A credit card payment carries a 3% card fee. Credit cards only. At AppFolio: Amount not published; AppFolio charges a transaction fee on online payments, shown to the tenant before paying and listed separately as APPFOLIO_TXNFEE; Amount not published; AppFolio charges a transaction fee on card payments, shown to the tenant before paying, and it rises with the payment amount.
- No minimum and no contract. At AppFolio: Core: 50-unit minimum plus a minimum spend; Plus and Max: minimum spend and units apply (amounts not published).
- Every feature on one plan. On AppFolio's Core plan, budgets and budget vs actual, bills read and coded automatically, ready-made automations need a higher plan or cost extra.
- Rent goes straight to your own bank. DoorKeeping never holds your money.
What one year costs: AppFolio and DoorKeeping
Example math, not a quote: AppFolio's Core plan and its Max plan with the most features, billed the cheapest published way, plus the published fee for a tenant paying rent by bank 12 times a year per unit. Core at $1.49 per unit a month with a 50-unit minimum: 50 x $1.49 x 12 = $894 for 1 to 50 units, 100 x $1.49 x 12 = $1,788 for 100. An unpublished minimum spend also applies, so real cost can be higher. Setup fee not published.
| AppFolio (Core) | DoorKeeping | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 unitsCore | $894+$894 software, tenant bank fees not published3.7x DoorKeeping | $240No other fees |
| 40 unitsCore | $894+$894 software, tenant bank fees not published | $960No other fees |
| 100 unitsCore | $1,788+$1,788 software, tenant bank fees not published | $2,400No other fees |
| 10 unitsMax, most features | Not published | $240No other fees |
| 40 unitsMax, most features | Not published | $960No other fees |
| 100 unitsMax, most features | Not published | $2,400No other fees |
Feature by feature: AppFolio and DoorKeeping
25 of 32 features are included on the plan above at AppFolio, and 32 at DoorKeeping. Read from AppFolio's own pages on Oct 30, 2026; "Not stated" means we could not find it on AppFolio's own site.
| AppFolio (Core) | DoorKeeping | |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | ||
| Full accounting (ledger, P&L, balance sheet) | IncludedProperty accounting and reports on Core | IncludedSeparate books for each property, rolled up |
| Bank feeds and reconciliation | IncludedAuto bank reconciliation, bank linked through Plaid | IncludedConnect your bank; deposits matched to rent |
| Owner statements | IncludedStatements and reports published to the owner portal | IncludedBuilt from the books |
| Tax reports such as Schedule EIncluded with DoorKeeping | Not stated | IncludedSchedule E from the books |
| 1099 forms for vendors | IncludedPrepares owner and vendor 1099s (including 1099-NEC); e-filing not stated | Included1099-NEC report from the books |
| Budgets and budget vs actualIncluded with DoorKeeping | Higher planAdvanced budgeting on Plus; AI budgeting on Max | IncludedBudgets and budget vs actual |
| Bills read and coded automaticallyIncluded with DoorKeeping | Higher planAccounting Performer bill entry on Plus and Max only | IncludedAI reads invoices and codes each line |
| Pay vendors from the software | IncludedPay owners and vendors by eCheck | IncludedPay vendors from your own bank after your tap |
| QuickBooks connectionIncluded with DoorKeeping | Not stated | IncludedSync with QuickBooks Online |
| Rent | ||
| Online rent collection | IncludedeCheck, card and Apple Pay; tenant pays an unpublished fee | IncludedFree, straight to your own bank |
| Tenant autopay | IncludedResidents set up autopay in the portal | IncludedTenants authorize it once; rent comes from their bank on the due date, free |
| Automatic late fees | IncludedFees assessed on time per the lease | IncludedPosted automatically within state caps |
| Tenant portal | IncludedFolioSpace web portal and iOS and Android app | IncludedInvite link, nothing to install |
| Leasing | ||
| Listing page for every vacancyIncluded with DoorKeeping | Not stated | IncludedA public page per vacant unit, with Apply and Schedule a showing |
| Listings on Zillow and more | IncludedSyndicates to Zillow, Apartments.com and Zumper | IncludedList on Zillow and more |
| Online rental applications | IncludedOnline rental applications | IncludedOnline applications by link |
| Tenant screening | IncludedFolioScreen with fraud checks; price not published | IncludedOur exact cost, no markup |
| E-signed leases | IncludedOnline leases e-signed on any device | IncludedBuilt in, no per-document fee |
| Lease renewals | IncludedRenewal automation with a default offer | IncludedRenewal offers drafted for your approval |
| Maintenance | ||
| Maintenance requests and work orders | IncludedOnline requests and work orders | IncludedRequests become work orders |
| Vendor dispatch | IncludedVendor portal for jobs, invoices and payments | IncludedSend jobs to your vendors by link, no account |
| Move-in and move-out inspections | IncludedInspections and unit turns on Core | IncludedMove-in and move-out checklists by link |
| AI and communication | ||
| Messages to tenants (email or text) | IncludedIndividual or mass texts and email to residents | IncludedEmail to tenants and vendors |
| AI assistant | IncludedRealm-X Assistant and Messages on Core | IncludedAsk in plain words; money steps wait for your tap |
| Works inside Claude and ChatGPT | IncludedClaude connector: read only on Core, read and write on Plus and Max | IncludedConnects to the Claude or ChatGPT you already use |
| Ready-made automationsIncluded with DoorKeeping | Higher planRealm-X Flows on Plus and Max only | IncludedOne-toggle automations |
| Team, security and support | ||
| Team members and rolesIncluded with DoorKeeping | Not statedCustom user roles offered; plan not stated | IncludedRoles for your team |
| Two-factor sign-in | IncludedTwo-factor sign-in offered | IncludedAuthenticator app and recovery codes |
| Mobile app | IncludedMobile app for teams and technicians | IncludediPhone and Android app |
| Document storage | IncludedDocuments shared through owner and resident portals | IncludedStore and share by expiring link |
| Support | IncludedStandard support on Core: chat and knowledge base; hours not published | IncludedEmail support@doorkeeping.com |
| Onboarding and data import | IncludedOnboarding manager and data migration specialist; cost not published | IncludedFree and self-serve; import your rent roll |
Every fee: AppFolio and DoorKeeping
Everything AppFolio publishes that an owner, a tenant or an applicant pays, next to DoorKeeping, read from AppFolio's own pages (www.appfolio.com/pricing, www.appfolio.com/help/online-portal). "Not published" means it is not on AppFolio's own site.
| Fee | AppFolio | DoorKeeping |
|---|---|---|
| Software price | Core from $1.49, Plus from $3.20, Max from $5.00 per unit per month (paid by the owner) | $2 per unit per month, every feature included (paid by the owner) |
| Minimum or contract | Core: 50-unit minimum plus a minimum spend; Plus and Max: minimum spend and units apply (amounts not published) (paid by the owner) | None. No minimum and no contract |
| Setup or onboarding | Not published | None |
| Rent paid by bank (ACH) | Amount not published; AppFolio charges a transaction fee on online payments, shown to the tenant before paying and listed separately as APPFOLIO_TXNFEE (paid by the tenant) | Free. Tenants pay your own bank directly |
| Rent paid by card | Amount not published; AppFolio charges a transaction fee on card payments, shown to the tenant before paying, and it rises with the payment amount (paid by the tenant) | 3% card fee, credit cards only; bank transfer stays free (paid by the tenant) |
| Tenant screening | Not published | No markup: our exact cost. Paid by the applicant by default, or by you if you choose |
| E-signatures | Not published | Included, no per-document fee |
| Payouts to owners or vendors | Not published | None. DoorKeeping never holds your money and sends a payment only when you approve it |
| Other published fees | Cash payments at retail stores: $4.99 per payment (up to $2,000, $1,500 at 7-Eleven), paid by the tenant; owners paying contributions online also pay a transaction fee shown before paying; value-added services and add-ons such as Leasing Signals are unpriced | None |
Sources
- AppFolio, Pricing, read Oct 29, 2026
- Buildium, Pricing, read Oct 29, 2026
- Yardi Breeze, Pricing, read Oct 29, 2026
- DoorLoop, Pricing, read Oct 29, 2026
- Rent Manager, Pricing (bundles), read Oct 29, 2026
- AppFolio newsroom, AppFolio introduces the new Realm-X (2026-09-29), read Oct 29, 2026
Questions
- Can I use AppFolio with fewer than 50 units?
- AppFolio's pricing page says a 50-unit minimum and a minimum spend apply to Core, so a smaller portfolio is billed as at least 50 units. Contact AppFolio for the minimum spend, which is not published.
- What is the cheapest AppFolio alternative for 10 units?
- From published prices, DoorKeeping is $20 a month for 10 units with no minimum. Buildium Essential starts at $65 a month, Yardi Breeze has a $100 minimum and DoorLoop One a $199 minimum billed yearly. Compare features as well as price.
- Which AppFolio alternative has the most features for a small owner?
- Buildium, Yardi Breeze, DoorLoop and Rent Manager all list leasing, screening and maintenance tools today. DoorKeeping covers per-LLC books, e-signed leases, work orders and owner statements, run from Claude or ChatGPT with one-tap approvals, for $2 per unit.