# AppFolio and Buildium alternatives for small landlords

By James Grokman, CEO, TapeAndFloat · 2026-10-25 · Canonical: https://pm.tapeandfloat.com/guides/appfolio-buildium-alternatives-small-landlords.html

**An AppFolio or Buildium alternative for small landlords is any setup that handles maintenance and vendor follow-up without a full platform. AppFolio's pricing page starts at $1.49 per unit per month with a 50-unit minimum, and Buildium starts at $62 a month ([AppFolio](https://www.appfolio.com/pricing), [Buildium](https://www.buildium.com/pricing/)).**

## Price and fit, from each vendor's own page

| Option | Price (checked Oct 25, 2026) | Built for | New app to learn? | 
| **TapeAndFloat** | Free 60-day pilot, then about $15/month per company (planned $10-20) | Small offices: 1-10 people | No: works in your own email and Google Sheet | 
| AppFolio | [From $1.49/unit/month; minimum spend and 50-unit minimum apply](https://www.appfolio.com/pricing) | Property management companies | Yes: your team moves its work into it | 
| Buildium | [From $62/month (Essential); onboarding required on Growth/Premium](https://www.buildium.com/pricing/) | Growing PM portfolios | Yes: your team moves its work into it | 
| Yardi Breeze | [From $1/unit/month, $100/month minimum, annual agreement](https://www.yardibreeze.com/pricing/) | Residential and commercial managers | Yes: your team moves its work into it | 
| Rent Manager | [Custom quote](https://www.rentmanager.com/pricing/) | Property management companies of every size | Yes: your team moves its work into it | 

## When a full platform makes sense

- You want online rent collection, leasing, screening and owner statements in one system.
- You have staff who will log in daily.

## When it usually does not

- You have a handful of doors and already collect rent another way.
- Your pain is maintenance and vendor follow-up, not accounting.
- You do not want to migrate data or train anyone.

## The small-landlord alternative

Keep your email and a Google Sheet. Add an assistant that turns forwarded requests and invoices into rows, and tells you each morning what is open or missing. That is TapeAndFloat: about $15 a month after a free 60-day pilot.

**Free 60-day pilot:** forward your job emails to the assistant, keep working in your own Sheet, and get a short daily list of what is slipping. No new app, no card. [Request a pilot spot](../#pilot).

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does AppFolio cost?

Its pricing page lists plans starting at $1.49 per unit per month, with minimum spend and a 50-unit minimum.

### How much does Buildium cost?

Its pricing page lists Essential from $62/month, Growth from $192/month and Premium from $400/month.

### How much does Rent Manager cost?

Rent Manager's pricing page asks for a quote.

### Is TapeAndFloat property management software?

No. It is a low-cost assistant for maintenance and vendor follow-up that works in your email and Sheet.