TL;DR
- Buildium's entry plan costs $62 a month, while TenantCloud's costs $15 (when billed annually).
- Buildium charges signature fees, including $5 per document for eSignatures and $2.35 incoming EFT fees on that entry plan. TenantCloud does not charge for signatures but does charge ACH fees depending on the plan (starting at $1.50.)
- TenantCloud bases membership levels on the number of leases at each tier: 10 leases on Starter, 30 on Growth, and 60 on Pro. Buildium charges per plan with no limit on leases.
- Deciding on TenantCloud vs. Buildium depends on lease count and rent payment volume.
On the surface, TenantCloud and Buildium might seem like similar platforms. After all, both offer rent collection, tenant screening, maintenance coordination, and bookkeeping, so it can be difficult for landlords to decide when comparing TenantCloud vs. Buildium.
However, the two landlord and property management software platforms differ based on pricing and the depth of the tools available. With that in mind, it’s important to understand each product’s upsides and downsides so you can make the best decision for your portfolio.
In this guide, we’re putting both TenantCloud and Buildium side by side, comparing their available tools, costs, user reviews, and more to help you make the right decision. Let’s get started.
TenantCloud vs. Buildium: Company and Audience Overview
Buildium
Founded in 2004, Buildium is primarily geared toward companies that manage other people’s rental properties. According to Buildium, thousands of property managers use it to manage millions of rental properties.
Buildium offers a partner marketplace to find vendors on its Premium tier, plus dedicated community association management tools for those who manage in HOAs.
TenantCloud
TenantCloud launched in 2016 and works directly with more than 1 million landlords and renters. Because TenantCloud works directly with property owners, its property management tools are built for a single person or small team rather than an entire department. However, they do have team tools for growing property management teams.
Beyond their target audiences, the two companies differ from one another in terms of pricing and cost calculations. Buildium provides services for large-scale property managers, while TenantCloud serves small DIY landlords and larger portfolios.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
While TenantCloud and Buildium offer similar tools, they operate at different scales. Additionally, tenants and landlords have to pay for different aspects of each transaction.
Here’s how it all breaks down:
| Feature | TenantCloud | Buildium |
|---|---|---|
| Rent collection | Offered with every plan. The tenant pays ACH fees, ($1.95 for Starter to $1.50 on Pro) | Offered with every plan. Incoming EFT and card processing fees, with the EFT rate determined by the plan. Managers can set resident convenience fees where permitted. |
| Tenant screening | Priced per screening, and free to the landlord if they have the applicant pay | Priced per screening, with a higher rate if paid by the applicant |
| Accounting and bookkeeping | Income and expense tracking, deposit tracking, and 1099-K forms are offered with every plan. Bank reconciliation available on Pro | Property accounting with a transaction ledger and a chart of accounts on every plan |
| Maintenance requests | Unlimited requests on every plan and a vendor portal from Growth up. Auto-assignment and maintenance oversight are available on Pro | Work orders on every plan. Inspections cost extra on the Essential plan |
| Reporting | Rent rolls and statements are offered on every plan. Operating statements, profit and loss statements, and tax prep are available on Pro | Standard and customizable reports are available on every plan. Reporting automation is available on Growth and Premium |
| eSignature | Offered with every plan, with no per-document charge | Priced per document on Essential and Growth plans, unlimited on Premium |
| Open API and marketplace | Not offered | Available on Premium |
Summary: Both platforms include rent collection, screening, maintenance, and accounting at the entry-level tier. Buildium, however, adds a per-document eSignature charge and a per-payment EFT fee on top of the monthly rate and TenantCloud does not have open API.
TenantCloud Pricing: Plans and Costs
TenantCloud has four plans. Each one is based on lease counts rather than the number of individual rental units.
- Starter: $15 a month when billed annually ($25 month-to-month) and covers 10 lease agreements, including rent payments, screening, maintenance, and listings.
- Growth: $29.17 a month when billed annually ($35 month-to-month), and includes 30 lease agreements. Landlords on the Growth plan also get access to a lease builder, lease statements, and 15 move-in and move-out inspections.
- Pro: $50 a month when billed annually ($60 month-to-month), and includes 60 lease agreements as well as bank reconciliation, tax prep, 50 inspections, and a separate owner portal.
- Business: Starts at $100 a month, with custom lease limits, team management, and priority support.
Annual billing runs about 17% below the typical monthly rate on Starter, Growth, and Pro. Properties and units are unlimited across all four plans, so adding units alone won’t increase the plan price unless it also increases the lease count.
While TenantCloud doesn’t offer a permanently free membership option, landlords can sign up for a free 14-day trial to find the membership that will best suit their portfolios.
Buildium Pricing and Additional Costs
Buildium’s published tiers start at $62, $192, and $400 a month for Essential, Growth, and Premium. The company also charges a separate schedule of transactional fees, which are priced differently by plan.
| Add-on | Essential | Growth | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| eSignature | $5 per document | $1 per document | Included |
| Incoming EFT | $2.35 per transaction | $1.35 | Free for 12 months, then $0.60 per transaction |
| Bank account setup | $99 per account | 10 free, then $99 each | 100 free, then $99 each |
| Tenant screening | $17, or $35 if the applicant pays | $20 for enhanced screenings | $20 for enhanced screenings |
| Property inspections | $99 setup, plus $40 to $95 a month | Included, then $0.40 per unit after 3 years | Included |
On top of these costs, outgoing EFTs cost $0.99 per transaction on every tier, card payments incur an additional 2.99% charge, and 1099 e-filing costs $50 per batch plus $4.50 per form. Buildium also requires its own onboarding service for landlords on Growth and Premium memberships.
When considering rent payments alone, Growth stops being the more expensive plan after roughly 130 incoming payments a month. But once you factor in eSignatures at $4 more per document on Essential, or inspections that cost between $40 and $95 a month, it’s likely worth upgrading to a higher membership tier.
Example
Let’s say you run 25 leases on either platform. On Buildium’s Essential plan, that’ll cost you $62 a month, plus $58.75 in incoming EFT fees, or $120.75 a month, plus $99 once to set up your bank account (assuming you absorb the EFT fees instead of passing a permitted convenience fee to residents).
On the other hand, TenantCloud’s Growth plan has a $35 monthly subscription to manage the same 25 lease agreements. Tenants pay a $1.75 per-ACH-transaction fee, keeping landlords’ operating costs lower.
It’s also worth noting that the pricing listed above is accurate, according to TenantCloud and Buildium’s respective websites, as of September 2026. Double-check all prices before signing up.
Buildium and TenantCloud Reviews: Ratings and What Users Say
Buildium gets 4.5 stars from reviewers on Capterra and 4.4 on G2. TenantCloud receives 4.3 stars on Capterra and 4.4 on G2.
Buildium and TenantCloud both earn praise from reviewers who appreciate having all of their landlord tools in one place at the end of every month, and both platforms also have mixed reviews on customer service (though TenantCloud users can upgrade to priority support).
However, some reviewers criticize Buildium’s financial reporting, even though Buildium now offers customizable reports on every plan.
To top it off, Buildium’s separate transaction and add-on fees can make monthly costs higher than the base subscription price. Costs can rise further for users who pay for eSignatures, EFTs, inspections, and other add-ons.
When to Choose TenantCloud Over Buildium
Landlords who want a lower cost with plenty of tools will work best with TenantCloud. Property owners and landlords alike can benefit from the platform’s rent collection, applications, work orders, and bookkeeping tools, without the add-ons that come with Buildium.
However, TenantCloud doesn’t offer some of Buildium’s enterprise-focused capabilities, like an open API, a dedicated community association module, or a partner marketplace. Property management companies that rely on those features may prefer Buildium.
TenantCloud Is the Better Fit If...
- You manage a small or midsize portfolio, or want custom lease limits on the Business plan.
- You self-manage or run a small team, and you don’t have a full-time bookkeeper.
- You want to avoid per-document eSignature fees or having payment-processing fees billed to your account.
- You want to manage unlimited properties and units without a spike in software costs.
While Buildium offers more enterprise-focused capabilities, TenantCloud is a solid pick for hands-on landlords and property management teams.
Buildium Is the Better Fit If...
- You manage rental units for other owners and need owner-facing reporting.
- You handle community associations alongside residential rentals.
- You need an open API or marketplace integrations to connect other software.
- You have dedicated accounting staff who will use a customizable chart of accounts.
As you’ve probably gathered by now, Buildium is geared toward dedicated property management companies, and its higher pricing reflects its broader enterprise-focused feature set.
Which software will you choose?
Both TenantCloud and Buildium provide a reliable toolset for their respective audiences, but you should understand your management needs before you sign up. Paying for community association features and multi-member logins would be a waste of money if you ultimately don’t use them.
Deciding between TenantCloud and Buildium is easy once you consider how many active lease agreements you manage and your monthly payment volume. Landlords who self-manage their rentals can use rent collection, applicant screenings, and owner-ready property management reporting on TenantCloud, without Buildium-style per-document eSignature fees or landlord-paid ACH fees.
Start your free, 14-day TenantCloud trial and see how much it costs to run your whole portfolio, with all the tools DIY landlords might need.
FAQs: TenantCloud vs. Buildium
How much does Buildium cost per month?
Buildium’s published plans start at $62 a month for Essential, $192 for Growth, and $400 for Premium. Transaction and add-on charges are billed separately, and you’ll need to request a custom quote if you manage more than 5,000 units.
Are there additional fees on top of Buildium's subscription price?
Yes. Buildium bills Essential accounts an additional $5 per eSignature and $2.35 per incoming EFT payment, plus $99 per bank account. With that in mind, managers can set resident convenience fees to help cover ePay costs where permitted. Cards cost an additional 2.99% across all membership tiers, and Buildium requires landlords to use its onboarding service with the Growth and Premium memberships.
What do verified Buildium reviews say about ease of use and support?
Reviewers have given Buildium 4.5 stars on Capterra and 4.4 stars on G2. Reviewers praise the ease of day-to-day use and having leasing, accounting, and maintenance under one login. However, opinions on customer support are divided: some users say they got help fast, while others complain about lengthy delays.
Is TenantCloud a good Buildium alternative for independent landlords?
For a self-managing property owner, yes, TenantCloud is a good Buildium alternative. Its Business plan also supports custom lease limits, though companies that manage community associations or need an open API may find Buildium a better fit.
Which platform is the better fit for a growing property management company?
It depends. Buildium is the better fit for a property management company that runs community associations or connects to other software through an open API. TenantCloud is a better fit for landlords who prioritize simpler pricing, with a Business plan available for larger portfolios.
