AppFolio Pricing 2026: Plans, Per-Unit Costs, and What You'll Actually Pay
AppFolio charges per unit with no flat base fee, but enforces minimum monthly spend. Here's every plan, every add-on, and real-cost estimates at common portfolio sizes.
AppFolio Property Manager is built for professional property managers — not solo landlords. It’s among the most feature-rich platforms in the space, and its pricing reflects that. No free tier, no flat monthly rate, and a minimum spend that effectively requires a meaningful portfolio before AppFolio becomes cost-competitive.
Here’s everything you need to know before requesting a quote or starting a trial.
The Short Answer
AppFolio uses pure per-unit pricing — you pay a monthly rate per unit managed, with no separate base fee. However, there’s a minimum monthly charge on each plan, which means the effective minimum portfolio size is higher than you might expect.
There are three plans:
- Core — ~$1.49/unit/month, min ~$298/month
- Plus — ~$3.00/unit/month, min ~$1,500/month
- Max — custom pricing (contact sales)
There is no free tier and no free trial (AppFolio typically requires a demo and onboarding call before granting access).
AppFolio Plan Tiers
Core — ~$1.49/unit/month (min ~$298/month)
The entry plan covering full property management workflows:
- Online listings and applications
- Tenant screening (credit, criminal, eviction)
- Online rent collection (ACH and card)
- Maintenance request management and work orders
- Full accounting: general ledger, owner statements, 1099s
- Owner and tenant portals
- Lease tracking and document storage
- Mobile app (iOS and Android)
- Bulk communication tools (text and email)
- Standard reporting suite
Minimum monthly fee: ~$298/month. At $1.49/unit, this means you pay the minimum until your portfolio exceeds ~200 units — below that, you’re paying above the per-unit rate.
Best for: Professional property managers and PM companies handling 200+ residential units who need a full-featured platform with strong accounting, owner reporting, and tenant communications.
Limitations: AI leasing tools, advanced analytics, priority support, and automated workflows require Plus or Max. Core is a complete platform — but AppFolio’s most powerful capabilities are locked behind higher tiers.
Plus — ~$3.00/unit/month (min ~$1,500/month)
The mid-tier for growing property management companies:
Everything in Core, plus:
- AI Leasing Assistant — automated prospect communication and lead screening via SMS/email
- Advanced performance analytics and benchmarking
- Custom fields and advanced reporting
- Automated workflows — trigger tasks and communications based on events
- Bulk unit and lease actions
- Enhanced maintenance workflows (smart maintenance routing)
- Priority support with faster response SLAs
Minimum monthly fee: ~$1,500/month. At $3.00/unit, you’re paying the minimum until you reach ~500 units.
Best for: Property management firms managing 500+ units who want to automate leasing communications, get portfolio-level analytics, and reduce manual work across their operations.
Max — Custom Pricing
AppFolio’s enterprise tier for large-scale operations:
Everything in Plus, plus:
- Portfolio-level analytics and custom dashboards
- Dedicated customer success manager
- Advanced API access for custom integrations
- AppFolio Stack — open marketplace integrations
- Custom onboarding and training programs
- Negotiated rates for large portfolios
Best for: Large property management companies (typically 1,000+ units) or enterprise PM firms with complex integration and reporting needs.
To get Max pricing, you’ll need to contact AppFolio’s sales team directly.
Real-Cost Estimates
The per-unit model means your cost scales linearly with portfolio size — but the minimum fee distorts the equation at smaller scales.
Core (~$1.49/unit/month, min $298/month)
| Portfolio size | Calculated cost | What you pay |
|---|---|---|
| 50 units | ~$75/month | ~$298/month (minimum applies) |
| 100 units | ~$149/month | ~$298/month (minimum applies) |
| 200 units | ~$298/month | ~$298/month |
| 300 units | ~$447/month | ~$447/month |
| 500 units | ~$745/month | ~$745/month |
| 1,000 units | ~$1,490/month | ~$1,490/month |
Plus (~$3.00/unit/month, min $1,500/month)
| Portfolio size | Calculated cost | What you pay |
|---|---|---|
| 200 units | ~$600/month | ~$1,500/month (minimum applies) |
| 500 units | ~$1,500/month | ~$1,500/month |
| 750 units | ~$2,250/month | ~$2,250/month |
| 1,000 units | ~$3,000/month | ~$3,000/month |
These are estimates based on published rate guidance. AppFolio rates are subject to change and may vary by region, portfolio type (residential vs. commercial vs. community association), and contract terms. Always get a current quote from AppFolio directly.
Add-On Costs
AppFolio has a significant add-on ecosystem. Some are included in higher plans; others cost extra regardless of plan:
Tenant Screening — AppFolio offers built-in TransUnion screening. Fees are typically charged per applicant; cost varies based on report type (credit only vs. full background). Common range: $15–$40/report depending on configuration and who pays (landlord vs. applicant).
Premium Leasing — An add-on that provides professional listing photography, 3D tours, and listing promotion services. Priced per engagement; typically $100–$300+ per listing depending on services selected.
AI Leasing Assistant — Included in Plus and above. Automates lead response via SMS/email 24/7. On Core, this is not available.
Smart Maintenance — On Plus/Max, AppFolio offers smart maintenance routing that matches work orders to vendors automatically. Functionality varies by plan.
AppFolio Investment Manager — A separate product (not just an add-on) for investment management firms and syndicators managing investor equity and distributions. Pricing is separate from the property management platform.
Payment Processing — ACH payments are typically free. Credit/debit card payments carry a processing fee (passed to the payer, typically 2.99–3.49%).
eLease / Document Signing — Included across plans. No per-signature add-on fee for standard lease signing.
How AppFolio Charges for Different Property Types
AppFolio supports multiple asset classes, and pricing may differ:
- Residential — Standard per-unit pricing as outlined above
- Commercial — Per-unit (or per-square-foot for some configurations); Core commercial typically starts higher than residential
- Community Associations (HOA/COA) — Separate per-unit pricing, typically slightly lower than residential
If you manage a mixed portfolio, discuss with AppFolio sales to understand how units are counted and priced across property types.
AppFolio vs. Alternatives (Pricing Context)
| Tool | Model | Starting price | Minimum monthly | Free tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AppFolio Core | Per-unit | ~$1.49/unit/month | ~$298/month | No |
| AppFolio Plus | Per-unit | ~$3.00/unit/month | ~$1,500/month | No |
| Buildium Essential | Base + per-unit | ~$58/month + ~$1.25/unit | ~$58/month | No |
| Rent Manager | Per-unit | Contact for quote | Varies | No |
| Yardi Breeze | Per-unit | ~$1/unit/month | ~$100/month | No |
| TurboTenant | Free + premium | $0/month | None | Yes |
| Stessa | Free + premium | $0/month | None | Yes |
Key takeaway: AppFolio is expensive relative to most competitors at small portfolio sizes due to the minimum monthly fee. At 300+ units, it becomes more cost-competitive — and the feature set starts to justify the premium over Buildium and Yardi Breeze for professional PM firms.
Who Should Use AppFolio?
Best for:
- Professional property management companies (not solo landlords)
- Portfolios of 200+ residential units on Core, 500+ on Plus
- PM firms that want one platform handling accounting, leasing, maintenance, and owner reporting
- Companies looking to automate leasing communications and reduce manual admin (Plus/Max)
- Firms that need strong owner portal and investor reporting capabilities
Not ideal for:
- Individual landlords with fewer than 20 units — the minimum monthly fee makes this very expensive per unit
- Budget-conscious landlords who can get by with TurboTenant (free) or Stessa (free)
- Smaller PM companies where Buildium or Yardi Breeze would be more cost-appropriate
Getting Started with AppFolio
AppFolio does not offer a self-serve free trial. The typical path is:
- Request a demo on AppFolio’s website
- Sales call to assess your portfolio type, size, and needs
- Onboarding — AppFolio provides a guided setup process, typically 30–90 days depending on portfolio complexity
- Data migration support is available for large portfolios migrating from other platforms
There is no credit card signup or instant access — AppFolio’s customer success model requires a proper onboarding before you go live.
FAQ
Does AppFolio charge per unit or per property? Per unit. A 10-unit apartment building counts as 10 units. Vacant units are typically still counted toward your unit total.
What counts as a “unit” in AppFolio? Any managed unit — residential, commercial, or association — regardless of whether it’s occupied. Confirm with AppFolio whether vacant units or units in a pre-lease stage are counted.
Is there an annual contract? AppFolio typically requires annual contracts for Core and Plus. Month-to-month pricing may be available but is uncommon. Confirm during your sales call.
Can I migrate from another PM platform? AppFolio offers data migration support. The complexity (and whether there’s an additional fee) depends on your current platform and data structure.
Does AppFolio charge a setup or onboarding fee? AppFolio’s standard onboarding is typically included in the subscription. White-glove or accelerated onboarding for large portfolios may carry an additional fee — confirm during your sales discussion.
Is AppFolio’s pricing negotiable? For large portfolios (1,000+ units) and Max-tier customers, AppFolio’s sales team typically negotiates. At Core and Plus scale, pricing is largely standardized.
What’s the difference between AppFolio and AppFolio Investment Manager? AppFolio Property Manager is the core PM platform for day-to-day operations. AppFolio Investment Manager is a separate product designed for syndicators and investment firms managing investor relationships, equity tracking, and capital distributions — it has its own pricing.
See how AppFolio compares: AppFolio vs Buildium | AppFolio vs Yardi Breeze | AppFolio vs Rent Manager