What Is Buildium?
Buildium is a cloud-based property management software platform designed for residential property managers and landlords. Founded in 2004, it's one of the most established and widely used PM platforms in the industry — trusted by more than 20,000 property management companies and independent landlords across the United States.
Unlike basic landlord tools, Buildium is a full-stack property management solution covering everything from tenant applications and lease management to maintenance tracking, accounting, and owner reporting. It's built to scale with your portfolio.
Who Is Buildium Best For?
Buildium is best suited for landlords and property managers with 5 or more units. If you're managing 1–4 units, the cost may outweigh the benefits — simpler tools like Baselane or Stessa may serve you better. But if you're scaling toward 10, 20, or 50+ units, Buildium's comprehensive feature set becomes increasingly valuable.
Core Features
Tenant & Owner Portals
Buildium provides dedicated online portals for both tenants and property owners. Tenants can pay rent, submit maintenance requests, and access their lease documents. Owners can view financial reports, property performance, and statements — all without calling you. This alone saves hours of administrative time each month.
Online Rent Collection
Tenants can pay rent via ACH bank transfer or credit/debit card directly through the tenant portal. Payments are automatically recorded and reconciled in Buildium's accounting system. Late fees can be automated, and you can set up recurring payment reminders.
Maintenance Management
Tenants submit maintenance requests through the portal, which automatically creates work orders. You can assign work orders to vendors, track progress, and communicate with tenants — all within the platform. Vendors can also access a limited portal to update work order status.
Full Accounting Suite
Buildium includes a complete property accounting system: income and expense tracking, bank reconciliation, 1099 preparation, and financial reporting. The chart of accounts is pre-configured for property management, and reports like the Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement are generated automatically.
Vacancy Marketing
Buildium can syndicate your vacancy listings to Zillow, Trulia, Apartments.com, and other major rental platforms with one click. You can also create a branded rental listing page on Buildium's network.
Tenant Screening
Built-in tenant screening powered by TransUnion provides credit reports, criminal background checks, and eviction history — all within the platform. Screening fees can be charged to applicants.
Pricing (2026)
| Plan | Price | Units | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | $55/mo | Up to 150 | Core PM features, tenant/owner portals, maintenance |
| Growth | $174/mo | Up to 150 | Everything in Essential + eSignature, advanced screening |
| Premium | $375/mo | Up to 150 | Everything in Growth + open API, priority support |
All plans include a free trial period. Pricing scales based on unit count above 150 units.
What We Liked
- Comprehensive feature set — Buildium covers every aspect of property management in a single platform. No need to cobble together multiple tools.
- Strong accounting — The accounting module is genuinely good. Bank reconciliation, owner statements, and 1099 prep are all handled cleanly.
- Owner portal — Owners love having 24/7 access to their financial statements. It reduces calls and builds trust.
- Scalability — Buildium handles portfolios from 5 to 5,000 units without breaking a sweat.
- Responsive support — Phone and chat support is available on all plans, and the knowledge base is extensive.
What Could Be Better
- Cost for small portfolios — At $55/month minimum, Buildium is overkill for landlords with 1–4 units.
- Learning curve — The platform is feature-rich, which means it takes time to set up and learn. Budget 2–4 hours for onboarding.
- Mobile app — The mobile app is functional but not as polished as the desktop experience.
Our Verdict
Buildium earns its reputation as the industry standard for property management software. If you're managing 5+ units and want a single platform that handles everything — tenant management, maintenance, accounting, and owner reporting — Buildium is the best option on the market.
The best way to evaluate it for your portfolio is to schedule a free demo with their team. They'll walk you through the platform with your specific use case in mind and help you determine which plan makes sense.
Schedule a free Buildium demo and see how it fits your portfolio →
Overall Rating: 8.5/10 — Highly Recommended for portfolios of 5+ units