Rent Manager Basic costs less than AppFolio Core at every portfolio size, but the fair match is closer than it looks. Rent Manager Basic is reported at $1.00 per unit with a $200 monthly minimum, and AppFolio Core at about $1.49 per unit with a $298 minimum and a 50 unit floor. Rent Manager Plus, at $1.50 per unit and a $300 minimum, costs almost exactly what AppFolio Core does. Neither vendor publishes these prices, so treat them as reported figures and get both quotes in writing.
AppFolio or Rent Manager, the short verdict
- Under 50 units: Rent Manager, because AppFolio will not sell you Core below 50 units. You still pay Rent Manager's $200 minimum, which is $10 a door at 20 units.
- 50 to 200 units: Rent Manager Basic at $200 against AppFolio's $298 minimum. Rent Manager Plus and AppFolio Core cost about the same, so decide on features.
- 200 to 500 units: Basic is about a third cheaper per unit. Premium, at a reported $2.25, is the most expensive option in this comparison.
- Commercial, HOA or mixed portfolios and heavy custom reporting: Rent Manager. A leasing team that lives in the software every day: AppFolio.
AppFolio vs Rent Manager pricing by unit count
Neither company publishes a price list. Rent Manager's pricing page names three bundles and asks for a quote; AppFolio's names Core, Plus and Max and does the same. The figures below are widely reported rates from software review sites, collected September 2026: Rent Manager Basic $1.00, Plus $1.50 and Premium $2.25 per unit with $200, $300 and $450 minimums, and AppFolio Core about $1.49 per unit with a $298 minimum. Letting is shown for reference at its published flat bands, billed yearly, with the month to month price in brackets.
| Units | Rent Manager Basic | Rent Manager Plus | Rent Manager Premium | AppFolio Core, reported | Letting, billed yearly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | $200 (minimum) | $300 (minimum) | $450 (minimum) | Not available, 50 unit minimum | Landlord, $29 ($59 monthly) |
| 50 | $200 (minimum) | $300 (minimum) | $450 (minimum) | About $298 (minimum) | Agency, $94 ($189 monthly) |
| 100 | $200 (minimum) | $300 (minimum) | $450 (minimum) | About $298 (minimum) | Agency, $94 ($189 monthly) |
| 150 | $200 (minimum) | $300 (minimum) | $450 (minimum) | About $298 (minimum) | Agency, $94 ($189 monthly) |
| 200 | $200 | $300 | $450 | About $298 | Portfolio, $224 ($449 monthly) |
| 300 | $300 | $450 | $675 | About $447 | Portfolio, $224 ($449 monthly) |
| 500 | $500 | $750 | $1,125 | About $745 | Portfolio, $224 ($449 monthly) |
Monthly subscription only. Implementation and onboarding are one time and covered in the next section.
The pattern is simple. Below 200 units both vendors bill their minimum, so the table is flat and Rent Manager Basic wins by about $98 a month. From 200 units up the per unit rates take over, and Basic stays about a third cheaper than Core, while Plus and Core run neck and neck.
First year cost with implementation included
The subscription is only part of the first year bill. Rent Manager's implementation is reported at about twice the monthly subscription, paid once. AppFolio charges a one time onboarding fee sized to the portfolio and quoted by sales, so it is shown here as extra.
| Units | Rent Manager Basic, year one | Rent Manager Plus, year one | AppFolio Core, year one |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | $2,400 plus about $400 = about $2,800 | $3,600 plus about $600 = about $4,200 | About $3,576 plus onboarding |
| 100 | About $2,800 | About $4,200 | About $3,576 plus onboarding |
| 300 | $3,600 plus about $600 = about $4,200 | $5,400 plus about $900 = about $6,300 | About $5,364 plus onboarding |
| 500 | $6,000 plus about $1,000 = about $7,000 | $9,000 plus about $1,500 = about $10,500 | About $8,940 plus onboarding |
At 300 units, Rent Manager Basic saves roughly $1,200 a year on subscription against AppFolio Core, before AppFolio's onboarding fee widens the gap further. Ask both reps whether data conversion from your current system is included, because that line is where quotes most often differ.
Fees and terms that change the comparison
| Item | Rent Manager | AppFolio |
|---|---|---|
| Unit minimum | None, but a $200 to $450 monthly minimum | 50 units on Core |
| Published prices | No, quote only | No, quote only |
| Implementation or onboarding | Reported about 2x the monthly subscription | One time onboarding fee on quote |
| Tiers | Basic, Plus, Premium | Core, Plus, Max; Plus and Max reported near $3.20 and $5.00 per unit |
| Portfolio types | Residential, commercial, HOA and mixed | Residential, commercial, community associations and student housing |
| Add ons | Call center, websites and custom integrations sold as services | Premium features gated to Plus and Max |
| Online rent payments | Yes, processing fees apply | Yes, processing fees apply |
Both sign annual agreements in practice. If a monthly term matters to you, raise it before the demo, not after the proposal.
Where each one is stronger
Rent Manager's strength is depth. Its accounting handles commercial leases with CAM recoveries, HOA dues, mixed portfolios and trust accounts, and its reporting can be customized far beyond what most small platforms allow. It also has an open API and a large list of integration partners, which suits companies that want to connect their own tools. The trade off is a steeper learning curve and a setup that takes real staff time. If your portfolio includes retail or office space, it also pays to pull the key terms out of each commercial lease into a clean summary before you load those leases into either system.
AppFolio's strength is ease of use and automation. Reviewers consistently rate its interface and resident experience highly, and its AI assistant, leasing CRM and maintenance triage take routine work off a busy leasing team. The trade offs are the 50 unit floor, the $298 minimum and a price that climbs sharply on Plus and Max.
- Choose Rent Manager for commercial or mixed portfolios, custom reporting, integrations and the lowest per unit rate on Basic.
- Choose AppFolio for high leasing volume, a polished tenant and owner app, and staff who will use its automation daily.
Is Rent Manager or AppFolio better for small property managers?
For most managers under 100 units, neither is a great fit on price. Rent Manager's $200 minimum works out to $4 per door at 50 units, and AppFolio's $298 minimum to about $6. Both are built for companies with staff, trust accounting and online rent collection. If you are under 50 units, AppFolio is not an option at all, which our AppFolio alternative page covers in detail. If Rent Manager's minimum is the sticking point, the numbers are in our Rent Manager pricing guide.
When neither AppFolio nor Rent Manager is the right buy
- 25 units or fewer: Letting Landlord at $29 per month billed yearly, against Rent Manager's $200 minimum and AppFolio's 50 unit floor
- 26 to 150 units: Letting Agency at $94 per month billed yearly, less than half of Rent Manager Basic and a third of AppFolio's minimum
- 225 to 500 units: Letting Portfolio at $224 per month billed yearly, below Rent Manager Basic and AppFolio Core
Between about 200 and 223 units, Rent Manager Basic's reported rate is slightly under our yearly Portfolio price, and month to month ($59, $189, $449) Basic is cheaper from about 200 to 450 units. We say so. Size specific tables are on property management software for 50 units, 100 units and 500 units.
Switching between AppFolio and Rent Manager
Moving in either direction means exporting tenants, leases, owners, vendors and open balances, then rebuilding recurring charges, late fee rules and bank accounts in the new system. Plan the cutover for the first of a month so opening balances are clean, run one month in parallel if you can, and keep read access to the old system for at least a year for audits and deposit disputes.
- Export tenant ledgers with open balances as of cutover
- Export owner balances and reserve amounts per property
- Export vendor lists with W-9 and 1099 details
- Re-enter recurring charges and late fee rules, then test one rent cycle
FAQ
Is Rent Manager cheaper than AppFolio?
Yes, on the Basic bundle. Rent Manager Basic is reported at $1.00 per unit with a $200 monthly minimum, against AppFolio Core at about $1.49 per unit with a $298 minimum and a 50 unit floor. Rent Manager Plus costs about the same as AppFolio Core, and Premium costs more. Add Rent Manager's implementation, about twice the monthly fee, and AppFolio's onboarding fee.
How much does AppFolio cost per month?
AppFolio does not publish prices. Core is widely reported at about $1.40 to $1.49 per unit per month with a monthly minimum near $298 and a 50 unit minimum, so 100 units cost about $298 and 300 units about $447. Plus and Max are reported near $3.20 and $5.00 per unit. Our AppFolio pricing guide has the full table.
What is the minimum for Rent Manager?
Rent Manager has no unit minimum, but each bundle has a reported monthly minimum: $200 on Basic, $300 on Plus and $450 on Premium. Any portfolio under 200 units pays the minimum rather than the per unit rate. One review site lists a $350 minimum, so confirm the figure on your quote.
Is Rent Manager good for commercial property?
Yes. Rent Manager handles commercial leases, CAM recoveries, mixed use buildings and HOAs in the same system as residential units, and its custom reporting is one of its strongest features. That depth is the main reason commercial and mixed portfolio managers choose it over AppFolio and smaller residential tools.
Which is easier to use, AppFolio or Rent Manager?
AppFolio is generally rated easier to learn. Its interface is simpler and its automation handles routine leasing and maintenance messages. Rent Manager offers more settings and reports, which gives power users control but means a longer setup and more training for new staff.