Baselane vs Buildium: which fits your rentals in 2026?
Pricing and features verified from vendor pricing pages on 2026-07-04.
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On pure cost, Baselane wins: it has a genuinely usable free plan while Buildium starts at $62/mo. For a landlord with one or two units, that difference compounds to $744+ a year. Baselane covers integrated banking — which Buildium doesn't. Buildium counters with maintenance tracking, listing syndication, leases & e-sign, missing from Baselane. Who each fits: Financially-minded landlords who care most about banking, bookkeeping, and taxes and will pair it with other tools for leasing. Professional property managers and growing portfolios that need trust accounting, owner reporting, and multi-staff workflows.
Pricing, side by side
| Starting price | Free tier | $62/mo |
| Pricing model | flat | flat, scales with unit count |
| Plans | Core — $0/mo Free: banking (unlimited checking/savings, tiered APY, debit cards), bookkeeping, rent collection, tax package Smart — $20/mo $20/mo, 30-day free trial; adds 2-day rent deposits, auto-tagging + receipt matching, balance sheet and cost-seg reports, shared role-based access, priority support | Essential — $62/mo Starting at $62/mo; incoming EFT $2.35/txn, $99 per bank account setup, inspections cost extra Growth — $192/mo Starting at $192/mo; incoming EFT $1.35/txn, 10 free bank accounts, enhanced screening $20 Premium — $400/mo Starting at $400/mo; incoming EFT free 12 months then $0.60, 100 free bank accounts, inspections included; Enterprise pricing above 5,000 units |
| Annual discount | — | Not stated on the live pricing page (fetched 2026-07-04) |
| Tenant screening | From $24.99, paid by applicant | $17-$20 per report paid by landlord, or $35 applicant-paid option |
Feature checklist
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tenant screening | ✓ | ✓ |
| Online rent collection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Accounting & reporting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Maintenance tracking | — | ✓ |
| Listing syndication | — | ✓ |
| Leases & e-sign | — | ✓ |
| Integrated banking | ✓ | — |
| Landlord mobile app | ✓ | ✓ |
Strengths and trade-offs
Baselane
For- Only major landlord tool with real integrated banking — free checking/savings with tiered APY and virtual cards
- Best-in-class bookkeeping: auto-categorized transactions, Schedule E tax package
- Free core plan with no account, maintenance, or minimum-balance fees
- Tenant ACH fee waived when rent deposits into a Baselane account
- Not full property management software — no listings, leases, or maintenance tracking
- $2 ACH rent fee unless deposits go to Baselane banking (soft lock-in to their bank)
- 2-day deposits, advanced reports, and shared access all require the $20/mo Smart plan
- Banking is via fintech partner Thread Bank, not a direct chartered-bank relationship
Buildium
For- Full professional PM suite: trust accounting, owner portals, inspections, staff roles
- Scales from dozens to 5,000+ units with Enterprise tier beyond
- Listing syndication plus complete leasing workflow
- Large marketplace ecosystem and open API; 14-day free trial, no credit card
- Expensive for small landlords: $62/mo minimum before transaction fees
- Per-transaction EFT fees ($2.35 incoming on Essential) plus $99 per bank account setup
- Standard screening ($17-$20/report) is billed to the landlord unless the $35 applicant-paid option is used
- Property inspections cost extra on Essential ($99 setup + $40-$95/mo)
Frequently asked questions
Is Baselane cheaper than Buildium?
Baselane has a free plan; paid tiers start at $20/mo (flat). Buildium starts at $62/mo (flat, scales with unit count); not stated on the live pricing page (fetched 2026-07-04). Subscription price isn't the whole story — compare tenant-side ACH and screening fees too. Screening: Baselane From $24.99, paid by applicant; Buildium $17-$20 per report paid by landlord, or $35 applicant-paid option.
What does Baselane have that Buildium doesn't?
Baselane: Integrated banking. Buildium: Maintenance tracking, Listing syndication, Leases & e-sign.
Which is better for a small landlord with 1–5 units?
Financially-minded landlords who care most about banking, bookkeeping, and taxes and will pair it with other tools for leasing. Professional property managers and growing portfolios that need trust accounting, owner reporting, and multi-staff workflows. If you're still unsure, start with whichever has the free tier — you can export your data and switch later.