TurboTenant 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, TurboTenant 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. Who each fits: Cost-conscious DIY landlords with 1-10 doors who want free core tools and don't mind tenants absorbing the fees. 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 (unlimited rentals) | flat, scales with unit count |
| Plans | Free — $0/mo Unlimited rentals; marketing, applications, screening, rent collection, maintenance tracking; tenants pay $55 screening and $2 ACH fee; lease agreements sold a la carte Essentials — $12.42/mo $149/yr billed annually; adds lease agreements/e-sign and other perks; tenants still pay $2 ACH fee Pro — $16.58/mo $199/yr billed annually; tenant ACH fee waived, screening drops to $45, faster rent payouts (2-4 days vs 5-7) | 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 | Displayed prices are annual billing ($149/yr Essentials, $199/yr Pro) | Not stated on the live pricing page (fetched 2026-07-04) |
| Tenant screening | $55 paid by applicant on the Free plan; $45 on the Pro plan | $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
TurboTenant
For- Genuinely usable free plan with unlimited rentals — capped max cost of $199/yr
- Applicant-paid screening means $0 landlord cost to vet tenants
- One-click listing syndication and lead management included free
- Large ecosystem — 1M+ landlords, lots of educational content and templates
- Monetized via renter fees: $55 screening and $2-per-ACH-payment fee on the free plan land on your tenants
- Full accounting requires a separate paid REI Hub subscription
- State lease agreements cost extra unless you're on a paid plan
- Rent payouts take 5-7 business days unless you pay for Pro
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 TurboTenant cheaper than Buildium?
TurboTenant has a free plan; paid tiers start at $12.42/mo (flat (unlimited rentals)). 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: TurboTenant $55 paid by applicant on the Free plan; $45 on the Pro plan; Buildium $17-$20 per report paid by landlord, or $35 applicant-paid option.
What does TurboTenant have that Buildium doesn't?
At the feature-checklist level they match; the differences are in depth, fees, and support quality — see the full comparison above.
Which is better for a small landlord with 1–5 units?
Cost-conscious DIY landlords with 1-10 doors who want free core tools and don't mind tenants absorbing the fees. 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.