Updated June 27, 2026. All pricing verified from public sources.
TenantCloud and Buildium both help you manage rental properties. The difference is scale and seriousness. TenantCloud is for DIY landlords managing their own units. Buildium is for professionals running a property management business. Here is how to decide.
| TenantCloud | Buildium | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free / $15/month | $55/month |
| Free tier | Yes (up to 75 units) | No |
| Best for | DIY landlords (1-50 units) | Professional managers (20-500 units) |
| Trust accounting | No | Yes |
| Owner portal | No | Yes |
| Tenant screening | Yes | Yes |
| Online rent collection | Yes | Yes |
| Maintenance tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
Price. TenantCloud has a genuinely useful free tier that covers up to 75 units. Rent collection, maintenance requests, and tenant screening are all included at zero cost. The paid plan at $15/month adds accounting features and custom lease agreements.
For a landlord managing their own properties, TenantCloud is all you need. It replaces spreadsheets and paper checks without costing anything. The interface is simple enough that you will actually use it.
The tenant facing features are solid: online applications, tenant screening reports, and a portal where tenants can pay rent and submit maintenance requests. It covers the landlord-tenant workflow well.
Professional accounting. Buildium includes full trust accounting, a general ledger, and 1099 reporting. If you manage other people's properties, this is non-negotiable. TenantCloud simply does not have this level of financial infrastructure.
The owner portal is the other differentiator. Property owners can log in and see financials, maintenance status, and occupancy reports in real time. If your clients expect transparency and professional reporting, Buildium delivers. TenantCloud has nothing comparable.
Buildium also handles scale better. Once you pass 50 units, TenantCloud starts to feel cramped. Buildium is built for professional managers with 20 to 500 units and the workflow reflects that.
Both handle the basics: tenant screening, online rent collection, maintenance tracking, and lease management. Both have mobile apps. If you are managing your own properties and do not need trust accounting or owner portals, either platform works. The question is whether you want to pay $55/month or $0.
Pick TenantCloud if: you are a DIY landlord managing your own properties. The free tier is genuinely good and covers everything a small landlord needs. Upgrade to the $15/month plan if you want accounting features.
Pick Buildium if: you manage properties professionally and need trust accounting, owner portals, and a platform that scales past 50 units. At $55/month it is the standard for a reason.
For DIY landlords: TenantCloud (free). For professional managers: Buildium.